What if we dont want a Dob mount?

[nexius]

I've been researching buying a telescope for a good couple months now. (Outweighing advantages and disadvantages for my poor lowpaying job pricerange) I really want to look at somewhat deep-space objects and occasionally some planets. Everyone tells me to get a Dobsonian. I think they are a great scope for a low price and very powerful but their HUGE. My parents definitly dont want be getting something that is as big as me. Whats the next runner up in Deep Space viewing that is not a DOB? Reflector? Schmidt Cassigrain (probably to expensive) and Refractors are not very good at all for Deep-Space unless you cash out a few grand ? at Max I wanna spend 500. Can anyone help me out?

 

[gregoire]

A "dobsonian" is not a telescope, its a very cost effective mount typically used on reflecting telescopes. A reflector is basically the only choice you probably have at that price point, unless you purchase a cheap department store refractor, which IMHO isn't a wise choice.

 

[CalliArcale]

Your best bet is a Newtonian reflector. (SCTs are expensive, as you've guessed, and refractors are limited in useful aperture.) Dobs are Newtonian reflectors, but you can find Newtonians with equatorial mounts as well. These allow you to align your telescope to the Earth's rotational axis, which has some nice advantages when it comes to finding objects and then tracking them as the sky appears to slowly rotate by. One caveat: a Newtonian mount is more expensive than a Dobsonian mount, and also quite a bit heavier. For a beginner scope, it'll still be pretty reasonable, but large Newtonians need very hefty tripods. (Which is why Dobs remain popular.)<br /><br />My telescope is the Orion SpaceProbe 130ST EQ, with Orion's basic equatorial mount and tripod. (No capability for motorization.) It's about $280 and I've been happy with it. Orion has cheaper ones too, and of course they've got more expensive ones as well. They're a good manufacturer for low-cost beginner 'scopes. I'm not sure how well they compete on the high end, though. (I'm still very much a beginner myself, so they're still good for me.) <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p> </p><p><font color="#666699"><em>"People assume that time is a strict progression of cause to effect, but actually from a non-linear, non-subjective viewpoint it's more like a big ball of wibbly wobbly . . . timey wimey . . . stuff."</em>  -- The Tenth Doctor, "Blink"</font></p> </div>

 

[MeteorWayne]

A 6 inch dob is really not that big, only about 3 feet long.<br />While it may seem huge, nothing else in that price range is going to give you the views. Have you ever tested a 6 inch? Visit a local astronomy club and see what they have that you can compare with.<br />There are 4 inch reflectors like the Astroscan which are smaller, and might be a direction to look at, but will not give you as good a show. I'm not sure why size should be a limiting factor.<br />Besides, (wayne the troublemaker here <img src="/images/icons/smile.gif" /> ) if you are buying it, why would the parental units care how big it is?<br /> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font color="#000080"><em><font color="#000000">But the Krell forgot one thing John. Monsters. Monsters from the Id.</font></em> </font></p><p><font color="#000080">I really, really, really, really miss the "first unread post" function</font><font color="#000080"> </font></p> </div>

 

[nexius]

Thanks guys! So im getting mainly out of this Equitorial Mounts arn't as good for the beginner as a Dob mount. <br /><br />http://www.telescope.com/shopping/product/detailmain.jsp?itemID=374&itemType=PRODUCT&iMainCat=4&iSubCat=8&iProductID=374<br /><br />http://www.telescope.com/shopping/product/detailmain.jsp?itemID=252215&itemType=PRODUCT&iMainCat=4&iSubCat=8&iProductID=252215<br /><br />http://www.telescope.com/shopping/product/detailmain.jsp?itemID=387&itemType=PRODUCT&iMainCat=4&iSubCat=13&iProductID=387<br /><br /><br />Ive narrowed it down to those 3 but judging by what you all have been saying I guess the top 2 seem best? I also live in a light polluted suburb but I think a fliter will help me out their.

 

[nexius]

Yea I think im gunna pick up a Orion XT8 Don thanks guys ill let everyone know how it is! Should I pair it with a barlow lens? (for deep space viewing)

 

[MeteorWayne]

My personal preference is to just pick a suite of different lenses from say 9 to 30 mm and skip the barlow. It tends to add more weight, affecting balance, and more glass inbetween you and the photons.<br />Others may have differing opinions.<br />That is basically my mid size scope, though Orion didn't call it an XT8 back then <img src="/images/icons/smile.gif" /> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font color="#000080"><em><font color="#000000">But the Krell forgot one thing John. Monsters. Monsters from the Id.</font></em> </font></p><p><font color="#000080">I really, really, really, really miss the "first unread post" function</font><font color="#000080"> </font></p> </div>

 

[nexius]

thanks so much everyone one more noob question I went to my local telescope dealer (like 50 miles from my house!) and they sell Meade Lightbridge Dobs. He convinced me into upgrading into a 10". http://www.meade.com/lightbridge/index.html<br /><br />What do you guys think of Meade opposed to Orion? They both look about the same quaility maybe the Meade a little bit better.

 

[CalliArcale]

Meade's a very respectable brand, from what I've heard. I'd be cautious of the entry-level Meades sold at Wal-Mart, but their big 'scopes should be fine.<br /><br />10" -- I'm jealous. <img src="/images/icons/wink.gif" /> Someday I'll get around to upgrading from my measly 130mm. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p> </p><p><font color="#666699"><em>"People assume that time is a strict progression of cause to effect, but actually from a non-linear, non-subjective viewpoint it's more like a big ball of wibbly wobbly . . . timey wimey . . . stuff."</em>  -- The Tenth Doctor, "Blink"</font></p> </div>

 

[nexius]

Thanks everyone for anwsering all my questions that you have probably anwsered 10^1201010 times. I'll be on my way to saving for my Dob. The guys I were talking to up at the Telescope shop said maybe in the future you can even put the 10" Reflector on a EQ mount ( a big one ) THat would be cool! <br /><br />Thanks again, ben

 

[MeteorWayne]

IMHO, it is better to learn your way around the sky with a dob. Then you will never be lost.<br />The most useful purpose for an equatorial is that then with a simple clock drive you can track an object.<br /><br />There are more than one useful way to observe the universe <img src="/images/icons/smile.gif" /><br /> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font color="#000080"><em><font color="#000000">But the Krell forgot one thing John. Monsters. Monsters from the Id.</font></em> </font></p><p><font color="#000080">I really, really, really, really miss the "first unread post" function</font><font color="#000080"> </font></p> </div>

 

[nexius]

pretty sweet! I may just save up for shicmidt cassigrain =P