Which - 2" or 1,25"?

[Roger Fairhurst]

I intend upgrading from a refractor (70/700) to a Newton and have settled on a 150/750 spec.

My first choice would have been an Omegon 150/750 with EQ4 mount but have been quite taken with the Skywatcher 150/750 Explorer BD N-EQ3 which seems to have much less plastic in the design! The Skywatcher costs a bit more than the Omegon (€419 as opposed to €349) but it comes with a 2" eyepice mount and therein lies my problem.

My old refractor (a Bresser) has, like the Omegon, a 1,25" mount and I have subsequently bought much higher quality eyepieces than the stock items that came with the scope. So although I could presumably use a 1.25"/2" adapter I am a little concerned that this might unintentionally degrade the performence somewhat since I am effectively adding an additional source of misallignment by using an adapter.

So, my questions:

1. Does anybody have experience with using 1.25" eyepieces with a 2" adapter?

2. Does anybody have any experience with the Omegon since I can't seem to find any reference to Omegon scopes when searching these forums - it is quite possible that Omegon is sold under a different name in the UK or US. I live in Germany and Omegon is quite well represented in the dealer programmes here. The Omegon also has a pole viewfinder which the Skywatcher does not though this is not major issue.

3. If I do settle for the Skywatcher (which has a very good reputation over here) then I will presumably need a 2" laser aligner and they are much more expensive than the 1.25" ones!

Any advice would be most welcome

Roger Fairhurst

[rowan46]

absolutely no problems using an adaptor, I think everybody who uses 2" eyepieces also use 1.25 inch in an adaptor so don't worry about that. the advantage of the 2 inch system is it allows for wider field eyepieces and longer focal lengths otherwise there is no issues. As for the omegon brand I read somewhere that they were something to do with the kunming optical group skywatcher belongs to the synta group, Both kunming (explore scientific) being one of their better known astro brands and Synta (Skywatcher, celestron) produce good and bad scopes. All the skywatcher scopes however are of a reasonably good quality they have put some investment into building a good reputation for quality at a reasonable price

[rowan46]

I just posted that kunming owned explore scientific. I actually meant that they produce for explore scientific my apologies for the error

[bingevader]

Sorry, little confused, which site are you looking at?

Both 'scopes say they come with 1.25" EPs, the Skywatcher also has an adapter (1.25" - 2").

Cheers

[rowan46]

I also forgot to add welcome to SGL

[Roger Fairhurst]

Sorry, little confused, which site are you looking at?

Both 'scopes say they come with 1.25" EPs, the Skywatcher also has an adapter (1.25" - 2").

Cheers

I was looking at the astroshop.de (supplier to/for Amazon.de).

The eyepiece drive is 2" but I now see that the eyepieces supplied are actually 1.25" as you say and an adapter is supplied with the scope.

I suppose as Brown Dwarf says there are no real issues when using an adapter but I was initially a bit skeptical because I would probably want to buy a laser aligner and the 2" devices are too expensive so I would need to use a 1,25" aligner with the adapter - should be OK I guess?!

Since there would appear to be no drawbacks with using an adapter, I think I will probably now go for the Skywatcher because it seems to be of a better general quality than the Omegon and only costs €70 more.

Thanks for the assistance Star Forming.

Roger

[Roger Fairhurst]

I also forgot to add welcome to SGL

Thanks for the advice and welcome rowan46 - I have even now realised that your user name is "rowan46" and not "Brown Dwarf"!

Apologies also to bingevader for calling him Star Forming!

Roger

[rowan46]

Roger just above our ikons there are 2 names. The top 1 is our handle the lower one just above our ikon is a bit of fun for the site to indicate how many times you have posted. Just above your ikon you may notice the title vacuum its a name to remind us all that you are new here and will be changed when you have made a few more posts. Brown dwarf is however rather apt as I have not long come back from holiday cross posted

[RikM]

Welcome to SGL Roger

I don't know the Omegon brand, but I can highly recommend the SkyWatcher Explorer 150P Newtonian.

[Astro Imp]

I have the Skywatcher of which speak and have been very happy with it.

[bomberbaz]

If you are concerned about using any 1.25" extra with the 2" Crayford, get one of these http://www.firstlightoptics.com/adaptors/howie-glatter-parallizer.html

When this is inserted into the 2" adaptor and then either a smaller 1.25 EP (which you will have to get to cover the higher magnifications) or a cheaper but just as effective 1.25 laser collimator, it will hold it perfectly central and as solid as if it were held directly without an adaptor. I have one, fantastic bit of kit.

Steve

[E621Keith]

Get the Skywatcher. Cheap Newtonian often comes with spherical mirror. There is no mention anywhere in Omegron's literature about parabolic mirror, so you should assume it doesn't have it.

The Omegon EQ3/4 mount is totally unrelated to Skywatcher's EQ3/EQ4 (early EQ5), so don't let the EQ4 designation fool you into thinking it's a good mount. The Omegon EQ3 looks like a modified SW EQ2. The Omegon EQ4 looks like a ungraded EQ2, but it is not equivalent to SW EQ3-2. Neither Omegon mounts has quick release dovetail system found in every SW mount higher than EQ2.

Chinese manufacturers can undercut Western and Japanese manufacturer through cheaper labour cost and less well enforced environmental laws. However, the only way for a Chinese manufacturer to undercut another Chinese manufacture is to reduce quality.

If budget is tight, consider the Orion Starblast 6 or a 150p dob instead

http://www.teleskop-express.de/shop/product_info.php/info/p2493_Skywatcher-Skyliner-150P---Classic-6--f-8-parabolic-Dobsonian.html

http://www.astroshop.eu/orion-dobson-telescope-n-150-750-starblast-6-dob/p,13929

PS: don't worry about misalignment caused by the 1.25"-2" adapters. The effect is greatly exaggerated. If you worry about misalignment cause by the 1.25"-2" adapter then you wouldn't be buying a budget Newtonain. The cheap focuser in these scopes cause much larger error than the adapter.

I just posted that kunming owned explore scientific. I actually meant that they produce for explore scientific my apologies for the error

You are confusing JOC's Kunming division with Kunming United Optics. JOC owns Explore Scientific and Bresser (soon Meade as well). However, I have never heard anything about JOC and Omegon.

Kunming United Optics makes binoculars, eyepieces and apo refractors. I don't think they make Newtonain and mounts.

[rowan46]

Get the Skywatcher. Cheap Newtonian often comes with spherical mirror. There is no mention anywhere in Omegron's literature about parabolic mirror, so you should assume it doesn't have it.

The Omegon EQ3/4 mount is totally unrelated to Skywatcher's EQ3/EQ4 (early EQ5), so don't let the EQ4 designation fool you into thinking it's a good mount. The Omegon EQ3 looks like a modified SW EQ2. The Omegon EQ4 looks like a ungraded EQ2, but it is not equivalent to SW EQ3-2. Neither Omegon mounts has quick release dovetail system found in every SW mount higher than EQ2.

Chinese manufacturers can undercut Western and Japanese manufacturer through cheaper labour cost and less well enforced environmental laws. However, the only way for a Chinese manufacturer to undercut another Chinese manufacture is to reduce quality.

If budget is tight, consider the Orion Starblast 6 or a 150p dob instead

http://www.teleskop-...-Dobsonian.html

http://www.astroshop...t-6-dob/p,13929

PS: don't worry about misalignment caused by the 1.25"-2" adapters. The effect is greatly exaggerated. If you worry about misalignment cause by the 1.25"-2" adapter then you wouldn't be buying a budget Newtonain. The cheap focuser in these scopes cause much larger error than the adapter.

You are confusing JOC's Kunming division with Kunming United Optics. JOC owns Explore Scientific and Bresser (soon Meade as well). However, I have never heard anything about JOC and Omegon.

Kunming United Optics makes binoculars, eyepieces and apo refractors. I don't think they make Newtonain and mounts.

thankyou keith its hard keeping a handle on which chinese manufacturing base does what for whom. I read that kunming (don't remember which one) produced eyepieces for omegon and I probably extrapolated from there apologies to the op for incorrect information

[Roger Fairhurst]

If you are concerned about using any 1.25" extra with the 2" Crayford, get one of these http://www.firstligh...parallizer.html

When this is inserted into the 2" adaptor and then either a smaller 1.25 EP (which you will have to get to cover the higher magnifications) or a cheaper but just as effective 1.25 laser collimator, it will hold it perfectly central and as solid as if it were held directly without an adaptor. I have one, fantastic bit of kit.

Steve

Hi Steve and thanks for the tip.

I have now ordered the skywatcher and will wait and see what the results are like using the adapter. If there are issues here then I will certainly give the Howie Glatter Parallizer a try - it certainly looks like a useful piece of kit.

Kind regards

Roger

[Roger Fairhurst]

Get the Skywatcher. Cheap Newtonian often comes with spherical mirror. There is no mention anywhere in Omegron's literature about parabolic mirror, so you should assume it doesn't have it.

The Omegon EQ3/4 mount is totally unrelated to Skywatcher's EQ3/EQ4 (early EQ5), so don't let the EQ4 designation fool you into thinking it's a good mount. The Omegon EQ3 looks like a modified SW EQ2. The Omegon EQ4 looks like a ungraded EQ2, but it is not equivalent to SW EQ3-2. Neither Omegon mounts has quick release dovetail system found in every SW mount higher than EQ2.

Chinese manufacturers can undercut Western and Japanese manufacturer through cheaper labour cost and less well enforced environmental laws. However, the only way for a Chinese manufacturer to undercut another Chinese manufacture is to reduce quality.

If budget is tight, consider the Orion Starblast 6 or a 150p dob instead

http://www.teleskop-...-Dobsonian.html

http://www.astroshop...t-6-dob/p,13929

PS: don't worry about misalignment caused by the 1.25"-2" adapters. The effect is greatly exaggerated. If you worry about misalignment cause by the 1.25"-2" adapter then you wouldn't be buying a budget Newtonain. The cheap focuser in these scopes cause much larger error than the adapter.

You are confusing JOC's Kunming division with Kunming United Optics. JOC owns Explore Scientific and Bresser (soon Meade as well). However, I have never heard anything about JOC and Omegon.

Kunming United Optics makes binoculars, eyepieces and apo refractors. I don't think they make Newtonain and mounts.

Hi Keith,

thanks for the advice.

I have now ordered the Skywatcher with EQ-3 and I have to say that the help from members on this site has been tremendous. The decision to buy the SW was taken as a direct result of the advice, tips and experience of members here. I am extremely grateful.

I will of course need some good weather and although we're heading for a heatwave (well over 30°C is forecast for next week) we can also expect rain and thunder storms in the evenings!

Still, I'll just have to be patient!

Kind regards

Roger