Best visual scope for around £600

[adh325]

Hi all,

Been enjoying my SW 100 ED for the last year. Mostly been using it for AP. I'm using it with a HEQ5 and QHY5 guide scope. Managed some very satisfying pictures - only really recently mastered the guiding aspect and longer, 600s exposures.

So I have around £600 burning in my back pocket. I still love visual observing - but the 100mm refractor is a bit limited.

Theres a couple dark sites I'm going to have more regular access to, and would love a bigger scope to get more satisfying results on DSOs and nebula - mainly visual viewing (but might also experiment with AP). Portability not an issue.

I like refractors, mainly because I'm used to them and they need little maintenance. I was thinking about a SW Evostar 150, or a 250 Quattro reflector (is this worth the extra money over the 250p-ds?).  I know these are about the limit for my mount - but I'll need to live with that. I've never owned a reflector.

What would you choose for £600 for the best viewing? And what are the likely 'actual' viewing results of such scopes in low LP conditions?  Would you expect to see colour from the Orion Nebula for example?

Thanks in advance.

[Charic]

As you have never owned a reflector, and portability is not an issue, I would consider looking at one of these https://www.firstlightoptics.com/dobsonians/skywatcher-skyliner-200p-dobsonian.html
I understand the images get better the larger you go, so the 10" or 12" are alternatives, but you'll have less change?

As for colour, maybe on the bigger scopes,  but not sure?

[Astro Imp]

For visual the biggest Newtonian scope on a Dob base will give the best view.

As for colour there are very few DSOs that will show any in even the biggest amateur scopes, the best you can hope for is perhaps a greenish tinge to the Orion nebula and some blue/green on the brighter planetary nebulae.

[adh325]

15 minutes ago, Charic said:

As you have never owned a reflector, and portability is not an issue, I would consider looking at one of these https://www.firstlightoptics.com/dobsonians/skywatcher-skyliner-200p-dobsonian.html
I understand the images get better the larger you go, so the 10" or 12" are alternatives, but you'll have less change?

As for colour, maybe on the bigger scopes,  but not sure?

Wow that's unbelievably good value!  Interesting option. I'd quite like the flexibility of go-to however, and use my existing mount. Realise that limits my options on size though. Looking at the max payload for my mount - you might not be far off with the 200mm scope.

[Charic]

They do the f/5 Explorer 200 on an EQ3 mount, but  for visual use alone, I'd still recommend the stability of the Dobsonian,  and with EQ mounts your paying more for the mount, and I'm not sure the EQ3 will prevent  such a large scope from sailing in the wind!

The Dobsonian, fully set-up,  will take up less  storage space than its EQ brother?

 

[Putaendo Patrick]

A 200mm reflector is probably the maximum I'd put on your HEQ5, mainly due to the effect of wind (in an observatory it could be a very different story).

Also remember that very fast telescopes are not not really necessary (or even desirable) for visual observing, and that you may find you want/need to spend considerably more on top line eyepieces. The Dobsonian recommended by Charic is f5.9 which means it will be flexible and forgiving on cheaper eyepieces.

You might take a look at the reflectors made by Orion Optics UK (this is not the same as Orion USA, by the way), in particular the longer tube VX8L which is intended mainly for visual. It is also possible to upgrade to better quality 1/8 or 1/10PV mirrors which are very good indeed, see the pricing options.

http://www.orionoptics.co.uk/VX/vx8-8l.html

At f4 the Skywatcher Quattro series are really intended for astrophotography and don't provide any advantage for visual (at least IMHO).

[swamp thing]

13 hours ago, adh325 said:

And what are the likely 'actual' viewing results of such scopes in low LP conditions?  Would you expect to see colour from the Orion Nebula for example?

Thanks in advance.

Colour??

One of the real 'suck it and see' kind of things. No one can tell if you will see colour. Some do, some don't. It seems to be very age dependent. Young people seem to be able to see colour much easier than older ones.

[Chinapig]

No idea how they compare with the SW options in terms of optical quality, but these Dobsonians from Bresser look like a sensible approach.  The OTA can be shifted along the tube rings for balancing, and can even be removed - and a dovetail added - for use on a tracking mount:

https://www.firstlightoptics.com/bresser-telescopes/bresser-messier-8-dobsonian-telescope.html

There's also a 10" for not a lot more money, although that would probably be a bit over the top for your current mount.  I've yet to see one in the flesh, let alone have a peep through one, but I'm intrigued...

[MarkVIIIMarc]

There is something about the 2" eyepieces I really like.  I am happy my Z10 supports them and would probably value the option at $100 however much that weighs. (get it, converts to pounds)

On this side of the Atlantic the bang for the buck here seems to be at around $200 for something like this: https://www.telescopesplus.com/products/zhumell-z130-portable-altazimuth-reflector-telescope

Or $400 for https://www.telescopesplus.com/products/zhumell-z130-portable-altazimuth-reflector-telescope

Maintenance is collimating which isn't that difficult. 

I know Zhumell somewhat so I don't feel bad recommending them.  I'm sure many others are of similar quality.

[Aaron F Johnson]

Any light pollution at all even just a little and I would go for a 12" dobsonian for visual...with it you could expect to see some limited color as stated above but those colors will be best at dark sights on transparent nights...if the light pollution is low the old black cloth head covering works great and can increase dark adaptation significantly. Best of luck on your quest and enjoy the new scope!

[adh325]

Thanks for all of the replies.  Food for thought.

Im warming to the idea of a Newt. For the type of visual observing I'm expecting I would never be able to afford a refractor large enough. The 150mm refractor is as good as it would get.

I like the idea of a short focal length, large apature Newt - for rich wide field views, and the flexibility for AP if I choose. Arguably a little lighter too. Is there a reason however why an F4 (like the Quattro) would be unsuitable for visual?