Aperture comparisons with different types of Telescopes.

[Guest]

Last week I posted a brief observing report using my 80 mm Equinox ED refractor. I observed M81 & M82 using a 22 mm Nagler eyepiece. The image scale was smallish I grant you. But I did enjoy the black sky background and high contrast image. Very crisp indeed of these two galaxies. It did show a fair amount of detail, hints of dust lanes. This was a very dark sky and good seeing. A few nights later I was out observing with my eight inch F4. 5 Newtonian. Viewing M81 & M 82 also The Orion Nebula. The image scale of the two galaxies was larger than what I observed with the 80 mm ED (using the same 22 mm Nagler eyepiece). But the contrast was down. The image was not as crisp. 

It revealed The Orion Nebula nicely. But did not resolve the central four stars cleanly. 

Now the debate about aparture winning may well be true. But for my personel taste, the refractor view was more preferable. So I guess that there are no hard and fast rules. It's personel choice when it comes to aperture. Granted a much, much larger Newtonian may give added contrast and crispness of image. 

I have though parted company with two longer length refractors in recent times. But I will be looking at the 102 mm F 7 ED doublet refractor  as a manageable alternative to the longer tube refractors. A shorter tube assembly. My 8 inch Newtonian with heavy mount is increasingly less manageable. 

Edited February 24, 2020 by Guest
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[Peter Drew]

 Small telescopes generally give aesthetically better looking images than large ones for several reasons but mostly to do with seeing conditions. A long focus small reflector can give very nice star images, seldom seen in 8" or larger reflectors.  I have a good 8.5" refractor, it takes a very good night of seeing to match the star image quality of a good 4" refractor.  A 8" reflector should easily show the 4 stars of the Trapezium well on any occasion plus the 2 extra ones E & F on a decent night.  Always an excuse for owning a small and large telescope.   😀