114 to a 130 telescope

[Neil H]

Hi guys would I see a difference if I jump from a powerseeker 114 eq1 to a skywatcher SK1309 eq2 telescope

[banjaxed]

You will nearly always get better images with a larger aperture but maybe you should consider moving up to a 150mm which would give you a marked improvement for not much more outlay.

[DaveL59]

I have now a tal-1 (110mm) and the SW130EQ2 and to be honest I don't see a huge difference between them image-wise. You may be able to tease out a little more detail in the 130 but it doesn't seem a huge leap. More experienced users can likely give a more informed opinion tho as I'm fairly new to scopes, depends on your expectations and the quality of the 114 you're thinking to move up from.

Should ask too, visual or are you thinking photography as the 150 would likely be a lot better for the latter tho it'd need a decent mount to go with it.

Edited January 19, 2020 by DaveL59

[RT65CB-SWL]

Q1. What is your budget ? - If you can afford it go for the 6” or bigger and an EQ3/2 or better mount wise.

Q2. Portable or  permenant setup ?

Q3. Do you plan on astrophotography now or later ? - If “yes” then the mount is the foundation. Be prepared for a steep learning curve. So get something that will last you a few years if you decide to upgrade the OTA in the future. The EQ3/2 is ok for basic stuff i.e. lunar/solar/planetary, but not so good for deep-sky stuff.

Edited January 20, 2020 by Philip R

[joe aguiar]

I agree with others going from a 4.5 to 5.1 is not going to be a huge difference. Its gonna be small.  I also agree if u upgrade then next step is 150mm size, a eq3 or4 is fine for that size.

Joejaguar