127 Mak Vs 150 Mak

[Spier24]

Short question. What would the difference in observing ability be between a 127 Mak and a 150 Mak in bortle 7 skies?

[Louis D]

You would definitely see an improvement in resolution for planetary observing and a slight improvement for extended objects.  This would be especially true for Synta 127 Maks which only have 118mm of clear aperture while the revised Synta 150 Maks have properly sized primary mirrors to yield a true 150mm of clear aperture.

[Spier24]

12 hours ago, Louis D said:

You would definitely see an improvement in resolution for planetary observing and a slight improvement for extended objects.  This would be especially true for Synta 127 Maks which only have 118mm of clear aperture while the revised Synta 150 Maks have properly sized primary mirrors to yield a true 150mm of clear aperture.

Thanks. I'm trying to decide between a Skymax 127 and the Orion star seeker 150. Wanted to know if the difference is worth the extra £200

[Sky-searcher]

Hi Spier24, as Louis has mentioned, the extra aperture does improve on resolution. Both scopes are great. I have both at present. Just to note that the 150 is a total different beast. Physical size & weight of the 150 means it needs a sturdy mount , whereas the 127 is a lot more compact & can be used on quite light mounts making it good for grad & go. I would recommend the 150 if you have a suitable mount or go for the 127 if being more portable is better for you.

[Earl]

I fancy the 150, i did have a 180 but its a bit heavy for me now.

[Spier24]

2 hours ago, Sky-searcher said:

Hi Spier24, as Louis has mentioned, the extra aperture does improve on resolution. Both scopes are great. I have both at present. Just to note that the 150 is a total different beast. Physical size & weight of the 150 means it needs a sturdy mount , whereas the 127 is a lot more compact & can be used on quite light mounts making it good for grad & go. I would recommend the 150 if you have a suitable mount or go for the 127 if being more portable is better for you.

https://uk.telescope.com/mobileProduct/Orion-StarSeeker-IV-150mm-GoTo-Mak-Cass-with-Controller/115273.uts

That's the 150 I'm thinking of 

 

[Sky-searcher]

54 minutes ago, Spier24 said:

https://uk.telescope.com/mobileProduct/Orion-StarSeeker-IV-150mm-GoTo-Mak-Cass-with-Controller/115273.uts

That's the 150 I'm thinking of 

 

The Orion Mak is the same as skywatcher’s. They are both made by Synta in China as is the Celestron scopes. The Meade 150 Mak is also the same. 👍

[Spier24]

8 minutes ago, Sky-searcher said:

The Orion Mak is the same as skywatcher’s. They are both made by Synta in China as is the Celestron scopes. The Meade 150 Mak is also the same. 👍

I know about that, just wanting to make sure the mount will hold the scope well.

[Sky-searcher]

I have no experience with the mount. I would say it’s probably ok as it’s part of the package, but probably close to its limits with the 150 Mak. 

[Spier24]

On 15/02/2021 at 19:13, Sky-searcher said:

I have no experience with the mount. I would say it’s probably ok as it’s part of the package, but probably close to its limits with the 150 Mak. 

Yep the capacity of the mount is about 6kg and the 150 mak is 5kg

[johninderby]

The Skymax150 OTA with diagonal and 50mm finder is about 6.4kg and add a bit more for whatever eyepiece you would be using.

Edited February 18, 2021 by johninderby

[Spier24]

10 hours ago, johninderby said:

The Skymax150 OTA with diagonal and 50mm finder is about 6.4kg and add a bit more for whatever eyepiece you would be using.

Just had a look, the Orion 150 optical tube weighs in at about 5.5kg and the capacity of the star seeker IV mount is 6.0kg.