New Orion XX12g

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PatrickW
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New Orion XX12g

#1

Post by PatrickW »


Hi All!

Bought an XX12g a couple weeks ago. Have wanted a "nice" telescope ever since I was a kid...

Here's what I've done and am doing, and I've got to say I'm having a lot of fun and learning a lot:

First, I used the factory 28mm eyepiece. It's pretty good, but since buying a "better" eyepiece I can see the difference in quality the more I use it.

Then I bought an Explore Scientific 18mm 82 degree eyepiece, which I really like. I've done some basic calculations and am thinking that my next eyepiece to purchase will be an 11mm 82 degree from the same manufacturer. Later on, probably an 8mm and (maybe) a 5mm - but we'll have to see on that. I'm taking it slow and getting one at a time. I don't think there's any reason to get anything over 32mm or under 4mm, based on my current understanding - which may be wrong.

Tried my hand at collimating with the factory "peep hole" eyepiece. I didn't get very far with that, as it was difficult to "look, then walk to the back of the telescope and make an adjustment and then walk back and look again". What DID work was getting a friend to make small adjustments to the primary mirror screws WHILE I was looking through the peep site.

I also bought a Laser Collimator. I can see how that would be much easier, and after I used it I went back to the "peep site" as a check, and it was close. One thing that I am wondering about is that when I roll the Collimator while shining the laser on a far wall, it turns out that the collimator itself isn't "collimated". So I don't know "how good is good enough" when it comes to "Collimation of the Collimator". Hope that makes sense.

I also built a cart so I can wheel the telescope out in the evenings, and then put it back in my garage when I'm done observing. It seems to me that it's best to leave the telescope fully assembled, and only take it apart when I need to transport it a greater distance (helping to save on "wear and tear" is what I'm thinking). Frankly, I'm not happy with the cart, as it's not as stable as I would like, so I will try to come up with something better (and will share here when/if that happens).

There was a firmware update. I applied it yesterday. Had to go to YouTube to see an undocumented trick that was what made it work. Basically, you have to hold some buttons down at the same time that power is turned on.

Just starting to work with the GoTo features. Not much success there yet, but I already know that I need to be more precise.

I haven't done anything with filters, nor any solar stuff. I would like to.

I have GOT to figure out a better chair to use while observing.....

Further out, I'd like to start including some of my neighbors in some "Star Parties". Relations amongt some of the people in my neighborhood could be improved, and I'm thinking that sharing a nice telescope would be a good way to help that.

- Pat
Telescope: Orion XX12g Truss Dobsonian, f/4.9
Eyepieces: Orion DeepView 28mm & 12.5mm Plossl Illuminated Reticle; ES 18mm 82°
Binoculars: Pentax 8x40mm
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KingNothing13 United States of America
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Re: New Orion XX12g

#2

Post by KingNothing13 »


For collimation - you will need to make sure that your laser is collimated before you use it - there are a few ways to do it - and I am sure others will give advice here on how to do it - personally, I have never done it so I do not really know how. The Glatter collimation tools generally do not need to be collimated - they are great tools, but more expensive - I use the 1.25" laser and TuBlug for collimation. Works great.

For an observing chair, I use the black version of this, and it works great:

https://www.amazon.com/Starbound-Astron ... B009P3WL2I
-- Brett

Scope: Apertura AD10 with Nexus II with 8192/716000 Step Encoders
EPs: ES 82* 18mm, 11mm, 6.7mm; GSO 30mm
Celestron SkyMaster 15x70 Binoculars
List Counts: Messier: 75; Herschel 400: 30; Caldwell: 12; AL Carbon Star List: 16
Brett's Carbon Star Hunt

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Re: New Orion XX12g

#3

Post by 10538 »


Hello Pat! Welcome to the forum and congratulations on your new scope! Your choice of the ES 18mm eyepiece is a good one. You can do most anything with that eyepiece. It’s great observing Messier and Herschel objects. I rarely use my 5 mm except for observing Jupiter/Saturn on nights with exceptional seeing or my initial alignment. I use my ES 14 & ES 20 the most especially when observing deep sky objects. You may also think about adding a set of Bob’s Knobs to make collimation adjustments easier as well as an Right Angle Correct Image (RACI) finder scope. Hopefully you opted for the light shroud to help block stray light and help keep your mirrors clean. Sounds like you’re on the right track! Clear Skies!
Ed :Astronomer1:
Scopes: Orion 14 inch f/4.6 Dobsonian w/MoonLite focuser. Meade LX200 Classic 10”w/AudioStar and MoonLite focuser, Criterion RV6, Orion ST80A w/2” GSO micro focuser.
Eyepieces: ES 5.5mm 100*, 6.7mm 82*, 11mm 82*, 14mm 100*, 18mm 82*, 20mm 100*, Meade 9mm XWA 100*, 24mm UWA 82*, 56mm 50*, TV Delos 6,8 & 10mm, Panoptic 24, 27 & 35mm, 17mm Nagler, Powermate 2X, Baader 6mm Ortho, Paracorr II.
MISC: William Optics Binoviewer, Revolution 2 Imager, Orion Skyview Pro Mount, Skymaster 15x70, 20x70, 25x100 Binos, HoTech Collimator, Kendrick Dew System,Catsperch Chair.
Messier 110 Complete/ Messier 110 Sketches Complete / Herschel 400 Complete / H-2 and H-3 Complete
Bortle 3 Skies in Down Eastern NC
“Starlight, I hear you calling out to me so far away” Jeff Lynne ELO.
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Re: New Orion XX12g

#4

Post by Bigzmey »


Congrats on the new scope Pat! Sounds like you are making a good progress. Have you seen the planets yet?
Scopes: Stellarvue: SV102ED; Celestron: 9.25" EdgeHD, 8" SCT, 150ST, Onyx 80ED; iOptron: Hankmeister 6" Mak; SW: 7" Mak; Meade: 80ST.
Mounts: SW: SkyTee2, AzGTi; iOptron: AZMP; ES: Twilight I; Bresser: EXOS2; UA: MicroStar.
Binos: APM: 100-90 APO; Canon: IS 15x50; Orion: Binoviewer, LG II 15x70, WV 10x50, Nikon: AE 16x50, 10x50, 8x40.
EPs: Pentax: XWs & XFs; TeleVue: Delites, Panoptic & Plossls; ES: 68, 62; Vixen: SLVs; Baader: BCOs, Aspherics, Mark IV.
Diagonals: Baader: BBHS mirror, Zeiss Spec T2 prism, Clicklock dielectric; TeleVue: Evebrite dielectric; AltairAstro: 2" prism.
Filters: Lumicon: DeepSky, UHC, OIII, H-beta; Baader: Moon & SkyGlow, Contrast Booster, UHC-S, 6-color set; Astronomik: UHC.

Observing: DSOs: 3106 (Completed: Messier, Herschel 1, 2, 3. In progress: H2,500: 2180, S110: 77). Doubles: 2382, Comets: 34, Asteroids: 255
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Re: New Orion XX12g

#5

Post by turonrambar »


Hello Pat,

Can't wait until my XX22g arrives in May?

Clear Skies,
kip
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G10 One Shot CMOS Color Camera, QHY 2” Filter Wheel, QHY OAG, SVBony SV305 guide camera
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Re: New Orion XX12g

#6

Post by Dragonsfire »


Congrats !!
Neil
Orion XT8i Dob, ES AR102
9x50 RACI Finder, TELRAD Reflex Sight, Electro Dot Sight RD400X
Agena SWA 38mm 70 FOV 2" EP, Orion 25+10mm Sirius Plossl 52 FOV EP
ES 82* 11mm, 18mm 2", ES 68* 24mm, 6mm, 25mm Ortho. EP, Televue 3X Barlow,CS lens 2.8mm-12mm F1.4
Filters Baader Continuum, UV/IF cut, Lumicon UHC, DGM OIII. ND5/3.8 Kendrick
GX1 Lumix, E-PM2, ASI224mc, SteadyPix Deluxe, iOptron SkyTracker 7.7lb
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