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[martyn2005]

Hi guys,

I found this on Astromart:

"I need to find a good home for my Coulter Odyssey 8 Dobsonian. This fine scope features:

8" f/4.5 mirror
Helical 1.25" focuser
Telerad finder
TeleVue 17mm Plossl
TeleVue 7.4mm Plossl
TeleVue 1.8X Barlow
Orion polarizing filter"

Asking price: $200 obo

I wondered if anyone had any advice as to whether it seems like a good deal or not. Has anyone ever owned a Coulter Odyssey before?

I've done some web research and the 'extras' seem to be pretty cool.

Also if anyone has a dob that they are selling or would now someone who is, feel free to contact me! ;D

Thanks
Martyn

[jglover]

martyn2005 said:

"I need to find a good home for my Coulter Odyssey 8 Dobsonian. This fine scope features:

8" f/4.5 mirror
Helical 1.25" focuser
Telerad finder
TeleVue 17mm Plossl
TeleVue 7.4mm Plossl
TeleVue 1.8X Barlow
Orion polarizing filter"

Asking price: $200 obo

Well, Coulter Optics can be a hit or miss proposition. Some of their larger scopes from the early 80's were quite good, the 8" inch Dobs were okay, but this one is a very fast mirror (f/4.5) and was very prone to coma. Coma is where objects near the edge of the field do not come to focus. Also, fast scope like an 8: f/4.5 put a lot of demands on the eyepieces, but the Tv plossls included are really good, probably the best plossl out there. The EP's, the Barlow and the Telrad are probably worth almost $200 alone.

The scope also has a helical focuser, which means you will trun the focuser like a screw to focus it. Some like them for the finer control they offer over standard rack and pinion focusers, other hate them.....I'm in the latter camp! ;D

For that price you probably will be ok, but be prepared to learn how to collimate the scope, as fast refelctor demand good collimation. I'd also ask for some pics as well.

Finally, this will not be a very portable scope......it is gonna be bigger than you think and a little on the heavy side. My 8" Dob weighs in at about 45 pounds, being spplit about equally between the scope and the mount.

If you are looking for something a little more portable, there is an Orion Spacepboe 130 with an EQ mount which also looks like quite a good deal, a couple aof ads down from the Dob.

[Chicago Astronomer - Astro Joe]

Martyn,

Without looking at the ad on astromart, I have to think on why...the person is selling it. Perhaps the inherent coma was just too much too deal with. Also, I don't know how old this dob is, but there will come a time when the mirror will need a new coat of aluminum or replacement...maybe it's that time now.

I used both the rank & pinion and helical, both fine...but I prefer the rack as well. I'm not a fan of the Telrad...too big, clunky, heavy and doesn't have the blinking option that the Rigel Star Finder has. The TelVues are cool, but missing is a widefield-lower mag eyepiece.

If you can provide a link, I could view it. But as it stands now...I would pass on it.

[stargazer]

I have the telrad and I like it

"Telrad...too big, clunky, heavy and doesn't have the blinking option that the Rigel Star Finder has. "

Joe yes the telrad can now blink. you can buy the blinker separately. As for size I dont think they are that big.

John the next time we get together Ill show you mine. Maybe sat at schaumberg

[Chicago Astronomer - Astro Joe]

An extra option, ($$), to make it blink is not a desirable feature. Rigel has it built in.

The Rigel uses a single button battery. Telrad retrofitted the battery compartment from using D batteries to what it used now, (what is it four AA's?), hence the large wasted space of the unit. Good for keeping what nots and other items I guess. Perhaps vogue when it first came out, but now the dinosaur of the zero mag finders.

It does the job, but it's still "too big, clunky, heavy and doesn't blink." I say if you got it, use it, but for future purchases, go elsewhere.

[martyn2005]

Thanks for the advice. I must admit that I did wonder about the value of the telescope when I researched the plossl's etc. and discovered that they were probably worth the asking price on their own!

The technical information was really interesting John and was obviously something that I wouldn't have known about - it's great to have a place to ask Q's! I also looked at the Orion telescope that you suggested and it looks great. I did some research and it looks to be a great choice so I may try for it. What did you think of it Joe?

Thanks again, hopefully I'll see you both tonight!
Martyn

[Chicago Astronomer - Astro Joe]

The Orion probe is ok, but I suspect that the finder scope is subpar and usually plastic optics. I think a dob is your way to go for a first time scope.

I like newts, Got one myself...but I don't like the GEM mounts. It wants to go where it wants to. If you are looking straight up, chances are it won't let you, as the tube will bang against the legs...even if you "flip" the tube over to the other side. I usually don't align the mount to north, as the eq base is rotated manually to my targets in a session anyway.

Eq mounts are cool for tracking and photography, but that's sometime ahead for beginning astronomers. And not to lose interest, you want to get as bright of an image as you can get at the start of your astronomical interest.

At 30 lbs. it's fine. I can carry my reflector with one hand and slip it into it's home with no problem. I think that you should spend some more time observing thru our different scopes and comparing views of the same object. Pay attention to what John says...he got the astronomy fever bad, and knows what he's talking about.

Stop by the Adler on the first Friday of August. I'll show you some scopes ranging from the refractor to the dob up to the SCT's. There you can add to your consumer knowledge of scopes.

My next scope will be a fork mounted one!

[jglover]

stargazer said:

I have the telrad and I like it

I had a Telrad as well and while I liked it quite a bit, it was just too big for my ED80, which is the scope I find myself consistently using more and more. So I swapped it out for a Rigel. But I find a 9x50 RACI finder to be of the most use from my backyard, as with the large amountof light pollution, I really cannot see enough stars to make using the Rigel or a Telrad worth it.

Now, under a nice, dark sky, that is where I find the Rigel or Telrad really shine!

[jglover]

martyn2005 said:

Thanks for the advice. I must admit that I did wonder about the value of the telescope when I researched the plossl's etc. and discovered that they were probably worth the asking price on their own!

The technical information was really interesting John and was obviously something that I wouldn't have known about - it's great to have a place to ask Q's! I also looked at the Orion telescope that you suggested and it looks great. I did some research and it looks to be a great choice so I may try for it. What did you think of it Joe?

You are right about the accessories which makes me wonder about the condition of the scope. If he could get $200 for just the eyepieces and the barlow (or somewhere close to that), then the Dob seems to be an afterthought!

I guess the utility of the Orion Spaceprobe depends on what you are looking for....portability and ease of set up ot maxi mum aperture you can get. You could also add another small scope such as ST80 refractor to the Spaceprobe's mount ata later date as well. Though Joe is right, a GEM does take some getting used to, and an equatorial mount Newtonian, like the spaceprobe, does end up in some really awkward eyepiece positions!

[jglover]

admin said:

The Orion probe is ok, but I suspect that the finder scope is subpar and usually plastic optics. I think a dob is your way to go for a first time scope.

Dobs are usually what is recommended. The orion scope though, will come with a standard 6x30mm achromatic finder. I've got a couple of these and they are decent finders.

A six inch Dob is going to run around $250 new, but Orion also sells a 4.5" Dob for under $200 brand new. I've read a lot of good things about the 4.5" Dob. The only knock against it is it's aperture.

[martyn2005]

Thats great advice Joe. I'll hang fire and try as many as I can before buying, I'd definitely like to come along to an Adler session to see some more scope types - that was a very kind offer! I had a chat with John at Schaumberg on the 23rd and that also helped my learning curve to carry on rising so I think i need to do as you suggest and add to my knowledge before I buy.

See you soon I hope.
Martyn

[Chicago Astronomer - Astro Joe]

Martyn,

Be there at the Adler on 05 August 2005 at around 7:00 pm. I and the other Adler crew will be there to show you and the public our scopes and celestial targets.

It will be good to see you again...

[jglover]

admin said:

Be there at the Adler on 05 August 2005 at around 7:00 pm. I and the other Adler crew will be there to show you and the public our scopes and celestial targets.

Joe's got access to lots of cool toys. ;D

I'd love to come but am not sure if I can swing it on a Friday evening. By the time I get home from work it is almost 7pm anyway but we'll see. I'm sure my son would love to come down to Adler. If I do make I'll probably plan to bring along the ED80, just in case.....

[Chicago Astronomer - Astro Joe]

John,

I think it's rather cool that people I have invited to join in at an Adler public session, also bring their scopes and jump right in on working with the public!

Try your best to be at the Adler Friday the 5th, as it's always great to have your expertise around...

[martyn2005]

I'll be there - I actually get quite fidgety between sessions so I can't wait!!

See you soon
Martyn