Ok, now's the time. I am beginning the process to upgrade to what I hope is the first of second major purchases over the next five years in the hobby. This one will be a dob, and I'm looking for a truss design. I have a bad back, deteriorating disc at L5/S1 so weight is an issue. I know Ron Ford has Bill Cowles Coulter Dob for sale and I'll be sending him email to take a look at it, but is there any other recommendations (thoughts on Bill Cowles Dob)? Here is where I am leaning. I have a 10 inch so I think upgrading to a 12.5 won't give me much bang for my buck. So I'm thinking a 15 inch and I am willing to go used or new (probably prefer used). A used Starmaster or Teledit comes to mind. An Obsession 15 inch comes to mind but they do have a rep for the upper cage to be small causing in some scopes a vignetting issue. I have also thought of a used Discovery, I won't go new with them because of what is going on with that company lately or the Orion XXi14. The XXi14 I like because of the intelliscope feature, if I don't want to star hop I can simply input and go. So I would love input into these or other choices others may have: 15 inch Obsession 15 inch used Starmaster 15 inch Teeter (see Teeter Telescopes, they are back east) XXi14 Thougths? Thanks for the input ahead of time.
Coulter Dobs are not known for being light weight. I would think a 14-16" truss tube would be a good size.
Ok, now's the time. I am beginning the process to upgrade to what I
hope is the first of second major purchases over the next five years in the hobby. This one will be a dob, and I'm looking for a truss design. I have a bad back, deteriorating disc at L5/S1 so weight is an issue. I know Ron Ford has Bill Cowles Coulter Dob for sale and I'll be sending him email to take a look at it, but is there any other recommendations (thoughts on Bill Cowles Dob)?
Here is where I am leaning. I have a 10 inch so I think upgrading to a 12.5 won't give me much bang for my buck. So I'm thinking a 15 inch and I am willing to go used or new (probably prefer used). A used Starmaster or Teledit comes to mind. An Obsession 15 inch comes to mind but they do have a rep for the upper cage to be small causing in some scopes a vignetting issue. I have also thought of a used Discovery, I won't go new with them because of what is going on with that company lately or the Orion XXi14. The XXi14 I like because of the intelliscope feature, if I don't want to star hop I can simply input and go. So I would love input into these or other choices others may have:
15 inch Obsession 15 inch used Starmaster 15 inch Teeter (see Teeter Telescopes, they are back east) XXi14
Thougths? Thanks for the input ahead of time.
_______________________________________________ Utah-Astronomy mailing list Utah-Astronomy@mailman.xmission.com http://mailman.xmission.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/utah-astronomy Visit the Photo Gallery: http://www.slas.us/gallery2/main.php Visit the Wiki: http://www.utahastronomy.com
Jay, you should also consider a kit from astro systems, they will save you some money. They say 30-40% less cost. They come with everything except optics and also include wheel barrel type handles for easier loading and unloading from the back of van. I believe this option is also available from the manufactures you listed.
I believe Bill Cowles completed one of these kits. http://www.astrosystems.biz/telekits.htm Truss hardware can also be purchased if you want to do the woodworking yourself, this is the lest expensive way to go. Erik Ok, now's the time. I am beginning the process to upgrade to what I
hope is the first of second major purchases over the next five years in the hobby. This one will be a dob, and I'm looking for a truss design. I have a bad back, deteriorating disc at L5/S1 so weight is an issue. I know Ron Ford has Bill Cowles Coulter Dob for sale and I'll be sending him email to take a look at it, but is there any other recommendations (thoughts on Bill Cowles Dob)?
Here is where I am leaning. I have a 10 inch so I think upgrading to a 12.5 won't give me much bang for my buck. So I'm thinking a 15 inch and I am willing to go used or new (probably prefer used). A used Starmaster or Teledit comes to mind. An Obsession 15 inch comes to mind but they do have a rep for the upper cage to be small causing in some scopes a vignetting issue. I have also thought of a used Discovery, I won't go new with them because of what is going on with that company lately or the Orion XXi14. The XXi14 I like because of the intelliscope feature, if I don't want to star hop I can simply input and go. So I would love input into these or other choices others may have:
15 inch Obsession 15 inch used Starmaster 15 inch Teeter (see Teeter Telescopes, they are back east) XXi14
Thougths? Thanks for the input ahead of time.
_______________________________________________ Utah-Astronomy mailing list Utah-Astronomy@mailman.xmission.com http://mailman.xmission.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/utah-astronomy Visit the Photo Gallery: http://www.slas.us/gallery2/main.php Visit the Wiki: http://www.utahastronomy.com
"Light weight big dob" is an oxymoron with only a few exceptions. There are some new models hitting the market that have a minimal cage, box or structure to them, presumably to save weight. These are currently at a price premium. I don't know what your budget is but if it is in the typical range these "light weights" will be too high. A 15" dob isn't going to be light by anyone's definition so figure out how you're going to move it and set it up before you buy, especially with a bad back. My 16" is anything but light but the views are terrific, where's your priority? Bob -----Original Message----- From: utah-astronomy-bounces+rob.taylor=digis.net@mailman.xmission.com [mailto:utah-astronomy-bounces+rob.taylor=digis.net@mailman.xmission.com] On Behalf Of JayLEads Sent: Thursday, April 22, 2010 8:05 AM To: Utah-Astronomy Subject: [Utah-astronomy] Scope Upgrade Advice Ok, now's the time. I am beginning the process to upgrade to what I hope is the first of second major purchases over the next five years in the hobby. This one will be a dob, and I'm looking for a truss design. I have a bad back, deteriorating disc at L5/S1 so weight is an issue. I know Ron Ford has Bill Cowles Coulter Dob for sale and I'll be sending him email to take a look at it, but is there any other recommendations (thoughts on Bill Cowles Dob)? Here is where I am leaning. I have a 10 inch so I think upgrading to a 12.5 won't give me much bang for my buck. So I'm thinking a 15 inch and I am willing to go used or new (probably prefer used). A used Starmaster or Teledit comes to mind. An Obsession 15 inch comes to mind but they do have a rep for the upper cage to be small causing in some scopes a vignetting issue. I have also thought of a used Discovery, I won't go new with them because of what is going on with that company lately or the Orion XXi14. The XXi14 I like because of the intelliscope feature, if I don't want to star hop I can simply input and go. So I would love input into these or other choices others may have: 15 inch Obsession 15 inch used Starmaster 15 inch Teeter (see Teeter Telescopes, they are back east) XXi14 Thougths? Thanks for the input ahead of time. _______________________________________________ Utah-Astronomy mailing list Utah-Astronomy@mailman.xmission.com http://mailman.xmission.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/utah-astronomy Visit the Photo Gallery: http://www.slas.us/gallery2/main.php Visit the Wiki: http://www.utahastronomy.com
Bob is right there is no such thing as a "light weight" big Dob or Telescope period, for that matter, you do need some stability in any design, weight does equate to stability. My 6 inch Refractor with Germ Eq mount is to heavy for me, hence it is in an observatory. What you need to get is a manageable size and weight, the wheel barrow handles are great providing you have the right vehicle. I have sure noticed some of the biggest scopes in SLAS don't seem to get out much anymore. Astronomy is a hobby requiring lifting and none of us are getting younger.
"Light weight big dob" is an oxymoron with only a few exceptions. There
are some new models hitting the market that have a minimal cage, box or structure to them, presumably to save weight. These are currently at a price premium. I don't know what your budget is but if it is in the typical range these "light weights" will be too high. A 15" dob isn't going to be light by anyone's definition so figure out how you're going to move it and set it up before you buy, especially with a bad back. My 16" is anything but light but the views are terrific, where's your priority?
Bob
-----Original Message----- From: utah-astronomy-bounces+rob.taylor=digis.net@mailman.xmission.com [mailto:utah-astronomy-bounces+rob.taylor=digis.net@mailman.xmission.com] On Behalf Of JayLEads Sent: Thursday, April 22, 2010 8:05 AM To: Utah-Astronomy Subject: [Utah-astronomy] Scope Upgrade Advice
Ok, now's the time. I am beginning the process to upgrade to what I hope is the first of second major purchases over the next five years in the hobby. This one will be a dob, and I'm looking for a truss design. I have a bad back, deteriorating disc at L5/S1 so weight is an issue. I know Ron Ford has Bill Cowles Coulter Dob for sale and I'll be sending him email to take a look at it, but is there any other recommendations (thoughts on Bill Cowles Dob)?
Here is where I am leaning. I have a 10 inch so I think upgrading to a 12.5 won't give me much bang for my buck. So I'm thinking a 15 inch and I am willing to go used or new (probably prefer used). A used Starmaster or Teledit comes to mind. An Obsession 15 inch comes to mind but they do have a rep for the upper cage to be small causing in some scopes a vignetting issue. I have also thought of a used Discovery, I won't go new with them because of what is going on with that company lately or the Orion XXi14. The XXi14 I like because of the intelliscope feature, if I don't want to star hop I can simply input and go. So I would love input into these or other choices others may have:
15 inch Obsession 15 inch used Starmaster 15 inch Teeter (see Teeter Telescopes, they are back east) XXi14
Thougths? Thanks for the input ahead of time.
_______________________________________________ Utah-Astronomy mailing list Utah-Astronomy@mailman.xmission.com http://mailman.xmission.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/utah-astronomy Visit the Photo Gallery: http://www.slas.us/gallery2/main.php Visit the Wiki: http://www.utahastronomy.com
_______________________________________________ Utah-Astronomy mailing list Utah-Astronomy@mailman.xmission.com http://mailman.xmission.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/utah-astronomy Visit the Photo Gallery: http://www.slas.us/gallery2/main.php Visit the Wiki: http://www.utahastronomy.com
I have a 16" Astrosystems Telekit, but unusually long focal length (6.25) which results in a heavy mirror box. It's solid and heavy and that makes lifting a challenge but worth it if there's a slight breeze. FWIW, /R --- On Thu, 4/22/10, JayLEads <jayleads@gmail.com> wrote:
From: JayLEads <jayleads@gmail.com> Subject: [Utah-astronomy] Scope Upgrade Advice To: "Utah-Astronomy" <utah-astronomy@mailman.xmission.com> Date: Thursday, April 22, 2010, 8:05 AM Ok, now's the time. I am beginning the process to upgrade to what I hope is the first of second major purchases over the next five years in the hobby. This one will be a dob, and I'm looking for a truss design. I have a bad back, deteriorating disc at L5/S1 so weight is an issue. I know Ron Ford has Bill Cowles Coulter Dob for sale and I'll be sending him email to take a look at it, but is there any other recommendations (thoughts on Bill Cowles Dob)?
Here is where I am leaning. I have a 10 inch so I think upgrading to a 12.5 won't give me much bang for my buck. So I'm thinking a 15 inch and I am willing to go used or new (probably prefer used). A used Starmaster or Teledit comes to mind. An Obsession 15 inch comes to mind but they do have a rep for the upper cage to be small causing in some scopes a vignetting issue. I have also thought of a used Discovery, I won't go new with them because of what is going on with that company lately or the Orion XXi14. The XXi14 I like because of the intelliscope feature, if I don't want to star hop I can simply input and go. So I would love input into these or other choices others may have:
15 inch Obsession 15 inch used Starmaster 15 inch Teeter (see Teeter Telescopes, they are back east) XXi14
Thougths? Thanks for the input ahead of time. _______________________________________________ Utah-Astronomy mailing list Utah-Astronomy@mailman.xmission.com http://mailman.xmission.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/utah-astronomy Visit the Photo Gallery: http://www.slas.us/gallery2/main.php Visit the Wiki: http://www.utahastronomy.com
The weight is part of the reason dobs are sturdy and steady. It's going to come down to your priorities. Bob -----Original Message----- From: utah-astronomy-bounces@mailman.xmission.com [mailto:utah-astronomy-bounces@mailman.xmission.com] On Behalf Of Richard Tenney Sent: Thursday, April 22, 2010 11:23 AM To: Utah Astronomy Subject: Re: [Utah-astronomy] Scope Upgrade Advice I have a 16" Astrosystems Telekit, but unusually long focal length (6.25) which results in a heavy mirror box. It's solid and heavy and that makes lifting a challenge but worth it if there's a slight breeze. FWIW, /R --- On Thu, 4/22/10, JayLEads <jayleads@gmail.com> wrote:
From: JayLEads <jayleads@gmail.com> Subject: [Utah-astronomy] Scope Upgrade Advice To: "Utah-Astronomy" <utah-astronomy@mailman.xmission.com> Date: Thursday, April 22, 2010, 8:05 AM Ok, now's the time. I am beginning the process to upgrade to what I hope is the first of second major purchases over the next five years in the hobby. This one will be a dob, and I'm looking for a truss design. I have a bad back, deteriorating disc at L5/S1 so weight is an issue. I know Ron Ford has Bill Cowles Coulter Dob for sale and I'll be sending him email to take a look at it, but is there any other recommendations (thoughts on Bill Cowles Dob)?
Here is where I am leaning. I have a 10 inch so I think upgrading to a 12.5 won't give me much bang for my buck. So I'm thinking a 15 inch and I am willing to go used or new (probably prefer used). A used Starmaster or Teledit comes to mind. An Obsession 15 inch comes to mind but they do have a rep for the upper cage to be small causing in some scopes a vignetting issue. I have also thought of a used Discovery, I won't go new with them because of what is going on with that company lately or the Orion XXi14. The XXi14 I like because of the intelliscope feature, if I don't want to star hop I can simply input and go. So I would love input into these or other choices others may have:
15 inch Obsession 15 inch used Starmaster 15 inch Teeter (see Teeter Telescopes, they are back east) XXi14
Thougths? Thanks for the input ahead of time. _______________________________________________ Utah-Astronomy mailing list Utah-Astronomy@mailman.xmission.com http://mailman.xmission.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/utah-astronomy Visit the Photo Gallery: http://www.slas.us/gallery2/main.php Visit the Wiki: http://www.utahastronomy.com
_______________________________________________ Utah-Astronomy mailing list Utah-Astronomy@mailman.xmission.com http://mailman.xmission.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/utah-astronomy Visit the Photo Gallery: http://www.slas.us/gallery2/main.php Visit the Wiki: http://www.utahastronomy.com
Finally, got out of the city and got some imaging time in! http://www.slas.us/gallery2/main.php?g2_itemId=3352&g2_imageViewsIndex=1 NGC 4565. I am hoping to get more galaxy shots in before they all fade off into the east. It was a bit of a headache getting setup last night. They are filming John Carter of Mars and have sets all over the place down here. At night, I guess they feel the need to light up the universe. They have huge spotlights that shine right towards Big Water. It's a real pain. They have actually created a light dome that goes up near polaris. I also have new bearings int he mount, and got a counter weight extension bar. With that, I was able to remove 1 11lb weight and move the other three out. The tracking was superb, even with moderate wind. I hope to get some more integration time on this one. Enjoy! David Rankin
I also got in 4 frames of M13 before the moon started to wash out the sky at around 3:30am. http://www.slas.us/gallery2/main.php?g2_itemId=3355&g2_imageViewsIndex=1 Cheers David
Nice! Tyler -----Original Message----- From: utah-astronomy-bounces@mailman.xmission.com [mailto:utah-astronomy-bounces@mailman.xmission.com] On Behalf Of David Rankin Sent: Wednesday, May 05, 2010 12:51 PM To: Utah Astronomy Subject: [Utah-astronomy] A very quick M13 I also got in 4 frames of M13 before the moon started to wash out the sky at around 3:30am. http://www.slas.us/gallery2/main.php?g2_itemId=3355&g2_imageViewsIndex=1 Cheers David _______________________________________________ Utah-Astronomy mailing list Utah-Astronomy@mailman.xmission.com http://mailman.xmission.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/utah-astronomy Visit the Photo Gallery: http://www.slas.us/gallery2/main.php Visit the Wiki: http://www.utahastronomy.com
This and M13 are superb, David. ________________________________ From: David Rankin <David@rankinstudio.com> To: Utah Astronomy <utah-astronomy@mailman.xmission.com> Sent: Wed, May 5, 2010 12:19:28 PM Subject: [Utah-astronomy] NGC 4565 Finally, got out of the city and got some imaging time in! http://www.slas.us/gallery2/main.php?g2_itemId=3352&g2_imageViewsIndex=1 NGC 4565. I am hoping to get more galaxy shots in before they all fade off into the east. It was a bit of a headache getting setup last night. They are filming John Carter of Mars and have sets all over the place down here. At night, I guess they feel the need to light up the universe. They have huge spotlights that shine right towards Big Water. It's a real pain. They have actually created a light dome that goes up near polaris. I also have new bearings int he mount, and got a counter weight extension bar. With that, I was able to remove 1 11lb weight and move the other three out. The tracking was superb, even with moderate wind. I hope to get some more integration time on this one. Enjoy! David Rankin _______________________________________________ Utah-Astronomy mailing list Utah-Astronomy@mailman.xmission.com http://mailman.xmission.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/utah-astronomy Visit the Photo Gallery: http://www.slas.us/gallery2/main.php Visit the Wiki: http://www.utahastronomy.com
Thanks Joe On 5/5/2010 12:55 PM, Joe Bauman wrote:
This and M13 are superb, David.
________________________________ From: David Rankin<David@rankinstudio.com> To: Utah Astronomy<utah-astronomy@mailman.xmission.com> Sent: Wed, May 5, 2010 12:19:28 PM Subject: [Utah-astronomy] NGC 4565
Finally, got out of the city and got some imaging time in!
http://www.slas.us/gallery2/main.php?g2_itemId=3352&g2_imageViewsIndex=1
NGC 4565.
I am hoping to get more galaxy shots in before they all fade off into the east.
It was a bit of a headache getting setup last night. They are filming John Carter of Mars and have sets all over the place down here. At night, I guess they feel the need to light up the universe. They have huge spotlights that shine right towards Big Water. It's a real pain. They have actually created a light dome that goes up near polaris.
I also have new bearings int he mount, and got a counter weight extension bar. With that, I was able to remove 1 11lb weight and move the other three out. The tracking was superb, even with moderate wind.
I hope to get some more integration time on this one.
Enjoy!
David Rankin
_______________________________________________ Utah-Astronomy mailing list Utah-Astronomy@mailman.xmission.com http://mailman.xmission.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/utah-astronomy Visit the Photo Gallery: http://www.slas.us/gallery2/main.php Visit the Wiki: http://www.utahastronomy.com
_______________________________________________ Utah-Astronomy mailing list Utah-Astronomy@mailman.xmission.com http://mailman.xmission.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/utah-astronomy Visit the Photo Gallery: http://www.slas.us/gallery2/main.php Visit the Wiki: http://www.utahastronomy.com
I really like this one David! Tyler -----Original Message----- From: utah-astronomy-bounces@mailman.xmission.com [mailto:utah-astronomy-bounces@mailman.xmission.com] On Behalf Of David Rankin Sent: Wednesday, May 05, 2010 12:19 PM To: Utah Astronomy Subject: [Utah-astronomy] NGC 4565 Finally, got out of the city and got some imaging time in! http://www.slas.us/gallery2/main.php?g2_itemId=3352&g2_imageViewsIndex=1 NGC 4565. I am hoping to get more galaxy shots in before they all fade off into the east. It was a bit of a headache getting setup last night. They are filming John Carter of Mars and have sets all over the place down here. At night, I guess they feel the need to light up the universe. They have huge spotlights that shine right towards Big Water. It's a real pain. They have actually created a light dome that goes up near polaris. I also have new bearings int he mount, and got a counter weight extension bar. With that, I was able to remove 1 11lb weight and move the other three out. The tracking was superb, even with moderate wind. I hope to get some more integration time on this one. Enjoy! David Rankin _______________________________________________ Utah-Astronomy mailing list Utah-Astronomy@mailman.xmission.com http://mailman.xmission.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/utah-astronomy Visit the Photo Gallery: http://www.slas.us/gallery2/main.php Visit the Wiki: http://www.utahastronomy.com
Thanks Tyler :) On 5/5/2010 1:45 PM, Tyler Allred wrote:
I really like this one David! Tyler
-----Original Message----- From: utah-astronomy-bounces@mailman.xmission.com [mailto:utah-astronomy-bounces@mailman.xmission.com] On Behalf Of David Rankin Sent: Wednesday, May 05, 2010 12:19 PM To: Utah Astronomy Subject: [Utah-astronomy] NGC 4565
Finally, got out of the city and got some imaging time in!
http://www.slas.us/gallery2/main.php?g2_itemId=3352&g2_imageViewsIndex=1
NGC 4565.
I am hoping to get more galaxy shots in before they all fade off into the east.
It was a bit of a headache getting setup last night. They are filming John Carter of Mars and have sets all over the place down here. At night, I guess they feel the need to light up the universe. They have huge spotlights that shine right towards Big Water. It's a real pain. They have actually created a light dome that goes up near polaris.
I also have new bearings int he mount, and got a counter weight extension bar. With that, I was able to remove 1 11lb weight and move the other three out. The tracking was superb, even with moderate wind.
I hope to get some more integration time on this one.
Enjoy!
David Rankin
_______________________________________________ Utah-Astronomy mailing list Utah-Astronomy@mailman.xmission.com http://mailman.xmission.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/utah-astronomy Visit the Photo Gallery: http://www.slas.us/gallery2/main.php Visit the Wiki: http://www.utahastronomy.com
_______________________________________________ Utah-Astronomy mailing list Utah-Astronomy@mailman.xmission.com http://mailman.xmission.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/utah-astronomy Visit the Photo Gallery: http://www.slas.us/gallery2/main.php Visit the Wiki: http://www.utahastronomy.com
Nice images David. I liked the UFO appearance of NGC 4565 and that you resolved to near the core of M-13. Kudos! patrick
I'm loving these images. This and M13 are gorgeous. Wishing I had the time and money (and skills) to produce something even half this nice. Keep up the good work! /R --- On Wed, 5/5/10, David Rankin <David@rankinstudio.com> wrote:
From: David Rankin <David@rankinstudio.com> Subject: [Utah-astronomy] NGC 4565 To: "Utah Astronomy" <utah-astronomy@mailman.xmission.com> Date: Wednesday, May 5, 2010, 12:19 PM Finally, got out of the city and got some imaging time in!
http://www.slas.us/gallery2/main.php?g2_itemId=3352&g2_imageViewsIndex=1
NGC 4565.
I am hoping to get more galaxy shots in before they all fade off into the east.
It was a bit of a headache getting setup last night. They are filming John Carter of Mars and have sets all over the place down here. At night, I guess they feel the need to light up the universe. They have huge spotlights that shine right towards Big Water. It's a real pain. They have actually created a light dome that goes up near polaris.
I also have new bearings int he mount, and got a counter weight extension bar. With that, I was able to remove 1 11lb weight and move the other three out. The tracking was superb, even with moderate wind.
I hope to get some more integration time on this one.
Enjoy!
David Rankin
_______________________________________________ Utah-Astronomy mailing list Utah-Astronomy@mailman.xmission.com http://mailman.xmission.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/utah-astronomy Visit the Photo Gallery: http://www.slas.us/gallery2/main.php Visit the Wiki: http://www.utahastronomy.com
Thanks Richard :) The M13 was just a side thought. I was about to pack up at 3:30am and saw Hercules was high in the sky. I only snapped 4 pictures at 130 seconds each. I plan on spending a few hours imaging it sometime soon. Cheers David On 5/5/10 3:47 PM, Richard Tenney wrote:
I'm loving these images. This and M13 are gorgeous. Wishing I had the time and money (and skills) to produce something even half this nice. Keep up the good work! /R
--- On Wed, 5/5/10, David Rankin<David@rankinstudio.com> wrote:
From: David Rankin<David@rankinstudio.com> Subject: [Utah-astronomy] NGC 4565 To: "Utah Astronomy"<utah-astronomy@mailman.xmission.com> Date: Wednesday, May 5, 2010, 12:19 PM Finally, got out of the city and got some imaging time in!
http://www.slas.us/gallery2/main.php?g2_itemId=3352&g2_imageViewsIndex=1
NGC 4565.
I am hoping to get more galaxy shots in before they all fade off into the east.
It was a bit of a headache getting setup last night. They are filming John Carter of Mars and have sets all over the place down here. At night, I guess they feel the need to light up the universe. They have huge spotlights that shine right towards Big Water. It's a real pain. They have actually created a light dome that goes up near polaris.
I also have new bearings int he mount, and got a counter weight extension bar. With that, I was able to remove 1 11lb weight and move the other three out. The tracking was superb, even with moderate wind.
I hope to get some more integration time on this one.
Enjoy!
David Rankin
_______________________________________________ Utah-Astronomy mailing list Utah-Astronomy@mailman.xmission.com http://mailman.xmission.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/utah-astronomy Visit the Photo Gallery: http://www.slas.us/gallery2/main.php Visit the Wiki: http://www.utahastronomy.com
_______________________________________________ Utah-Astronomy mailing list Utah-Astronomy@mailman.xmission.com http://mailman.xmission.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/utah-astronomy Visit the Photo Gallery: http://www.slas.us/gallery2/main.php Visit the Wiki: http://www.utahastronomy.com
Jay: Here is a little information that may help. First there is a huge difference in price from an Orion XT14i at $1,799.95 plus shipping and a used Obsession, Teeter or Starmaster. The last 15" Teeter listed on Astromart was listed at $3,000.00 with some optical challenges. (chip) (recoating). 15" Obsessions have sold for $4,200.00 to close to $6,000.00 depending on how they are equipped. Obviously ArgoNavis and ServoCat raise the price substantially. I can't find a recent AstroSystems Telekit that has been listed there. There was an 18" Obsession Classic that was listed by a fellow in Lehi a little over a month ago. He had it listed at $4,000.00 and as near as I can tell it did not sell. It is not listed any longer but it was never marked sold either. I'm sure he could be reached if that is something you are interested in. I hated carrying around solid tube 12" scopes years ago. They are just awkward. Anything over 12" in a solid tube would be unthinkable to me and I haul around 6' and 8' long refractors. What are the eventual goals? Astrophotography? Good dark sky scope? I know portability and weight are issues but what else enters in? Let me know if I can help. Steve
To: utah-astronomy@mailman.xmission.com From: jayleads@gmail.com Date: Thu, 22 Apr 2010 08:05:14 -0600 Subject: [Utah-astronomy] Scope Upgrade Advice
Ok, now's the time. I am beginning the process to upgrade to what I hope is the first of second major purchases over the next five years in the hobby. This one will be a dob, and I'm looking for a truss design. I have a bad back, deteriorating disc at L5/S1 so weight is an issue. I know Ron Ford has Bill Cowles Coulter Dob for sale and I'll be sending him email to take a look at it, but is there any other recommendations (thoughts on Bill Cowles Dob)?
Here is where I am leaning. I have a 10 inch so I think upgrading to a 12.5 won't give me much bang for my buck. So I'm thinking a 15 inch and I am willing to go used or new (probably prefer used). A used Starmaster or Teledit comes to mind. An Obsession 15 inch comes to mind but they do have a rep for the upper cage to be small causing in some scopes a vignetting issue. I have also thought of a used Discovery, I won't go new with them because of what is going on with that company lately or the Orion XXi14. The XXi14 I like because of the intelliscope feature, if I don't want to star hop I can simply input and go. So I would love input into these or other choices others may have:
15 inch Obsession 15 inch used Starmaster 15 inch Teeter (see Teeter Telescopes, they are back east) XXi14
Thougths? Thanks for the input ahead of time.
_______________________________________________ Utah-Astronomy mailing list Utah-Astronomy@mailman.xmission.com http://mailman.xmission.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/utah-astronomy Visit the Photo Gallery: http://www.slas.us/gallery2/main.php Visit the Wiki: http://www.utahastronomy.com
participants (9)
-
David Rankin -
erikhansen＠TheBlueZone.net -
JayLEads -
Joe Bauman -
Patrick Wiggins -
Richard Tenney -
Robert Taylor -
Steve FISHER -
Tyler Allred