Hi Joel, On 26 Jun 2015, at 19:15, Joel Stucki <joel.stucki@gmail.com> wrote:
Ok I am going to display my ignorance. I thought a C-8 was more compact than a similar aperture Dob. What I was reading was that they had superior resolution and a smaller optical tube thus the higher price tag. Is it the tripod that is a pain or do I just have it all wrong? I am very interested as I am trying to decide if I want to invest in a more serious scope (currently using a 5" reflector on EQ mount Orion SpaceProbe 130 ST). Also yes Orion seems to be an awesome company for service and quality.
When it come to light gathering power, resolution and quality the C-8 is always better than my new little Dob. But the C-8 does take up more room and is much heavier. What I was looking for was a small, lightweight scope that provided acceptable views of things like the Moon and planets and that could be used by kids without their having to use a step ladder. So for more serious viewing the C-8 rules. But for in-city star parties with lots of kids the little Dob works well. patrick