Star travel 120mm...just how good?

[Alkaid]

15 hours ago, Knighty2112 said:

For visual it is the best scope I've owned so far. No complaints about it really. Not sure how good/bad it fares for imaging as I don't do that. 

That's high praise indeed!  Is it visually better than your 150mm F5 newt, (for reasons such as off axis coma for example in the newt which might degrade a star field visual view) or is the contrast on DSO's just better in the frac?  Or some other reasons??

[Knighty2112]

1 hour ago, Alkaid said:

That's high praise indeed!  Is it visually better than your 150mm F5 newt, (for reasons such as off axis coma for example in the newt which might degrade a star field visual view) or is the contrast on DSO's just better in the frac?  Or some other reasons??

I find I get better images of the moon and planets with the frac. Also DSO's stand our very well with it too. To be honest I'm not a big fan of Newts and am most likely going to sell the Celestron C6-N to fund buying another frac specifically for lunar and planetary work mostly.  

[Davesellars]

I took my 120ST out for a bit of a spin last week on a few different objects - It could give you an idea on DSOs at least of its capability.

 

[nightfisher]

Dave, you had a superb session with the 120ST, i think i may have made my mind up 

[rl]

7 hours ago, Alkaid said:

 

23 hours ago, Knighty2112 said:

For visual it is the best scope I've owned so far. No complaints about it really. Not sure how good/bad it fares for imaging as I don't do that. 

That's high praise indeed!  Is it visually better than your 150mm F5 newt, (for reasons such as off axis coma for example in the newt which might degrade a star field visual view) or is the contrast on DSO's just better in the frac?  Or some other reasons??

 

Got to say I had the opposite experience. I had the ST120 and an OO 6" f/6 Newt with 1/10 mirrors; the Newt just blew away the ST120 on planets. Not even close...a total spanking.  Jupiter was still clear and sharp at *180 with the Newt; the ST120 image was already soft and lacking in contrast at *120. A 5" f/10 refractor I also had at the same time was a match for the Newt..The ST120 was excellent for low mag wide field situations (with noticeable field curvature) but not for high resolution stuff. 

RL

[Stu]

Jules, is this a replacement for the 150mm f6 or to go alongside it? Are you going for DSO targets now?

[nightfisher]

13 minutes ago, Stu said:

Jules, is this a replacement for the 150mm f6 or to go alongside it? Are you going for DSO targets now?

Not sure yet, need to spend a bit more time with the 150 f6 and if i am keeping it i need to work out how to store the mount as its proper getting in the way, no not actually going DSO but nice to have a scope that can, early days yet

[Stu]

6 minutes ago, nightfisher said:

Not sure yet, need to spend a bit more time with the 150 f6 and if i am keeping it i need to work out how to store the mount as its proper getting in the way, no not actually going DSO but nice to have a scope that can, early days yet

The 150mm should be better on DSOs than a 120 f5, that's what's confusing me a bit Jules, and something like the TAL should be better on Luna and planets so I'm not sure what the 120 f5 adds?

[iPeace]

I'm really enjoying this. So Jules, if you're inclined to share, what's the entire big picture? A 80mm that may as well be bigger, a mount that may as well be smaller, and symptoms of fracitis setting in. Anything else we should know?

[nightfisher]

I guess its fracitis and to many mounts/tripods getting in the way

[Paz]

I've got an ST120 it was my first proper scope. I've had a lot of good times with it both on AZ3 and EQ5 mounts. I went for the ST120 as I felt that somewhere between that and the 150 things get unweildy. The 120 is for me in grab and go territory, the 150 isn't.

I hadn't used it for quite a while as I've been using my big reflector in recent months but I got the ST120 out a couple of weeks ago hoping to sneak it into the boot with the AZ3 to take it on holiday to Wales. Unfortunately it was squeezed out by higher priorities like shoes(!) and beach shelters(!!) but it was great to have it out again and I've had a few sessions with it in the last week since we've been back. For example things like Albireo and M52 looked good to me,  and I had a good time fishing M56 out of a light polluted sky (not the most sensible of targets but fun to do).

I had been intending to sell it and end up with maybe an ED80 grab and go as my reflector plus a small grab and go refractor is what I have been aiming for long term, but having got used to the big reflector the ST120 feels like a fun little pea shooter in comparison and I have really enjoyed it so I've gone off the idea of selling it.

I have a Baader semi-apo filter which tidies CA up a lot on bright things, and a Baader solar continuum filter which is good for solar (and good for lunar in daylight but am I better not to admit to using bits of gear for things they were not intended for?).

Obviously view-wise the big reflector kills the ST120 in every respect except for the ST120 being able to take in wider fields of view at lower magnifications. The ST120 is also no quicker to set up than the reflector as both set ups are simple but it is a lot lighter to move and takes up less room - so it is easier to take away from home - the ST120+AZ3+finders+eyepieces+diagonal all set up can be carried with one hand.

[iPeace]

23 hours ago, nightfisher said:

I guess its fracitis and to many mounts/tripods getting in the way

Sounds healthy to me.

I have been tempted by the ST120 by its aperture, portability and value-for-money. It has its own following as well as those who prefer other options, but most seem to appreciate it for what it can do.

But back to you, Jules, we now know you want to make the fracitis and the forest of mounts and tripods go away. It will be great to find out what eventually happens.

[nightfisher]

I should make a decision in the next couple of weeks, i did own an st 150 some years back and sort of wish i had kept it

[spaceboy]

I don't know why you don't wait until SGLXI Jules as there is sure to be one amongst the crowed you could take a look through. I'm not sure what I am taking at the moment as I have never been able to pack the amount of stuff in the car as some members do  but if there is space I will take mine for you to take a ganders through.

[nightfisher]

Yes will wait and see if I can get a look