Battle of the 127 Maks and 5 inch SCTs

[nightfisher]

Just to chip in after owning a huge amount of scopes including some rather nice ones, i settled on a SW 127 skymax and really happy with it

[Mr Spock]

On 17/06/2020 at 18:57, Stu said:

.at least at the moment I know you are ‘up north’ somewhere...

No, down south. You are all southerners 😜

[Mr Spock]

The thing to remember about Maks is due to the negative light path of the corrector, the primary has to be larger than the corrector.

The OMC-140 for example has a 140mm corrector and a 150mm primary and therefore is correctly described as a 140mm. Other similar Maks measure the primary (150mm) so claim to be 150mm when they aren't.  The same applies to the 127 as some have found by measurement.

[GazOC]

@Mr Spock  Has anyone measured a Skywatcher 150mm primary or effective aperture? They don't seem to get mentioned as much as the 127 or 180 for some reason

Edited June 24, 2020 by GazOC
Typo

[Mr Spock]

Not that I know of. I'd be surprised if it was far from 140mm on the corrector plate and 150mm on the primary 

[nfotis]

I am a newcomer (just bought a used Skymax 127, planning to buy a mount as well), but this little scope is lots of fun and quite portable.

Check for the field of view attained with the Skymax 127 in the classic calculator:

https://astronomy.tools/calculators/field_of_view/

With a 24mm eyepiece, you get the moon disk filling your view. With a 7mm eyepiece (58 degrees) you should be able to see Jupiter as a disk (214x magnification)

If you want larger views, the Skymax 150 offers a nice focal length, at the same f-ratio (I have to admit, I am tempted to try the Skymax 180, maybe with a HEQ5 mount)

 

N.F.

[JeremyS]

I'm still coming to terms with the revelation about @johninderby in this thread. Probably because of my mild dyslexia, I thought for years he was John Hinderby. Only more recently has he been known in my household as John "The Handle" Inderby.

🙂

 

[sputniksteve]

On 28/06/2020 at 12:14, nfotis said:

I am a newcomer (just bought a used Skymax 127, planning to buy a mount as well), but this little scope is lots of fun and quite portable.

Check for the field of view attained with the Skymax 127 in the classic calculator:

https://astronomy.tools/calculators/field_of_view/

With a 24mm eyepiece, you get the moon disk filling your view. With a 7mm eyepiece (58 degrees) you should be able to see Jupiter as a disk (214x magnification)

If you want larger views, the Skymax 150 offers a nice focal length, at the same f-ratio (I have to admit, I am tempted to try the Skymax 180, maybe with a HEQ5 mount)

 

N.F.

Might we expect to see some surface detail on Jupiter with a 127?

[Ags]

There is tons of detail to see in a Mak 102 let alone a 127. Just be aware the colors and banding are very subtle so take your time to examine what you are seeing, and wait for the air to momentarily stabilize. Getting critical focus can be a challenge with Jupiter, my technique to get best focus is to focus on the moons not the planet. 

Edited July 3, 2020 by Ags

[John]

35 minutes ago, sputniksteve said:

Might we expect to see some surface detail on Jupiter with a 127?

I've seen surface detail on Jupiter with a 60mm refractor so 127mm is plenty. Sometimes the details take time to tease out though so  be prepared to spend time studying the planet carefully for some time to get the best from it. The Great Red Spot for example can prove quite elusive even when it is on "our" side of Jupiter.

 

[sputniksteve]

3 hours ago, Ags said:

There is tons of detail to see in a Mak 102 let alone a 127. Just be aware the colors and banding are very subtle so take your time to examine what you are seeing, and wait for the air to momentarily stabilize. Getting critical focus can be a challenge with Jupiter, my technique to get best focus is to focus on the moons not the planet. 

Great tip, thanks

[wormix]

I have a deforked Meade ETX125 which I love, although focus can be a bit of a pain. 
 

Long term plan is a Wegat back just because I’m a bit of a tart. 
 

Personally I think they are the best looking Maks too 

 

 

[sputniksteve]

Very very nooice

Edited July 3, 2020 by sputniksteve

[CCD-Freak]

I had a Meade ETX 125 with the Wegat mods and was very pleased with it.  The lunar and planetary views were "most impressive".  When placed on my CI-700 mount is was rock stable.

I sold it in a fit of aperture fever and have regretted it ever since.  😪