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... bought a Stardust chair... What a huge difference the chair made! Even at zenith with my 16" f/4.5 dob, I can sit in total relaxed comfort.

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My experience is similar... have had the Stardust for a long while, even before i went Dob ~6 years ago; with the seat at the top rung, i can perch comfortably for viewing near zenith with my 15" F4.55 Dob! The very top 10* circle at zenith works better for me standing- but that's probably height-dependent... i'm guessing you're fairly tall?

The 'C3' chair the OP acquired certainly looks tempting, tho... its 15# weight is an attractive factor, and its seat-area is clearly larger! OTOH, the Stardust chair adjusts over a notably greater range- 13-35" versus the C3's 18-33"... and with a Dob, you WILL very likely use BOTH extremes!

The only downside to the Stardust i've found is the relatively narrow seat- one which does NOT extend to the vertical support-rail. I love to, at times, lean my back against the rail to stretch, or enjoy a little naked-eye astronomy... taking a break from the eyepiece(s). Doing so with the Stardust puts your fanny onto the hard edge of the seat, and is decidedly uncomfortable! I've used a friends 'C3' seat (i *think* that's what it was?), and the larger seat area, which extends farther back to the support rail, was really, really, comfy!

I'm afraid the more i consider this matter, the more likely i'm gonna break down & end up with *BOTH* chairs!

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for DSO's, a binoviewer is vastly superior IMHO

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MHO, as well! But i know this varies by the user. Nice to have choices, eh?

Enjoy that new Stardust!

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I'd be interested how you like the comfort of the padded seat when you get it. It's on my next "buy" list:)

Bob

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Having used the chair for a few months now I can say I agree with others who said being at eyepiece height is what makes the chair comfy, not so much the padding.

That said, I do like the inexpensive pad with strap/loop that slips over the inner back bar support. It is much warmer on the seat in winter, as well as being softer. It fits pretty well, makes the seat effectively larger, and stays in place with the web loop the seat comes with.

Here are some shots of the chair and cushion combo.

Chair and cushion folded:



Unfolded, cushion hanging in back:




Unfolded, cushion in front:



No velcro needed!

Sorry about the delay in posting pics, but since the thread got bumped I thought I might as well take the opportunity.

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