Complementary scope advice

[Coxy80]

I have a Rowan AZ75 mount set up with a fantastic Starfield 102mm f/7 ED Doublet Refractor that I am enjoying very much. I would like to purchase another scope that would complement the refractor and go on the other side of the mount ideally something with some more aperture to view some deep sky objects. This set up will be purely for visual. 

Does anyone have any suggestions of what to look at ??

Thanks in advance! 

 

[DeanCJ]

Hi Coxy

My wife and I have the Altair Starwave version of your scope albeit with fpl 51 glass. We also have a Skywatcher az-eq5 mount. We often use this in alt-az dual saddle configuration, this is rated I believe at 15 kg per side, and pair the refractor with a Celestron 8”sct, the mount handles this size/weight combination easily. We find that 8” really starts to show dso’s well and compliments the refractor very well. 
we also have a 127 Mak but tend not to use this much as the views are quite similar, on really good nights the Mak will be better on lunar and planetary, but not by much, and on most nights the refractor is better, the Ring Nebula for example, in the Mak l use averted vision more but with the refractor it kind of just pops out without. I think this is where the central obstruction and contrast comes into play. 
So, if you are thinking about a Mak or sct I would be thinking about 150mm or bigger, bearing in mind, an 8”sct weighs more or less the same as a 150 Mak, but has greater aperture, this was for us a better mounting option.

Hope this is helpful.

 

[Carbon Brush]

Hi. My thoughts are in a different direction.
A big reflector will gather the light, like an SCT. However, the faster focal ratio producing wider views may be better suited to a manual mount.
Especially if you combine it with wide AFOV eyepieces.
However, if you have the encoder/Nexus add ons, the argument tilts towrds the SCT.

Why not buy a battered old 8" newt and give it a try?
You can sell it on at little or no loss.
I would offer you loan of an 8" or 10" scope, having a couple of old ones in need of TLC. But you are a long way from me.

[Coxy80]

On 29/01/2023 at 19:23, DeanCJ said:

Hi Coxy

My wife and I have the Altair Starwave version of your scope albeit with fpl 51 glass. We also have a Skywatcher az-eq5 mount. We often use this in alt-az dual saddle configuration, this is rated I believe at 15 kg per side, and pair the refractor with a Celestron 8”sct, the mount handles this size/weight combination easily. We find that 8” really starts to show dso’s well and compliments the refractor very well. 
we also have a 127 Mak but tend not to use this much as the views are quite similar, on really good nights the Mak will be better on lunar and planetary, but not by much, and on most nights the refractor is better, the Ring Nebula for example, in the Mak l use averted vision more but with the refractor it kind of just pops out without. I think this is where the central obstruction and contrast comes into play. 
So, if you are thinking about a Mak or sct I would be thinking about 150mm or bigger, bearing in mind, an 8”sct weighs more or less the same as a 150 Mak, but has greater aperture, this was for us a better mounting option.

Hope this is helpful.

 

Cheers Dean I had thought about an Celestron C8 XLT, need to get saving or look for a second hand one. 

[Coxy80]

8 hours ago, Carbon Brush said:

Hi. My thoughts are in a different direction.
A big reflector will gather the light, like an SCT. However, the faster focal ratio producing wider views may be better suited to a manual mount.
Especially if you combine it with wide AFOV eyepieces.
However, if you have the encoder/Nexus add ons, the argument tilts towrds the SCT.

Why not buy a battered old 8" newt and give it a try?
You can sell it on at little or no loss.
I would offer you loan of an 8" or 10" scope, having a couple of old ones in need of TLC. But you are a long way from me.

Thanks an 8" newt would certainly be cheaper, would it not put the eyepiece in awkward position in relation to the refractor ??

[Mandy D]

12 hours ago, Coxy80 said:

Thanks an 8" newt would certainly be cheaper, would it not put the eyepiece in awkward position in relation to the refractor ??

An RC will give more aperture and put the eyepiece in the same place as a refractor. I'm not sure how the focal length would suit your requirements, as the iOpton RC6 is 1370 mm and the RC8 is 1624 mm, but you can get focal reducers for them.