Apochromatic queries

[John]

A 5"/127mm SCT or Maksutov will provide lovely views in a nice compact package.....

Yes indeed

The outfit pictured below cost me less than £200 (used) and was very light (one hand portable). Optical performance was excellent too.

Ignore the eyepiece - that was me being silly !. A dew shield would complete the package for a few £'s more. The scope is a Celestron C5 and the mount a Skywatcher AZ-3 with shorter slowmotion cables fitted to quash vibrations:

[sabana]

I think you are right in the first place. Get a small refractor. Easy to store. Excellent optics. And will never need collimating. Refractors tend to be keepers and will last you a lifetime.

Use it with Stellarium and the universe is yours.

[Dieselwheasel]

So the SLT would be a good choice in everyones opinion. What about the mount that comes with it as I have also been told that a mount is important perhaps even more so. Can I have a different mount as I this scope is power driven or am I completely wrong? Is it better to get a dew shiled and a few other optics to go with it or just go with what I get and get used to using it first before adding ancillaries?

[MikeWilson]

So the SLT would be a good choice in everyones opinion.

Nope

There's no such thing as a good choice for everything. Well, perhaps the 200P is a contender for the best "all rounder" but the compound scope design is best for brighter and smaller objects but not so good at the more diffuse or larger objects.

What do you want to do with your scope?

What about the mount that comes with it as I have also been told that a mount is important perhaps even more so. Can I have a different mount as I this scope is power driven or am I completely wrong? Is it better to get a dew shiled and a few other optics to go with it or just go with what I get and get used to using it first before adding ancillaries?

Here's an alternative opinion: A newtonian on a dobsonian mount. The cheapest mount that you can get - a simple up and down and left and right. Push it to target. Since it's cheap it means you can spend more money on other things, like a better telescope or eyepieces.

If you want to do deep sky astrophotography, then it's absolutely key to get the most stable and accurate equatorial platform that you can.

Do also consider sabana's point - a small refractor.

Hope this helps.

All the best,

Mike

[Dieselwheasel]

I guess baby steps are the best way to go, I would like to get used to astronomy and looking up at whats around up there. Looking at the moon and our planets. I would also like to see other galaxies if possible to perhaps to wet my appetite for more. I think Astrophotography is out at the moment until I get a better hang on things. Space is vital as I have none and I want to be able to transport the telescope around with ease. I will be storing the telescope in the shed so I will have to get a waterproof box for it but that will be easy.

[AndyH]

So the SLT would be a good choice in everyones opinion. What about the mount that comes with it as I have also been told that a mount is important perhaps even more so. Can I have a different mount as I this scope is power driven or am I completely wrong? Is it better to get a dew shiled and a few other optics to go with it or just go with what I get and get used to using it first before adding ancillaries?

Yes.

It should hold collimation unless dropped. Mount should work very well with this scope. I used this mount with a heavy Tal 1 newt and it performed well. I agree with John, regarding a dewshield. Either buy one or make one out of a black camping mat. Extra eyepices and/or better ones than those supplied can be had in time.

Not sure which of these is the better.....

First Light Optics - Skywatcher Skymax 127 SynScan AZ GOTO

First Light Optics - Celestron Nexstar 127 SLT

My tuppence worth

Andy

[MikeWilson]

I used to own the first one in Andy's list - the Mak 127. It's a lovely scope and it is portable but...

You'd get better deep sky views in an equally portable package and save money using the Heritage 130P or the 150P Dob.

[musab]

please everybody stop telling him what we want think about

whats best for him and the money he has to spend i told

him to get a Celestron NexStar 127SLT 451 euro thats

about 400 pounds i think andyH is right mak 127mm.

[MikeWilson]

please everybody stop telling him what we want think about

whats best for him and the money he has to spend i told

him to get a Celestron NexStar 127SLT 451 euro thats

about 400 pounds i think andyH is right mak 127mm.

??

[Dieselwheasel]

What is the difference between the skywatcher and the celestron as they look very similar arent they made by the same people?

[E621Keith]

What is the difference between the skywatcher and the celestron as they look very similar arent they made by the same people?

Different software in the handset and one comes with a 6x30 finder scope, the other comes with a RDF.

[Dieselwheasel]

Different software in the handset and one comes with a 6x30 finder scope, the other comes with a RDF.

Okay which comes with what and what would be the best or does it matter?

[MikeWilson]

Okay which comes with what and what would be the best or does it matter?

The Celestron hand controller software is better (I believe it can do 1 star alignment and is more easily laid out).

Although honestly if there's any cash difference, I'd go for the Sky-Watcher Mak 127.

All the best,

Mike