85 replies to this topic

[Mariner13]

Yes, it is huge and yes it is heavy but it is exactly as advertised. It is absolutely portable. I could dismantle and stow the whole rig, the wife and 1 and a half kids into my hatchback and drive a 100 Kms without too much discomfort. The next time would be a Bortle class 2 sky some 190 Kms away. I suppose we will take breaks more often along the way to stretch our legs. The mirror box is heavy but nothing that an able backed person couldn’t handle. Anyone interested in this one has my whole hearted endorsement.

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[Avgvstvs]

Well that was a fun review, enjoy!

[RoofMonkey911]

Nice write up/ review. I remember the first view of M42 through mine!

 

Question; do you have any balance problems, did you get the counterweight setup with yours?

[starbob1]

Thanks for your report. It was fun to read your first experience with your new scope. First light is always magical. You can always make your own shroud from fabric. And dark skies make all the difference for a big Dob. Enjoy

[descott12]

Awesome story. Glad it worked out so well for you.

[JJDreese]

Thank you for this fantastic detailed post.  I had the same revelation when I finished refurbishing my 14 inch Dobsonian.  I was ready to be blown away by the DSO's, only to realize that my Bortle 8 light pollution is a choke point. They say that aperture is king, but no, no, light pollution is king. Looking forward to trying out a dark sky site soon.

Also, that's a beautiful setting circle you have there. Thanks for the shout out!

[Starman47]

Great review. Hope you have may clear nights. But I am puzzled about “half kid.” Ha ha

[TheChosen]

Great. Interesting read

[rjacks]

Way to persevere!  Good report. You are right, flocking the UTA and a shroud are essential. Nicw work on the analog setting circle. With an f/4.5 scope, your views will improve with a coma corrector. The Paracorr2 is easy to use. Did you get the counterweights? They are needed to balance the scope. In fact, I use both counterweights plus another 5 lb free weight sandwiched between and another 1.25 pound steel bar mounted across the back of the rocker bar.

[sunrag]

Excellent and funny review! 
Regarding your expectations vs reality, i could relate to that! however there are a couple of ways to overcome light pollution even in B7 skies, EAA or NVD. 

one of my friends in Bangalore bought the same telescope this year. I will be visiting him and look forward to viewing through it.

[FatalInertia]

Thank you for this fantastic detailed post.  I had the same revelation when I finished refurbishing my 14 inch Dobsonian.  I was ready to be blown away by the DSO's, only to realize that my Bortle 8 light pollution is a choke point. They say that aperture is king, but no, no, light pollution is king. Looking forward to trying out a dark sky site soon.

Also, that's a beautiful setting circle you have there. Thanks for the shout out!

You are absolutely right, the things I can see from my bortle 5 backyard through a mere 8" is probably more along the lines of what this man was seeing through his bortle 7 skies. I remember camping in a bortle 3 desert as a kid and looking up a detailed milky way and fuzzy clusters, etc. with my bare eyes, sometimes binos. Back then we lived in a bortle 6 part of San Diego, and the sky was always just a haze to me, especially with the moon out. I didn't know it back then, but the difference from one bortle zone to another is more than most people realize until they go between them.

[ShaulaB]

Thank you so  much for this great review of your experience! I appreciate your soldiering on and not getting discouraged. Have fun with this beast.

[12BH7]

Nice review and I can feel your enthusiasm. I used a 16" truss for over 16 years and those were the BEST observing years of my life. Enjoy it and use it as much as possible.

 

Bag as many galaxies and fainties as possible. When I looked back on my logs I'm amazed at what I did while I had my 16". 

 

Enjoy and thanks for the review

Charles

 

Addendum: The 16" truss is a tinker's dream. I did more tinkering on that scope than all my others put together. But I loved every minute of it. 

Edited by 12BH7, 01 June 2023 - 08:47 PM.

[MikeHC8]

Really enjoyed your post.

[mrkhagol]

thanks for sharing your experience...lot of good learning came out of it.

a suggestion though-

maybe you want to try celestron's mobile app for finding targets.

this app is used in conjunction with their new line scopes they pulled out a while back-where the user puts the phone in the phone holder on the scope and object is targeted manually by moving the scope based on directions from app...

sure it takes some calibration first but works good for small refractors...

but with your big scope, it might also help you narrow down the object close to FOV of your scope if not dead center...then it might not take long to find the object.

Just something to try...

[RoofMonkey911]

I’ll post a link to something you should try. An “app” (not really though) called Astro Hopper.

@JJDreese just recently put put a video on his channel. 
Celestron Star sense- not free

Astro hopper - Free!

 

https://youtu.be/6-_58mSGz1Q

Edited by RoofMonkey911, 01 June 2023 - 05:58 PM.

[Bob Campbell]

Really excellent review. You have a knack at writing that makes us feel like we were there. I shared in your enthusiasm when you finally figured things out.

 

Best of luck and clear transparent skies,

 

Bob

Edited by Bob Campbell, 01 June 2023 - 06:41 PM.

[Alex Swartzinski]

It's always great to see dobsonian reviews here on CN. Thanks for sharing! 

 

I wish you many clear and dark nights ahead.

 

You will never run out of galaxies to hunt from a dark site...

[FatalInertia]

It's always great to see dobsonian reviews here on CN. Thanks for sharing! 

 

I wish you many clear and dark nights ahead.

 

You will never run out of galaxies to hunt from a dark site...

Dobs rock!!! Especially the big ones 

[Mariner13]

Well that was a fun review, enjoy!

[Mariner13]

Hey. Thanks. I'm glad you enjoyed it!

[Mariner13]

Nice write up/ review. I remember the first view of M42 through mine!

 

Question; do you have any balance problems, did you get the counterweight setup with yours?

Hi. Thanks. Am glad you liked it. I got the counterweights with my setup. 2 kilograms seem quite enough as i'm not using any heavy AP equipment etc. 

[Mariner13]

Thanks for your report. It was fun to read your first experience with your new scope. First light is always magical. You can always make your own shroud from fabric. And dark skies make all the difference for a big Dob. Enjoy

Hi. Thanks. Yes I finally stitched a better shroud myself with some jet black velvet Lycra fabric that I bought online.

[Mariner13]

Thank you for this fantastic detailed post.  I had the same revelation when I finished refurbishing my 14 inch Dobsonian.  I was ready to be blown away by the DSO's, only to realize that my Bortle 8 light pollution is a choke point. They say that aperture is king, but no, no, light pollution is king. Looking forward to trying out a dark sky site soon.

Also, that's a beautiful setting circle you have there. Thanks for the shout out!

Oh, You the Man JJ!!! Can't thank you enough. You have made such a difference. God bless.

[Mariner13]

Great review. Hope you have may clear nights. But I am puzzled about “half kid.” Ha ha

Haha. Kid No.1 is 17 and 6 feet. Kid No.2 is a walkin, talkin, livin doll of 8 yrs and 4 feet, hence half a kid!!