skywatcher 150pl and Deep Sky?

[gazza63]

Hello SGL friends

I know that the 150pl f8 scope is a killer for planetary/lunar observing (I've seen some amazing sights through it). But has anyone using the same scope, had any success in viewing or imaging Nebulas and Galaxies? If so... I would like to hear any feedback or better still.... images taken.

Regards

Gary

[Geordiemac]

Hi Gary

Being a fellow Skywatcher 150pl owner with varied levels of success viewing Saturn Jupiter and the moon using the supplied ep's could you share with me what ep's you use to achieve your "amazing sights",

I have only had the scope for a couple of months or so and with the lack of clear skies have been limited to just a few sessions with it.

My results to date have not been too bad but as I have read in the lonuge, the supplied ep's in general are not the best so I am keen to find out what other people are using prior to spending money.

My interests to date have been planetary but I will also be wanting to view dso's.

Cheers

George.

[ronin]

It will preform the same as any other 150mm scope on DSO's, possibly a little bettrr then a 150 as there will (should) be less coma present.

The "L" designation simply simply signifies a parameter of the scope and so minor characteristics that you can exoect - with the same eyepiece you get a little more magnification being the obvious. But setting the scope up for 100x on your PL and 100x on a P then image should be the same in both size and brightness.

It is talked of as a "planetary" because the longer focal length permits a bit more magnification and since plantes are close and usually brighter a greater magnification is possible and useful. However that is it.

An SCT/Mak is usually talked of as a planetary because if you had an 200mm SCT the focal length will be around 2000mm getting low magnifications can be difficult, to get a "bright" image at 50x takes a 40mm eyepiece there are not that many. So you naturally tend to get a bigger image and they are dimmer and dim DSO's can be too dim.

It is a bit like planetary eyepieces, you want them to deliver a sharp image with good contrast. Which to me is exactly what you want an eyepiece for DSO's to deliver - if you bought an eyepiece for DSO's would you expect or be happy if the image was indistinct or blurred, or if the contrast was such that you couldn't see where the background ended and the DSO started ?

[bingevader]

All down to expectations really!

I spent over a decade hunting for DSOs with my etx90 and loved it!

You won't see any colour when viewing, detail should be good, but you'll find you'll need a low powered EP for smaller but brighter objects.

Imaging is possible, but again it'll be your expectations that will determine whether or not you're satisfied.

RikM has images with a 150p on an eq3 (the earlier images).

The p is a faster (f5) 'scope than your pl, and he has a tidy camera, but it'll give you some idea of the possibilities.

The mount is the other limiting factor due to stability.

It's like anything else I suppose, suck it and see!

Cheers

[Naemeth]

Visually, apart from the increase in magnification with any given eyepiece (thus a narrower field of view and smaller exit pupil), there won't be any other difference (other than, perhaps, wind). Oh, and eyepiece defects (such as astigmatism) will be less obvious if present.

Photographically, exposure times will have to increase to get the same data as the F/5 scope due to the focal ratio. You will also get a narrower field of view and Polar Alignment will need to be more accurate etc.

Nothing wrong with trying it though

[gazza63]

Hi George

The 25mm eyepiece that came with the scope isn't too bad, as using that magnification with a more expensive piece, you wouldn't notice much difference.

As you UP the magnification, that's where the quality counts. I use 3.7mm up to 12mm for close up (with and without 2x barlow).

My favourite eyepiece is a 8mm BST Explorer (wide view), you can get them for around £45.

As for a wide field of view of the sky...i suggest a 32mm plossl, then when you find what you are looking for, you can change to a high mag eyepiece.

II'd say, keep the 10 and 25mm that you have (nothing wrong with them), and get a couple in between, say a 6mm 15mm and a 32mm. Then with or without the barlow you have a wide range of magnification at your fingertips.

Hope this helps

Gary

[gazza63]

Thanks all for you're replies

Appreciate it

Gary

[John]

A 6" scope does pretty well on deep sky objects if you can get it under dark skies. A couple of us had 6" scopes at the SGL star party a few years ago and had a wonderful night tracking down some really quite faint galaxies. I find a red dot finder helps a lot and a low power, wide angle eyepiece as a sort of "advanced finder". Some DSO's such as globular clusters and planetary nebulae benefit from some extra magnification when found - the brighter globulars should show some resolution into stars with 6" of aperture.

[acey]

DSO views depend more on sky quality than telescope quality. Any 6" at a dark site will give good views of all the Messiers and a few hundred NGCs. If the site is heavily light polluted then you might struggle to see any DSOs with any amount of aperture. A 6" is easily transportable to a dark site, so it makes a great DSO scope. But if you can transport anything bigger, you'll get even better views.

[LukeSkywatcher]

A 6" scope does pretty well on deep sky objects if you can get it under dark skies.

True.

A 6" scope will do better under dark skies then a 10-12" will do under LP skies. I have had a 70mm scope under dark skies and it was better then my 200mm scope at home in my garden.

So it really isnt all about the scope. Its about the sky conditions you use it under.