10 inch v 14 inch

[mdstuart]

I have read a lot of threads comparing the effects of aperture.

With a clear sky tonight I set up my old 10 inch and 14 inch reflector side by side.

So would I be able to notice the difference?

My target for the test was the bright NGC 1023 galaxy just under M34.

The galaxy was visible easily in both scopes but noticeably brighter in the 14 inch. Stars which were only visible with averted vision in the 10 were obvious in the 14 with the 14 seeing stars that were just not there in the 10. About one magnitude of difference I would say.

So yes the 14 definitely a step up but not a massive one. For me though one magnitude is a big deal with my passion for observing galaxies.

So there you have it.

Mark

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[michael.h.f.wilkinson]

You are igniting my aperture fever again

A scope like that sounds fun. I think I will be gunning for a 11 or 12" first (after a load of other things on my wish list (like an LS60PT) )

[Naemeth]

What is the difference in weight between the two?

Comparisons are fun to do, but for me require a lot of trips up and down stairs...

[Mike73]

I agree Mark.

I stepped up from 12" to 16" and although it wasn't a huge jump in aperture it really has made a difference when picking out HII and stellar regions in the grand spirals like M101, M33 and NGC 4946 etc.

All of a sudden I stopped looking for the faint smudges and started to look at what was in those smudges.

[ScottS]

I bet there's a big difference when viewing something like M13 also.

[Andy_E]

Interesting comparison. It always strikes me how such tiny increases in advantage (aperture, quality EPs, etc.) on a quantifiable level add up to huge differences in the observing experience.

[mdstuart]

Thanks for all the feedback..

The 14 is MUCH heavier and bigger. The 10 inch seems small now!

Globular a are lovely but the noticeable difference comes with the galaxy views.

Mark

[Stargazer_00]

I also upgraded from a 10" (250px) to a 14" (350p) this year.

I concurr with what you are saying although I've yet to have a good go at t winter targets with the 14".  Mathematically the 14" is almost 100% brighter than a 10" (98% I believe) and a 16" is 125% britgher than a 10".

So a very dim object is now twice as bright.  So probably still dim, just less so.   On the flipside, bright objects in a 10" (moon/planets)  become exceptionally bright in a 14".  The moon is truly blinding in my 14".

I am a DSO enthusiast so any increase in brightness is welcomed.  I have found that globular cluser in particular show a massive amount more stars at their cores in a 14" compared to a 10". 

I no longer have a 10" to compare side by side but I do own a 6" 150p.  The difference between them is approx 500% and it's very pleasing to get the 150p out for the first 30 minutes or so and then start using the 350p.  It reminds me how awesome the scope is.

[John]

Interesting comparisons and I guess they support the often given advice that, starting from around 6" aperture, a 4" inch increase is required to give a significant performance gain.

[nicks90]

my holiday scope is a little 70mm frac and i take that wth me because my 12" dob wont fit through the doors / windows in the caravan. So when i get home and get the big-dob out, the difference is spectacular!

[starman1969]

There probably wouldn't be a noticeable difference between the two for a lot of targets. Something faint like the Ring Nebula should certainly be easier to see in the 14 I'd have thought.

[Stargazer_00]

The ring nebula is actually a good example here.  This object in a 10" (remember I'm under light polluted skies of approx NELM 4.5-4.6) is an averted vision target to get the best view whereas in a 14" it can be looked at directly at show good detail.

[jnb]

Interesting comparisons and I guess they support the often given advice that, starting from around 6" aperture, a 4" inch increase is required to give a significant performance gain.

At any level I'd look for a 50% increase in aperture to make a worthwhile difference. So each increment would give an extra magnitude and about twice as much detail. (up to the limit of seeing anyway)