Telescope Reviews: Stellarvue 115 Triplet vs NP-101

While this is generally true (I find 4" of aperture to be less satasfying to use than 6" of aperture) my response was actually to the OPs point....

He is the one considering the 115mm telescope option.

I was mearly pointing out that if he is comparing a bigger telescope to a smaller one ( and I am assuming that since he is considering it the weight and size difference is not an issue), then the bigger scope should be a better performer.

I added the 120mm Synta because well, it is even bigger still.

However, it weighs no more than the Stellarvue.

The Synta 120mm OTA is 11.3 lbs and 38 inches long and it cost $1550.

While the tube on the SV is a bit shorter (27" so an eyepecie postion change of only about 4 or 5 inches when tube balance is taken into consideration) the SV weighs more than the Skywatcher 120 (11.5 lbs).

And for the price of the SV OTA alone, the OP could have a Skywatcher 120 ED, a Go-TO mount, and a nice selection of Naglers.

And, he would have a bigger aperture.

He could add the Skywatcher reducer if he needed a faster scope for imaging.

Having owned refractors ranging from an 80mm achromat to a 6" APO, I have found that my observing preference leads me to suggest that for someone that is only going to get one big refractor, bigger is better.

If you gave me personally the choice between the two scopes the OP is considering, I would go with the larger one.

But if you added the Skywatcher 120 into the mix, I would go for that scope first.

All of these scopes will take about the same size mount, all weight about the same, and all will do satisfying wide field, deep sky and planetary work.

But for me, bigger has always been better in terms of visual use, and that is why if the OP is limiting himself to the two choices he has provided, I would recommend the 115mm.

Too small for my tastes, and the 120 would be more palitable to me though.

I loved the Televue Petzvals I have owned, but they were not big enough for me.

I wanted an NP 127, but it was to expensive for me.

I have a 6" APO that costs my 60% of what the NP 127 would have cost, and honestly, it is the only refractor that I have ever really really loved.

I make no apologies for being an aperture red neck.

In cases like this where the OP is considering an choice between similar guality optics but one larger, I will almsot always suggest that they get the larger aperture.

If the 110mm scope beat the other 4" scopes in a big shootout, thing about how much better a 115mm scope is going to be.. LOL.