Novice reseaching for first scopePosted By chuck shields |
Wow! The 12" Orion intelescope is quite a large beasty to start out with 
. 6 to 10" in my opinion are good to start with. As you pointed out " that most suggest we get the largest aperture possible" but one has also have to remember the best scope is the one that gets used. As was suggested in another post you might consider a slightly smaller scope 8-10" and with the money saved get a 3-4" quick look scope, that way you can bring out the big scope on nights when you have time to setup and let the scope cool down, especially at a dark sky location. Then use the quick looker for the times when you just don't have time for all that a larger scope needs, i/e cool down and collimation. My big scope is a 10" but I use my 4" Mak or 80mm Stellarvue more as I do most of my observing in my backyard after work and usually I'm to tired to setup the bigun after work. But I LOVE the views in the 10" and I can see soooo much more in it when I have time to set it up correctly. Anyway whichever you choose, enjoy it and USE it.
. 6 to 10" in my opinion are good to start with. As you pointed out " that most suggest we get the largest aperture possible" but one has also have to remember the best scope is the one that gets used. As was suggested in another post you might consider a slightly smaller scope 8-10" and with the money saved get a 3-4" quick look scope, that way you can bring out the big scope on nights when you have time to setup and let the scope cool down, especially at a dark sky location. Then use the quick looker for the times when you just don't have time for all that a larger scope needs, i/e cool down and collimation. My big scope is a 10" but I use my 4" Mak or 80mm Stellarvue more as I do most of my observing in my backyard after work and usually I'm to tired to setup the bigun after work. But I LOVE the views in the 10" and I can see soooo much more in it when I have time to set it up correctly. Anyway whichever you choose, enjoy it and USE it.
