Re: suggestions for new telescope

Orion is a solid company with a good reputation for service (and I use them
myself), but their imported equipment quality can be inconsistent or poor
(again from personal experience).

The Intelliscope's (and the non-computerized versions) I have seen are good
performers... That said, my advice is to take a step back and look at your
mix of scopes and other equipment. For example, here's an article I recently
wrote for Cloudy Nights and one a few years ago for my club website...

http://www.cloudynights.com/item.php?arch=1&cy=2006&cm=12&cmn=December&item_id=1583

http://www.novac.com/resources/reviews/stellarvue80.php

Five related thoughts to help...

1. How much do you want to spend?

2. What objects do you like (or want) to look at (e.g., dim or bright
objects), and which of your pieces of equipement will serve best?

3. Where do you observe (e.g., at far away sites or other places where
transportability is an issue)?

4. When do you observe (e.g., if during the week, set-up and take down
duration could be an issue)?

5. Join a club, observe with the members & clubs often offer loaner scopes
& other equipment to borrow.

All this said, if you are too impatient to wait here's my thoughts...

1. Keep the binoculars, they are good wide-field spur-of-the-moment gear,
especially if you are still learning the sky.

2. Sell or donate the 4.5 Dob (e.g., Astromart or astro-club) it will be
redundant with your desire for a larger aperture reflector.

3. If you have a history of back problems, the 12" Intelliscope is a
monster dob, and the 10" a little less so, but still awkward to carry...
so...

a. Buy the 8" Intelliscope or maybe the 10" ($620- $790); it will still
do a very respectable job on the dim stuff AND a decent chair for observing
(to save your back, and frankly should be on your list anyway... Google the
"StarDust Chair" it's what I use) OR...
b. Buy the Sirius 8" EQ-G GoTo Reflector ($1450), the GEM will allow
you to track and allow use of multiple scopes down the road OR...
c. Buy the Nextar 5", 6", or 8" SCT ($800 -$1400), wiich has GoTo and
tracking capabililty... note however that this scope will limit your typical
field of view to around 1 degree and you cannot really use the mount for any
other scopes (e.g., pointing to zenith will interfere with the base.)

I would choose 3.b... for its reasonably large aperture, wide field of
view, tracking goto mount, and interchangeability of scopes for same mount.

4. Buy a good quality refractor Optical Tube Assembly, down the road . The
Orion ED series gets generally (but not always) good grades on optics, but
many folks have to fuss with or replace the focuser and the finder...
Personally, buying something new and spending more $ to tweak it is not
attractive to me; So my advice is to wait until you can spend some more cash
a buy and Stellarvue or Televue, that come in many flavors. They are top
notch and keepers Why? Because the high-contrast flat-field views (albeit
dimmer) have to been seen to really be apreciated compared to other scope
designs... and for all the other reasons listed in my articles.

5. Buy a good quality alt-az mount (with or without digital setting
circles), down the road... one that is stable, but can be set up in seconds
(e.g., Universal Astronomics, Discmounts, Stellarvue).

Good Luck!

Jim

"brucegooglegroups" <brucegooglegroups@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:1172933091.725167.234030@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
I am thinking of buying a new telescope in the spring or summer. I
currently have a Skyscout, 10X50 binoculars, and a 4.5 Dob reflector.
I originally purchased the small telescope due to back problems, but
now I can deal with more weight.

I was thinking of buying an Orion intelliscope.

Suggestions for other options?

Thanks.
Bruce



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