Which APO refractor

[D Wright]

I find myself in an unusual position. Having just come into rather a lot of money( and I mean silly money) I am in a position to buy any equipment I want. I think I have decided the mount I would like is the new EQ6-R. As for a good APO refractor to go on it there are so many to choose from. I will be using it for visual and AP and would like 100-150mm triplet. Can anyone recomend any that are really good? Also has anyone any views on the EQ6-R?

[dweller25]

Congratulations

Here's how I would spend your money

http://www.cfftelescopes.eu/140mm.html

http://www.apm-telescopes.co.uk/apm-152-1200t.html

https://www.takahashiuk.co.uk/Refracting-Telescopes/TAK150/159-/Takahashi-TOA150B-Triplet-OrthoAprochromat-Package

http://www.cfftelescopes.eu/160mm.html

All are good, the Tak is VERY heavy

[Starlight 1]

I did not spend it all , but the tak 106ed  for me was the right one as it take the big camera out there.

[alan potts]

APM scopes are excellent but the price tags are high, I personally would look at the 150mm Espirit from Sky Watcher,I want one myself and I have one of the former mentioned.

Alan

[Anne S]

I’d want to look at a bit more Mount capacity if I wanted a telescope as listed above. For imaging you don’t really want to use all the payload on the mount. 

Anne

[alan potts]

I would have though with the AZEQ 6 he would be fine with a 150mm Espirit and actually thought that was what he had listed, mine handles the M/N 190mm with ease and they are about the same weigth and size.

Alan

[ampleamp]

You are into the laws of diminishing returns territory but the APM/TMB 152/1200 is definitely how I would spend your money. Having returned an Esprit 150 I went with the APM 152 when i had to make a choice and have no regrets. Yes it is expensive (!) but the colour correction and resolution are superb in a refractor model, and no refraction spikes ?. I have no doubts that the Tak is fabulous  

I would question whether the EQ6-R is heavy enough for the job. Less critical if you aren’t imaging but check weight limits and give yourself some comfort room. 

[alan potts]

Helps if you read things properly first, I was of the opinion you were a newcomer to the hobby, don't know why, just didn't look at your info correctly. Trying to make a pizza and reply is not that easy. I suggested the Espirt because I thought you were a starter, wrongly I see. Being that you are not then I also would go for the 1200mm APM Lzos but I feel like the gentleman before the mount needs to be bigger if you are doing AP, maybe a EQ8, something else on my list.

[Timebandit]

 

Congratulations on your lottery win , I mean your good fortune?

The APM 152 or Tak would certainly be on my short list.

I would also book myself a holiday in either Hawaii or Chile and go and visit the professional Observatory's there , and see some of the best equipment and viewing conditions in the world ??

 

 

 

[cfpendock]

Weight of the Tak TOA 150 would be a bit high for an EQ6.  You get almost the same image circle from a Tak FSQ 106, but it is much lighter.  

You might also consider the TEC 140 or even the TEC 160.  The latter is a bit more (around £13,000), but still light and relatively compact.  I'd like one...

Chris

[ampleamp]

5 minutes ago, alan potts said:

Helps if you read things properly first, I was of the opinion you were a newcomer to the hobby, don't know why, just didn't look at your info correctly. Trying to make a pizza and reply is not that easy. I suggested the Espirt because I thought you were a starter, wrongly I see. Being that you are not then I also would go for the 1200mm APM Lzos but I feel like the gentleman before the mount needs to be bigger if you are doing AP, maybe a EQ8, something else on my list.

I am rarely, if ever, described as a gentleman ????

[alan potts]

I also recently had loan of a TMB 130mm Lzos and whilst it needed a bit of TLC, I could see it was a fine instument and at F6 I guess ideal for astro photography. This is something I am just getting into so I only used it for visual over 7-8 nights, still a lovely scope and worth consideration, as is my 115mm As said TEC make fine scopes too, Olly rates them very highly and I think he knows a thing or two about AP. BTW get back to us when eyepieces are on the shopping list.

[Whirlwind]

Congratulations  (and ever so slightly jealous...)

Keeping to the original post how about the new FSQ130?  Not quite as good light grasp as the TOA150 but ideal for imaging.  Depends on where the priorities are.

However if it is sooooo much money it really is ridiculous you could widen your plans a bit.  For example you could get a large Dobsonian (such an Obsession for visual observing, with suitable observatory) and then look at a remote link location for imaging (for example IC Astronomy and pay them to deal with all the set up issues) and really mount up a decent imaging set up - For example I'd go for something like an ASA DDM with a modified equatorial pier (no pier flip) and whatever imaging platform you prefer (I'd probably eye up a small RIFAST with a large CCD). 

That's all assuming you are going to stay in this country and deal with more cloudy nights than clear ones!

 

[DaveS]

If I could buy any mount I wanted (And I am in that position) it would be an ASA DDM85 Std. The Pro version has a greater payload but needs a special pier.

As for an Apo triplet, TEC or CFF come to mind. Both do 140 and 160mm models but the jump in price has to be considered carefully.

[John]

Congratulations on the substantial budget increase

I was in a similar postition last year. I don't image so I went for a couple of refractors that I felt would excell at visual observing. I'd owned 6" refractors before which I found a little too large and bulky for my taste so I stayed with a couple of slightly smaller apertures:

- Takahashi FC-100 DL - 100mm F/9 flourite doublet objective. This was bought new.

- TMB / LZOS 130mm F/9.2 triplet. This was bought pre-owned.

Both have proved superb performers and I'm delighted with them

 

[D Wright]

Thanks for all the replies. For now (new house and observatory next year) I need to think about portability. That why I thought EQ6-R and I think the scope would be around 100mm. I am very tempted with a Tak FSQ 106. I am not going to rush but will consider all scopes first.

[D Wright]

43 minutes ago, Whirlwind said:

That's all assuming you are going to stay in this country and deal with more cloudy nights than clear ones!

Yes I will be staying in this cold, cloudy, grey, miserable but stunningly beautiful country of ours

[Sp@ce_d]

I have to say, if you are into the bottomless pit that an obsession with AP becomes.... then “silly money” is not enough ?

Congrats on the early arrival of Xmas... enjoy ?

[TheMightyKong]

As it’s silly money how about 2 apos- one in the 6inch range, one smaller ( perhaps 3-4inch ish?) for grab and go, air travel, on days with little time, energy or partly cloudy weather and for wide field visual and AP; and a big dob for reach?  You’d possibly need a second dobservatory as well as an obsy for your fracs.  Bearing this in mind as you want something portable till you get the new house and obs next year - I suggest a smaller apo.

[Chris]

I you've got silly money to spend then I'd just go the whole hog and get a Tak or APM. Or there's a nice Astrophysics Starfire EDF 130 on ENS at the moment.

http://ensoptical.co.uk/astro-physics-130-edf 

[25585]

2 hours ago, alan potts said:

APM scopes are excellent but the price tags are high, I personally would look at the 150mm Espirit from Sky Watcher,I want one myself and I have one of the former mentioned.

Alan

The Esprit 150 is a forever frac I think. Not sure if my Skytee could support it sturdily enough though. But the 150 keeps singing a siren song to my savings!

[25585]

2 minutes ago, Lockie said:

I you've got silly money to spend then I'd just go the whole hog and get a Tak or APM. Or there's a nice Astrophysics Starfire EDF 130 on ENS at the moment.

http://ensoptical.co.uk/astro-physics-130-edf 

That v Esprit 150!

[Chris]

1 minute ago, 25585 said:

That v Esprit 150!

Starfire's don't turn up every day on the used market, and it would cool quicker and perform better with the average seeing conditions we 'enjoy' here. If I had a mountain top Obsy though I would pick the Esprit 150, or maybe an even bigger APO 

Not that the Esprit 150 isn't a dream scope, but if we're playing fantasy scope with lots of cash to burn  

[dweller25]

1 hour ago, D Wright said:

Thanks for all the replies. For now (new house and observatory next year) I need to think about portability. That why I thought EQ6-R and I think the scope would be around 100mm. I am very tempted with a Tak FSQ 106. I am not going to rush but will consider all scopes first.

IMHO a 100mm refractor for visual is a bit too small, I have a TSA102 and an FS128 and the visual difference is very noticeable, a 130mm like Johns excellent TMB LZOS is also a very good scope.

But if you are erring more towards AP then ther TAK FSQ 106 would be a great choice.

[25585]

4 minutes ago, Lockie said:

Starfire's don't turn up every day on the used market, and it would cool quicker and perform better with the average seeing conditions we 'enjoy' here. If I had a mountain top Obsy though I would pick the Esprit 150, or maybe an even bigger APO 

Not that the Esprit 150 isn't a dream scope, but if we're playing fantasy scope with lots of cash to burn  

I have a 100mm frac already. Another 30mm for the same money on an elderly pre-owned scope v another 50mm on a new one. 

Been there with binoculars (on a smaller scale) old 1974 Carl Zeiss beaten by new Bushnell bins.