TheSkySearchers

Frankskywatcher wrote: ↑Fri Jan 07, 2022 9:45 pm Thanks for the advise and especially in regards to the Barlow and it does come with a laser collimating tool

Frankskywatcher wrote: ↑Fri Jan 07, 2022 10:04 pm Yes it comes with a laser collimating tool but not familiar with the “ cap” or the Cheshire Eyepiece I readily admit I’m a green rookie
I appreciate your help and thank you so much

Thefatkitty wrote: ↑Fri Jan 07, 2022 10:10 pm

Frankskywatcher wrote: ↑Fri Jan 07, 2022 10:04 pm Yes it comes with a laser collimating tool but not familiar with the “ cap” or the Cheshire Eyepiece I readily admit I’m a green rookie
I appreciate your help and thank you so much

This may help: https://garyseronik.com/collimation-tools-what-you-need-what-you-dont/

And even though I can't get an Apertura scope in Canada, I've heard nothing but good about them, plus an 8" is a great all-around size. A scope for life

All the best,

Frankskywatcher wrote: ↑Sat Jan 08, 2022 4:02 am Hi Greg , thanks for the advise I can use all I can get !
I was also thinking of the military grade flashlight that has the different blanks,you can insert,red,white and clear defuser lens what do you think of that idea ?
Tonight I got so pumped looking at Taurus with just a pair of 7x 50 binoculars, It’s really dark where I live out in the sticks, excited about pulling the trigger on the Apertura AD 8” just hoping to hear from a few more members who might have purchased one. Thanks again for all your help I really appreciate it can you tell me if there is a thread or an area on the forum for equipment like a good viewing chair and things of a similar nature.

The Happy Parrot wrote: ↑Sat Jan 08, 2022 9:10 pm Hello Frankskywatcher!

I've owned the Zhummel 8" version of this telescope for a couple of years and I'm very pleased with it. I won't go into all the pro's and cons about it, other than to say it is very easy to set up and collimate. I usually collimate during the day, but one can do it at night, just harder to see the bolts on both ends of the tube. I also like the included 90 degree finder, and the fact you can shift the OTA up and down to balance it better as you add other components.

I agree with Bigzmey about waiting before investing in a Barlow. The Barlow is good under the right conditions, but I seldom use it. I'd rather use a smaller focal length eyepiece instead. After two years trying different zooms and eyepieces, I basically only use three: ES 24mm/68 deg., an ES 16mm/68 deg, and a Meade MWA 5mm/100. I have other ep's, but 90% of the time I'm on one of those three. Sadly, eyepiece prices have gone up a lot lately, but there are many options to consider and that's part of the fun.

Finally, while I truly enjoy my Z8 for it's great views, especially at a dark site like yours, there are a couple of things to consider:

-If you store it indoors and have steps to your yard, best to do two trips. The OTA is bulky and the particle board base is heavy as with all these mass produced dobs. Now I keep mine permanently on a small pneumatic wheel cart in the garage so that I just roll it out when I want to use it. Much less hassle. Also has the advantage of raising the viewing height by ~6" which is a back saver.
-The one thing holding me back from using it more is our cold weather in New England. I have tropical blood in me and if I were to do it over again, the first thing I'd buy before any accessories or eyepieces, is some form of antarctic bunny suit. Two years into this hobby I think about it every time I freeze my hands off, and yet I haven't bought one. In summer you will contend with swarms of mosquitoes, coyotes, bears, your neighbors dogs, and the occasional skunk. But that's another topic.

Whatever you decide, enjoy your new telescope!

gregl wrote: ↑Sun Jan 09, 2022 12:19 am And one more piece of rather standard advice to beginners: go slow on buying stuff. I think every one of us, in our early days of excitement, bought stuff we ended up not needing. Stick with the eyepieces that come with the scope. Get a basic book or two (Turn Left At Orion, by Consolmagno and Davis; Nightwatch, by Dickenson, for example) and an app for a tablet or phone such as SkySafari or SkyPortal. Just because other folks have and like a particular item doesn't mean it's going to work for you, so try to hook up with some other folks where you can see and try other stuff before you buy it.