What telescope to purchase?

[Guest]

I own an OO UK VX8. It gives great views of the night sky. I have left it at the in laws in Dorset. Here there is every opportunity to observe from the zenith right down to the horizon most of the time.

Most of my telescope observing is carried out in my garden in hertfordshire. My garden has fencing and shrubs which limits the observable sky to about 40 degrees and above. Here I enjoy using my 80mm Equinox refractor. But there are many times that I would like a larger apature telescope that would give much brighter views of deep sky objects. 

I have thought of a large Dobsonian. But they are positioned low down and would have a restricted field of view. For example the fence looking north would obscure the double cluster.

My 80mm positioned on a higher tripod allows me to see the double cluster.

I was about to order a six inch f5 Newtonian but feel that the light grasp would be a little disappointing.

An 8 inch SCT does have a greater light gathering power and can be mounted on a higher tripod compared to a Dobsonian.

So what to get. Larger refractors tend to be very long and heavy.

[Alan White]

A six inch / 150mm f5 does grab enough light, rather like using my one Martin.
Also so much easier to store and move about, especially an OOUK one.
 

[Stargazer McCabe]

If I had a pound for every time you have asked this question Martin I'd be able to buy you whatever you wanted 🤣

Hope you finally resolve your conundrum one day 👍

[Guest]

5 hours ago, Stargazer McCabe said:

If I had a pound for every time you have asked this question Martin I'd be able to buy you whatever you wanted 🤣

Hope you finally resolve your conundrum one day 👍

Ha. I know exactly where you are coming from. Just like a scratched record is me.I will shut up one day lol.

I have thought of bringing the 8 inch OO UK scope home and building an observing platform.

Edited June 13, 2020 by Guest

[JG777]

Perhaps thats the answer Martin, bring the OO8 back and drop the Equinox off in Dorset! I thought you had a 4 inch Vixen and a 127 Mak?

[mikeDnight]

A 150 F5 reflector would make a nice DSO scope with oodles of fuzzies within its reach. A short F ratio 200mm would also be good but obviously a little more difficult to mount high. Both would give much sharper star images than a 200mm SCT. Perhaps a 180mm Maksutov Cassegrain would fit the bill if you want a largish aperture in a smaller package? 

[nightfisher]

Grumpy, i think you are in the lead over me for what telescope, and lets be honest, i have owned a lot over the years, way to many, i was like this looking for the holy grail, and now i find it in the skymax 127, though im not saying it would be what your looking for, but a case of choose a scope that can deliver and work to get the best from it.

 

A raised observing platform could be a good investment, and could be  a nice feature in the garden, maybe it could double as a place to have the garden table an chairs during the nice weather, good luck finding what you are looking for, maybe a 6" F4 newt would be a good fuzzy hunter

[Guest]

1 hour ago, nightfisher said:

Grumpy, i think you are in the lead over me for what telescope, and lets be honest, i have owned a lot over the years, way to many, i was like this looking for the holy grail, and now i find it in the skymax 127, though im not saying it would be what your looking for, but a case of choose a scope that can deliver and work to get the best from it.

 

A raised observing platform could be a good investment, and could be  a nice feature in the garden, maybe it could double as a place to have the garden table an chairs during the nice weather, good luck finding what you are looking for, maybe a 6" F4 newt would be a good fuzzy hunter

Hi nightfisher. You are right. I have tried quite a few telescopes over the years.JG mentioned that I had a Vixen frac and a Bresser Mak. But did not enjoy using them. I am looking for a telescope to settle with.

[Alan White]

34 minutes ago, Grumpy Martian said:

I am looking for a telescope to settle with.

🤣 As is everyone else......
The never ending saga of scopes and eyepieces.

[John]

1 hour ago, Grumpy Martian said:

.... I am looking for a telescope to settle with.

Get a Tak FC100 DZ. You then know that you have the best currently available 4 inch refractor in the world today and anything that you don't like is your own weakness, not the scopes

 

[Guest]

9 minutes ago, John said:

Get a Tak FC100 DZ. You then know that you have the best currently available 4 inch refractor in the world today and anything that you don't like is your own weakness, not the scopes

 

But I am perfect with no weaknesses. How very dare you lol😜

[Highburymark]

Difficult to beat an 8” SCT in my opinion Martin, though I can’t claim to have much experience with Newtonians. I’m very happy with smaller apertures, but a good C8 does most things very well I reckon. Light and easy to mount - even on a camera tripod with a giro mount. Superb on Moon and planets. Good light gathering ability - but not super slow like a Mak so decent fov and a capable dso scope. Would also complement your OO and Equinox - three very different but excellent telescopes.

[mikeDnight]

What about a nice classical Cassegrain, with its large aperture and manageable tube length?  I would rather use a good refractor of 4" to 6" than any other type of scope, because that's where I'm happiest. And I'd rather use a good 4" refractor than a good 10" reflector virtually every time. But were not all alike and the observer himself is the greatest variable. One size doesn't fit all! Go with your heart!