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| Sunset over the desert near our home |
This will probably be a short one as I have no new observation milestones this time around.
The past several months, fair means and foul, I've been saving for a new scope with a wider aperture. I also figured on a Dobsonian which would make items high in the sky easier to look for and at. I checked out many brands, including my original folks at Orion. In the end, I went with High Point Scientific's Apertura line This had a azimuth movement on roller bearings instead of Teflon. It also had a fine-tune focuser on the Crayford. Putting it on a platform also makes it easier to use:
I'm glad I went with an 8-inch model instead of the 10. This thing is a beast and I imagine the 10 would be just a bit heavier to tote around. The main OTA does separate from the base for "easier" carrying, but taking into consideration its bulkiness and the fear of tripping during the carry it's kind of a chore.
Between clouds and life (Judy Collins?) I wasn't able to get out until last night. I also put the Telrad on this new one as I am going to experiment with software on the Orion. The main items I looked for were M13 (Hercules) and M57 (Ring). For added value I journeyed to M4 in Scorpio. I picked up more detail in all of these but the long twilight of June requires I stay up too late for skies to get dark enough (Waaaa!).
Learning curve. I've spent the past three summers working my EQ mounted Orion. Using the Dob is a very different experience and this model has more features for me to get acquainted with. The good news is telescopes last a lifetime!
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