Guest CodnorPaul Posted January 16, 2013 Share Posted January 16, 2013 Right - after having a 5" reflector for a while I want something a little (lot) better. Budget about £1K and was thinking of a 10" SkyWatcher Flextube with SynScan Dobsonian, wanting to look at DSOs and planets. As you guys are the experts I thought I would ask your opinion - any advice would be gratefully received! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daz Type-R Posted January 16, 2013 Share Posted January 16, 2013 I'm no expert but if you had £1000 to spend then you could do a lot better than a GOTO dob! GOTO dobs have horrible backlash, not the best IMO. Are you looking to get into astrophotography at all or just visual, as your answer will affect the outcome. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest CodnorPaul Posted January 16, 2013 Share Posted January 16, 2013 hi - thanks Daz - just visual at the moment, not sure my bank balance has what it takes to get into photos! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daz Type-R Posted January 16, 2013 Share Posted January 16, 2013 (edited) Tell me about it. Reflectors are good for DSO's, the bigger the better, refractors are better for planets and stars etc. If you get a big reflector around the F5,F6 range, that should suit you for both. For a £1000 though, most of your cash would be spent on a mount, NEQ6 goes for approximate £900, leaves nothing for the OTA. Or you could get a 12" dob for approximate the same cash, but that would have no GOTO. The choice is yours, but I would wait for other people's advice other than just mine. Edited January 16, 2013 by Daz Type-R Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
catman161 Posted January 16, 2013 Share Posted January 16, 2013 You could go for an NEQ6 Pro second hand? That's what I did. Saying that you could get the OTA second hand also-Just a question of waiting for the right deal. Plus the time you spend waiting you can save more for other things you will "need" check out astro buy sell uk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daz Type-R Posted January 16, 2013 Share Posted January 16, 2013 Also, there is currently a thread going on about what's so good about dobs, some very good comparisons between fracs and newts, check it out.. http://www.eastmidlandsstargazers.org.uk/topic/3615-whats-the-big-fuss-about-dobs/#entry39859 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BAZ Posted January 16, 2013 Share Posted January 16, 2013 If you want DSO's ,then this would do nicely. http://www.firstlightoptics.com/dobsonians/skywatcher-skyliner-300p-flextube-dobsonian.html It would leave you some cash for a light shroud. http://www.firstlightoptics.com/dew-prevention/astrozap-light-shroud-for-skywatcher-flextube.html And then a decent eyepiece. I have just got a Sky Watcher 2" 26mm Panaview, and Iam really pleased with it. Come over and have a squint through it next time we go down Belper. Hope that helps. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Craig Posted January 16, 2013 Share Posted January 16, 2013 If you go EQ you will have to buy used to really get a decent setup. If it's visual only, then a Dob would be superb. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brantuk Posted January 16, 2013 Share Posted January 16, 2013 I think the 250PX Flextube Goto is a good jump in aperture, is manageable, and will introduce you to a lot of interesting dso's. The latest ones have the uprated motors and encoders so backlash should be a lot more controllable. That said - I haven't played with one yet so do check with the retailer first. If you go EQ then with your budget I would go for a new 200P DS newtonian and pop it on a CG5 GT Goto. It's a good solid mount (if a little noisy when slewing in both axes) but very accurate and more functional than the EQ5 Synscan equiv. Not as big an aperture jump but still a worthwhile setup Alternatively you could go for an HEQ5 Synscan Pro second hand which come in around £500 depending on age/condition etc. It would be very comfy with a 200P on it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Craig Posted January 16, 2013 Share Posted January 16, 2013 FLO do a 200P on HEQ5 for sub £1000 - http://www.firstlightoptics.com/reflectors/skywatcher-explorer-200p-heq5-pro.html Personally, for convenience, I'd just go with that instead of a CG-5. Whatever you decide, remember to budget something for dew control. There's nothing worse than being unable to use your scope because of dew. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daz Type-R Posted January 16, 2013 Share Posted January 16, 2013 I'll second that!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest CodnorPaul Posted January 17, 2013 Share Posted January 17, 2013 thanks for all the help everyone - one other thought could be an sct but having never looked through one am unsure about visual quality - anyone got any thoughts? or am I best sticking to a reflector? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
catman161 Posted January 17, 2013 Share Posted January 17, 2013 I am sure Craig can answer that for you or any of the other SCT owners on here of course! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daz Type-R Posted January 17, 2013 Share Posted January 17, 2013 thanks for all the help everyone - one other thought could be an sct but having never looked through one am unsure about visual quality - anyone got any thoughts? or am I best sticking to a reflector? I have had a look through Rob's (Red Dwalf) at our first star party EMS1 and I was not dissapointed, we were looking at Jupiter at the time, the increased appature size definatly helped, but wait for an SCT owner to give you a better overview as Felix says. Best thing to do, get yourself to a meet, there are often reflectors, refractors and SCT's at our meets, you could try them all - lol. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
red dwalf Posted January 17, 2013 Share Posted January 17, 2013 (edited) if you are looking for a good allrounder i`d look no further than a sct, i have had a 6" and now have an 8" sct and would only sell it for a 9.25" version, work great on planets for visual and imaging as they are f10, great with webcam imaging, can be made faster for imaging DSO`s with a reducer, something i`ve dabbled with in the past, very portable as not as long as newts, more aperature than refractors, although for wide field imaging i do have an 80mm refractor. my first eq mount was a celestron cg5 gt goto, nice mount worked well and very cheap compaired to a Skywatcher heq5, second hand £300, new around £450, and used it with a 6" sct and loved it so much i upgraded to the current setup i have. SCT`S are great scopes but not a cheap as a newt or dob, if you want the most " bang for buck " go for a dob a 10" mirror in a sct will cost you over a grand on it`s own. i`d certainly come to a meet and have a look through peoples scope, it`ll certainly help and don`t be afraid to ask people what things cost, even £1000 can be easily swallowed up in this hobby with not much to show for it. look out for nice second hand gear, can save alot of money and if you don`t get on with it you won`t loose much if you decide to sell it on. Edited January 17, 2013 by red dwalf Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Craig Posted January 17, 2013 Share Posted January 17, 2013 I guess it depends on the scope, but my SCT is bloody awesome! I have the Celestron 9.25 on an NEQ6. This isn't the cheapest of setups, but if it's purely for visual you don't necessarily have to go bonkers on the mount. The next time I am out you are welcome to take a look at/through it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest CodnorPaul Posted January 17, 2013 Share Posted January 17, 2013 ooo - decisions, thank you for all your thoughts - now some thinking to be done! I will keep an eye out for your meets and may well take you up on the offers to come and have a look - cant see it being this weekend though hey... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brantuk Posted January 17, 2013 Share Posted January 17, 2013 Hi Paul - I have a 925 Sct as well - you'd be very welcome to have a look through it if I bring to the next meet. All depends how my back is though - it's a heavy beast on alt/az goto mount so I need to feel fit lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest CodnorPaul Posted January 18, 2013 Share Posted January 18, 2013 thanks Brantuk - looking at your kit list you have a 300p - is the 925 heavier than this??? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brantuk Posted January 18, 2013 Share Posted January 18, 2013 They're probably about the same weight - the ota is heaviest on the Sct whereas the base is heaviest on the dob. They're both an effort to lug around but it's only short distances (car and back) and it's well worth it when you hang at the eyepiece all night and don't realise how much time has gone by as the sun comes up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
T A WOW Posted January 18, 2013 Share Posted January 18, 2013 Just a heads up. Telescope house have got a sale on with a Meade 12" light bridge dob for £682. Not goto but still nice. Plenty of £££ left over too Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest CodnorPaul Posted January 19, 2013 Share Posted January 19, 2013 thanks - will go have a look Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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