Help buying a new Telescope

[tony275]

Hi all, I have been using a Sky Watcher 130 for 5 years and enjoyed it, but I am looking to get something lighter as i have to lug the Sky watcher out from the garage every time I used it and i'm not getting any younger, I have decided on a Meade DS-2102 MAK Telescope. the questions i need answering are probably very basic but i need to be sure before i buy, I love taking photographs Astrophotography shot and I had to adapt my Sky watcher to be able to do this. Will i be able to take pics videos with the Meade DS-2102 MAK Telescope without the eye piece and I have never used a GOTO mount which i'm looking forward to, but will i be able to focus manually on the object to take my pics.

I know these are probably silly questions but £300+ to me is a to of money and I must be sure. Any advice would be gratefully accepted 

 

Tony

[billyharris72]

Hi Tony:

I don't have the Orion but do have the Skywatcher 102 Mak which I'm willing to be is very similar. When you remove the diagonal it actually has a t-thread so you can screw the camera straight onto the back. The range of focuser travel in SCTs and Maks is huge compared with Newts, so I'd be very surprised if you could not achieve focus. Getting sharp focus can be quite sensitive, and with Maks and SCTs the image can move when you move the focuser (the focuser works by moving the primary up and down the tube) but it should be fine.

Two things to be aware of before you buy:

1) You won't be able to use a Mak effectively to image DSOs; the focal ratio is just too high. For planets it should be okay with a webcam or a high powered Barlow.

2) Optically, the 102 Mak is a noticeable step down from a 130mm Newt. I have an F5 130P and it get's much more detail on planets than the Mak does, while DSOs are a lot brighter.

Not trying to put you off - it's a very handy little scope and gives decent views. Personally, I'm not sure I'd pay £300. How is the 130 mounted - you could save a bit by just buying the OTA?

Billy.

[Owmuchonomy]

To be honest the 130 Newt is pretty light as most scopes go. I have one and it's the lightest scope I have ever owned.

[happy-kat]

Cheek out second hand sales you might pick up a 127mm mak on goto mount for under budget.

What aspect of the 130 you already have that needs lugging out to setup. Is it the akward eq tripod plus the longish tube? Just so you know what you choose next addresses the main issue.

[Dave In Vermont]

I've found that the Maksutov-Cassegrain does perform well on some DSO's where their reduced FOV works quite nice. Such as globular-cluster like M13, and ring-nebulae like M57. On planets, they do excell. And other items about our star-system like comets. And binary stars for a Mak's high-contrast views are wonderful.

I have a new Skywatcher 150mm F/12 that I'm getting to know and love! I walked into the world of Maks oblivious to their view and resolution. I'm enjoying every minute of it thus far.

Have fun all,

Dave

[tony275]

Many Thanks for all the replies 

[Glimpse111]

On ‎19‎/‎04‎/‎2016 at 17:20, tony275 said:

Many Thanks for all the replies 

Hi Tony,

What did you decide at the end?