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WadeVC
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 12/02/05
Posts: 2799
Loc: Lodi, California,
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My wife has recently shown an interest in getting her own telescope (which tickles me to death). I am a Dobsonian person myself, but she has no interest whatsoever in Dobs, even the smaller 6-inch sizes. She has found 2 that interest her, however, I know nothing about these particular scopes. I am looking for opinions from those who have actually used the particular scopes she is interested in.
Before I mention the scopes she is interested in, here is what she is interested in (equipment/observing wise):
Hassle-free
Somewhat portable
Moon
Planets
Open Clusters
Globular Clusters
Double stars
At the moment, chasing or observing the “faint fuzzies” of are no interest to her.
Here are the telescopes she is interested in:
1. Orion AstroView 120ST EQ Refractor
2. Orion SkyView Pro 127mm Maksutov Cassegrain
Although appreciated, I am not interested in opinions from those who have read or heard about these scopes, but I am looking for those who actually own and/or have used any of these two scopes. What are the pros & cons of these two scopes, and of the two, what would you recommend for a beginner with the above given criteria.
Thank you in advance.
WadeVC
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Orion XTi10 f/4.7
Orion XTi8 f/5.9
Meade NGC 70mm f/10
Orion UltraView 10x50 Wide-Angle Binoculars
My Sketch Gallery
My Astronomy Blog
A wise man can see more from the bottom of a well than a fool can from a mountain top.
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turndalightsoff
super member
Reged: 06/24/08
Posts: 172
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If she would like an object locater, I would recommend the Nexstar 5SE: http://www.telescope.com/control/product/~category_id=cassegrains/~pcategory=telescopes/~product_id=09944
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The names M, Mr. M
Proud Owner of a 6 Inch Hardin Deep Space Hunter Dobsonian Telescope
32mm, 25mm, 9mm, 7.5mm, 4mm plossls
Meade 4000 series 2X Barlow
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Protheus
Vaguely offended
Reged: 09/01/07
Posts: 4659
Loc: Illinois, US
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Hey Wade. Glad to hear she has some interest.
No real experience with either in particular, but it seems like she's headed the right direction to me (that is, the instruments seem to match her objects of interest). I'm sure there are a number of people around who've used either or both. Hopefully they'll speak up. 
Chris
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"To tread the sharp edge of a sword;
to run on smooth-frozen ice,
one needs no footsteps to follow..."
"Well, people sometimes ask me 'how did you get involved in astronomy?' I said 'I got born, what's your problem?'" -- John Dobson
"In discussing the large-scale structure of the cosmos, astronomers sometimes say that space is curved, or that the universe is finite but unbounded. Whatever are they talking about?" -- Carl Sagan
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Bill Weir
scholastic sledgehammer
Reged: 06/01/04
Posts: 894
Loc: Metchosin (Victoria), Canada
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I don't own but have used an Orion 127 Mak. As to the ST 120 they are pretty standard. These two scopes are completely different animals. The refactor has a short focal length so would be nice for lower power wide filed views. On the Moon, planets and bright stars it will show chromatic abberation. It might be OK with higher power but probably not to a great degree.
The Mak on the other hand has quite a long focallength. f/13 I believe. It will be rather sharp on the Moon and Planets and will handle power well. I performs rather well on Globs and double stars also. The FOV is narrow though.
I'm asuming this would be the setup with the GOTO. Comsidering the vast price difference between the Refractor and the Mak you might want to consider the ED 100 refractor on that mount. It would perform much better with power on the Moon and Planets than the standard ST. Not meaning to sound sexist, but I've found that when I'm doing public outreach, women really seem to like the refractor views.
Bill
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6'' Orion SkyQuest
12.5'' f/5 Custom Truss Dob
William Optics 80mm ZenithStar II ED Doublet
f/5 25" newtonian on a giant GEM, any time I want
Observing sessions grand total for 2007, 171.
So far in 2008, 115
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vinnie
Latinist
Reged: 01/05/08
Posts: 1446
Loc: Queensland, Australia
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Hi Wade,
I'm going to have to give you a mixed sort of suggestion as I don't have a 120ST, but I have used a couple of ST refractors. I don't know that any short F/L achro is really the answer for a beginner.(Unless the major considerations come down to portability combined with budget) Given the moon and planets being high on the list, I think that CA will be annoying, and higher mags aren't going to be available.
I do have the 127mm Mak. It is nice and compact, and as maintenance free as any scope can be. You will get a lot of comments about narrow FOV, but that is no drama as far as planetary is concerned IMO. You certainly can push the limit with the focal length being 1540mm (F/12.1)and get nice views with a 8mm or 6mm EP given good conditions.
The biggest negative is the cool down time, and also I am not sure what the current Orion package is, but if it is the EQ3-2 mount (astro view) the tripod is a little weak. Mine is on an old EQ5 steel tripod, which makes a big difference.
Strangely, as Bill above has suggested, my wife is a refractor or nothing person. She has an older Vixen ED102, and also a Vixen ED80. The 102 is a very nice scope and a perfect size for her to handle (she is a very small woman). I would certainly look at an ED100 (incidentally there are some really good deals on the Vixen in the US at this time)
Sorry to have given an opinion on one of your options when I haven't used the actual scope, but maybe you won't find that many answers from people who have both.
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Lamb0
professor emeritus
Reged: 07/25/07
Posts: 668
Loc: Fairbury, Nebraska
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I own neither, but have used both. The Orion AstroView 120ST EQ Refractor is fine for a rich field refractor, but will not perform as well at high power. For viewing the Moon, planets, open clusters, globular clusters, and double stars, I recommend the Orion SkyView Pro 127mm Maksutov Cassegrain as it has a smaller secondary than the Celestron NexStar 5SE improving contrast somewhat. The available TFoV is narrower than the 120ST, or NexStar 5SE, but a 32mm Plossl can still deliver 1° in the 127mm Mak Cass - inexpensive eyepieces work well @ f/12! The mount is heftier than the AstroView EQ, or NexStar SE. The SkyView Pro qualifies as "somewhat portable"; but it's more stable. The Orion SkyView Pro 127mm Maksutov Cassegrain is a fine complement to Wade's Orion XTi10 f/4.7. 
John 
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John "Have eyepiece - will travel!"
8" f/5 Dob w/2.14" sec in a 12" alum tube 'The Mortar' - w/PCorr 2° TFoV @ 36.5X ~70% illum *NICE*
Typical eyepieces: 32 Burg, 24 Pan, 20T5, 5-8 SW, Others ALL 2": Pcorr, 2X PwrMt, Ast H-b, Lum UHC + OIII
60mm $50 Walmart Special in training - aka "Backpack Observatory"
Minolta Activa 12x50 , Steiner 15X80
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vinnie
Latinist
Reged: 01/05/08
Posts: 1446
Loc: Queensland, Australia
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I've got to make a correction here. Not being familiar with Orion US I thought that the 127 Mak package would be with the EQ3 mount (that's the standard package here in Aus). If it is with the EQ5 (SVP) then disregard what I said about tripod. The EQ5, as John points out, would be a rock solid base for the Mak.
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alienux
professor emeritus
Reged: 02/17/08
Posts: 673
Loc: Dayton, Ohio
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The Orion SkyView Pro comes with the SkyView Pro mount, which from what I understand is a clone of one of the EQx mounts. I know that my SkyView Pro is very stable.
The Orion 127mm Mak, as others have said, does give very sharp views of the moon and planets, and has excellent optical quality all around. I use mine on globulars, galaxies, and nebula in light polluted skies, and get pretty decent views considering the light pollution where I live, but I do use the DGM NPB filter on most of the nebula that I view. Overall, this is a great scope. The setup time starting with everything disassembled can be between 7 to 15 minutes depending on how quick you are, and how much you're hooking up (ie. tracking motor, dew shield, etc).
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Brian
Orion SkyView Pro 127mm EQ Mak
Meade 60mm Push-To TeleStar
Phillips SPC900NC
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Bob Griffiths
Post Laureate
Reged: 10/10/05
Posts: 4195
Loc: Frederick Maryland
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Pretty tough decision ....depends on just how portable the entire set uop really is and if you have the time to let things cool down...The problem with false color is also pretty subjective some people do not seem to bothered by it and it drives others completely crazy...same goes for the mount ...My wife will pick up a pair of binoculars before even attempting to point my small 100 mm refractor on its Gem mount.because she has trouble just manually pointing the OTA ...give her an Alt/Azm mount and she will leave the Binocs in the house...
If I were you I'd take her out for dinner then stop by a local star party and let her take a look at ...and actually use a few scopes...
Bob G.
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CPC1100
Nexstar 8i + GPS & Rays Brackets
Denk S1 power switch
Orion 100 mm Refractor
Meade LXD 55 ...AR-5 127 mm Refractor
Exploradome Observatory S.I.E. (Smiling Irish Eyes)
39*21'03" N
77*28'12" W
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bcuddihee
scholastic sledgehammer
Reged: 11/04/06
Posts: 935
Loc: Cincinnati Ohio
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If she likes globs you are going to want a bit more aperature than the Mak...I would suggest the 6SE. It will perform well on all the items she likes to view, it is portable, and cool down will most likely be less than the Mak.
bc
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B Cuddihee
On the quest to find the best for the least!
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1968 Jason Empire 60X700mm refractor (my buddy from way back)
Celestron Nexstar8SE(a remarkable 8" grab and go)
Feathertouch Microfocuser
Stellarvue 50mm "Sparrowhawk" finder
Denk bino's with Power x switch
Pair of 26m Celestron Silvertop Plossls
Pair of Smart Astronomy 19 EF's
Pair of Smart Astronomy 16 EF's
Agena 38 SWA
Agena 26 SWA
Garrett 2" 2x ED Barlow
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DoctorNoodle
professor emeritus
Reged: 07/14/07
Posts: 664
Loc: Lawn Guyland, NY
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I have a 120ST and with an 80mm stop-down mask (which can be made from anything from cardboard to plastic to whatever) it works nicely on the Moon and planets. Views of open clusters are excellent. The Mak will not have the CA and will give better high-magnification views because of the much longer focal length but you'll be sacrificing the wider field of view.
Is this going to be her first scope? If so, is she going to be okay futzing with a German EQ mount? Would she enjoy the scope more with an alt-az which will be more portable?
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“Facts are meaningless. You could use facts to prove anything that's even remotely true!” - Homer Simpson
Alanoodle's Model Portfolio
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Joe Aguiar
professor emeritus
Reged: 02/10/07
Posts: 729
Loc: Toront,Ontario
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Like my wife years ago when she got a little interested after me showing her things like Jupiter, Saturn etc etc. I got her a Nexstar 80mm GT. She did not want to learn all the stars & constellations etc just a quick set-up align & look at the pretty stuff in the EP.
Like some have said the 120ST has way too much colour & not great on planets ( becomes soft at 125X & above) but is good for wide field viewing. The 5" mak is pretty good but the FOV is a bit small for having one 1 scope & cool down is a bit long in it.
I like the Nexstar5 or 6 as being a bit bigger collects a bit more light,the focal ratio of F/10 is good for pretty much everything. These 2 mounts are not that heavy even with the scope on it, & she can carry the whole set-up alone, without having to worry about polar alignment & 10 lbs counter weight etc.
You can also throw a small 80mm scope on the mount for days she just wants a grab & go.
The Nexstar 8 is also just a tad heavier but can give her more light for the DSO but might be at the limit of what you think she can handle though, but just a thought.
Over all I like the Nexstar6 as the best large, lightweight & pretty portable scope can that do planets some DSO .
Joe
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gladestar
member
Reged: 07/05/08
Posts: 89
Loc: Glade Park, Colorado
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The difference in weight between the nexstar 6se{30 pounds including the mount/tripod} and the 8se {33 pounds} is inconsequential. My wife handles the 8se with no problems. It's a great scope that will give excellent views of all your desired targets.
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Celestron CPC1100
Celestron NexStar8 SE
WO Megrez 90
TV Panoptic 35, 24
TV Nagler T5 16mm
TV Ethos 13, 8
Pentax XW 20, 14
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gdakin
member
Reged: 11/14/06
Posts: 58
Loc: Canada
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I know it is not on your short list but My vote would also be for the 6SE. I was out last and was impressed with how well it pulls in the clusters. It has a long enough focal length to do well on planets and enough aperture to pull in the brighter DSO's. it really is a great compromise between performance, portability, price and features. I bought my 6SE as a grab'n go and have been quite pleased with the overall package.
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8" SkyWatcher Dob
Celestron Nexstar 6SE
80mm Skywatcher ST on AZ3 mount
15 x 70 Barska binos
20 x 80 Barska binos
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sixela
Postmaster
Reged: 12/23/04
Posts: 9499
Loc: Boechout, Belgium
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Quote:
1. Orion AstroView 120ST EQ Refractor
2. Orion SkyView Pro 127mm Maksutov Cassegrain
I'll widen the perspective a bit and ask: why not a 150mm Newt on a GEM, preferably with a 2" focuser? It has much more oomph for high power work (it's not a short achromat) yet still retains some of the virtues of a moderate focal length (i.e. is still a good wide field scope for large open clusters or groups of clusters).
One of the better value mount/scope combinations in that class is the Celestron Omni XLT, sadly with a 1.25" focuser (but coupled with a Pan 24 the field of view isn't too small).
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400mm f/4.46 David Lukehurst truss Dobsonian on Tom Osypowski equatorial platform
Orion Starblast (114mm f/4 reflector, Alt/Az)
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christinam
sage
Reged: 03/29/07
Posts: 407
Loc: Duncan BC Canada
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I think both are good options (I have an WO ED80 and it is a wonderful scope) and second the opinions of people who say that the set up and use of the mount are big factors. I have an HEQ5-Pro and it is very easy to set up and not nearly as heavy as the EQ6 Pro we have. I can carry the mount and tripod together and LOVE the goto. It does make the learning curve a bit less steep.
Gotta say that this is a great hobby to share with your SO!
Chris
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If electricity comes from electrons, does morality come from morons?
"Those who have a why to live can withstand any how" Nietzsche.
 Duncan BC.
Nikon D50
Nikon 18-55mm and 70-300mm lenses
WO ZS80ED (thanks Santa Baby)
Skywatcher ST80
HEQ-5 Pro (woohoo)
Also using the Groz's 127mm Mak &
8" Orion SCT
EQ6Pro
Bunches of eyepieces
Miscellaneous bits
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Bob Griffiths
Post Laureate
Reged: 10/10/05
Posts: 4195
Loc: Frederick Maryland
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Quote:
The difference in weight between the nexstar 6se{30 pounds including the mount/tripod} and the 8se {33 pounds} is inconsequential. My wife handles the 8se with no problems. It's a great scope that will give excellent views of all your desired targets.
The problem is will the OP wife want a SCT. ?
I agree on the weight difference between the 6 & 8" scopes too small to worry about for any adult... My original plan was to give my 8i to my Grand daughter when I purchased my CPC1100 but I backed out because I could not part with my old faithful 8i...Instead I purchased an 8SE for my grand daughter who BTW is now 11 years old and she is definitely NOT a big girl but she has no problems "lugging" it outside and using it all by herself...she does however take the tripod and mount out as one piece on her first trip and the OTA and power tank on the second trip and finally .her chair and EP case on the 3rd trip...
I think she is practicing for shopping at the malls in a few years with her mother... .
Bob G
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CPC1100
Nexstar 8i + GPS & Rays Brackets
Denk S1 power switch
Orion 100 mm Refractor
Meade LXD 55 ...AR-5 127 mm Refractor
Exploradome Observatory S.I.E. (Smiling Irish Eyes)
39*21'03" N
77*28'12" W
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Achernar
Post Laureate
Reged: 02/25/06
Posts: 3725
Loc: Alabama, USA
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Within certain limitations both of the telescopes are fine performers, but they are not the best all around telescopes for many folks. The refractor is great if you want a low-power, wide field instrument for comets, large star clusters and other objects that cover big chunks of sky. It will however have a lot of chromatic aberration that will limit it's performance at high power. The Mak will serve well for high power views of the Moon, planets and smaller deep sky objects, and does not have issues with chromatic aberration. It however, is not a good one for low power, wide field viewing. Perhaps a 6-inch SCT such as Celestron's Nexstar-6 might be a better choice for your wife. It has enough aperture to resolve brighter globular clusters or at least make them look grainy around the edges, it's a full GOTO and it can resolve the brighter globular clusters at least partially from darker sites. The Nexstars can be used with focal reducers, something the Mak cannot do. That makes fitting large open clusters such as the Pleiades into the field of view possible. It will also do well on the brighter galaxies and nebulae too. A 6-inch SCT also performs well at high power on the moon, planets and double stars like the Mak will. The mounting is steady and the telescope is very portable, in fact it is a good travel scope. Overall, it is a much more versatile telescope, which is important for a first telescope, than a 5-inch Mak. Otherwise, if she were to choose from the two telescopes mentioned here, I would give the nod to the 127mm Mak.
Taras
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10-inch F/4.5 Discovery Dob
6-inch F/8 Homebuilt Dob
4 1/4-inch F/4 Homebuilt reflector
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