SW Flextube 14" or Explore Scientific 16"...?

[scarp15]

I found the 12" Felxtube a pretty good scope, and liked it a lot...sadly it had to go because of personal circumstances. Anyway, out of curiosity. how do you compare it ''optically and what you can observe'' with the OOUK?

Optically, the 12" Flextube, which may well have been your own experience, was capable of yielding crisp and satisfying views whether on DSO's, planets or lunar. My highest power eyepiece is 7mm and it certainly worked effectively up to this magnification, particularly on Open and Globular clusters.The VX14 creates a brighter image on familiar subjects and can go a little deeper with regard to galaxy clusters, the mirrors, which are also very crisp do seem to create  slightly better contrast. Detail also appears to be a little further enhanced, such as more defined spiral structure in M51 or hints of filaments in M97 and M1..As I mentioned the scope was second hand, the mirrors are 1/10pv, strehl 0.994 and hilux coated. It is quite nice having the documentation for the mirror figure.

[emadmoussa]

Optically, the 12" Flextube, which may well have been your own experience, was capable of yielding crisp and satisfying views whether on DSO's, planets or lunar. My highest power eyepiece is 7mm and it certainly worked effectively up to this magnification, particularly on Open and Globular clusters.The VX14 creates a brighter image on familiar subjects and can go a little deeper with regard to galaxy clusters, the mirrors, which are also very crisp do seem to create  slightly better contrast. Detail also appears to be a little further enhanced, such as more defined spiral structure in M51 or hints of filaments in M97 and M1..As I mentioned the scope was second hand, the mirrors are 1/10pv, strehl 0.994 and hilux coated. It is quite nice having the documentation for the mirror figure.

Can't you re-coat the SW mirror and achieve a similar performance?!

[John]

Can't you re-coat the SW mirror and achieve a similar performance?!

It's not just re-coating. To get better optical performance (assuming it needs it) the mirror has to be re-figured. 

[scarp15]

Yes you probably can, the figure on a Skywatcher, could also be tested for independently - I once spoke to someone who had a SW mirror tested and the result came back as 1/6pv.  Such as was my own experience, I would expect a 14" flextube will provide great clarity and crisp views.

[AlexB67]

You can get any mirrors sets recoated by OO with Hilux, getting the higher strehl or higher PV would be need a refigure and extra cost/work though, not sure OO offer the latter service. You can also buy mirror sets separately from them but aint cheap either, there a a few others in the UK that offer that service too IIRC.  Once you go down that road  you may as well buy second hand VX I feel, costs could rack up quickly before you know it, though just a recoat is not that expensive ~ 200 pounds perhaps for a mirror that size.

edit John beat me to it.

[AlexB67]

http://www.orionoptics.co.uk/OPTICS/optics.html

somewhere on the site there used to be cost listing for recoats I thought, though  I cannot find it. Have a look on those pages for further info.

[emadmoussa]

So apparently they offer reflectivity up to 97%...worth a shot if you need to rejuvenate your old mirror I think. The SW mirrors come with 94% reflectivity which I believe under suburban or semi rural skies the difference to OOUK coating won't be readily noticeable.

[John]

http://www.orionoptics.co.uk/OPTICS/optics.html

somewhere on the site there used to be cost listing for recoats I thought, though  I cannot find it. Have a look on those pages for further info.

It's at the bottom of this page:

http://www.orionoptics.co.uk/OPTICS/mirrorrecoating.html