Is a C6 sct a worthwhile upgrade?

[Starlord19]

Hi all. I currently have a Mak127, and image with a ASI120MC. I am thinking of buying a celestron c6 because I think it's the biggest I can go without upgrading my mount etc aswell. My question is whether or not it will be a noticeable difference to my Mak to justify the expense? My other thinking was that my imaging would benefit from the focal ratio of f20 (with a 2x Barlow) than the f24ish I currently get. I appreciate your thoughts. 

[michael.h.f.wilkinson]

What mount do you have? The C6 is not much lighter than the C8. The C6 is 4.5 kg, the current C8 5.7. The C6 would not be much of an upgrade, whereas the C8 is a clear step up.

[Starlord19]

Currently the eq3-2, I don't want to go up to the heq5/eq6 route cos of cost/size/weight , so the eq5 would be about my limit. I have looked at the C8 but it would need a more substantial mount than I have. 

[michael.h.f.wilkinson]

Yes, an EQ5 would be needed

[Starlord19]

I thought so. And it's not just that, it'll be upgrade  the camera, eye pieces etc to make the most of a C8. I am on a fairly limited budget and we only have a little house so a huge mount and scope are not really viable. 

[YKSE]

51 minutes ago, Starlord19 said:

Currently the eq3-2, I don't want to go up to the heq5/eq6 route cos of cost/size/weight , so the eq5 would be about my limit. I have looked at the C8 but it would need a more substantial mount than I have. 

I think EQ3-2 with steel legs are fine with C8 for visual.

I mostly binoviewing the Moon and Jupiter on my sun deck. the finderscope, 2" prism diagonal, binoviewer, EPs add another 2kg more. No problem in 335x when seeing allows. Most vibration comes from wooden sun deck if I don't sit still.

[michael.h.f.wilkinson]

Planetary imaging should then be OK. I also hear people putting sand in the steel legs for extra weight, so the vibrations are less

[Starlord19]

My only problem with that is I have the aluminium tripod with my Eq3! Also I cannot stretch to the C8, that's why I was asking about the C6, am I likely to be able to tell any difference between the 127Mak and the C6?

[YKSE]

How about put a wanted AD for 1.75" steel leg tripod for EQ5/HEQ5, or 2" steel leg tripod CG5? Thess tripods are compatible with EQ3-2 mount head?

Some prefer to use try many scopes to get different experiences, while I'm of the oppinion that it's better to get the scope(s) you really want to use for a long time before thinking of any upgrades.

[YKSE]

As to answer to the tilte question, mine is no.

My understanding is that there should be around 1 magnitude difference among scopes so that there's appreciable difference, this 1 mag difference reflects in aperture area difference in 2.51 time, which means a serie of 80mm, 120mm(0,9magnitude of 80mm) , 200mm(1.1mag of 120mm), 300mm (0.9mag of 200mm), or 70mm, 100mm, 150mm, 250mm, 400mm are good combinations for uppgrades.

A short ED refractor in 3" to 4" is always an excellent complement to an 8" or larger scopes, IMHO.