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Lard Greystoke
sage
Reged: 07/27/08
Posts: 201
Loc: Ohio
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I've had my 10" for 26 years and still get it around.
Would I upgrade from an 8" to a 10"? I don't think so. But if just starting out - and I think this is true of ANY 2" aperture difference - there had better be some pretty compelling other factors to make me select the smaller aperture.
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Lard Greystoke
10" Odyssey Compact
"With Tantor, the elephant, he made friends. How? Ask me not."
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ArkansasMaverick
member
Reged: 05/26/07
Posts: 78
Loc: Eureka Springs AR
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It does give me the option to upgrade to a 12" Dob someday to get an 4" increase. 12" are a lot cheaper than an 14" Dob which I would need to jump 4"'s from an 10".
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Eureka Springs AR.
N 36° 29.777 W 093° 43.800
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cpsTN
professor emeritus
Reged: 04/26/07
Posts: 742
Loc: Smyrna, TN USA
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I have the Zhumell 8 and can handle it better than I thought I could have before I bought it. The next step up, if I make one, will be to skip the 10s and move from the 8" to a 12".
I have always heard that to get the "wow" factor in your viewing, you need to move up 2 steps - 6-10, 8-12, etc. I moved from a 5" refractor to my current 8", increasing light gathering by 2.56x! The brightness difference was VERY noticable. So, if you can, wait and go to a 12" if you can handle it price, size and weight wise.
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Charles P. Sands
Zhumell 8" f/5.9 dob
Looking Up since 1982
The heavens declare the glory of God;
and the firmament sheweth His handywork
(Psalm 19:1)
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ArkansasMaverick
member
Reged: 05/26/07
Posts: 78
Loc: Eureka Springs AR
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Well my first scope will be a used 8" Orion push to. I totally agree that my next Dob will be a 12" one. It's so scary it's like you are inside my head, reading my thoughts {shiver} lol
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Eureka Springs AR.
N 36° 29.777 W 093° 43.800
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Jim Haley
sage
Reged: 07/04/07
Posts: 281
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The difference between and 8" and a 10" is noticeable.
While this is way oversimplified...... I like to say in an 8" you will see dozens of objects that show detail and hundreds of objects that are barely more than blobs. In a 10" you will see a few hundred objects (or more) that show detail and thousands that are mere blobs.
In actuallity, most of the stuff you look at will just show more detail. Lets look at two objects visible even in binoculars. You can see M42 the Orion Nebula easily in both scopes. The nebula will just extend farther out in the 10". The bright parts will be brighter and so the dark lanes will be easier to see. Same for M13 (globular cluster). You will pick up more of the outer halo of stars in the 10". Next, when looking at open clusters the 8" will miss some of the fainter members.
Just my impressions and my comparison of the two scope types is limited. I am currently doing similar comparisons as I am looking for a computerized little brother that will be easier to move around and faster to observe than my 12.5" f6 dob.
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Jim Haley
12.5" f6 Starsplitter Dob
Orion 8" XTi (with computerized object locator)
Orion 114EQ reflector
80mm f6 refractor
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cpsTN
professor emeritus
Reged: 04/26/07
Posts: 742
Loc: Smyrna, TN USA
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its worse than you think. I'm actually typing from inside your house!!!!!!!!!! 
But, remember, as I will have to do, that most 12" dobs of f/4.5-5.0 range are about 6 feet long (tall) and about 80 pounds.
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Charles P. Sands
Zhumell 8" f/5.9 dob
Looking Up since 1982
The heavens declare the glory of God;
and the firmament sheweth His handywork
(Psalm 19:1)
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ArkansasMaverick
member
Reged: 05/26/07
Posts: 78
Loc: Eureka Springs AR
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Well I can just have you help me move it around then! Seriously though I just want to find my way around, learn what I like and what I don't, then make the step up to the 12"er...
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Eureka Springs AR.
N 36° 29.777 W 093° 43.800
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bsim
professor emeritus
Reged: 01/04/08
Posts: 684
Loc: New York City
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If you haven't seen an 8" or 10" in person, you'll be shocked by the size. Having both an 8" (Orion XT8i) and a 10" (f/6 truss dob), I would say that you would be happy with either an 8" or 10". The views from an 8" are great. Objects like the globular cluster M13 look great. Many people instead of spending time learning to see take the quick fix of buying more aperture. I spent years with a 60mm refractor and learned how to see. I'm not saying that you should start with a 60mm, but I am saying that the stock answer on CN is get more aperture. You need to balance that with your circumstances, physical abilities, and observing style. Ultimately, the best scope is the one you use the most. On the classifieds, you find many large scopes which people only used a handful of times because it ended up too big to use.
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Teeter's 10" F/6 Truss Dob / Sky Commander DSC / Round Table Platform
Celestron C80ED / MoonLite CF Tri-Knob
William Optics ZS66, Orion XT8i, Orion XT4.5
Canon 10x30 IS, Constellation View 2.3x40 Bino
Astro-Tech Voyager, Bogen 3011 & 3036, UA MicroStar Deluxe
Howie Glatter Laser & tuBlug
13 & 8 Ethos, 35 & 24 Panoptic, Nagler 3-6 Zoom, TV 8-24 Zoom
Edited by bsim (08/31/08 01:27 PM)
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Snickersnee
member
Reged: 08/29/08
Posts: 19
Loc: California
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Experience seems to be less valued these days than expenditure....
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Look’d up in perfect silence at the stars
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molniyabeer
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 01/08/05
Posts: 2061
Loc: Central Coast, California
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bsim, Snickersnee,
Your observations have validity, especially with the "scope most used". I've seen several folks who've spent large sums on mondo rigs but can't identify the Big Dipper if asked. That said, if you're serious about getting into observing and can afford a 10" over the 8", I'd say go for it.
FWIW, I started with a pair of 10x50 Tasco binocs and some Messier charts, learned how to star hop and find "faint fuzzies." With that foundation, when I graduated up to my first scope (the 10" dob) I felt confident in how to find my way around the sky and have not looked back. And for me, the dob is the scope of choice, getting far more use than my StarMax 127mm Mak. The mak is a good scope but I'm a faint fuzzie junkie so aperture is what I need.
Is there a chance you could hook up with a local astronomy club? Most are very happy to have folks come over to check out equipment before buying something similar.
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Steve
16" Meade LightBridge (Beowulf)
10" Hardin DSH, StarMax 127mm Mak, PST H-a
Oberwerk 11 x 70 binocs, Tasco 10 x 50 binocs
Santa Maria Clear Sky Clock
Figueroa Mt Clear Sky Clock
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ArkansasMaverick
member
Reged: 05/26/07
Posts: 78
Loc: Eureka Springs AR
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I am actually buying a used 8" Dob next week. I plan on finding my way around the night sky and getting some experience under my belt before moving on.
---As for the astronomy club, I am meeting with one this coming Saturday night (Gustav permitting)
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Eureka Springs AR.
N 36° 29.777 W 093° 43.800
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Lamb0
professor emeritus
Reged: 07/25/07
Posts: 668
Loc: Fairbury, Nebraska
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 Good luck with your "new" 8" - it's a nice jump from a 4" and leaves room to grow into the 12". 
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John "Have eyepiece - will travel!"
8" f/5 Dob w/2.14" sec in a 12" alum tube 'The Mortar' - w/PCorr 2° TFoV @ 36.5X ~70% illum *NICE*
Typical eyepieces: 32 Burg, 24 Pan, 20T5, 5-8 SW, Others ALL 2": Pcorr, 2X PwrMt, Ast H-b, Lum UHC + OIII
60mm $50 Walmart Special in training - aka "Backpack Observatory"
Minolta Activa 12x50 , Steiner 15X80
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