Quote:
Originally Posted by wildlifesnapper  Hi,
just been looking at some skywatcher telescopes and I've noticed the huge price difference between dobsonian mounted scopes and EQ mounted of the same size.
What are the pros & cons?
Thanks
Neil |
the huge price difference comes down to the fact that a decent equatorial mount will cost as much - if not more - than the optical tube. Whereas a Dobsonian mount is far simpler, and cheaper to make.
Personally - I much prefer an equatorial mount, much easier to track.
At high magnifications, objects can really whiz through the field of view, and the constant nudgity-nudge that you have to do with a Dob, very quickly gets on my nerves. With a motorised EQ, you just find the object, and let the motor follow it for you - and even without a motor-drive, it's far easier to just slowly twist the slo-mo knob.
Another problem with Dobs, is that it is easy to 'lose' your target when changing eyepieces, especially at higher powers - so you have to back off the power, and find the target again.
With an EQ, if the target strays out of the FOV, a little twist of the slo-mo knob, and you're straight back onto it.
You also need a patch of flat, dry, land to set up a Dob - you can't just set a Dob up on the grass - even you find a flat place, the moisture in the grass is BAD for the composite chipboard that most Dob bases are made of - an EQ on a tripod can be set up just about anywhere.
Having said that - A Dob is the way to get maximum aperture for your money - so if that's your goal, and you can put up with the constant nudging - a Dob may be preferable FOR YOU over an EQ - it's a matter of personal preference.
Dob tip....
If you want to go somewhere and set up on grass (say - a campsite maybe) - take a paving slab in the boot of your car, and put that on the grass, under the Dob - keep the damp grass away from the Dob base.