Celestron Advanced VX 6 Inch Refractor Telescope?

[TenBears]

I've just gotten into this hobby and am enjoying this, both the wife and myself.

We've mostly been using our 12x70 and 15x70 binos to view, which I mail ordered, and love them.

I grabbed a cheap 60mm az-alt refractor from a local hobby store, just to get some scope views.  The wife enjoys using it to look at the moon, because it only weights like 3 pounds (it's the cheap $70 one from Celestron), but it doesn't do much for myself.

Which brings me here.

I'm ready to step up and buy a "real" telescope.  But after many weeks of looking, my eyes are about to pop out of my skull!!!!

Now, I know better to just plop down 4 grand on something - being so new to this, but, I don't want to waste my time on something that I will want to upgrade from after a "short" period, either. 

First, I plan to give the "toy" I bought to one of the neighbors kids - wife won't mind...

Second, I plan on getting a mid-size dob I can store in my garage and pull out onto the driveway to use for viewing.  Light pollution isn't too bad in my neighborhood, though I wish my neighbors didn't leave their porch lights on so much!

Third - and hear is where I need your help.   I want a scope I can do some AR with (and of course, view with too).  I've been into photography for about 25 years now (I have a box with about 50 thousand prints in it, and have taken 100's of thousands of digi pictures), and so it only makes sense to get a setup for this right away.

So my requirements are an EQ mount with tracking (I really want goto, too).

Optics, aren't as important, not right now anyway.  You only need superb optics to take superb photos.  Good photo's is good enough for me - always have been. 

I am much more interested in a refractor for this, rather than a SCT.   The SCT's with mount that look like would fit the bill for this, are just too expensive ($2000+)

The Celestron Advanced VX looks like a fine mount, and I keep looking at this combo,  http://www.telescopes.com/telescopes/refracting-telescopes/celestronadvancedvx6inchrefractortelescope.cfm

This is RIGHT IN my price range for this.

Problem is, there are no reviews for this scope ANYWHERE....  and I can't find out anything about the OTC, other than.

• 6” (150mm) f/8 objective lens is perfect for high contrast planetary views
• 2” Focuser allows use with 2” and 1.25” accessories

That's not very descriptive.

Can anyone give me any insight on this OTC?  Yes, I know it is not an apo.  My budget is not going to allow for an apo at this time...

I'm open for other options for scopes too, but yea know, I've already seen them "all" and just can't come up with a mount/otc combo more appealing (for this price range).

I really don't want to spend (ok, the wife doesn't want me to... lol)  much more than 2,000 for the Dob and the EQ/Refractor.

Thanks for your advice!

[dweller25]

This 6" F/8 refractor is an achromat and will show chromatic aberation in photography. I'm sure the AP guys will be along soon with better suggestions.......

[TenBears]

Yes, I know about the CA.  And I realize it is not an apo (I did state that).

I'm not looking at something strictly at an AP standpoint, mostly the mount.

I can (and will, eventually) replace the OTA with a good quality apo triplet. But that is going to take some time and is not in my budget right now.

If I bought that VX mount seperately, that would leave me with 500 bux for an OTA.  There really isn't anything in the price range that looks

I don't want anything smaller than 120mm, so that rules out APO's altogether for this year.

----------

To make a long story short regarding budget...  this year alone, I have bought:
Replaced gas furnace: $2600
Yamaha Motif XF8 with tons of accessories: $4000
Granite counter tops for our kitchen: $4500
And just a month ago - a Taylor 814ce acoustic guitar: $3500

And....  we are in the middle of a plumming repair job at her moms house, which I agreed to pay for, that is going to cost another $4000!

I only said that to demonstraight....  The wife is standing with her arms crossed, tapping her feet PRETTY HARD about getting "more toys" right now.

Getting the Z12 dob for $700 wasn't a hard sale, I got a soft, but sarcastic, "okaaaay".   Spending another $1300 won't be so easy, but doable.
Beyond that - forget it, I like my marriage in tact.

Wives don't care that you have a bunch of money in savings (which I do), they only care about WHAT YOU'VE SPENT!

NOW, I am also considering the NexStar 8SE...  same price range as the above scope.
Would be great for easy views with tracking and goto, but not sure how well I'd be able to take photo's with it...

Opinions on that also welcome.

Thanks

[JoeyFLL]

You are in the same boat as me but your starting budget is higher . I would advice you to get the mount and, if you want a refractor, this one

http://store.explorescientific.com/127mmf6_5-AchromaticOTA-withCaseandAccessories.aspx

I hear stellar reviews of it and one of the guys that does AP  at the observatory/dark site I go to has one as part of his setup and vouches for the vendor. The 102mm is around$520 I believe.

I also suggest you check out Ed Ting's site   http://www.scopereviews.com/   excellent reviews and sound advice (he loves Refractors too)

I decided I am going to save up and increase my budget before buying anything!!

[GuillermoBarrancos]

The 6inch achromat is a Nice visual refractor. It has an F/8 focal ratio, so CA will not be "that" bad. You can invest later in a Baader APO filter (gets good reviews) to reduce CA further to very acceptable views on bight Objects like moon and planets.

On a dark site it will also be a very capable DSO observing scope.

For Astrophotography, best "starter" Scope to save up for is a 80ED APO refractor.

PS. There was a review of this Scope on Cloudy Nights, but they have taken the entire review section down for unspecified time.

You can try search on the Skywatcher Evostar 150. The Celestron is pretty much similar to this scope in performance.

Found it here:

http://www.skyatnightmagazine.com/review/telescopes/sky-watcher-evostar-150

(just ignore the Mount part of the review, as that's irrelevant in your case  )

[kasheyev]

You are in the same boat as me but your starting budget is higher . I would advice you to get the mount and, if you want a refractor, this one

http://store.explorescientific.com/127mmf6_5-AchromaticOTA-withCaseandAccessories.aspx

I hear stellar reviews of it 

Pun intended?

[idigitize]

Hi,

You haven't said or been asked if you are considering webcam or dslr, planets or deepsky, which are a couple of major questions.

On the basic you are into photography, I assume dslr will be your preffered initial choice and therefore deepsky objects too.

As you are also gonna have a decent size dob for viewing, id go for the Ed80 refractor on a decent mount.

I don't know why you say about not less than 120mm, for getting into AP, 80 seems much much more popular. And when you say good vs great AP, I think the 80 will give you great shots quicker too.

In the uk, the vx mount can be bought with the 6inch 'reflector' (not refractor) for pretty much the same price as the mount on its own. I'm considering that option with the 80ed. May sell the reflector and buy a dob, or just keep it for viewing, will see. Could consider turning it into a DIY dob.

Good luck with your decisions, I'm in a similar boat, with a similar thread or two, or 3 . So are many on here.

[usingen1]

Whichever you get, a refractror or a reflector, make sure to get a good mount like an AVX (affordable) it is very steady and will do good for AP...I have a C8 and am looking to get an OTA maybe the 6 incher if anyone knows where to get just the OTA please send a link or info...THX  Ernest 

[iapa]

Disclaimer: I do NOT have refractor for imaging, and am NOT recommending reflectors.

Although the AVX as a damned good mount (I have one), it has a maximum load c20lbs.

Most AP people seem to recommend no more than about 60%-75% (12lb-15lb) of that load be used when doing astrophotography - this includes the camera you are going to use for imaging, guide scope. finder scope AND cables

Having said that I have managed a few tolerable (under good conditions in March in Orkney:)) images 90s unguided with a 20lb Skywatcher explore 200pds - a reasonably fast f5, 200mm - reflector with a canon 70D and Skywatcher ST80 refractor (26-27lb in total) on the AVX.

So, if you can get the balance right, you can take the AVX beyond its load limit with a modicum of success.

Good luck with your foray into this 'hobby' :).