Which refractor for viewing planets?

[Owmuchonomy]

All my scopes exceed my expectations on brighter planets. If I'm feeling lazy I use my AA102EDT as I'm at the eyepiece before the kettle has boiled. If I'm in for a great nights seeing and think I might grab a few frames I will put the 9.25 SCT outside while I have my tea and get all my kit together. If my biking mates come round for fish and chips I (and they) also lift the 12" Dob out and put my best EP in it. None of the views dissappoint. Just bear in mind planets as their name implies are wanderers and thus are not always in convenient places in the sky.

[kev]

Theres a nice starfire on astrobuysell at the moment <grin> not quite in price range but its a great scope. ( ive used it about ten years ago).

Sent from my iPhone so excuse the typos!

[Jim Steele]

Hi Star Struck,

I would reccomend the Tal100RS, (you can still get them from 2020 Optics in the UK). Really crisp well corrected views, and for the price (£235) cant be beaten.

Comes with an excellent stock diagonal, good plossl eyepieces (the 25mm one is very crisp near the edge of the FOV), finder and tube rings - basically all you need.

With the saving you could invest in more astro goodies

I mount mine on a old style CG5 which is Celestrons version of the EQ5 and is a good suit for it.

Ben

[F15Rules]

Plus one for the Tal RS100. Also, if you can find one, a used Vixen SP102 is even better IMO. And both look like proper scopes, not offcuts of surplus oil pipeline:-) (only joking!- but I'm sure I'm not the only one who finds Dobs and Newts very uncomfortable to use, cricked neck etc? But each to their own:-).

A serious other suggestion-a 6" 150mm Maksutov is a very nice planetary scope and more comfy to use than either a long frac or a dob..a Skymax 150 can be had for well under £400 and a 127 is no slouch either. Occasionally you might see an Intes MK67 or M603 for around that price and they have superb optics..

Dave

[xtreemchaos]

i agree with russ.will,the ar127L is a cracking scope for the money mine never stops amazing me, ive never adjusted the lens cell but its handy to have.ota for about £250 You cant go wrong.