dweller25

Yes, a 125mm refractor is a good size and there are quite a few out there now 👍

I have a plastic box too now 🙂

Sorry, you did say you were considering the 140mm and my response was for the 120mm !

He caught covid - it’s badly affected his logic, memory and love of lens licking 🙂 Get well soon Mike 👍

Looking forward to the responses as I have one that needs sprucing up …

That’s Astronomy for ya 🤣

But angular diameter at opposition will not be the best 🙁

At least Mars and Jupiter will be high in the sky until 2027, see this from @Stu

I just read that thread and here is my take. The one person who bought the Askar 120 said it was visually outstanding and then sold it quite quickly !

Here is one of my old posts from 2010 where my wife and I visually compared a 5” refractor to a Skywatcher 8” F/6 Newtonian… “I was really enthusing about how good the seeing was so Mrs Dweller25 decided to come out and have a look. Now this is a rare event as Mrs D and the cold night air don't mix so to spice things up a little I suggested a shootout between the 5" Takahashi FS128 and the Skywatcher 8" F/6 Newtonian. Each of us would take a turn observing and drawing Mars in each scope so we could compare and contrast. Seeing was very good - AII, temp was -4'C. We concluded :- 1. Mrs D25 has better eyesight than me - I have astigmatism 😕 2. The humble Skywatcher slightly outperforms the Tak 😱 🙂

The AZEQ6, 80mm refractor, 5” refractor and 8” Newtonian is a great combo and would cover imaging and visual nicely 👍

@Replayy Where do you live ? It could be worthwhile hooking up with an SGL member who lives close to you or going to your local astronomy club.

I think it best that we agree to disagree and move on. All the best in whatever choice you make 👍

@Flame Nebula I have constructively contributed to many of your posts but this one felt like the title was just click bait when you said the wording was “deliberate” You have subsequently explained what you were trying to do. Perhaps it would have been better to have had a more genuine approach at the start ?

Good point Magnus and I always cool my eyepieces, diagonal and especially my binoviewers with the scope.

You need to put the above drawtube back into the focuser, marked below..

I just saw an eyepiece - it’s in the end of the draw tube….

Sounds like an 8” F/5, mirrors look reasonable but hard to tell. Do you have any eyepieces with it like this - ignore the writing.

Yes, good idea The SM looks a little better than the Tak in the live videos but to me that’s mostly as the SM image is brighter.

Yes, but does not bring an answer for visual as images get a lot of processing.

@bosun21 I know it’s not on your list but for almost the same price as the Askar you could get a 4” Takahashi….. https://www.firstlightoptics.com/takahashi-fc-100-series-refractor-telescopes/takahashi-fc-100dc-f7-4-doublet-fluorite-apo-refractor.html

Which implies you already know the answer, so I wonder why you asked ?

Perhaps the question should be the other way around ?

Here are my drawings of Hesiodus an hour apart showing the increasing ray phenomenon. It was great to get out with the scope again after weeks of bad weather. Big thanks to @Nyctimene for flagging this up 🙂👍

I was also out last night looking at the Moon, seeing was very good until about 9pm after which it deteriorated. However, your description suggests you are seeing spherical aberration which @Mr Spock did not see with his Starfield 102. Manufacturing variances do occur, so It may be worth talking to your supplier.