ST102 VS 150P

[spaceboy]

Hi All

What would be the vote out of the above two for a grab and go scope. Looking on the Sky-watcher website there isn't much magnitude difference on paper between the two but there is in physical size. Both have advantages and disadvantages but would the CA of the ST102 have a detrimental effect on the resolution and magnitude ? What would be a good grab and go mount for each of them ?

TELESCOPE SUPPLIERS - SKY-WATCHER TELESCOPE

[rowan46]

if it's purely on the basis of grab and go that's the refractor rhe startravel will be fine on deep space it's not great on planets or moon and will definitely need good eyepieces I would get it on an az3

First Light Optics - Skywatcher Startravel 102 (AZ3)

Having said that The 150p dob will only be a minute behind in terms of setup and will give better views

[Moonshane]

you could probably guess my answer mate. for me there's no comparison between a newt and a cheaper fast achro. I concede that the achro would be smaller and more manageable but that said a 6" newt is hardly a heavyweight.

[Damo636]

150p on an AZ4 would get my vote.

[spaceboy]

Thanks guys. I have notice it mentioned several times now regarding eyepieces in a fast achro. As they do not suffer coma what is it they suffer from with cheaper eyepieces ?????

[RikM]

150P on an AZ4 is what I use

[Damo636]

150P on an AZ4 is what I use

Perfect grab n go

[John]

Thanks guys. I have notice it mentioned several times now regarding eyepieces in a fast achro. As they do not suffer coma what is it they suffer from with cheaper eyepieces ?????

In any type of fast scope, low cost, wide field eyepieces will show astigmatism in the outer parts of the field of view.

On the choice of scopes you mention, I had the pleasure of using a Skywatcher 150 F/5 newtonian on a simple az mount at last years SGL star party and it was a great scope, going pretty deep under dark skies and I'll bet it would handily outperform an ST102 on planets and the moon too.

[Chris]

If you want the portability of the ST102, you could always use a Baader fringe killer or a Semi-Apo filter with it to tackle the CA, or have you considered option 3, a second hand small Apo on a sturdy camera tripod (very grab n go! ) My WO66 on a camera tripod doesn't half pack a punch for a setup you can pick up with 3 fingers:D Although if portability wasn't an issue, I would be tempted by the 150p and perhaps a coma corrector, not sure what the coma's like on them nowdays its been 12 years since I've had a 150 newt.

Good Luck with the decision:)

[spaceboy]

My head is spinning if I am honest with choosing a grab and go scope. By far my most used scope is a poxy 60mm refractor that I didn't even want. It came on an SLT mount and it was the mount I had wanted. The mount has long been sold yet I kept the 60mm frak as it is out side and observing in not time at all on my Horizon 8115. I use it most days solar observing and most nights as clouds fringe the skies and it's not worth the hassle setting up my ED frak / EQ5 or taking the drive to my obsy. It has finally hit me that I am getting more pleasure from grabbing what observing I can between clouds than I get from my larger scopes on the occasional clear night. Despite the success I have had with the 60mm Frak it is massively restricted to what I can see being limited to brighter planets, DSO's, lunar and solar observing. I am now trying to meet the happy medium between in one hand and out I go and that DSO was worth a look in. I found the 130P I had to be the perfect size but the cheap plastic rack and pinion focuser along with the AZGT mount made it a nightmare to use. I see from SW website that there is a 130PDS advertised as OTA only, yet I cannot find one listed on any of the UK astronomy retailers. I had recently went to look at a 150P dob (£100) and although lighter than my old 250PX the base size and height of OTA was the same so that ruled the dob out for me both for storage as well as grabbing and going. This would then leave me the Explorer 150P which going of what has been mentioned in this post (150P £179 on AZ4 £179) will end up costing more than a 200P dob (£270). Where I am finding it difficult is that saying all this the ST102 (on AZ3 £178) should stand out as the better choice yet I know from the feedback I have received in this thread and others that the ST is not very highly rated. I am of course open to other suggestions as there may have been some thing or some scope I have over looked.

[rowan46]

perhaps a 2nd hand 127 mak

[RikM]

An ST102 is not a bad scope by any means especially at that price. I don't remember which ED you have but how about an AZ4 mount for that? Easy and quick set up and good views.

[spaceboy]

perhaps a 2nd hand 127 mak

I've had a couple 127 MAK's come and go. They are a great scope but found the tight views restricted what DSO's you can look at.

An ST102 is not a bad scope by any means especially at that price. I don't remember which ED you have but how about an AZ4 mount for that? Easy and quick set up and good views.

Unfortunately I like my C100ED too much to use it as a grab and go. I couldn't bear the thought of catching the door frame or tripping over as I'm in a made rush to get out into the garden. Thank you for the suggestion.

[spaceboy]

Sorry guys. It would appear I am making it hard work for myself. As you know kit is expensive and I cannot afford to make a mistake. Even buying S/H at the moment is risky business as S/H prices are all over the place at the moment.

[Chris]

Hi Spaceboy, having read your further information its clear that you want something you can quickly grab to view between clouds, and that you want wide field views, and something that if you knock it you wont gasp in horror:D So I think the ST102 would be a good choice, as its portable, cheap, and widefield. I've only ever looked through an ST80 and at the time I wasn't expecting much from it but was pleasently surprised by how good the view of jupiter was beings short tube achro's arn't really made for planetary. Also, there is a good tutorial for improving the the ST80/102 by the Astronomy shed guy on Youtube:) Plus I refer you back to the fringe killer if you find the CA too much:)

I'm loving S/H at the moment got my WO66 for 140 quid!! and I will never sell it:D

Chris

[spaceboy]

Thanks Chris. I have been holding out getting a ST as I would have liked the opportunity to look through one but even if my neighbour had one it could be months before I got to look through it

Congrats on the WO!!

[Chris]

yeah I know what you mean:) ah I know someone on here who does a lot of imaging with an ST102 is name is Stan26 and I'm sure he must have spent a bit of time doing visual before he got the imaging bug, I'm sure he won't mind if you gave him a buzz, he's a very helpful Chap:)

[spaceboy]

Thanks again Chris. Will have to be tomorrow now anyway as the matchsticks have just snapped under the pressure of my eye lids. Time for bed me thinks

[Bobby1970]

I have an ST102. I am really happy with its performance on dso's and widefield subjects. The moon is also very good IMHO but you do get some CA when it is very full but i just use a moon filter when the moon is like this and its all good again. Its not the best on planets but i have seen Jupiter and some slight banding on it with its four moons. I can have it set up in minutes with its goto mount. Just about to take delivery of a secondhand Skymax 90 that i will probably use more for planetary.

[spaceboy]

Thanks Bobby. May I ask what you have compared the ST102 to regards DSO's ? I agree with you that all it takes is a moon filter to almost eliminate CA on the moon. I found a cheap moon filter worked far better than a semi-apo filter I paid a fortune for and a MF doesn't add a yellow cast like some other fringe killers do.

[spaceboy]

OK going with an F/5 150P. Will have to make do with a less than ideal EQ3 mount until an AZ4 comes up at the right price. Such a fuss having to do it this way and I would have thought SW would have been more flexible with their offer of combos but hey "Such is life". Either way it should still be more portable than the 150P dob and offer better views than the 4" Achro.

Thank you again for everyones advice.

[RikM]

Crank the EQ3 over and use it like an altaz. If you balance carefully, you can sem-lock the clutches and get fairly smooth movement.

[spaceboy]

Sounds like a plan to me. Will at least keep me going until I can get an AZ mount.

[Ags]

Hi spaceboy, I have an ST80 and I think you do need good EPs, because of field curvature, which is more severe on a refractor than a reflector. My hyperions are very soft across half the field while plossls give better results. If I recall correctly, field curvature of a refractor is 1/3 the focal length of the scope, while for a reflector it is equal to the focal length.

[spaceboy]

Thanks for the info Agnes but checkout has already been completed on a 6" newt. I will have to keep an eye out for a Giro or AZ4 in the mean time.