New camera or visual?

[Simon Pepper]

Thanks to some folk on here I have sold some items and raised some funds for new equipment. I can’t decide what path to take do I purchase the on sale 2600 from FLO or should I dabble in visual and get the 9.25 Celestron non edge for visual and perhaps some planetary? Clear nights have been bad recently so visual does seem tempting but will I be disappointed trying visual coming from imager? Thoughts and opinions would be appreciated here? Thanks Simon 

Edited December 31, 2023 by Simon Pepper

[happy-kat]

do you use your 127mm mak for visual already?

[Simon Pepper]

Never done visual before I use my 127 triplet and Redcat for imaging. 

[RobertI]

Your existing 4”/5” scopes would be fine to start visual with, but assuming they are tied up with imaging, looks like you are  after a good all round scope(s) to see what aspects of visual appeal to you? My feeling is that the 9.25, while a good scope, is pretty expensive for the aperture, and is not good for wide field. For that price you could buy a nice 10” dob for faint fuzzies AND a 4”/5” apo for wide field and solar system AND some good binoculars. But if you have your heart set on a 9.25 it will do faint fuzzies and solar system pretty well.

I think there are lots of visual treats that imaging cannot match, such as the beautiful views of stars/cluster/doubles, particular provided by refractors, the 3D lunar and planetary views through a bino-viewer, the explosion of globular clusters through a larger aperture and sweeping the Milky Way with binoculars. And the reward of seeing challenging objects at the limit of visibility is also an attraction to many. 

 

[ollypenrice]

An inexpensive and intuitive Dob might mean you could have both. The SCT for visual is a little restricted by its long focal length.

Olly

[Elp]

Personally I'd try with your triplet before buying another scope, it's highly likely you'll find you don't need anything else. Refractors are hard to beat for smallish form factor and pin sharp views.

[Simon Pepper]

I have had my heart set on a 9.25 for a long time, so its interesting you guys saying its not great for visual. Perhaps I convert my ES127 triplet back into a visual scope instead then? I don't really have the space for a dob which is why I have not gone down that route.  I prefer taking images so I guess ultimately I would invest in a OAG, Starizona reducer at some point for the 9.25. I watched a video earlier from Ed Ting "Edge or not to Edge" and the differences were minor and I cant justify the over £1000 more.

[Simon Pepper]

2 minutes ago, Elp said:

Personally I'd try with your triplet before buying another scope, it's highly likely you'll find you don't need anything else. Refractors are hard to beat for smallish form factor and pin sharp views.

Thanks Elp I reckon you 're right and probably the safest bet before I buy any new gear. Can you recommend any eye pieces to start? I sold my diagonal as well, so going to need to get a new one! 

[Elp]

You could get a C8 or similar, at least it'll have the option of visual or imaging (planets natively, DSO via the F6.3 reducer and DSO Hyperstar F2 with added lens). I do this with my C6. But as a visual option even though it's my larger aperture I prefer to view via my Starfield or Z61 due to what Olly said, hence also the recommendation to stick to what you've got, the SCT will be a more "mushier" view in comparison. From my experience views are best in this order, apo refractor, Newtonian, acro refractor (a premium acro refractor will likely be a similar visual experience to an apo which you only tend to notice the difference between them photographically), then SCT (likely mak and RC are better than the SCT but I've never had those).

Eyepieces are extremely subjective. Do you wear glasses? I started budget but have very slowly changed to two Pentax XWs for their long eye relief, with my Barlow's I don't really need any more premium ones (yes light intensity decreases with their use), I have one or two more "budget" eyepieces completing the FL range set. Baader Morpheus are also highly regarded. For more budget, Celestron Xcel LX, Vixen NPLs and BST Starguiders are good.

Edited December 31, 2023 by Elp

[RobertI]

For many visual observers, a 127 apo would be all the scope they need (me included!). 

[jjohnson3803]

6 hours ago, Simon Pepper said:

Perhaps I convert my ES127 triplet back into a visual scope instead then? I don't really have the space for a dob which is why I have not gone down that route.  

I'm a confirmed refractor fan so I am biased, but a 127mm triplet should show you some very nice views.  Visual won't ever be able to match what you can do with long exposures, stackers, etc., but it's very relaxing compared to futzing with uncooperative technology. 

 

[Deadlake]

As you have said not many clear nights, the ES127 is a scope you can take out and it will acclimate very quickly, allowing you to take advantage of available clear nights or periods of good seeing.

I have a C11 and it takes a while to be acclimated, apart from NV usage it gets little use on planets as the view is not as sharp as an APO. 

However where the C11 wins is the depth it can go, just so many more stars that are visible.

The C9.25 is actual the best visual SCT in the line up due to the smaller corrector plate resulting in the highest contrast.

I would take the advice above and not buy anything until I found out how visual astronomy worked for me.

If that was a route I wanted to go down, I'd probable get a mount that would allow faster setup then the EQ5 or EQ6 mounts.

A C9.25 would be a great companion to the ES127.