Hi everyone, as per recommendations on a previous post, I got an Omegon advanced X 152/1200.
I am extremely happy with it, my first details of Jupiter and Saturn meant a lot to me. Here’s some of my first footage I captured with a janky phone setup.
Now at the moment I’ve only got a 25mm ocular of good quality, thinking about getting a few more for different magnifications. Maybe a Barlow? Maybe a contrast filter or a Cheshire for collimation.
What do you think are some needed upgrades to get more out of this fine piece of telescope?
Thanks!!
And thanks to the original commenter who recommended the scope, I’m incredibly happy :))
Get it to a super dark site near you.
Get a lower-power eyepiece for wide views of larger targets, a higher-power eyepiece for planets and double stars when the seeing is good, and a UHC filter for emission nebulae.
I have a 6" F/8 Dob, great scope! This was my first scope many years ago and I still use it often even though I now have larger scopes. I love the small size of the 6" F/8, and longer focal ratio is nice for planets and the moon.
My most used eyepieces now in this scope (I have a 1.25" focuser, not a 2"):
Budget is important:
Svbony 32mm Plossl, 48º AFOV, 38x magnification, 4mm exit pupil - the only Plossl I still use mainly as a low power finder eyepiece. ~$35 last time I looked on Amazon.
Celestron 25mm X-Cel LX, 60º AFOV, 48x, 3mm exit - higher quality and slighly wider field of view than the Plossl, good for general purpose low power viewing. ~$90 on Amazon. But it sounds like you have a decent 25mm eyepiece.
Astro-Tech Dual ED 12mm (or Starguider Dual ED, same eyepiece, different retailers), 60º AFOV, 100x, 1.5 exit - very good inexpensive mid-range, about ~$70. Astro-Tech can be purchased on Astronomics.com website. Starguiders available on agenaastro.com
Astro-Tech 7mm UWA 82° (there are many "clones" available from other retailers like Angel Eyes (Ebay). ~156x, 1.0 exit. This eyepiece is actually closer to 8mm focal length but very nice optics and the wide field of view is exhilarating and adicting, even in an F/8 scope. ~$120. Angel Eyes are less expensive but the same eyepiece. I have the 13mm and 10mm as well.
Astro-Tech Dual ED 5mm (or Starguider Dual ED), 60º, 240x, 0.6 exit - I use this sometimes when seeing conditions allow for planetary, lunar and double stars. ~$70.
I also have a decent Celestron 2x Barlow, which I don't use much.
Of the above, my absolutely most used eyepieces are the 25mm X-Cel, 12mm Dual ED, 7mm UWA.
As said here, the best filter is the "gasoline filter". Locate and travel to a good dark site if you live under light polluted skies in a city or even suburbs. Contrast filters are fine, although I don't use mine much.
I like this website for finding dark sites near me:
https://djlorenz.github.io/astronomy/lp/overlay/dark.html
I highly recommend a Cheshire, and possibly a laser collimator. At F/8, collimation is easy to do.
If you haven't done so, join Cloudy Nights (website). Excellent forums, articles and classifieds.
For now, depending on your budget, I'd get a high quality medium power (like a 12mm) and high power (like a 7mm) eyepiece, a Cheshire site tube, and a full tank of gas!
I meant to add these eyepieces. Not bad budget eyepieces from Svbony. Will work fine in your 6" F/8 Dob. Many people like these. Only major complaint I've heard is sometimes difficult eye placement and black outs. I think the 6mm and 9mm are the best of the group.
Shop around for best price.....
https://www.svbony.com/products/68-degree-eyepieces
I'm looking at getting an omegon cronus 6mm piece and a cheshire. Fitting another eye piece in the budget is a bit tight so I can either get a second cheaper eye piece, or get an even slightly better one than the cronus.
Not sure where to focus money for the most value, it's easy to get lost in all the options.
On the plus side, my girlfriend lives in an area that's about as dark as it gets in my part of the country so that's the gasoline filter checked off
I believe these are the same as the BST Starguiders (although different than what I mentioned above). I'm not familiar with these but they sound decent. A 6mm eyepiece will work well on planets and lunar details when the seeing conditions are good. This can vary wildly night to night and where you live. A quick test, when you see twinkling stars, the seeing is not good - a lot of turbulence in atmosphere.
Do you have anything else besides the 25mm?
I do have some kit eye pieces from my previous telescope, they are rather poor quality but do the job nonetheless. Those videos were shot through the 9mm piece.
I would say that if I could only own one eyepiece, or maybe one in addition to the 25mm, it would be a mid-range power like 12-15mm. I probably use my 12mm the most of all my eyepieces for general viewing and for deep sky objects like nebula and galaxies. But it depends a lot on what you like to observe. Ideally, I'd have three - high, medium, low power. 25 / 12-15 / 6
Or, this may be a good argument for a 2x Barlow.
I would consider a Telrad or red dot view finder to augment or replace that viewfinder on your scope. Should make it way easier to locate the fainter stuff.
collimation?
What next? How about an auto focus and a tracking mount?
Join your local astronomy club. Start going to their monthly star parties. Take your scope. Everything else will become obvious.
Get wide FOV eye pieces. I love my 9mm 68° 1.25" and my 32mm 72° 2".
First thing I'd do is get a shorter focal length eyepiece or two, and a more comfortable finder.
Do you have a good observing chair?
Get that sucker to a Bortle 1-3 ASAP. You’ll have a blast. Buy some Eyepiece adapters for imaging.
Buy on on what you NEED not what someone else thinks you need,
Make some setting circles
Now you polish your mirrors with some steel wool to bring out the more refined space look...
I know this feels obvious not to do but this could ruin someone's day
To be frank, if you cannot figure out not to use steel wool on a mirror... consider it a mental litmus test
Great tip! Thanks! I think I have some lying around somewhere...