TV 5x Powermate - When should I use it?

[OzDave]

Hi,

Some time ago I was in London and walked into a astronomy shop to have a look, as one does...

I ended up buying a 5x powermate in a fit of impulse buying. I haven't ever used it and I've got some new scopes since then.

So I'm sort of wondering which of my scopes and/or cameras I might use it with and for what sorts of imaging targets? Please see my sig for equipment.

Any help to figure out what to use this for greatly appreciated! Otherwise I might be selling it.

David

[riklaunim]

To get f/20-f/30 for lunary/planetary imaging

[dc509]

if I were you, I'd bung the DFK in it and point it at some planets.

[OzDave]

Ok, so its good for planetary...

But... Which scope? Logically I'd probably say the mak127, but that already has f12 so the 5x would take me to f60. Is that likely to produce a decent image?

Using with either of my other scopes i'd be able to get f25-f30, but again would that be likely to produce a useful image?

I'm thinking it would blow the max useful magnification. Or is that irrelevant for imaging? Alternatively maybe i would need super exceptional seeing to make a useful image?

David

[riklaunim]

With DFK (5,6 pixel size) using theoretical equations you get max scope resolution at f/20, so f/60 is way over the scale. Anything higher than about f/30 will be hard to capture (dim overscaled image) + 127 isn't a lot of aperture. For that 190 mak-newton it would be a good addon for the planetary part.

In super seeing and on some targets (like Mars, Moon) overscaling can yield better images / more details.