New Scope Suggestions

[pkentwindsurf]

Morning All,

I'm in the market for a scope to fit in between my SW ED80 (f7.5) and a GSO 12 inch Dobsonian (f5).

I've been chatting to FLO and Chris has been hugely helpful. But as this is a bit of an investment I'd appreciate a few more thoughts from a few of you out there.

FLO recommended a StellaMira ed125 which does indeed look like a lovely spec scope and I'm very drawn to this one (I do love the crisp views through my ed80).

I'm purely a visual observer and I enjoy looking at everything from DSO's, Double Stars to Solar system stuff.

I just wondered if others had any suggestions for scopes I may not have looked at and how it fits with my current scopes? Mount I have is an Heq5 pro.

Cheers,

Pete

[Elp]

At this sort of price range and for the crispest views you've got a choice of refractors in no particular order:

Askar 103/120/140 triplets,

Takahashi FC100 doublet,

Starfield 102 doublet (which I've got, it's excellent).

If you're willing to give up some FOV a Celestron Edge HD8. A C6 also works well but I find it's FOV restrictive for DSO, the 100mm refractor is far more comfortable to use.

 

 

Edited March 14 by Elp

[John]

If I was in your position now I would be looking very seriously at the Stellamira 125 ED doublet as well. When I was (quite a few years back) a good 125/127 mm refractor was not within my budget so I ended up with an ED120 instead. That was excellent and I use it a lot. 

The Stellamira 125 should be handled by your HEQ5 without any drama.

 

 

[pkentwindsurf]

1 hour ago, Elp said:

At this sort of price range and for the crispest views you've got a choice of refractors in no particular order:

Askar 103/120/140 triplets,

Takahashi FC100 doublet,

Starfield 102 doublet (which I've got, it's excellent).

If you're willing to give up some FOV a Celestron Edge HD8. A C6 also works well but I find it's FOV restrictive for DSO, the 100mm refractor is far more comfortable to use.

 

 

I actually hadn't considered a 102, that Starfield one is available at FLO, sounds like a great scope and a great price.

[M40]

Just to confirm that the sm125mm will sit very nicely on your heq5. Due to the weather, I have only had a brief moment to compare the sm125mm with the skymax180, which was the other telescope I was going to suggest as it also sits nicely on an heq5, but using a 5mm and barlow with the sm125mm on Jupiter was quite impressive. All the best.

[cajen2]

4 hours ago, Elp said:

At this sort of price range and for the crispest views you've got a choice of refractors in no particular order:

Askar 103/120/140 triplets,

Takahashi FC100 doublet,

Starfield 102 doublet (which I've got, it's excellent).

If you're willing to give up some FOV a Celestron Edge HD8. A C6 also works well but I find it's FOV restrictive for DSO, the 100mm refractor is far more comfortable to use.

 

 

I have the Starfield and it's truly great.....but in your position, I'd get the StellaMira 125. It doesn't weigh much more and you get a whole 23mm more aperture.

[DirkSteele]

I think the 125mm is a good shout. It will fit nicely between the scopes, be a big step up from the 80 in terms of performance but not too big in physical size such that your mount will handle it and you still get that special view that only refractors seem to deliver. Once you go above 5” in refractor land, things big and heavy and difficult to use quite quickly.

 

Edited March 14 by DirkSteele
Typo

[dweller25]

A Mewlon 180 would play nicely with your 80mm and 300mm scopes.