RobertI

Thanks both. I think I am confusing things in my own head with too many variables, my original thought was a 130PDS which I could use on my Sky Prodigy and also use for EAA. Then I thought I have been doing in a lot of quick ‘manual’ observing of late, particularly doubles, so perhaps a 150PDS or 150P might be better, then I thought well perhaps F6 would be better for visual and more apo like, but then not really useable for EAA anymore. Yes, I really need to decide what I want!  Chris, now you are making me want an F8! 😂

Right now I’m enjoying my new McLaren 675LT! 👍

7 hours ago, rl said:

A few years ago I was mulling over exactly the same arguments. F/5 too short optically, F/8 too long

OO-UK made me a VX 6" f/6 specially to order with a 1/10 ultra grade mirror and small secondary. It's very light, easily portable, with stonking optics that really deliver given the usual Newtonian caveats. You can get away without a coma corrector with a lot of eyepieces. It will handle *200 on moon/ planets given a good night with ease. 

The OO scope looks really nice, thought the prices look reasonable too, until I saw that VAT is not included 😡

Also includes a fan which I’m not sure I’d ever use, but super optics and something a bit different. 

Thanks @iPeace, appreciate the response, your topics were very informative. Its good to know the Skytee is up to the job. I would love to come and have a go with the scope, ironically you are prbably closer to me 'as the crow flies' than most of the rest of the UK! As you say, pesky North Sea.

It seems, then, that there is no clear evidence on the differences between F5/F6. I tend to think if Skywatcher deemed F5 a suitable for visual, then F6 won't be noticably better. Then again, TS say they offer an F6 Newt specifically for visual (they also offer F4, F5 and F8 in the same range), and implies its better than the F5 for visual with its narrower secondary (45mm compared to 63mm of the F5) and matches the performance of a 4.5" APO (conterversial!). Interestingly the tube lengths and weights of the F5 and F6 are the same. 

Perhaps I'll have a chat to TS in the new year and see what they can do........

Thanks or the comments everyone. @vlaiv the link you referenced was very informative, the user seems very happy with the scope.

Just for a bit of background, the reason I am looking at this is that, apart from the occasional EAA session, most of my observing at present is of the quick and casual type, where I need to get out and observing as quick as possible to make the most of the little time I might have (like many of us I guess!). So I need a scope which:

• Is capable enough to see a wide range of objects in varying conditions
• Doesn't need much cooling
• Easily carried and quick to set up
• Can be rock solid in breezy conitions on a modest mount (probably my Skytee 2)
• Of late I have been enjoying doubles so resolving ability and nice 'tight' stars would also be ideal.

The nearest I currently have to meeting the above are my Heritage 130P and my Tal 100R. Both great performers, but both also limited (the 130P's helical focuser, and the Tal being an achro). These scopes have re-affirmed that either a decent 6" Newt or a 4" ED frac would hit the sweet spot for me. Sadly the 4" ED frac is too expensive for me at the moment, leaving a 6" Newt. But what about F-ratio? I feel that my F5 130P does well, but there is some fall off of sharpness towards the edge of the FOV, and with doubles, works best when the in middle of the FOV and when my head is in the right position over the e/p - I am putting this down to the fact that it is F5 (and possibly my Hyperion eyepieces not liking this), so thinking that F6 might be better in this regard.

To complicate things further, the Skywatcher F5 130P is £20 - £30 cheaper than the TS F6 equivalent and has more accessories, so is the F6 improved performance noticable enough to be worth the extra money over the F5?

Enjoyable video Chris, looking forward to some observing reports! 

I am talking about the TS-PHOTON 6" F6 Advanced Newtonian from Teleskop Express. At F6 it is different to the standard F5 and F8 of Skywatcher, and I have always thought that an 6" F6 Newt is the ideal size for me the following reasons:

• Size: short enough to fit onto a modest mount for quick setup, not too long to become a sail in the wind
• Focal ratio: F5 can produce distortions towards the edge of the field with many eyepieces, so F6 likely to be better in this respect
• Focal length: A bit easier to reach higher mags for lunar planetary than the F5

What do people think? Is my logic correct, and is this a decent scope?

Thanks

Rob

9 hours ago, ollypenrice said:

The first problem arises when focal length is not constant between optics being compared. The Hyperstar would be an obvious example. Point it at a small target first at F10, then at F2.  Unlike the first situation we are now getting precisely the same number of object photons from the target. So is it faster at F2 than at F10 when there is the same amount of light in each case? Not in any way that's very useful. All that's happening is that the same amount of light is placed onto fewer pixels at F2, producing a tinier but brighter image in the same time.

Brilliantly clear and concise explanation as always Olly.

Excellent result, lovely colour, and some fascinating background info. What's the f ratio of your RC8 (I use an RC6)? I'd be interested to see the original 'at the eyepice' version of the image as a comparison!

‘Tis a thing of beauty Chris. Might also be SGL’s first evil telescope. 

Well done capturing that one, it's really faint.  I managed to capture it during a session last year and it took 60 seconds exposures to see anything. Mine was only in black and white so interesting to see it in colour.

3 hours ago, Mike JW said:

New to me as well. I wonder if I could get it visually with my Dob. Now on my EAA list. Thanks for bringing this DSO to our attention. Mike

I suspect it is very very challenging visually given how faint it was through the camera, but I could be wrong.

Great report and thank you so much for sharing your experiences and 'taking the plunge'. Well, I have to say it is a smart looking thing and in all honesty, the results are much better than I had expected. The colours are great, M15 and M27 looks superb and I think there are a wealth of fainter objects that it will pick up very nicely. It looks like the FOV is about half a degree which I have found just about perfect in my setup, small enough to show smaller galaxies in a decent scale and large to fit in most of the larger objects, except extended nebulae. How did you get the images - can you see the result on your mobile device as well as through the eyepiece?

12 hours ago, Lockie said:

This one's also f8 Robert  

https://www.firstlightoptics.com/reflectors/skywatcher-explorer-150pl-ota.html

 

Ah yes, of course, I realise now that’s what the ‘L’ means. 🙂 That scope will be a great performer, a classic setup, look forward to seeing it all together. 

Good choice Chris. That’s so close to the setup so had many many years ago - a 6” Newt on an eq mount and pedestal, the only difference was mine was a f8. I’m sure you’ll love it. 🤘

I have always suspected the 130PDS or the 150PDS are the closest you can get to a scope for both imaging and visual. Not everyone likes newts on EQ mounts but these scopes are in rings so you can rotate the scope to get the eyepiece to a comfortable angle which I think should help. Another plus is that I can buy the scope off you when you upgrade later on. 😁😁

8 hours ago, Lockie said:

It's just the money mate, else I'd jump at an ED100, especially as a self confessed refractor man. I just can't escape the fact that a Newt is over half a grand cheaper. 

There’s a 100ED Equinox on ABS for £595 (ONO). 😈

Very nice setup. I have something very similar for grab and go - a William Optics Megrez 72mm, on a Giro-WR attached to a heavy duty photo tripod. I can pick it up with one hand and it fab for really quick sessions (which often turn into much longer sessions!). I find that my 10mm Hyperion eyepiece is a perfect match, giving enough magnification to darken skies and increase contrast, but a wide enough FOV to appreciate open clusters and brighter nebulae in all their glory. I've never taken it to 173x though!! Look forward to some observing reports.  

I love this object and it's come out very well in colour, well done. There is a neaby edge on spiral and I managed to (accidentally) get them both in the FOV last year

.

Some very interesting galaxy groups there, well chosen and well captured.

Thanks for the update, sounds promising and good news for all concerned. Any idea when it will be officially released and when you can do a review? 🙂

39 minutes ago, AKB said:

Ooh, I’m about to do the same.  Any possibility of sharing some of the presentation material?

Thanks

Tony

Of course! I’ll pm you later. 🙂

Nice session Martin, interesting selection of objects , I particularly like NGC973. Jocular seems to be working well. In recently gave a talk about EAA to my local astro club, and Jocular made it into the part about EAA software, including one of your YouTube videos! I thought it was a good example of how simple EAA can be with the right tools. 👍

A fascinating chain of galaxies, pretty faint too, nicely caught!

A very exciting development, I can see a lot of good things coming out of this, both for the astro community and for FLO. 👍

36 minutes ago, Lockie said:

As a fellow family man it was so nice to have some me time

Ha, don't I know it! I had a business trip away last week and had a night in a Premier Inn - the best night's sleep I have had in years - at home in my overcrowded bed, I have to put up with an elbow* in the back, a foot* in the face and a narrow six inch tract at the edge of the bed on which to sleep! 😁 I shall start negotiations for next year's trip!

* From my 5 year old, not my wife!

Great video Chris, I so nearly went, I had planned to drop the family off at the local castle so I could walk around the show in peace for a while, but I decided that the 340 miles round trip was not worth it for just a couple  of hours. Your video just proves that I should make the effort next year - looked like a wonderful gathering of our astro community. Great to see the retail stalwarts of FLO, RVO, Widescreen and our fantastic UK designers and manufacturers producing some outstanding kit. 
 

oh, love the hat. 😎