Scope for planets on Skytee mount

[Sirius Starwatcher]

I am looking for recommendations to put a scope on my Skytee II mount with heavy duty tripod. Scopes main use will be observation only on the planets. I’m looking for sharper views and less coma that I am getting with my 120 star travel. 

[johninderby]

What budget?

Are thinking of a refractor or something else?

[John]

Lots of options for this. A budget plus any preferences you have will help narrow things down though.

[Sirius Starwatcher]

Budget is whatever the recommended scope is. Not fussed about frac/ Mak etc looking for recommendation based on opening question

[johninderby]

Can very highly recommend this scope for planetary. Unlike a mak doesn’t have a corrector so cools down  faster and no dew problems. Fixed primary so no mirror flop and a proper refractor type dual speed focuser.

https://www.teleskop-express.de/shop/product_info.php/language/en/info/p10753_TS-Optics-8--f-12-Cassegrain-telescope-203-2436-mm-OTA.html

Love mine. I upgraded from a Skymax 180 and it is better on the moon and planets.

 

Edited September 13, 2020 by johninderby

[mikeDnight]

If budget isn't an issue and you want sharp, then a Takahashi FC100DC or FC100DF will be ideal. If you want to push the budget a little further, then a FC100DZ would be another option. If however the Tak prices are a little off putting, then a SW 100ED Pro or SW 120ED Pro would be a class act too. The fact that you mentioned you're looking for a sharp scope, then I'd suggest you think along the lines of an ED or fluorite refractor.

Edited September 13, 2020 by mikeDnight

[HollyHound]

If it helps, I started with an ST120 on my SkyTee, but have since had a Mak127, Mak150 and StellaMira 89mm ED f/10 onboard (sometimes with two scopes in parallel). All of these have proved to be great planetary scopes.

[John]

I use a Tak FC100-DL or a Skywatcher ED120 Pro on my Skytee II and they work extremely well on that mount. Very sharp views of the planets from both scopes. The Tak FC100-DZ that mike mentions would also be a superb choice. I guess a Tak TSA120 would also be really excellent.

A good alternative to a refractor would be the Mak-Cassegrain 150mm as mentioned above.

 

[Alan64]

3 hours ago, Sirius Starwatcher said:

I am looking for recommendations to put a scope on my Skytee II mount with heavy duty tripod. Scopes main use will be observation only on the planets. I’m looking for sharper views and less coma that I am getting with my 120 star travel. 

I think you mean less false-colour, rather than coma, being that the "Startravel" is a short-achromat, a refractor.  Gracious, at f/5 I think it is, with lots of "rainbows".  As you may know by now, the instrument is for the dimmer deep-sky delights, and so as not to rile it up.

For something a bit more down to Earth in outlay, for the brighter and brightest objects, like the Moon, the planets and super-stars...

https://www.firstlightoptics.com/bresser-telescopes/bresser-messier-ar-102l-1000-refractor-ota.html

...or... https://www.firstlightoptics.com/bresser-telescopes/bresser-messier-ar-127l-1200-refractor-ota.html

Although, both will exhibit some false-colour, the 127mm in particular, but not nearly as much as the one you have at present.

Another choice, and perhaps the best of all, would be a 127mm Maksutov...

https://www.firstlightoptics.com/maksutov/skywatcher-skymax-127-ota.html

...or... https://www.firstlightoptics.com/bresser-telescopes/bresser-messier-mc-127-1900-maksutov-cassegrain-ota.html (I have this one, and under the Explore Scientific marque)

A 127mm Maksutov is the "sweet spot" among the varying apertures of the design; an effective aperture, and reduced time in waiting for the telescope to adjust to the outdoor conditions prior to observing.

If you choose a Maksutov, you will want to get a dew-shield for it straight away; for example...

https://www.firstlightoptics.com/dew-prevention/astrozap-flexible-dew-shield.html

You don't want the meniscus(the front "lens") to dew up on humid nights.  It will also help to keep bugs, dirt and pollen at bay.

[HollyHound]

9 hours ago, Alan64 said:

A 127mm Maksutov is the "sweet spot" among the varying apertures of the design; an effective aperture, and reduced time in waiting for the telescope to adjust to the outdoor conditions prior to observing.

+1 for this. I love my Mak 127 and given its size, weight and cool down time, I prefer it to the Mak 150 (which I have in fact just sold).

Edited September 14, 2020 by HollyHound

[Alan64]

7 hours ago, HollyHound said:

+1 for this. I love my Mak 127 and given its size, weight and cool down time, I prefer it to the Mak 150 (which I have in fact just sold).

I had been wanting a Maksutov for a few years before I got my own, about a year ago or so.  It makes for a very good simulation of a 102mm f/19 or even a 115mm f/17 achromatic-refractor.  At focal-ratios like that, a refractor doesn't need exotic glasses to reduce or even to eliminate false-colour.  I had thought about a 150mm, but not for long.  For one, they're a bit more expensive, but the real reason was due to the longer acclimation period required prior to observing.

[Sirius Starwatcher]

Thank you to all who have offered advice to me. It was a useful exercise in showing how many variables need to be taken into account when deciding what equipment to,buy. I have had a number of scopes over the years my first one being a 200 P dobsonian. Having taken into account my wish list and reviewed the scopes that were suggested I have decided to go for the Skywatcher 200 P DS  on the Skytee mount. It fills my brief for aperture, ease of set up ( not as heavy as a dod) and will allow me to manually track my targets. Also there are a number of scopes unavailable at the moment with a long delivery time. I was very happy with the views from the dob I had a few years ago and I know that my existing eye piece collection suits the 200 P very well. 

[Alan64]

59 minutes ago, Sirius Starwatcher said:

Thank you to all who have offered advice to me. It was a useful exercise in showing how many variables need to be taken into account when deciding what equipment to,buy. I have had a number of scopes over the years my first one being a 200 P dobsonian. Having taken into account my wish list and reviewed the scopes that were suggested I have decided to go for the Skywatcher 200 P DS  on the Skytee mount. It fills my brief for aperture, ease of set up ( not as heavy as a dod) and will allow me to manually track my targets. Also there are a number of scopes unavailable at the moment with a long delivery time. I was very happy with the views from the dob I had a few years ago and I know that my existing eye piece collection suits the 200 P very well. 

I have a 200mm f/5 Newtonian myself, albeit unused.  It was a special order from the manufacturer, as the only 200mm OTA offered off their shelf was at either f/4 or f/6, and I wanted neither.

Keep in mind that your former 200mm "Dobsonian" was at f/6, and played well with your eyepieces.  The 200mm f/5 parabola will be a bit pickier as to what is used with it.  Hopefully it won't require more eyepieces.  If you have Plossls you should be good to go. 

Do you have any wide-angle eyepieces?

[Sirius Starwatcher]

1 hour ago, Alan64 said:

I have a 200mm f/5 Newtonian myself, albeit unused.  It was a special order from the manufacturer, as the only 200mm OTA offered off their shelf was at either f/4 or f/6, and I wanted neither.

Keep in mind that your former 200mm "Dobsonian" was at f/6, and played well with your eyepieces.  The 200mm f/5 parabola will be a bit pickier as to what is used with it.  Hopefully it won't require more eyepieces.  If you have Plossls you should be good to go. 

Do you have any wide-angle eyepieces?

I have one Panaview 32 mm

[RT65CB-SWL]

Here's my two 'Cat's' mounted on a Tele-Optic Giro...

left: Celestron C6/SCT-xlt - right: 're-modded' Meade ETX105.

The fun part is not to overtighten the alt & az axis when everything is 
balanced, for ease of tracking, etc.

[Alan64]

On 15/09/2020 at 15:21, Sirius Starwatcher said:

I have one Panaview 32 mm

I have that one as well...

...albeit under a differing marque.

My late father was able to see the galaxy in Andromeda, and through that very eyepiece.  Needless to say, I treasure it.

However, that was also through my 102mm f/8 refractor.  In any event, the 32mm will provide your lowest power, for the hunt, and at 31x.  It will help somewhat in augmenting the finder in same.

I have this 12mm 60°...

There, I have it barlowed, and for a simulated 4.3mm(174x), and through this 150mm f/5...

But that 12mm of my own has only four lens-elements, as it's older, from the early 1990s, "old school".  The modern 12mm 60° has five, and that should play well with your 200P-DS.  Then, there are short focal-length eyepieces with barlowing lens-elements(4mm or so), and at varying price-points.

A 150mm f/5 Newtonian is a bit picky about eyepieces in its own right, but a 200mm f/5 even more.  When you go up in aperture, yet at the same focal-ratio, the pickier a Newtonian can be.

I had a blast with that 150mm f/5 during the warmer months of 2015.  I think you will, too.

Edited September 23, 2020 by Alan64