7 replies to this topic

[mwally]

Hello,

Iam new here.

I found out that I have a Bortle rating of 5. Is it worth buying an Evostar 150 ED for viewing with this light of a sky?

 

Thanks

[SeattleScott]

Absolutely.

[chrysalis]

Hello,

Iam new here.

I found out that I have a Bortle rating of 5. Is it worth buying an Evostar 150 ED for viewing with this light of a sky?

 

Thanks

Absolutely!!! I'm in Bortle 5 too, and I have a 12". Planets and stars (double, open clusters, globulars), plus high surface brightness planetary nebulae are all great targets and well worth the effort and aperture. AND ... with (and even in some cases without) NPB and OIII filters, lower surface brightness emission nebulae (including planetaries) can easily be accessed.

 

SOME galaxies can be difficult, usually the lower surface brightness ones. Examples: I can get NGC891 if it is higher up but it can be more or less ghostly depending on seeing conditions; M101 and M33 are less ghostly but certainly not what you'd see from darker skies. But you'll have plenty of galaxy targets that you can enjoy!

 

Wish I was in Bortle 1 ...

[havasman]

Just be aware of the size of that scope and the requirements it places on a mount.

[sevenofnine]

There are much less expensive options to see if you like this hobby, especially if you are a beginner in a light polluted city. An 8-10 inch Dobsonian reflector will be a fraction of the cost of that scope and mount and actually show you more. Good luck on your choice!

[Sheol]

                       Yes, make sure you get a steady mount. Worth the price of an entire OTA. Maybe twice..

 

        Clear Skies,

              Matt.

[SeaBee1]

I have the 120 version of that scope and I live in a Bortle 30 or there about... BUT... I temper my expectations, having learned that many objects I would like to look at will be either a ghost of its true self or simply "invisible". From my backyard, I limit myself to planets, double/multiple stars, good ol' Luna, and the occasional open cluster. If want to try for other stuff, I'll break out the 10 inch reflector, but even then the results are often disappointing. Light pollution sux... and aperture only helps so much...

 

Apart from that, the EvoStar 150 ED will be a nice piece of equipment, and will really shine in a dark sky...

 

Good hunting!

 

CB

[Tony Flanders]

I found out that I have a Bortle rating of 5.

That means that the Milky Way should be quite prominent when it's overhead. Is that true? If not, your sky is likely worse than Bortle 5. Don't trust what any map or database tells you; you have to judge the sky for yourself.
 

Is it worth buying an Evostar 150 ED for viewing with this light of a sky?

Personally, I wouldn't want to own such a big refractor under any circumstances. Too big, too heavy, way too hard to mount -- and all that for a measly 150 mm of aperture. I'm sure there are expert astrophotographers, and conceivably a few visual observers, for whom it would be perfect. But I think it would be rash in the extreme for a beginner to buy one.

If you absolutely must have a refractor, 100 mm is a fantastically useful size. And if you absolutely must have bigger aperture, consider an SCT or a reflector.

However, none of this has anything to do with sky conditions. A good telescope is a good telescope regardless of sky conditions.