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Best scope for planetary and star doubles

bomberbaz

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bomberbaz

bomberbaz

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Just pondering some ideas as to maybe getting a scope for the above as I currently only have newtonian ota's. 

Just considering maybe getting a frac in the 127 range which bresser do a fine version of or maybe a maksutov scope so just looking for what anyone else uses, why they use it and what's good about it.

It would be on a AZ mount as I would want simplicity and ease of setting up/breaking down and storage as if it ended up stuck in the corner the mrs would likely be displeased.

Might want it for solar white light too

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Moonshane

Moonshane

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Hi mate.

I have scopes from 80mm and 120mm fracs to 12" &16" newts and the answer to your question is it depends on seeing as to which is best. The best views I have ever had for planetary are on the occasions seeing allowed the full 16" aperture at high mags.  On most other occasions a large newt with aperture mask has been best closely followed by the 120ed. The 80ed Is good for its aperture.  I never found aperture satisfactory achromat on planets but they are reasonable on doubles.

 

 

 

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bomberbaz

bomberbaz

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Just now, Moonshane said:

Hi mate.

I have scopes from 80mm and 120mm fracs to 12" &16" newts and the answer to your question is it depends on seeing as to which is best. The best views I have ever had for planetary are on the occasions seeing allowed the full 16" aperture at high mags.  On most other occasions a large newt with aperture mask has been best closely followed by the 120ed. The 80ed Is good for its aperture.  I never found aperture satisfactory achromat on planets but they are reasonable on doubles.

 

 

 

Maybe I am just hankering after another scope shane ;-)

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Stu

Stu

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You could probably pick up an older 120ED for £500 or £600. A newer one would be more like £750. As Shane says though, a 100ED would be within budget and very nice for your requirements.

Using my 4" apo alongside a 10" f6.3 dob the other night, I enjoyed the crisp views through the frac more than the dob, detail was similar, more colour in the dob due to the brighter image.

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bomberbaz

bomberbaz

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think I might take you up on this one shane before I go shelling out the shekels, thanks for the offer. Lets see if we get some decent weather. Oh wait:hmh:

15 minutes ago, Moonshane said:

As always mate you be welcome to come round anytime to try my scopes.

 

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avtaram

avtaram

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I have the Skywatcher Explorer 150PL F8 Newt which I find is very good on doubles, lunar and planetary.

I also have the Evostar 120 ED which is also very good but cost me £1050 new, the 150PL cost me £120 new.

Another scope I have for doubles, lunar and planetary is the OMC 140 which cost me £240 used, I can also use this with my WO Binoviewers without having to use the1.6 Barlow. Views of the Moon are absolutely breathtaking.

If I could only keep one of these then it would be the OMC 140 because of the quality of the views and it can be carried outside mounted on my Nexstar goto mount which makes a good grab and go aswell. I don't have any cool down problems as I keep the scope in an unheated well ventilated garage.

Avtar

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Alkaid

Alkaid

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Just a quick point from me, ED120 is actually about 113mm. The objective is 120mm, but there is vignetting due to the baffling cutting into the lightpath. Deal breaker? Not sure, but it is nice to know what one is paying for...

 

A long focus Newtonian will beat a refractor on planets, so long as it has good optics and the seeing is okay. The aperture difference is very hard for the refractor to keep up with. 150PL - total bargain and would compete with (and sometimes beat) a 120ED.

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Stu

Stu

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38 minutes ago, Alkaid said:

Just a quick point from me, ED120 is actually about 113mm. The objective is 120mm, but there is vignetting due to the baffling cutting into the lightpath. Deal breaker? Not sure, but it is nice to know what one is paying for...

 

Not on the ones I've had....

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avtaram

avtaram

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1 hour ago, Alkaid said:

Just a quick point from me, ED120 is actually about 113mm. The objective is 120mm, but there is vignetting due to the baffling cutting into the lightpath. Deal breaker? Not sure, but it is nice to know what one is paying for....

Just checked the baffling in my 120ED and there is a baffle about halfway down the tube that could be considered to be cutting into the light path BUT as the baffle is halfway down the tube and the light path is converging I don't think it has any effect on reducing the 120mm aperture.

I could be wrong though.

 

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John

John

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1 hour ago, Alkaid said:

Just a quick point from me, ED120 is actually about 113mm. The objective is 120mm, but there is vignetting due to the baffling cutting into the lightpath. Deal breaker? Not sure, but it is nice to know what one is paying for...

 

A long focus Newtonian will beat a refractor on planets, so long as it has good optics and the seeing is okay. The aperture difference is very hard for the refractor to keep up with. 150PL - total bargain and would compete with (and sometimes beat) a 120ED.

I have a 120ED and I've tested it using the "flashlight" method. It's working aperture is 120mm. This is the method I used:

http://www.cloudynights.com/topic/431279-the-flashlight-test-for-aperture-illustrated/

The Skywatcher mak-cassegrains do work at slightly lower apertures than their specs state though because they don't employ the oversized primary you need in the design.

PS: For a while I had the ED120 alongside an excellent Intes MN61 6" maksutov-newtonian. The ED120 just beat the mak-newt on planetary and lunar viewing, was pretty much equal to it on double stars and came a close 2nd on DSO's (aperture always seems to win on those).

I really liked both scopes but the refractor was easier to mount and cooled more quickly so that was the one I hung onto. The Intes has gone to a very good home with an SGL member :icon_biggrin:

 

 

 

 

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