Skywatcher 150MAK / 127MAK or Celestron nexstar 6 ??? Help !

[bobafett]

Looking to get a new scope in the next few days - read a few reviews online but still unsure what to go for.

GOTO is essential.

I have it down to these 4...........

Skywatcher 127 MAK on AZ GOTO mount - £350

Skywatcher 127 MAK on EQ3PRO GOTO mount - £650

Skywatcher 150 MAK on EQ5 mount - £860

Celestron nexstar 6 SCT on AZ GOTO mount - £710

Like the idea of a 6" OTA but love the price of the 127MAK on the GOTO mount at £350 ! LOL !

Any help, advice, opinions would be greatly appreciated - many thanks

[sn00p]

i have the skymax 127 and it is a good scope... if i had the cash i would like a better tripod/mount but the stocker is "ok" "acceptible" just be prepared for gusts of wind to produce wobble, make sure its planeted down to solid ground and NOT on decking (yep tried that lol) maybe hang some weight on it to sturdy and you will still get some wobble when focusing which is annoying at high mag but focus and wait a few seconds to settle and then re-adjust... im in the process of building a pier mount for the garden and using the tripod for field trips... thats my ONLY gripe apart from the instructions lol... check here Stargazers Lounge - SkyMax 127's

im sure the 150 and 6 sct are better scopes but remember youll bewanting to upgrade EP's buying all the starter equipment like charge tanks, torch, maps, webcam, filters the list just goes on and on. that extra inch is nice but comes at a price.... if its was between 5" and 8" id jump at the 8" but i can live with the 127 and tripod at that price :-) btw im new to all this so dont take my word as gospel... portability has never become so important to me andunder estimated since visiting darker skies so take that in to consideration. Re the GOTO i undertsnad you there but youll get a whole load of other views on that so be prepared to change your mind a dozen times or so :-)

[Chris H]

Get the biggest aperture you can afford. The Celestron 6SE looks a highly portable scope and comes on the same mount as the 8SE so the mount will be solid and sturdy.

There is a review of it here.

Celestron NexStar 6 SE Schmidt-Cassegrain

If you could live without GOTO you could get a scope with an 8" or 10" mirror which would show you a lot for much less than the 6SE.

[BazMark]

I also have the Skymax 127 GoTo scope.

I can't compare it to the 150 but it has proved to be a capable scope providing me with some superb views of the moon and planets, and some very good views of some of the brighter DSOs. (Double stars and open star clusters)

I view from fairly light polluted skies so if you get to use one from a good dark site then I'd imagine you could see so much more.

[great_bear]

With the AZ GoTo mount you can stuff the whole lot into a backpack and pretty easily carry it up a hillside. I wouldn't like to attempt that with the EQ5 model!

Of course, the AZ GoTo also wobbles a bit in the wind, and (as someone else pointed out) wobbles a bit when focussing.

The portability factor is a huge plus though - as is the faff-free set-up (compared to an EQ model)

[bobafett]

Thanks for the replies

I should have started by saying that I do already own a Skywatcher 120 Refractor which gets little use due to it's cumbersome shape and size so I am hearing the portability argument loud and clear. It's a shame that the Skywatcher 150MAK doesn't have an AZ GOTO mount option as that may have been the sweet spot for price/equipment.

So considering I can use the EQ3 mount from my 120 refractor if I'm ever in a none-GOTO mood as it should be man enough for any of the OTA's above, mounts aside how would you say the 3 OTA's stack up against eachother ? How do you think the two 6" models would compare side by side ? Advantages or drawbacks between them ? And the 127MAK is the difference really twice as much as reflected in the price when moving up from this to say the nexstar ???

I suppose with the 150MAK and 6" SCT then its a MAK v SCT thing ? Which is better purely from an OTA perspective would you say ?

Sorry for all the questions it's just I want to get it "right" this time and end up with something I'll use on a more regular basis. I also have a short tube 80mm refractor and that gets lots of use but I want convenience AND nice views !

As a side note - do you think the mount for the nexstar 6 (with being the same mount they use for the 8) would be man enough to hold my 120 refractor or is that a no-go

Thanks in advance !

[great_bear]

It's a shame that the Skywatcher 150MAK doesn't have an AZ GOTO mount option

The 150 is past the weight limit of the SW AZ GoTo mount.

[robhal9000]

Hi,

I have the 6se, it is a brilliant scope, but at the price the skymak 127 is probably better value.

I have found that vibration suppression pads do work well on lighter tripods, but the price is a bit high for many to stomach (50 quid).

The Mount for the 6se is the same as the 8se and the 8se weighs around 11.5 Kilos or about 25 pounds, so if your scope is less than that and has the proper fittings (Dovetail) then it should work.

The 6se/8se goto mount can be purchased sans OTA from FLO (470 quid)

There is a 5se second hand in the for sale section for 295 delivered. The 5se has a built in wedge if you wanted to try astrophotography.

As has already been said budget for things like powertanks, etc so unless you have around a grand in your budget then the 6se will probably be too expensive when you consider all the possible extras and shiny, shiny EPs you may want.