Best Apo Scope under 800$

[TiffsAndAstro]

9 hours ago, AstroMuni said:

At that time it was the Celestron Astromaster 130EQ mounted on an HEQ5. Here are some of my images. If you are after planetary images, a friend of mine, Mark uses the ASI224 extensively for this and his images can be seen on https://www.youtube.com/c/RefreshingViews

 

Is the Astromaster 130EQ a parabaloidal mirror? Not a spherical one?

[AstroMuni]

13 hours ago, TiffsAndAstro said:

Is the Astromaster 130EQ a parabaloidal mirror? Not a spherical one?

I have heard that its spherical and there are a few posts out there stating its parabolic. So short answer - Dont know. 🙂 But I did manage to get decent images with it albeit focuser was a challenge, so a bit of hit and miss. But I did enjoy the journey.

[TiffsAndAstro]

1 hour ago, AstroMuni said:

I have heard that its spherical and there are a few posts out there stating its parabolic. So short answer - Dont know. 🙂 But I did manage to get decent images with it albeit focuser was a challenge, so a bit of hit and miss. But I did enjoy the journey.

Thanks Google says yes and no

 

[Louis D]

On 06/09/2024 at 03:32, TiffsAndAstro said:

Thanks Google says yes and no

 

Run it through one of them thar new fangled AI websites to see what it has to say. 😉

[TiffsAndAstro]

7 hours ago, Louis D said:

Run it through one of them thar new fangled AI websites to see what it has to say. 😉

Yes, the Celestron Astromaster 130EQ telescope has a spherical primary mirror. This is typical for many entry-level telescopes, as spherical mirrors are easier to manufacture but can introduce some optical aberrations compared to parabolic mirrors. For most casual astronomy enthusiasts, the performance of a spherical mirror in a telescope like the Astromaster 130EQ is generally satisfactory.

Also

No, the Celestron Astromaster 130EQ does not have a parabolic primary mirror; it has a spherical primary mirror. Parabolic mirrors are often used in higher-end telescopes because they correct spherical aberration and provide sharper images. The Astromaster 130EQ, being an entry-level telescope, uses a spherical mirror, which is more cost-effective but may introduce some optical aberrations.

 

Pretty decent answers. If accurate

 

 

 

[CheshireChris]

I've been doing some research on a suitable APO for a low(ish) price that is also easily transported. For DSOs - l have no interest in planetary imaging.

Doublet or Triplet? I've seen several posts (on another forum) saying fast doublets are not good because of 'physical limitations' without offering any explanation. I've been looking at The William Optics ZenithStar 61 Mk II - with a flattener they come in at <£1k. Would a doublet of this nature be a dead end? Or would a better option be spend a bit more and get a triplet? It's early days; l won't be making a purchase until next year; it doesn't have to be William Optics and l have some budget flexibility.

Chris

Edited September 8 by CheshireChris
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