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Another newbie


Guest Trickydicky

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Guest Trickydicky

Hi All,


 


Just thought I would drop in an say hello


 


Im an absolute newbie to astronomy but I am in the middle of a very steep learning curve!!!.  After getting my first 'starter' scope a few weeks ago I have well and truley been bitten by the bug! In fact, Im already considering my first upgrade... This could be a very deep (and expensive) rabbit hole Im about to venture down!


 


 


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welcome to the asylum Richard, wait till you try imaging your pockets will truly be empty then :lol:


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Hi Richard and a warm welcome to EMS. :)


 


I'm sure I've seen you in a film - Pretty Woman wasn't it? :lol:


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Guest Trickydicky

Hi Richard and a warm welcome to EMS. :)

 

I'm sure I've seen you in a film - Pretty Woman wasn't it? :lol:

I only wish!!...My first upgrade would be to something the size of Jodrel bank if hat was the case!!

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Guest Trickydicky

Hi Richard, a warm welcome to EMS.

 

What scope you thinking of upgrading to?

 

Enjoy the forum. :)

Hi Baz, early days still so still unsure. I currently have a celestron 70mm refractor, f10. 

 

Its a tricky situation, I want to get something that is a significant enough upgrade but one thats not going to break the bank. I have been looking at a sky watcher 150mm newtonian. The question is though, do I spend extra and get it with a GO TO set up. If this was the case I may need to drop to 130mm due to costs.

 

Part of me thinks that I should carry on manually to hone my star hopping skills!

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The problem is that considering GoTo now means you are dropping the aperture to fit your budget, I would advise you forget the GoTo and get the biggest aperture your budget can then afford.


You want to be looking at stuff, and it doesn't take to much to get used to the night sky, well OK it does, but practise makes perfect.


 


The best bang for your buck is a Dobsonian, which has a Newtonian reflector mounted on a cheapish rotating base. You have to find the object, and then track it, this isn't too bad and I use my Dob the most.


 


Keep an eye on the info and announcements board, so when we have a meeting, if you have transport you would be very welcome to come and see what others have and get a feel for what might suit you. Belper isn't too bad to get to from Sheffield, maybe an hour away.


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Guest Trickydicky

The problem is that considering GoTo now means you are dropping the aperture to fit your budget, I would advise you forget the GoTo and get the biggest aperture your budget can then afford.

You want to be looking at stuff, and it doesn't take to much to get used to the night sky, well OK it does, but practise makes perfect.

 

The best bang for your buck is a Dobsonian, which has a Newtonian reflector mounted on a cheapish rotating base. You have to find the object, and then track it, this isn't too bad and I use my Dob the most.

 

Keep an eye on the info and announcements board, so when we have a meeting, if you have transport you would be very welcome to come and see what others have and get a feel for what might suit you. Belper isn't too bad to get to from Sheffield, maybe an hour away.

Thanks for the comments Baz, I think you may be right. Go for the largest aperture and the gadgets can come later!. Looking around the Skywatcher 250p Dob looks like it is getting some really positive feedback and it is within budget. Do you have any experience with this manufacturer and also size?

 

I will certainly keep my out for a meet up in Belper, its only 45 mins from where I live.  

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Hi, I have the Sky watcher 200P (8") and I think it is great.  Granted, I wish it was bigger (aperture fever) but the things I have seen with a 8" is just great (see my signature - all found by hand, no GOTO).


 


There are a few people with the 10" and 12" on here, most are Sky watcher and some people have an Orion Optics one (I think) and Kim (Brantuk) has a 16" light bridge!!!!!


 


Nothing wrong with the make/brand (Sky watcher) as with most dobs, most of the cash goes on the optics, make sure it has a P in the name, means the primary is a Parabolic mirror which is better, and as they are so simple devices, can be modded (also see my signature), although the 10" upwards do have better stuff as standard due to their size/weight (lazy susan bearing mod on mine not needed on the 10/12" as they already have one).


 


So to answer your question, the brand is fine, loads of people have then, I love mine (just wish it was bigger) now onto the size.


 


My 8" just fits across the back seat of a 2007 Vauxhall Astra (about 2-3 inch spare each side) with the dob base going in the boot with all my other stuff.


 


Now the 10" is bigger, but if your seats fold down in your car then you can slot it in the boot and pass it through to the back seats, Nicky who used to be on here had a 10" and she did exactly that (securely cushioned and strapped down).


 


They do weigh a fair bit, but the OTA can be separated from the dob base so you can carry them separately, if you are prone to bad backs etc then please try before you buy, it's no good having a scope if you cant move it.


 


Like you mentioned above, come to a meet then you can get a size and feel for the size you want, also check it fits in the car.


 


I`m eager to see how Kim gets a 16" light bridge out the boot of his car!!!


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"I`m eager to see how Kim gets a 16" light bridge out the boot of his car!!!"


 


I take the top box off and remove the trusses. Then the Primary box lifts off the side bearings and lowers down to sit inside the base. This gives me a lower overall height so it will sit upright in the back of the Volvo estate (either of them lol).


 


Next I slide the wheelbarrow handles into the square section side tubes and lift up on it's two front wheels. It then goes up into the boot via two alluminium ramps that are resting on the rear bumper. There's just 1.5" clearance under the rear roof as it goes in.


 


The top box sits on the back seat and the trusses and ramps go either side of the base in the boot - reverse the procedure to take it out and set up. Takes about 5mins in either direction all told. :)


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If you go for the 10", it will do you for years, there would be loads to see with it. There is a flex-tube version, which has folding trusses, the telescope back into the main body of the scope. I have the 12", and it works a treat, if you come over to Belper at the next meet you would be welcome to look through it and see what you are getting into.


There are 10" Skyliner Dobs which are the solid tube versions. I don't think these are made anymore.


 


If you come across something that floats your boat, please ask what the others think, just to make sure you don't buy a three legged donkey.


Just in case, NEVER touch a Seben scope, there's loads on Ebay. 


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Guest Trickydicky

Thanks for the comments and warm welcome from everyone. i have just returned from a long in North Yorkshire, Cricky never seen skys so dark...didn't think the telescope in the boot of the car would go down very well with the missis tho!!!


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Welcome to ems and go for a 200p and invest in a couple of good eps and Barlow, that my advice anyway ;-)

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