New AP Scope advice

[SteveT]

Hi, I am taking delivery of a CGEM mount this week while I wait for my C925 OTA to arrive in a couple of months. While I am waiting, I would like to consider which second scope to buy for AP to complement the 925. I dont have a fixed budget, maybe around £500 plus/minus £100 for the scope, with extra for a field flattener/focul reducer and some additional temp mounting hardware to allow me to stick it on the CGEM mount until I am able to piggyback the 925.

I think (and it is only a thought) that I need something like an 80mm ED APO Refractor, seems to be the weapon of choice.....yes/no ?

In which case some that spring to mind are SW Equinox Apo Pro 80mm; SW Evostart 80 ED DS Pro; maybe something from WO in the 72/80 range maybe with DDG focusser (is that a better scope with a nice to have focusser or waste of extra cash ?) or Orion EON.... these seem to be the popular options.

Any advice or opinions on which would be the prefered choice or ones you wished you had purchase instead of what you bought ???

Thanks.

[rowan46]

this one is getting a lot of admiring glances sold out now but at this price it may be worth waiting for

Starwave 80 ED Refractor Telescope :: Refractor telescopes :: Telescopes :: Altair Astro

[kirkster501]

I am interested in this area as well in a few months. Would the NEQ6 mount be overkill for that scope?

[rocketandroll]

I would put in a vote for the WO Megrez72 + FF3 flattener/reducer.

The WO stuff is just so beautifully made... if you get a chance, go see some and compare them in the flesh.

Although some people dont like them... I find the ddg focuser a godsend. I can roll it out to the same point night after night and +/- 1/100th mm or so it is always bang on focus.

Ben

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[rowan46]

I am interested in this area as well in a few months. Would the NEQ6 mount be overkill for that scope?

I really don't think it's possible to overmount a scope and if such a thing were it's probably a good idea for imaging.

[SteveT]

72mm or 80mm, which would be the better imaging device and would there be much difference for observing ?

[brantuk]

The HEQ5 would be ample for this scope and maybe one or two others, but the NEQ6 Pro will future proof you for a lot of other refractors, newts, and Sct/Mak's should you decide to go up in aperture or weight. You wouldn't need another mount for several years to come. And it would reduce costs in the long run cos you'd only be switching OTA's