What is the best choice for first scope-APO,Mak or...

[moadib]

I still havent decided on the type of scope.Help please.I can spend about 1000 euro (with the mount ).Shall I try APO 60-80mm,or Mak 127-150.It has to be easy to learn to use,so I dont get frustrated after a week .I would like to be able to see planets and DSO alike.I live in Norway ,so the conditions are not prefect.Thank you

[rowan46]

for visual work the the mantra apparture is king, essentially this means get the biggest apparture that is suitable for your circumstances. a 60-80 mm apo is about eqivalent to 4-5 inch reflector. certainly any reflector bigger than that will start being better There have been many claims about apo's and certainly the contrast is better and per inch you will see more but in the end it comes down to physics any 8 inch reflector with decent optics and collimated will be better for visual than a small apo as it lets more light in. the mak will give good views but a narrower field on dso's. its a tough call which of those I would have probably the apo but for brighter views I would If I was a driver get an 8inch newtonion probably a dob

[Mikea]

Hi moadib. You will get many, all correct, answers to this question! I would be inclined to start with something less expensive first of all - maybe a 150mm reflector on an EQ mount or a 200mm Dob. I started smaller - 130mm reflector on a GOTO mount and still enjoy using it although I am now thinking about a refractor. Decide if you want to be "hands-on" or if you want a tracking or GOTO mount. They all have their respective pros and cons. Get as many answers to your question as you can tolerate before going bonkers/making a decision!!

Good luck - enjoy!!

[moadib]

Thank you both.I was think like this-maks have better aperture and come with some eyepieces ,but are more difficult to focus and get ready to use.They are bigger too.APOs are more or less ,straight on,but they cost more and come without any accessories. I need more opinions!!!

[John]

The best value for money in terms of performance per Euro spent would be a newtonian scope, specifically one on the dobsonian type mount. They are easy to use. I think Mikea suggested an 8" dobsonian and I'd agree with that recommendation.

[E621Keith]

If I was after best price performance ratio for visual deep sky, I'd get the biggest dob I could afford. For general purpose observing, I'd choose a SCT or an apo. Maks are best for planets due to their long focal length and f ratio.

[ollypenrice]

The best value for money in terms of performance per Euro spent would be a newtonian scope, specifically one on the dobsonian type mount. They are easy to use. I think Mikea suggested an 8" dobsonian and I'd agree with that recommendation.

I would agree with this, too. Apos have a certain charm and capture starfields with more delicacy and beauty than anything else. They can also perform wonders on the planets. But they are the worst value for money - even as a refractor buff I have to admit that!

The Maks are small, and sharp on the planets - but then you need an EQ mount and they are expensive and awkward to set up and carry and store by comparison with a Dob. I would not personally put a Mak on a manual Alt Az because of the long focal length and the desire to make the most of high power planetary observing. But you could do so.

Olly

[Stephen Greenfield]

I am a relative newbie, and was in a similar situation to use with roughly the same budget. A bit further down the line now perhaps I can give a little perspective as I have been through a list of scopes of all types. Ok . FIrst thing is decide what you want to look at. is it Stars/ DSO/ PLanets etc or a little of anything. Secondly if seeing is not perfect near you then consider portability in the equation , if you are able to drive to a darker site then having a portable scope you will use is more important than having a massive aperture scope you dont use much. Certainly when i was starting out imaging was on my list of wants, but as anyone here will tell you planetary imaging with webcam is best and cheapest options before even considering DSO's through a scope because then mount is paramount , and they cost a lot. I have a SCT, Large and middle sized refractors , 12 inch DOb and had a 80mm apo, and if I started again I would honestly go for a non Goto tracking Dob such as the skywatcher ones that you can collapse down for transport and storage. That will give you change from your £1000 to invest in things such as decent eyepieces and otehr bits and bobs you will need

[Capricorn]

For a Mak you are looking at 127mm and 150mm diameters. TS have a fair range and I assume that you have looked there. The Celectron SE5 is about 1000 and has a mount.

For an APO I would look at the TS 102/714 APO they have, but that appears to be without a mount. Cannot recall the 90's they and and the prices. All seem to be optical tube only and I haven't looked at mounts.

If it didn't have to be an APO then search out the Explore Scientific range of Achromat's as an alternative.

Think they do a 126mm and a 152mm. Both will have some chromatic aberation, but price wise they are reasonable and at that size will gather light. I have no idea who in Europe sells them however.

[moadib]

Well It narrows down to two ,I guess 200mm DOB or an APO-60-80mm.The DOB is much cheaper ,but does it requires the same skills as for a Newtonian-collimation,cleaning of the mirrors.Does it focus the same way?And should I think of a GoTo with it or just a simple tracking motor???Skywatcher Skyliner-200P FlexTube AUTO-Tracking Dobsonian-is this a good choice for a DOB?

[John]

While they are lovely little scopes, I think would quickly outgrow a 60mm-80mm apochromat refractor. They are nice as 2nd scopes for "grab and go" type viewing but the aperture does limit what you can see.

A dobsonian is a newtonian scope mounted on a simple up-down-left-right mount, a bit like a canon. The mounting design was invented by a chap called John Dobson - hence the name Dobsonian. The collimation needs are therefore as per newtonians.

[Mikea]

Moadib, you mention collimation and cleaning: provided you keep your end caps on, you won't need to clean your mirror for a very long time. As long as the secondary doesn't require adjustment, collimation is very easy with a Cheshire EP. Even if you need to adjust the secondary, there are some very good guides on how to do this: I would recommend Astrobaby's guide. I did not need to adjust the secondary on my 130P.

[sixela]

Well It narrows down to two ,I guess 200mm DOB or an APO-60-80mm.The DOB is much cheaper ,but does it requires the same skills as for a Newtonian-collimation,cleaning of the mirrors.

Yes. But there's nothing to be afraid of. Actually, colllimation a Newt is actually easier (in practice) than collimating a Mak. Just get a good collimation eyepiece (combination sight tube/Cheshire).

Does it focus the same way?

Yes. If you are going to be looking at planets a lot I'd suggest a model (if you can find it) with a dual speed focuser, but it's not that critical (before I hacked my own reducer knob on the focuser of my Newt, I just made one knob bigger with a rubber wheel around the original knob, and even that helped a lot, and I did two Mars oppositions without any dual speed focuser on an f/4.5 scope).

And should I think of a GoTo with it or just a simple tracking motor???Skywatcher Skyliner-200P FlexTube AUTO-Tracking Dobsonian-is this a good choice for a DOB?

If you have the budget, yes. It's more critical if you are going to observe planets and the moon; for most DSOs (except very small ones) I'd almost prefer the much cheaper non-Flextube Dob because it moves more easily without the motors.