Yet another newcomer

[A.T. Hagan]

My seven year old daughter has recently developed an interest in astronomy which has in turn reawakened my interest from when I was a boy. We ordered the two H.A. Rey books and Phil Harrington's book book based on some recommendations from another board and the reviews they received on Amazon. I figure we can start learning our way around the sky while I'm dithering over what equipment we're going to get.

I've read a number of older threads in this forum as well as several other sites and have been evolving in my thinking. At first I was going to go with a pair of Pentax 10x50 binoculars but I don't think I'll be able to keep her attention with field glasses for very long. Now I'm thinking of getting a for-real telescope. I had a three inch refractor from Sears that my parents gave me for Christmas when I was a kid and can still remember the aggravation that mount gave me. At the moment I'm seriously considering an Orion 8" Dobsonian. It seems a good compromise between price, aperture, and resolution though the size of the thing is somewhat of a drawback.

Anyone want to suggest accessories or extra eyepieces to go along with the scope? I've never collimated anything before and reading the description in the scope manual puts me off. Are there any tools that will make this procedure easier for non-mechanically minded people?

I'm considering a carrying case too. I see the soft-sided case in the Orion catalog, but am thinking maybe a hardsider would be better if we need to go off road to get to good observation sites. Anyone have a suggestion as to who makes good hard cases for the Orions?

We went to a Public Night the University of Florida observatory puts on and looked through their Meade Schmidt-Cassegrains which I really, really liked, but they are way out of my budget. Too bad because they give excellent viewing for such a small package. If I could find a use 8" Meade Schmidt-Cassegrain for the price of a new Orion Dobsonian I'd go that way, but I suspect it isn't very likely for something that wasn't damaged.

Thanks for any suggestions.

.....Alan.

[aurora]

Collimating laser. I like mine.

I've never put a Dob in a carrying case. I really don't think that is necessary. Just a dust cap over the open end of the tube will do nicely.

Actually, the view of a deep space object through a Dob is very comparable to a view through a similar sized SCT.

I'd get a 1x finder, such as a Telrad. I'd also get the book "Turn Left at Orion" to help with finding objects until you are ready to solo with sky charts. I would hold off on buying any additional eyepieces or filters until you have time to determine what kinds of things you are going to be looking at, and what you might most need.

[Dave Mitsky]

The optics of a properly executed and collimated Newtonian are actually somewhat better than those of a Schmidt-Cassegrain of the same aperture.

Dave Mitsky

[aurora]

Yup. And, the reason for the difference in price is primarily the mount. A mount for a SCT is much more expensive than a Dob mount (which you can build yourself if you are so inclined).

[A.T. Hagan]

Collimating laser. I like mine. That's the sort of thing I was hoping for. Reading the description it sounds like it makes the process somewhat easier. I'd get a 1x finder, such as a Telrad. I'm not finding anything on the Orion site that calls itself a Telrad. Do they call it something different, have I just overlooked it, or do I need to look for it from a third party?

A quick search turns up this: http://www.company7.com/telrad/products/telrad.html
Actually, the view of a deep space object through a Dob is very comparable to a view through a similar sized SCT. Ah, very good. Dave Mitsky says the same. OK, comparible viewing then so it's mostly a size difference. I suppose I can live with that.

Thanks again.

.....Alan.

[aurora]

The SCT usually has a higher focal ratio than a dob, so with a given eyepiece, the Dob will have a lower power and wider view. What I mean is if you took the same eyepiece and swapped it between the 2 telescopes (say an 8 inch dob and an 8 inch SCT).

When you get that far, search this forum for previous messages about eyepieces. I think there has been quite a few threads about eyepiece selection.

As to the 1x finder, I see Orion sells an "EZ Finder". This displays a red dot. I prefer a telrad, but the EZ finder should work just fine. What you want it for, is to help you get started on a star hop. Through the telescope, you can just see a tiny piece of the sky, so with the 1x finders (which do not magnify at all) you can quickly put the telescope on a naked eye star or planet, then when you look in the eyepiece of the scope that bright star will be right there, and then you can start star hopping toward your goal (unless you wanted to look at the bright star or bright planet, in which case, you'd be done!)

[redshifter]

I've owned the Orion XT8 and have since upgraded to the XT10. The XT8 would be my first choice for a beginner scope. The dob mount is inherently very stable, and collimation will be no problem once you familiarize yourself with the procedure.

I also had a Telrad on my XT8 and now on my XT10, I don't use any other finder. The Telrad works very well.

As far as eyepiece upgrades, I'd recommend replacing the 10mm plossl that comes with the scope with the 9.5 mm version of these: http://www.telescope.com/shopping/product/detailmain.jsp?itemID=212&itemType=PRODUCT&iMainCat=6&iSubCat=36&iProductID=212

The problem with plossl eypieces is that at about 15mm or so and lower, the lens you look through is very small, and the eye relief is very short, which makes for difficult veiwing IMO. The 9.5 mm ED eyepiece has a longer eye relief as well as a nice big lens to look through, which makes for very comfortable veiwing. THe 25mm plossl that comes with the XT8 is actually pretty good, I can't see much of a difference between that one and the 25mm ED eyepeice I have.

I'd also recommemed a very low power/wide field eyepiece for those beautiful panoramic veiws of the summer milky way. This one would be nice at 38mm: http://www.telescope.com/shopping/product/detailmain.jsp?itemID=259505&itemType=PRODUCT&iMainCat=6&iSubCat=36&iProductID=259505 that will give you close to a 7mm exit pupil. The 32mm might also be worth considering.

I'd also recommend a barlow lens and maybe a higher power eyepeice such as a 7mm or so.

[A.T. Hagan]

I've owned the Orion XT8 and have since upgraded to the XT10. Was there a big difference in what you were able to see between the XT8 and the XT10?

.....Alan.

[redshifter]

Yes, and a bigger difference than I thought there would be. I can see quite a few more galaxies in the Virgo cluster, more detail in M27, M13 looks brighter, I can see the Veil nebula where I could not with the XT8, I've seen spiral arms in M51 on very good nights. Definitely worth the upgrade. Planetary detail is about the same.

[A.T. Hagan]

How are you Dob users coping with uneven ground when setting your tubes up?

My best viewing area is on a long slope so the ground is not going to be level. I suppose I could build a small plywood platform to that would be level to set it on, but maybe one of you folks have a better way?

.....Alan.

[aurora]

How are you Dob users coping with uneven ground when setting your tubes up?


The ground board under a Dob has 3 points that rest on the ground. This keeps the base from rocking.

You don't need to level a dob since it is an alt-az mount. As long as the slope isn't so steep that the scope would tip over, or you would fall over, it will work OK.

[Subra]

I'm yet another newcomer, in one sense at least. I've been a lurker for a bit, and resisted registering, but I had a bout of weakness tonight.

I did want to say though that the information in this thread is very useful for a recent ex-lurker like me, so I'm guessing there are probably other lurkers who find this useful too.

[Tareece]

Er...Guilty as charged...ex-lurkers unite!
I've had some great times out in the evening looking at the stars..Had a Tasco small refractor when I was young, and saw a Meade 6" refractor at a yard sale that I got for me and my kids to use...Now, I've gotten the Bug for AP and have started wanting a 8-12" scope...
I'll probably settle for a 10" Dob, but a 10" SCT would be ideal....Our house is obscured from most of the sky by large trees (Atleast 30-45 degrees on multiple sides)... So the ability to transprt is a factor...the 10-12" truss dobs are factoring in on that part...Decisions!

[Kevn]

The big thing about getting bit by the astronomy bug, is not to rush out and purchase a telescope.

First thing? Check out your local astronomy club. 99% of the time you can't go wrong with that. And if you have a good club near you, you might not have to buy a scope right away.

I still don't have a personal telescope, but I'm in an astronomy club with an observatory and 3 large 14"+ telescopes. I'm set. :surprised

[Premodial]

The big thing about getting bit by the astronomy bug, is not to rush out and purchase a telescope.

First thing? Check out your local astronomy club. 99% of the time you can't go wrong with that. And if you have a good club near you, you might not have to buy a scope right away.

I still don't have a personal telescope, but I'm in an astronomy club with an observatory and 3 large 14"+ telescopes. I'm set. :surprised

Yes I did that same thing instead of just going out there and buying what you think looks cool (good job for the people that have done that).

I picked up a Celestron (my signiture) for a little under 150 used. And it works like magic for what it can do. So its best off that you do take the time to go around and just ask experienced people on what they have suggested.