Setting up the 14" at a remote observing location
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 21 ส.ค. 2024
- In May of 2013, I traveled to a Northern Michigan location for a week of observing. This video is documentation of setting up the Orion XX14g telescope at a remote site. Video taken by John Lines, using my IPAD.
- วิทยาศาสตร์และเทคโนโลยี
Thanks Doug! As a teenager, I saved up my money and bought a 13.1" Coulter Odyssey 1 (blue tube/box) Dob back around 1980. It was a huge step up from the 6" reflector that I had previously. I drove for many, many hours to pick it up at Idyllwild, Ca. to avoid the shipping costs (drive there and back in one day nearly killed me through exhaustion). I used and loved it for many years. After many years away, I am tempted by the xx16g but will probably get the less expensive and more manageable xx14g.
What did you get in the end? I'm considering the XX16g and I'm worried about portability
@@manny_f I got the 14” version and think now that I made the right decision. If a backyard observatory was an option where I am living, I might have gone for the 16”. But since I”m not getting any younger and I must travel to sites usually on my own, I think that the 16” might have been pushing it. That extra 2” looks like it adds quite a bit more bulk and weight. As a side note, I really love controlling the telescope hands-free using my iPad running SkySafari Pro with a SkyFi WiFi-to-Serial adapter attached to the SynScan hand controller!
An important part of the skywatching activity is prescisely the setup of the telescope! Its the anticipation of the joys to come all trough the night! Good video!
Got my 16 inch skywatcher goto, bortle 6 sky, set it up on a trolley permanently at my home, terrace. Stunning views despite of the light pollution on most dsos, planet killer too. I used to watch your videos , we're inspirational. Thanks
Enjoy your new scope. ;)
Someone brought a 16" orion goto Dobsonian telescope at the star party. Though not suitable for Astrophotography but the direct view through 16" is breathe taking.
12K views and counting. I'm totally surprised by the number of views on this video. Check out my time lapse videos as well, where I use a Canon T3i, to capture about 1500 images a night.
And where are your time lapse videos?
Great scope and great job Sir! Best Regards from Germany :)
American here. Can I come crash at your place?
I've watched this video many times. Very nice.
I ordered a 16" today. After watching you struggle with the mirror section, I'm laughing at myself. My wife saw a photo of the 16" telescope by itself. But when I showed her a video of someone standing next to it, she said "Are you crazy!"
I'm not as nimble or strong as in my youth. ;) And this video is from 7 years ago. It is a challenge as I get older.
Thanks for the demo 😀
I've switched to a simple 9 ah to 14 ah batteries to run this scope. It's lighter than the pack I used before. I bought a separate charger. I did this because they're only about 20 to 40 dollars, vs the pack was 100 to 140 dollars. I usually buy a pair of these batteries now, so I always have one charged as a spare, if I need to swap it out in the middle of the night. That usually doesn't happen, since the draw on this scope is not very high, unless you're doing a lot of slewing throughout the night.
Nothing like saving some money by being your own telescope electrician.
that was what I used on my old xx14g, it worked flawlessly.
Very pretty. I saw somebody put on the shroud before the UTA. That seems a little easier.
Thanks for the informative video Doug...My xx12g is on the way and this lets me know what assembly will be like...Looking forward to it...Hope too have some good viewing here in western NY near Buffalo this year...
I've got the xx12g too. Hate putting the top tube assembly on the trusses though. Marked each truss with colored coded dots (available from office supply store) and the upper and lower tube interfaces with the same. Very little collimation issues since it goes together the same each time.
Great video Doug, am thinking of getting a dobsonian after years away from astronomy. Look forward to seeing more vids soon
I wish our club here was stronger, you guys look like you had a fun and interesting night
Thanks again Doug. I ended up getting the scope and used your battery location idea at 17:33 as inspiration. I bought a compact but powerful $40 rectangular (7" x 3" footprint, 7" high) wheelchair/toy car-type battery (12V 20Ah) and put it in the same location. It is a great counterbalance to the altitude motor side of the mount. The altitude motor side piece weighs 25.8 lbs, the other simple bearing side piece weighs 12.1 lbs and the battery riding on this side weighs 12.7 lbs. So the sides now ballance out to within about a pound. I think the azimuth motor and base plate bearings appreciate this.
Had been eyeing this scope for a while. Never came back in stock. Just ordered a Meade LX 90 12 inch. Cant wait to start looking at the stars
Did you go to the Orion website? It appears to still be available.
Hey Doug! Yeah they are still on backorder. Been monitoring and it looks like dates are being pushed out again.
@@dansev91 Ah
I'm thinking about buying that 14 inch telescope after I watched that guy set it up very easy and that it is very light to carry everything. I currently have Z10 telescope, but I think I need to upgrade it to bigger scope. Aperture rules and bigger is always better.
It's fun to use. :D
Nice video Doug, many thanks. I recently bought a 12” truss dob interesting to see yours
Enjoy it
the view with a telescope big like yours must be amazing.
you travel to a viewside for a whole week and there are other wich are have the same hobby? that sounds realy great.
Yep, I travel 3 or 4 times a year to remote locations and camp for a week, just to get some dark sky. It's fun.
like camping.ok. it is camping. and as i can see everyone have big telescopes and big tents :)
do you mostly look trough the eyepiece or do you use a pc and watch on screen taking pictures?
sry for my english. hope its good enough.
hans kanns
Most actually image. I'm one of the view pure observers.
I've always wondered what the view through a large scope is like as only have a 70mm refractor at moment
@@shadowsteve68 why even get a small telescope? You can get an ok don for 250-300USD
10,000 views.. amazing. ;)
Nearing 30K now (late Sep'18). Congrats!
the guy behind you with the 8million dollar Meade is like shit I should of bought a DOB lol
I've got the 12" version. I hate putting on the forward tube assembly on the trusses. Love the scope otherwise. BTW, I've got the Baader Sky Surfer V finder (it's wonderful).
7 years on, how has the telescope held up? I'm looking into a 14 or 16 from Skywatcher, which has similar optics.
Works just fine. The only issue is the rim ring on the base came off, and I just had to glue it back on.
I recently got the skywatcher 16 goto, worth it
I see a cord from the UTA, is that for the secondary dew heater? I had the first generation of this scope many years ago, and loved it. Had a Kendrick split dew heater glued to the secondary. Is that what you use? I just bought the newest version of this scope yesterday, and will need to find a secondary mirror dew solution, and thinking about the tried and true Kendrick method. Looking forward to receiving my scope soon from Orion, I love the addition of the adjustable clutches. Mine had to be tuned at home by adjusting the tension, but not able to adjust in the field. I also loved the rapid cool down conical mirror, which I found was very stable in terms of collimation.
I took one of my old dew straps and wrapped it around the stalk. Not ideal but it does work. If you can, get the "made for it" dew strap, which would be a cleaner solution.
@@DougBock_BoonHill I like your method, will try it for awhile. Kendrick split heater strips worked great, but already have dew straps
I have this telescope with nice tele lenses and it is perfect. At around 5ft5 to 6ft you do not need a ladder step to look thru the eyepiece close to zen. It is the biggest scope one can have that is easy to move and assemble with great 14in lens. Go to the 16in and now you hit a scope that is a pain in the ass to use and need a stool/steps system to look thru it when going towards zen.
Excellent
One peep at a party had a 30 inch DOB. I might get a 10 inch DOB eventually. I got a 6 inch SW Mak that is easy to use for right now.
Not only does the video do a great job of giving would-be owners a good idea of the size and weight commitment, but it makes me want to camp there -- nice site!
How is observing with the 14" (and your larger Dob, for that matter) for *fainter* DSOs? The specs say up to 15.5 stellar magnitude. I am on the cusp of jumping head-first into this hobby (a good one for Arizonans who like camping), with a special interest in fainter DSOs like the Tadpole galaxy (magnitude 14.4) and other peculiar Arp-type galaxies. Can you actually see objects that faint or is this just wishful thinking on my part?
Ultimately I can see myself with a Dob like this for the visual & tactile fun factor, plus a good apo refractor more for imaging.
To clear skies and 10k more views!
I've been observing with big aperture for decades, and it is always fun to get back out when it is clear. If you're in AZ, you have to get a dob for viewing out there. I've been all over the country with my scopes, and there is nothing like clear dry skies. The 14" is just about the right size for portability and aperture. The 18" I don't haul around, nor did I the 20". At 14.4 mag, the tadpole will be a challenge. If you're in AZ and some elevation, you might. Here in Michigan, I don't usually get much past 13.5 mag on DSO's in our skies, with the 14". Maybe this spring I'll get some decent seeing at my darker sky site, and test this. It's hard to define the limiting magnitude of the 14" on extended objects. I can see Stephan's Quintet in this scope though. I use the Quintet to see how the transparency is on a given night, when it is up. In my case the sky here limits me, more than the scope.
Doug,
What type of power source were you using? I have a large car battery booster (too large and heavy to sit on the AZ plate of my XX14G), so I have to use a long extension cable (which already got tangled up once).
It appears that yours fits nicely and is held well by the bungee cord. What is the Ah capacity of your booster?
Thanks,
Dan
The battery I use... www.tractorsupply.com/en/store/schumacher-950-peak-amps-instant-powertrade%3B-with-a-18ah-internal-battery , It's an 18 Amphr with internal charger.
nice rig!
It lists the "Optical tube" for the "Orion SkyQuest XX14i IntelliScope Truss Dobsonian Telescope" as weighing 29 Kg. At that rate, it would make more sense for me to buy a C14 (21 Kg weight) ! However, I don't know quite what they mean by "Optical tube" since it looks like it's in several parts. How heavy is that part with the Primary mirror in, that you are lifting into the base?
Oh I see, the "lower section" with the primary weighs 55 Pounds ;- www.cloudynights.com/articles/cat/cn-reports/new-cn-reports-in-monthname/cn-reports-review-orion-skyquest-xx14i-r2495
In addition, a C14 with mount is about 3 times the price. ;)
Thanks, I should have formulated my question differently, I have years of experience with SCT's and refractors, refractors are the design to beat for planetary, with no obstruction in the primary lens they offer the sharpest planetary views, dobsonian a are new to me, I was wondering if planetary views in a Dob are comparable to SCT's in your opinion since both have obstructed light paths by secondary mirrors. I am aware of refractors being superior for planetary, I would like to know if in your opinion is a Dob any worse than an equivalent SCT for planetary, I'm happy with planetary views in SCT's, if a Dob is very similar then I'd be happy. How about the tracking and go to in you Orion, are you happy with its tracking and goto? Thank you for your time, happy observing!
+Eddie CJ , Goto and tracking are good. I don't use the 14" much to look at planets, just casually. I haven't made a mask yet, so I can't tell you specifically what improvements that might mean.
Have you ever tried imaging in any way through this scope and put it on a youtube video?
I am seriously thinking of getting one of the 16" scopes like this one and I'd like to see a photo or video of the imaging.
Seems like short exposure (~1-3 minutes) imaging, to minimize trails, for many exposures and then stacking them using a software fix to correct for twist and drift might be a good work-around to allow using the alt-az mount for astrophotography.
Even though I've always enjoyed observing for many years, I also enjoy the scopes themselves and this setup would allow me to satiate both of my interests at the same time: building and aligning the scope, observing, then breaking down the scope.
A serious, complete package of astronomy!
I've enjoyed your videos several times,
Thanks
Alt-Az is problematic for long exposures, but fine for planetary. The 14" won't focus to a DSLR at prime focus, since you can't get the film plane far enough into the focuser. However, I did purchase a 2x barlow, and now I can get focus with my T3i Canon. I've only had a few minutes to do the moon, but it is possible. When the weather gets warmer I'll be doing more with the moon, and possibly Jupiter this spring. I'll post some results then.
This is pretty awesome
What an excellent piece of equipment. How is it holding up into 2021?
The only issue thus far is the perimeter ring on the lower base has come loose. It is a rubber/plastic ring that surrounds the edge of the base plate. Just had to glue it back into place.
Thank you Doug!
Beautiful Telescope !!
Bu t- Ya know what - I've changed my mind. Screw this telescope ! Would be awesome if I had a dedicated Shed or something I could keep this for nightly viewing, but there's no way I'm going to try lugging that thing around Nightly ..
Thanks Doug, after watching your video, I decided to purchase the XX14g. I received it few days ago, the base is very heavy but I love the views! Have you considered buying the JMI Wheely to carry the scope?
No I haven't since I usually travel with it packed in the car to dark sky sites. But if you store it in your garage and just want to roll it out for use, that might be a good idea.
Also, since this mounting is not equatorial and is alt-az, my thinking is to be able to use this set-up for a kind of astrophotography that uses a lot of digital filtering on the final image stack.
Only lunar and planetary is reasonable in this scope.. Deep sky is definitely out.. Not only is it Alt/AZ, but the drive isn't precise enough, nor the mount solid enough for longer exposures. This is really just an observing telescope.
Hi Doug--thanks for the great video! Nearly 35,000 views, now. Just shows the interest in this scope. I live in Michigan, near Lansing. We are moving to Idaho, and I'm going to upgrade my 30 year old 8" SCT. I'm 64. How's lifting that scope (mirror box) at this stage of life? I'm thinking more of the 12xx (lighter and shorter :) to help in that concern. How is the "go-to" function? And, how is it to manually move and not lose calibration? Thanks, again!
The heaviest piece is the lower OTA. I'm a bit out of shape and in my 60's, so I usually park close to where I will setup, so I don't have to carry it too far. The tracking is good, and these units allow you to release the clutches to move it manually and still know where it is pointing, so there is no worry about losing track of the "calibration". That was one of the reasons I bought this unit, so I could move it manually, snug up the clutches and it still points and tracks correctly.
@@DougBock_BoonHill Thank you, Doug. I bought a older Celestron GEM for my Meade LX3 SCT OTA. It works fine, but waiting as it grinds away moving from one thing to the next--especially if it does a meridian "flip"--drives me crazy (and is annoying to other observers). Just being able to move it quickly to another region and the let the scope do the fine work is very appealing. Thanks again for the quick response. Dan
Doug, does the ground board have leveling screws to level the base of the telescaope? Thanks and great video by the way!
No leveling screws. I take some small wedges to level it, if I can't find a level spot.
Are you still happy with your purchase? Any issues? Are the mirrors, framework and electronics holding up to use?
Yes, I've had it for 2 years now, and everything works well. I'm sure over time some standard maintenance on the drive systems will be in order, grease, check the fit, etc. I've also cleaned the mirror twice since I received the scope. This is not unusual to do once a year. The long term, the rocker box material (particle board with laminate), may degrade, but I have some preliminary plans to replace the pieces, so that may not be a big deal.
Great video.
Doug, thanks for a great video!
After lots of time imaging I am rediscovering the joys and simplicity of visual observing.
One question....what is the eyepiece height at zenith of this scope?
I'm 5' 11" tall, and it is right at eye level at Zenith.
that is what sold me on this scope. Perfect eye level. The 16 inch is too high. Need a stepladder
A thousand views. woohoo!!!
Sir, I have two questions: what eyepieces (i.e. optical parameters) do you use for observations and how faint stars did you observe with the telescope?
I use the Vixen LVW eyepieces. 65 degree. 5mm through 22mm. I can't give you an exact magnitude of stars, but I've been able to see Stephans Quintet in this scope.
Hello young man, Ive had the 16" for a year now, finally got mine to track, started using a reticle eyepiece to center my alignment stars and presto it works, Ive been doing 10, 20, 30 second exposures and they're slightly blurry with a hint of star trail maybe, any thoughts? How hard do you screw down your outside clutches on your scope? thanks for video, clear skies
I snug them up just enough that the scope slews fine, no tighter. I do NOT use this for astrophotography.
40k views now!!
6:06 I "love" those guys... you are fully concentrated on doing something, perhaps the worst part of using large telescopes, and you got "Mr. Come at wrong time" all over you... sure, those guys are usually really nice and all but... don't you just love it...
Leave Sir Richard Attenborough alone! LOL
Why would I love it?
Hi Doug. What chair is that with the sliding seat on it? I'm a big boy and like the idea of having only one chair. Thanks, Don.
Google "observing chairs astronomy", there are many options you can peruse. I don't remember who I bought mine from.
Hi Doug. Great video. I heard that if u put big eyepiece on this scope the motors cannot handle it. Have you come across this. Also what made u chose 14 rather then 16 inch. Will base plate easily fit through a standard door. Clear Skies
Hi David, the 16" wasn't out yet, when I bought the 14"... It came out a few months later... The base plate will fit through any door for both, since it is just a flat plate you can turn 90 degrees vertical.. The 14" is easier to haul around, and I don't need a step up to look through the eyepiece... The 16" I would need a step ladder.... a couple of my friends have the 16" and they need to use a step stool at zenith. I'm happy with the 14" as is... It is currently in my observatory for the winter. I have an 18" Star Master as well, which I use at my dark sky site, and it needs a step ladder to view near zenith...
Anyway... the 16" components are heavier, which you would expect. So it's just a matter of what about of light gathering, vs. portability, you want.
As far as big eyepieces giving the motors issues, I haven't had that problem yet.
Besides, if you have big eyepieces that you use regularly, just add some weight to the bottom OTA unit to counterbalance it.
Do you have any comments regarding the figure of the mirror for this scope?
I've read a number of articles that comment that scopes similar to this (all made in china) can have bad figures that result in poor image focus.
For general observing, I can imagine this might not be an issue but with a kind of astrophotography I am thinking of (essentially, hundreds of short exposures stacked together and then de-convolved) I am not sure how functional this idea would be, especially for fainter items but this could turn into a big deal.
But the primary would have to be very "correct".
Any thoughts you have on this would be appreciated.
Excellent mirrors in this scope. I'm very pleased with the views. Do not expect to use this for Deep sky imaging. The setup isn't designed for that, for many reasons. Purely a visual tool.
I think I saw one guy put his big Newtonian on a equatorial mount. If you got the will and the moolah, there's usually a way.
Great video!@@@
Do you like the scope? I’m thinking of this or the xx16g. It’s hard to find information on the performance on them.
Yes I do.
Thanks.
Assembling it in 10 min, not bad?
Thank you Doug for the video. I am interested in the same telescope and I would like to ask you how much is the size of the Orion cases. I have to be sure I have enogh space inside my car :). Thank you.
The cases are soft, so they fit right around the tube assemblies, and fold up nicely when not being used.
Thank you for the answer. So, when the primary mirror box is inside the lenght x height of the case is about 2 ft x 2 ft, I think?
That's about right.
hello! Doug are there any issues with the mirrors when you travel with the telescope?
Nope, just put the scope together and collimate, and I'm good to go.
Thanks
When attempting to attach the secondary mirror, you need to have the telescope on the horizontal (not vertical) and cradle the top piece in your arms, otherwise there is a good chance you'll drop it. Ouch! $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$
William, amen. I watch in amazement at how roughly he handled the upper and lower components. Lots of banging and bumping. Collimation must have been fun.
Collimation takes about 3 minutes.
I need help picking out a telescope, I am an intermediate astronomer and just need to know what would be a great buy, I’m not going to buy a new one for about 5-10 years. I think something similar to yours would be ideal since I have many neighbors that like to visit and look through it. Any help?
If you get a chance, find a local astronomy club in your area, and go to their meetings and observing sessions. This would give you a chance to look through their scopes and ask questions.
I have set my mind to buy a ORION 14G or 16G. You are experienced enough to guide me make the right choice, please. I will be grateful to you if you help me with the best camera and a full list of necessary accessories. Thank you.
the Orion 14g and 16g are for visual only, not astrophotography. The 14g is more portable than the 16g, but that choice is up to you.
Would love to know your complete set up here Doug. Any chance you could list the set up as I have same scope
Starting with the XX14g telescope, I added a dew strap for the secondary, the wifi hub, and on board 9 to 14 amh battery to run it all. Nothing more unusual than that. I can run the scope wirelessly from my Ipad using SkySafari pro via WiFi to the hub.
I would like that telescope saver as it goes and if you can connect to a computer'm from Argentina
Does the weight of the on-board battery throw off the balance of the mount?
No. I'm actually using a lighter one now. Just a battery without the charging pack.
I am aware of the limitations this mounting style has for conventional astrophotography.
My interest with this scope is the use of very short exposure astrophotography and stacking many (thousands) of images for, effectively, longer exposure photographs.
My concern is if this approach would yield any kind of reasonable astrophoto.
Limitations of CCD sensitivity make me wonder if multiple exposures of short duration (approximately 5-10 secs) would yield any effective information in the resultant stacked image.
Basically, this would be a new, totally different way of astronomical imaging and I am concerned ccd's are sensitive enough to be exploited in this manner.
I am wondering if people, such as yourself, have worked on this novel angel of astrophotography with an alt-az scope like you have.
The short answer is No, it won't work the way you think it might.
Doug Bock Well, regardless, this scope looks like A LOT of fun. I like the exposure to almost every component, both optical and mechanical, to this kind of scope. The ability to have access to all optical components, the ability to play with align
So much of astronomy (for me, anyway) revolves around the instrument and this approach and type of scope look like a lot of fun. As much fun as observing is the time spent building up/tearing down the scope and driving to a dark sky and interfacing with fellow observers. A nice plus would be to enable some kind of imaging with this scope. I still see the digital abilities of a camera and software being able to make up for the mount and drive.
This may be a nice project to delve into... I can imagine a large market that would develop around non-equatorially tracked images and using imaging/camera software to "build" the final image from many, many short exposures. I think one big aspect of this imaging approach is the inherent inefficiency of CCD's. Not that there is much inefficiency but, when added up over possibly thousands of exposures, this may add up to a real problem in the final image stack. This is interesting but, at the same time, if such a resolution is realized, it takes a lot away from the science.
I am fairly certain of the already developed multiple image stack software being developed.
So much of amateur astronomy involves accurate tracking and mechanical arrangements for tracking.
If digital procedures can be arrived at that minimize the value of tracking, this may take away a lot from the total value of the pastime.
I see this as a big project that may be worthy of resolution and development.
I have to believe the scope companies have broached this topic. Maybe they are currently "broaching" this problem.
A lot to consider...
One can image the planets and moon with this scope, since the exposures are fractions of a second... For example you can take a simple web cam and gather a 1000 images quickly, then use that raw data and some software to do automatic registration and stacking based on the best 80% of the images, as an example. People do this all the time.... The issue is the drive system isn't steady enough for 5 and 10 seconds exposures for deep sky...
CMOS sensors have surpassed CCD, afaik. I think that with short 15 second subs, darks, flats, etc. you might pull it off due to the light gathering ability of the 14 inch aperture. Software for post processing is pretty advanced these days (August 2018). Also there are "S" shaped vanes to hold the secondary mirror that spread the diffraction out over the image field. This will decrease contrast/definition but this can be reduced greatly. I don't like diffraction spikes and nowadays you don't need to tolerate them. Some people like them though.
do you have to re-setup the GPS coordinates when you detach or re-attach this telescope ?
If you move to a new location, yes, the long/lat coordinates of the new location need to be entered, or use the GPS to get them.
How is your xx14g holding up? Is it a good scope to invest in?
It's over 2 years old now, and is still going strong.
Do you have to collimate this scope every time you use it?
Yep. Every time I set it up, I have to check collimation. Takes about 3 minutes.
Do you leave the counterweights on?
The counter weights on the back of the mirror cell stay on all the time.
:-o
Great video! I am looking for a Dob, however I have heard that this scope is so so for planetary and much better for deep sky, what's your experience with planetary as I would like a scope that is great for both planetary and deep sky. Thx!
+Eddie CJ , that is always the challenge. Big aperture / short focal ratio for deep sky, or clear aperture / long focal ratio for planetary. The dobs are designed primarily for deep sky, with the large light bucket, but they can be decent on planetary as well. You can also improve that by making an off-axis mask for it. Or you can get a smaller long focal length refractor for planetary, which work quite well. The point is, there are compromises in most designs of telescopes, which to most casual observers, are not noticeable.
SCT's are a mainstay for many people, as a general use telescope. Decent for both types of observing, but very expensive if you want a large aperture. The dobs are a better bang for the buck to get big aperture.
So the short answer is, 1 scope doesn't do it all in an outstanding way, but most scopes are pretty good for most everything. Once you get into it, you'll understand what I'm talking about.
I've found that fast Newtonians are excellent for deep sky, but pretty average for planetary, unless you put an off-axis mask on it, which improves it some. But usually will not be as good as a refractor would render.
Possible to take any pictures or videos with this type ??
Only bright planets and the moon (short exposures). Video of the planets, yes.
Great
How is the detail of the galaxies or nebulae?
+Freddy Acosta That would be a subjective response, based on previous experiences. For me, I have had larger scopes and/or use of larger scopes, so my point of view might not be valuable to you. It depends on what you've used before. However, I do find the views excellent. :D
whats the gps unit your using as it seems like one I got in the car?
www.telescope.com/Orion-GPS-Kit-for-GoTo-Telescope-Mounts/p/103505.uts?keyword=gps
Did you see anything good that night?
Yes, it was an excellent night. Logged over 140 DSO's that night.
This is the battery pack I'm using..
www.tractorsupply.com/en/store/schumacher-950-peak-amps-instant-powertrade;-with-a-18ah-internal-battery
I have the Skywatcher 14 inch goto. WAY quicker to set up than your scope. Building the truss setup is just a pain on your scope,On the Skywatcher,you just pull it out!.
Good for you.
How do you find it? I've been advised against mass produced big dobs and looking into premium brands like Obsession or Hubble Optics - the price difference is big though.
13:05 I pooped a little
lol
It looks you can assemble it without looking at the parts😎😎😎😎🔭🔭🔭🔭🔭
It's pretty easy to setup.
thats why i sold my 16 dob. way to heavy to transport and to much light in the city to use. Ill get a 10 inch someday. way easier to use.
Alt-Az does not track perfectly ??
Tracks well enough for visual.
Where did you get your sliding chair?
Check this out. astro-observer.com/basic/chairs.html
Thank you Doug!
Great video!! Thanks for it. I'm looking for a scope like yours and I like very much your chair...! How I can get one? What's the name of it? I'm from Spain (!)
Google search "Astronomy Chair"... Several vendors have similar chairs.
Thanks for your answer, but I'm just been looking for it in google (Astroshop, for exemple) and I found similar, but not exactly than yours, because tou can up/down the seat very easely, and at the others is more difficult... thanks anyway...!
@@carles2211 I bought it so long ago, I don't remember from whom. But most of those on the google search work just like mine.
@@carles2211 Try here. www.highpointscientific.com/star-bound-black-powder-coated-chair-sb-black?SBD-SB-BLACK&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIm7GIkq3_3gIVCB1pCh39uw17EAQYAiABEgIWpfD_BwE
You should of purchased the skymaster 16" goto for around 3500.00 usd :-)
The 14" met my needs, like not having to get on a step ladder, and being able to pick up and move the components. And the 14" was $2700.00. In addition I have an 18" starmaster which I leave setup in the observatory. The 14" is my mobile unit.
Where did you find that chair?
I don't remember but here is a list to choose from
www.google.com/webhp?sourceid=chrome-instant&ion=1&espv=2&ie=UTF-8#q=observing+chair&tbm=shop
Share some pics u have taken from it
I don't take pictures with this telescope.
This is the battery pack I'm using..
www.tractorsupply.com/en/store/schumacher-950-peak-amps-instant-powertrade;-with-a-18ah-internal-battery
woohoo 4000 views. :D
Very informative video Doug!
I have two questions that interest me very much!
1. a question about the stiffness / stability of the telescope.
How good is the stiffness of the grid tube construction. What do you observe when you put the adjusting laser into the eyepiece and now swivel the telescope from the zenith to the horizon? Does the laser point move out of the middle of the mirror marking?
It will probably move a little from the center. I would be very interested to know how far it moves away from the center.
2. How accurate is the GoTo positioning? With the Skywatcher stands 5
arc minutes in the description. That is very good! Can the Orion do that too and does he keep the objects in the eyepiece for a long time?
Thank you for your wonderful help.
CS
Arno
Translated with www.DeepL.com/Translator
Collimation holds well for the night.
If you do a two star alignment well, the objects are always in the field of view of a 13 mm lens, and it tracks the object very well all night.
hey
Hey
The guy didn't even bothered to show some picture quality.
Was there a question?
I don't do astrophotography with this telescope. It isn't designed for that, only observing.