dh1972
member
Reged: 05/11/12
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Re: Dob suggestions for heavy light polluted area?
[Re: PCygniii]
#5252310 - 06/02/12 04:40 PM
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I am leaning toward the 12" Orion Intelliscope (tube). However, this is definitely more than I initially looked to spending, but...
Edited by dh1972 (06/02/12 05:07 PM)
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donnie3
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 12/15/04
Loc: bartlesville oklahoma
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Re: Dob suggestions for heavy light polluted area?
[Re: dh1972]
#5253471 - 06/03/12 02:21 PM
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i would suggest going for the 12"xxi truss. i had the 12" tube intelliscope and the azimuth movement was really bad. i had to order the ebony star kit from scope stuff and do a mod in order to get a smooth movement. the truss has the ebony star. i would prefer the tube but not in its present state. only if they included the kit with it and a larger holding bolt( too much shift from side to side, the bolt that holds the base to the ground board is too small in diam, and as you move the scope in azimuth it will slide inside the sleve. i could have excepted the movement just with the ebony star upgrade but replacing the bolt made it even better. don
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dh1972
member
Reged: 05/11/12
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Re: Dob suggestions for heavy light polluted area?
[Re: donnie3]
#5253588 - 06/03/12 03:58 PM
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i would suggest going for the 12"xxi truss. i had the 12" tube intelliscope and the azimuth movement was really bad. i had to order the ebony star kit from scope stuff and do a mod in order to get a smooth movement. the truss has the ebony star. i would prefer the tube but not in its present state. only if they included the kit with it and a larger holding bolt( too much shift from side to side, the bolt that holds the base to the ground board is too small in diam, and as you move the scope in azimuth it will slide inside the sleve. i could have excepted the movement just with the ebony star upgrade but replacing the bolt made it even better. don
Thanks for the info. How long ago was that and were any changes made since?
I would really just prefer to go with the Apertura 12" for $699, but I will have too much trouble locating stuff and the add on modules seem like more money.
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donnie3
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 12/15/04
Loc: bartlesville oklahoma
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Re: Dob suggestions for heavy light polluted area?
[Re: dh1972]
#5254408 - 06/04/12 09:31 AM
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about a couple years ago. i sold it to a member in our astro club because at the time i lived in a duplex and the area i observed in was too small for that size scope. ive purchased a home about a year ago and now have a large area to observe and thinking about buying another 12" intelli. i really like the solid tube over the truss because the scope will not be moved from my home observing area. the intelliscopes are so easy to setup and use,i have the 8" verion. not sure what i wont to do, buy another solid tube and go through the mod rutine again or purchase the truss. don
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dh1972
member
Reged: 05/11/12
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Re: Dob suggestions for heavy light polluted area?
[Re: donnie3]
#5255301 - 06/04/12 08:46 PM
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Looks like the Sky Commander set-up it close to $500 if I were to add it to a 12" Apertura I would be looking at $1200...about $200 more than the 12" Intelliscope. I hear some say it's more accurate, but does cost more.
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tezster
professor emeritus
Reged: 07/14/09
Loc: Missisauga, Canada
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Re: Dob suggestions for heavy light polluted area?
[Re: dh1972]
#5255419 - 06/04/12 10:24 PM
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When I bought my 10" dob, I debated whether a Sky Commander would be worthwhile addition - even after just a few observing sessions, the answer for me was an unequivocal YES. Especially if you often observe in light polluted skies, where star-hopping can be more challenging.
I've been enjoying this hobby for 15+ years, and the addition of a DSC to my scope has meant more time observing objects instead of trying to hunt them down.
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donnie3
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 12/15/04
Loc: bartlesville oklahoma
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Re: Dob suggestions for heavy light polluted area?
[Re: tezster]
#5255543 - 06/05/12 12:41 AM
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how does the sky commander compare to the intelliscope, is it more user friendly. i dont think you can get an easier alignment procedure then the intelli,
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donnie3
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 12/15/04
Loc: bartlesville oklahoma
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Re: Dob suggestions for heavy light polluted area?
[Re: tezster]
#5255557 - 06/05/12 12:57 AM
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i looked a this apertura 12" dob online and it looks like a very well built telescope. with a lot better altazimuth movement system ( ball bearings) wonder how hard it would be to install the sky commander on this scope and where is the best place to purchase the kit. don
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tezster
professor emeritus
Reged: 07/14/09
Loc: Missisauga, Canada
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Re: Dob suggestions for heavy light polluted area?
[Re: donnie3]
#5255872 - 06/05/12 09:38 AM
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I haven't used the Intelliscope, so I can't really compare the two - most people seem to rate the SC a little better, but the Intelliscope is certainly good enough.
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Starman1
Vendor (EyepiecesEtc.com)
Reged: 06/24/03
Loc: Los Angeles
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Re: Dob suggestions for heavy light polluted area?
[Re: tezster]
#5255947 - 06/05/12 10:31 AM
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The Sky Commander has a huge 16,000+ object database.
However, like all other DSCs, it requires a lot of button pushes to get to a catalog and object because it uses arrow buttons rather than number pad buttons.
From that standpoint, the Intelliscope controller, with its number pad, has it all over any brand of DSC.
DSC makers should use a computerized scope hand controller some time to learn how it should be done.
The Orion Intelliscope controller comes closest to the computerized scope hand controllers.
That being said, the Intelliscope controller is too bright for really dark sky use (though OK in an urban/suburban environment where you never really dark adapt). Unfortunately, so is the Sky Commander on minimum setting.
The manufacturers do not provide a way to turn down the brightnesses to off, which is what is needed in really dark sites. My red LED flashlight, at minimum brightness, is also too bright for a dark site, and I wish companies would stop providing red LEDs in switches used in astronomy products. If the readout lights up, it's obviously on--you don't need a red LED to tell you that.
I suspect a lot of designers have never been to a truly dark site and fully dark adapted.
But, you can tone down the brightness with extra layers of cellophane or plexiglass, and paint the LED switches black.
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pftarch
sage
Reged: 09/21/07
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Re: Dob suggestions for heavy light polluted area?
[Re: Starman1]
#5256140 - 06/05/12 01:04 PM
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How close are you to NH?
Craigslist 12" Intelliscope
I saw this while browsing Craigslist, and it seems like a very reasonable price. (I'm REAL happy with my Z10 and an ipod with GoSky, Clinometer, and a GLP, so I'm not interested in buying a slightly bigger scope and I don't feel an overwhelming need for Intelliscope, even with my relatively heavy light pollution. To be honest, if it's so faint that I need Intelliscope to even find it, I'm not going to spend much time looking at it. I'm a looker, not a hunter.)
Also, I believe it was Jon Isaacs who pointed out that for him 10" is a real sweet spot in dob size. It's still manageable and will throw up a good view of MANY items. I've only looked through a bigger dob once (18"), and I truly felt that my 10" was close enough that I am still happy with it.
Even if you aren't near here, browse your Craigslist and the classifieds here, you might get lucky.
(I have NO affiliation with the seller of this scope and know NOTHING about it other than what I saw in the ad. Caveat Emptor.)
Peter T.
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dh1972
member
Reged: 05/11/12
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Re: Dob suggestions for heavy light polluted area?
[Re: pftarch]
#5256857 - 06/05/12 08:49 PM
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Thanks, but, yeah it's too far. I have not completely ruled out the 10" either, but the 12" is only like $200 more.
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Gastrol
scholastic sledgehammer
Reged: 11/04/11
Loc: los angeles
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Re: Dob suggestions for heavy light polluted area?
[Re: dh1972]
#5256885 - 06/05/12 09:09 PM
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Even if you were to find a non-intel scope in the used market you can always add a degree circle on the mount.
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dh1972
member
Reged: 05/11/12
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Re: Dob suggestions for heavy light polluted area?
[Re: Gastrol]
#5259736 - 06/07/12 10:10 AM
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Even if you were to find a non-intel scope in the used market you can always add a degree circle on the mount.
Are they more difficult to install and use?
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dh1972
member
Reged: 05/11/12
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Re: Dob suggestions for heavy light polluted area?
[Re: dh1972]
#5259883 - 06/07/12 11:11 AM
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With the Build-A-Scope option on the Intelliscope, is a finder scope necessary? Is the lower priced EZ finder an adequate choice?
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JasonBurry
sage
Reged: 04/27/12
Loc: Cape Spencer, NB, Canada
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Re: Dob suggestions for heavy light polluted area?
[Re: dh1972]
#5259971 - 06/07/12 11:50 AM
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I have, at times, used a simple old (1990 vintage) EZ-Finder red dot as the exclusive finder on my 8" dob. It's still the most used, but I frequently use the 6x30 straight thru finder as well, especially for star-hopping dimmer field stars.
The EZ finder is great if you can see where you'd like to point (either a visible object, or a spot easily geometrically located from nearby visible objects). The 6x30 adds a couple magnitudes more stars.
So, IMHO, yes, one could do with just the EZ. Upgrades are always possible.
J
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tezster
professor emeritus
Reged: 07/14/09
Loc: Missisauga, Canada
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Re: Dob suggestions for heavy light polluted area?
[Re: JasonBurry]
#5260042 - 06/07/12 12:34 PM
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Coupled with an Intelliscope (or any DSC), I think a reflex finder is sufficient. I've tried red dot, Telrads and the Rigel Quickfinder - the latter is my favourite. On my current dob, the Rigel + Sky Commander is what I use.
On a non-computerized dob, a reflex + powered finder makes a great combination for starhopping - even in light polluted skies. On my first dob, I used a Telrad + 8x50 correct image finder combo.
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csrlice12
Postmaster
Reged: 05/22/12
Loc: Denver, CO
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Re: Dob suggestions for heavy light polluted area?
[Re: Starman1]
#5266298 - 06/11/12 01:04 PM
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Don't forget to take you scope with you when buying a car...you want to make sure it fits....
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Starman1
Vendor (EyepiecesEtc.com)
Reged: 06/24/03
Loc: Los Angeles
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Re: Dob suggestions for heavy light polluted area?
[Re: csrlice12]
#5266314 - 06/11/12 01:17 PM
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Don't forget to take you scope with you when buying a car...you want to make sure it fits....
Just the reverse of my point of view. I let the car help determine what scope I get, not the scope determine the car. I'm in a car a lot more hours a month than I spend observing.
However, if the seats can't go horizontal for sleeping, the car is immediately ruled out, so I guess you should take me first comment with a grain of salt.
A 12-15" truss dob easily fits in a Mini Cooper or VW GTI, so the critical nature of fitting the car really only applies to full-tubed dobs, with their long tubes and tall rocker boxes. There you definitely benefit from knowing interior dimensions in the vehicle.
10" dobs fit just about any car, while 12" full-tubed dobs are a little more problematic.
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dh1972
member
Reged: 05/11/12
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Re: Dob suggestions for heavy light polluted area?
[Re: Starman1]
#5267796 - 06/12/12 10:11 AM
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I have a question for all.
The more I think about it, more of my interest is around looking at some of the better "eye candy" of the sky vs hunting down "faint fuzzies." Make no mistake, I don't mind doing a little of that, but I am probably more interested in looking at nicer looking objects which probably means focusing more on moon, planets, stars/double stars, clusters, and perhaps some nebula.
Based on that criteria, is the finderscope and telrad probably enough for me in a light polluted area? I probably won't being doing a ton of faint fuzzy hunting so I am questioning the need for the Intelliscope.
Thoughts?
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