Next Scope for Deepsky?

[paulferris1964]

Got back into astronomy this year after a long absence, and have happily been using a Skymax 127 to view and image the planets and the moon over the last few months.

Inevitably, aperture fever is beginning to take hold, and I am considering buying a secondhand second scope more suitable for deepsky objects. I don't really want a Dob, as the size of the tube is likely to present storage problems, and I would like to do some imaging. An SCT springs to mind, but again I don't want anything too large or heavy, as it will not be a permanent setup. Many years ago I had a 12" LX200 and that was a beast of a scope.

So I guess I'm probably looing at something around 8", perhaps on an equatorial mount such as an HEQ5 Pro. I'm told Maks of 7" aperture take forever to cool down. Celestron seem to have manufactured many, many different versions of an 8" SCT, which is rather confusing, but they seem to be a good deal cheaper than Meade.

Has anyone any recommendations in the 8" SCT category, or otherwise that might fit my (rather non-specific) needs? Not looking to spend the Earth, so I'm ruling out 'Edge' versions and similar.

Thanks

 

[michael.h.f.wilkinson]

I have a 1995 Celestron C8, on a Vixen Great Polaris mount, which has served me well over 28 years. Easy to set up, holds collimation superbly, great planetary imager, great all-round visual scope (lacking only in wide-field observing, but my little 80mm APO triplet does that well). If you can afford it, an EdgeHD version gives better correction.  For visual and planetary/lunar imaging the Great Polaris mount suffices, so I assume the Celestron AVX mount or a SkyWatcher EQ5 should do.

For imaging DSOs, I use either the APM 80 mm F/6 triplet (usually with 0.8x reducer), or the Meade 6" F/5 Schmidt Newton (and the latter usually on a Vixen GP-DX mount)

[Mr Spock]

Stella Lyra 8" f4 on an EQ5. Very light and portable. I have the matching coma corrector which works perfectly.

[paulferris1964]

Many thanks, Michael in the Netherlands. Is your C8 an f/10?

Does it have a specific model name? Not sure if it's true, but I've heard that some C8s are better than others. Very interested to hear that it keeps its collimation well, as that's a major attraction of my small Mak.

[paulferris1964]

Thanks Michael in Stannington. I've heard of, but know nothing about, Stella Lyra scopes. I assume your 8" is a Newtonian? At f/4, it looks like the tube length is quite manageable, so that's now got me thinking about fast Newts, too.

I had an old Russian 4.5" Newtonian years ago, which gave great views, but despite it being built like a tank, it required frequent collimation. How's your Stella Lyra in that regard?

Was the matching coma corrector expensive?

[Mr Spock]

12 minutes ago, paulferris1964 said:

Thanks Michael in Stannington. I've heard of, but know nothing about, Stella Lyra scopes. I assume your 8" is a Newtonian? At f/4, it looks like the tube length is quite manageable, so that's now got me thinking about fast Newts, too.

I had an old Russian 4.5" Newtonian years ago, which gave great views, but despite it being built like a tank, it required frequent collimation. How's your Stella Lyra in that regard?

Was the matching coma corrector expensive?

The scope is £499 and coma corrector £99 https://www.firstlightoptics.com/stellalyra-telescopes/stellalyra-8-f-4-m-lrn-newtonian-reflector-with-2-focuser.html That link also gives you a field of view simulator for different cameras.

An f4 Newtonian does require collimation to perform. I do this with a laser collimator before each session. 

[jjohnson3803]

I sold it awhile back, but my classic (circa 1982) C8 was a very good scope IMO.  With the EQ wedge and stock tripod it was a bit of a pig to move around, but I do miss that simple clock drive and usable setting circles.  No electronics to burn out, no buggy software, etc.

 

 

[Elp]

My "big" scope is a C6, together with the hem15 everything I need for AP fits in the one (largish) backpack, CF tripod in hand. This is out of choice, I think a C8 might be too large for me as I setup fresh every time.

[paulferris1964]

The StellaLyra 8" looks very interesting, Michael - and affordable new.

Anyone else have any thoughts, in addition to a C8 and a fast Newtonian?