30 replies to this topic

[Powerstroke]

I found these both for a price of $150 i think no ep or diagonal  on the gr

sellers Description: 

Nexstar 102GT celestron telescope model #22093 D=102mm Fl=1000mm F/9.8 Very good condition, and Orion Deep Space Explorer 6" Dobsonian Reflector Diameter 6" (152mm), F.L. 1200mm, f/7.9 very good condition the shoot me an offer! (also no mounts)

[Powerstroke]

Pictures

[vtornado]

Celestron 102 GT scopes usually have good optics. (I have had two). 

They are light weight due to a plastic mounting cell and dew shield.

But they still take a fairly strong mount to hold vibrations to a minimum.

 

What kind of mirror cell does the Orion have?

My friend has one where the mirror is glued to a wooden disk and there are

thermal problems, and sagging problems.  Aluminum mirror cell is preferred.

 

Can you build yourself a dob mount?

 

What is the focuser like on the dob?

 

They both can be good scopes.

 

What is your current scope?

 

I think the price is fair considering there are no accessories or mounts.

[Powerstroke]

Celestron 102 GT scopes usually have good optics. (I have had two). 

They are light weight due to a plastic mounting cell and dew shield.

But they still take a fairly strong mount to hold vibrations to a minimum.

 

What kind of mirror cell does the Orion have?

My friend has one where the mirror is glued to a wooden disk and there are

thermal problems, and sagging problems.  Aluminum mirror cell is preferred.

 

Can you build yourself a dob mount?

 

What is the focuser like on the dob?

 

They both can be good scopes.

 

What is your current scope?

 

I think the price is fair considering there are no accessories or mounts.

Im currently using a few. Celestron nexstar 90gt very similar to the 102

A Celestron astromaster 130mm newtonian 

A few 114mm newtonians. 

 

I see the orion uses a sono tube not metal

[Anony]

As I mentioned in your other thread, I wouldn't bother unless you are certain you can make or find mounts. You already have a collection of scopes with iffy mounts.

 

Your current 90gt isn't much different than the 102gt, so not sure you gain much there.

 

As for the dob, I used to own a meade sonotube -- not sure if the orion is the same, but it did have thermal issues. The mirror was pretty much suffocated, good mirror, terrible design.

[Powerstroke]

As I mentioned in your other thread, I wouldn't bother unless you are certain you can make or find mounts. You already have a collection of scopes with iffy mounts.

 

Your current 90gt isn't much different than the 102gt, so not sure you gain much there.

 

As for the dob, I used to own a meade sonotube -- not sure if the orion is the same, but it did have thermal issues. The mirror was pretty much suffocated, good mirror, terrible design.

Good information as usual.  I thought the sono tube was better at thermal. Maybe i misunderstood a review i read.

I kinda figured not much to gain here and no accessories  

I really like this 90gt alot so when i saw this i was curious.  

He will sell them separately.  Says hes moving.  He had both listed for 380 for a while.

But i saw 2 different skywatcher 200p scopes with no mount for 200 and one for $250 claiming to be new in box. I would imagine that scope would be much better than a 6

But again no mount and i think the skywatcher is 500 new with everything so not a "cant say no" deal

Its amazing the stuff that pops up. Maybe its just Arizona.  But every place i go or look i see used scopes

[Powerstroke]

Im getting both for $60 lol i cant help myself 

[Anony]

I can't say the Orion is the same, but with my Meade they glued the mirror to some sort of cork backing with a heavy weight attached. And this was all in a sealed tube with no ventilation. Thermally it was kind of terrible.

 

And also oddly heavy. I always wondered why folks would claim to carry their 6" dob with one hand and so on, and why I was having trouble. Well, my dob was extremely unbalanced with a heavy weight at one end.

 

And yep, 8" is better than 6". I'm seeing a skywatcher 200 w/ everything new for $655 and a 150 for $467 new. Orion dobs seem to be around the same price.

 

So $250 is a fair price, but I'd offer less if you decide to go for it. Sometimes 8" dobs pop up with everything, including the base, for around $200-250 (I see an Orion 8XT selling locally to me for $300 right now). And he's been ever-decreasing his price, as it hasn't been selling, so he may take less.

Edited by Anony, 23 May 2023 - 08:52 PM.

[Anony]

Im getting both for $60 lol i cant help myself 

At $30 each, sure, why not? Even if you eventually find you don't like them, that is a very flippable price...  you'd get your money back (or profit).

[Powerstroke]

At $30 each, sure, why not? Even if you eventually find you don't like them, that is a very flippable price...  you'd get your money back (or profit).

It has a wooden particle board end . Its bigger than it looked in the pictures! 

[Powerstroke]

Pic

[Anony]

I found this review here on CN for the deep space dob --

 

https://www.cloudyni...dobsonian-r2061

 

Seems to be what we sort of expected, nice mirror, bad thermals. It does seem to be something you can upgrade/play with though, if so inclined.

 

Maybe the previous owner made some adjustments with it already though... guess you can find out by checking out how the mirror is mounted. You may have to center dot it, so you can peek at it then.

[Powerstroke]

I found this page helpful 

https://www.cloudyni...dobsonian-r2061

[Powerstroke]

This thing is amazing!  Actually  both are. The 102 had maybe a nikon t ring. Smaller than canon. I removed it and check that my canon t ring fits too. 

The dob mount I made before i quickly  modified and it works great

we Saw some pretty amazing views tonight.  It gathers a ton of light!

This is bigger than it looked in pictures. Im 5'7 for reference  lol

[dmgriff]

Enjoy the scopes. Great investment for 60usd!

 

Good viewing,

 

Dave

[Powerstroke]

Enjoy the scopes. Great investment for 60usd!

 

Good viewing,

 

Dave

This is the best ones yet and alot cheaper than some of the not as good ones .

[Anony]

Nice pickups and even better than they seem to work with your existing mounts.

 

Try a star test with the dob... at F/8 it's a lot easier to collimate compared to faster scopes.

[Powerstroke]

Nice pickups and even better than they seem to work with your existing mounts.

 

Try a star test with the dob... at F/8 it's a lot easier to collimate compared to faster scopes.

 Looks off as i only see 2 of the mirror  clips but it performs amazing.   Ill fiddle with it later tonight.  And then i need make a few changes to the dob mount before i make a better one. 

[Powerstroke]

This thing was a pain to adjust the secondary mirror.  They use a odd deal. Not a good design really. But after some time I finally got everything aligned. 

It was pretty far off 

Before

 

[Powerstroke]

If i could get the phone to take pictures of what i see that would be great. 

The moon is amazing in this. 

[Echolight]

PUMP UP THE VOLUME!

https://youtu.be/w9gOQgfPW4Y

[Powerstroke]

PUMP UP THE VOLUME!

https://youtu.be/w9gOQgfPW4Y

Lol

[Powerstroke]

We tested 3 scopes on venus today.  The orion dse 6 , a celestron 90gt and a 102gt.  

Using a celestron 10mm ep we saw distinct moon like features to venus. So we could see light and dark and more detail on the 102. The other 2 scopes preformed similar only really showing light and dark with out the extra details the 102mm refractor rendered.  I honestly thought the orion would blow them away so i was surprised  to see it perform like a 90mm refractor

[Anony]

Not sure which details you saw, but typically one can see phases w/ Venus. I wouldn't recommend using Venus as your test target, not exactly chock full of surface features.

 

The Moon should work --- 6" dob > 102mm achro and it shouldn't be close. 

Edited by Anony, 29 May 2023 - 10:06 AM.

[Powerstroke]

Not sure which details you saw, but typically one can see phases w/ Venus. I wouldn't recommend using Venus as your test target, not exactly chock full of surface features.

 

The Moon should work --- 6" dob > 102mm achro and it shouldn't be close. 

She describes it as a grey line area. I saw it too. The 90mm and the 6" dob looked the same with 10mm ep. The 102mm was clearly better. 

Ill check the alignment later and make sure everything is good  still. 

Venus is just a easy target. The moon seems about the same with all 3 really. But i dont think ive used the 10mm so ill try that tonight since the moon is pretty good now.  I might try mars also