Comparing views between 5" Heritage DOB and 5" Mak

[LukeSkywatcher]

Hi all.

I'm just after a bit of advice for a friend. He has used my Heritage 130P and really liked it. However he is thinking of instead buying the Skywatcher Skymax 127 (EQ3-2). He wants to upgrade because he knows the limits of the Heritage and fancies trying some AP (hence the EQ3-2 mount) and also he is not keen on the nudge nudge control of the DOB.

His main query is how would the views be in the 127 which has a focal length of 1500mm (f11) compared to the views in the Heritage that has a focal length of 650mm (f5).

I'm a bit helpless to advise him as EQ mounts are not my cup of tea so i would be slightly bias. He is also not against the idea of maybe going down the refractor road. Its just basically DOB bases he is set against.

Any advice would be brilliant.

So how would the views compare between the Heritage 130P and the Skywatcher Mak 127 (EQ3-2).

Thanks in advance.

p.s.~~~when i say a "friend", i DO mean a friend. It's not for myself i seek advice because i am more then happy with my 8se.

[swamp thing]

They're both very different beasts Paul, but I guess you know that. The Heritage is a RFT giving great views of large objects and sweeping along the Milky Way in summer. Whilst the 127 Mak is more planet orientated. It will do DSO's but is best on the smaller high contrast type objects.

Now I'm no Astro imager but I would think the Mak will be hard work for deep sky work but probably perform pretty well on planets.

[Naemeth]

The Mak is a no for DSO imaging, it's too slow really .

A small refractor would be better, and if your friend doesn't want to splash out on the usual HEQ-5 + ED80 + Reducer all in one, they could always get the mount first, and put the camera on the mount.

[LukeSkywatcher]

Thanks guys, so far. I forgot to mention my friends main interest would be planet and lunar observing.

The Mak is a no for DSO imaging, it's too slow really.

I was thinking that myself. But for observing planets, it really is the better scope.

My mate hasnt really told me what his budget is but he is considering: Mak,Refrac,Newt. Any of which on a EQ mount. I'm not sure if imaging is a thing he really wants to consider, but being able to do it would be good, because its near impossible with the DOB.

So the general thinking is that the 127 on the (EQ3-2), would be the better choice for him considering he really wants to observe planets and the moon and perhaps do a bit of AP.

[trev27]

Isn't the EQ3-2 a bit rickety for AP? The SW 127 Mak was my starter scope about 5 or 6 years ago. Lovely little scope on solar system objects. First sighting of Saturn was in that scope and blew me away.

One thing though. At F10 (or was it f12?) it was the wrong choice for a starter scope, at least in my case. The high magnification made it very difficult to learn to navigate the night sky. Ended up getting a newt on a CG5GT for other views and used the Mak for solar system stuff in the end.

Trev

[trev27]

hmm, can't find the edit button on me post ;-)

Meant to say that AP was a challenge with the Mak to say the least, even with a CCD on the ASGT. Have since gone through a few scopes on the same mount, Newt, refractors and sct and they were all miles easier to deal with for that application.

[LukeSkywatcher]

Update:

AP really isnt a thing of concern. My friend is now thinking of a 6SE.

I think that will serve him very well.

[LukeSkywatcher]

My friend has now forgotten about the 6SE and has decided to push the boat out and get the 8SE. His reasoning was "what in a couple of yrs i want more aperture".

I completely agree with this and support him.

He will have the 8SE for yrs to come and even the rest of his life.

Great choice.