82 replies to this topic

[Franx]

Hello,

As the title says I’m looking for advise on my first real OTA. I currently have two Orion OTA’s, a 4’’/600 mm refractor, a 8”/1000mm Newtonian and I would classify them as entry level OTA’s. I have also recently purchased a used EQ6R-Pro with the wifi dongle because my other EQ mount is not a goto mount and it is only rated at 20 pounds.
 

I’ve heard so many good things about Celestron’s 9.25 SCT being a kind of jack of all trades so I thought my decision was going to be easy. However, then I hear about Svbony’s SV550 122mm Triplet APO F7 and Explore Scientific FCD100 127mm triplet APO F7.5.

 

This is my dilemma because as much as I would enjoy owning all three of these OTS, it’s currently not within my grasp. I want to get one OTA that will allow me to do clear and clean visual observing and down the road maybe some EAA.  I enjoy all types of viewing, planetary, lunar and deep sky mostly from my back yard in SE PA. I’m also getting tired of standing up for hours using the 8” Newtonian to be quite honest. All three of these OTA’s are under 20 pounds and all three are within a few hundred dollars of each other so it comes down to the optics and the necessary equipment to support them.
 

If you could only have one scope to use as your do it all scope, which one would you use or recommend ?
I know I’m asking a lot and I do appreciate any and all feedback.

 

Thank you,

Franx

[vtornado]

With the aperture difference between 234 and 125mm being so large, I would think objects that comfortably fit in the SCTs field of view are going to be better than the frac.   In a congruent situation I compared my 120mm ED to a 200mm newt and it was no contest on most objects. 

 

I had the Orion 200 f/5 newt and my optics were excellent.  The reason I sold the scope was the mounting requirements. It really doesn't fit on a CG5, and the rig took a long time to setup.  Tree dodging was not an option either.  In retrospec I should have dob mounted it.

 

I don't know about EAA and the 9.25 (unless for planetary).  That is a lot of focal length and a slow f ratio. In my astro club, I have seen some very nice images taken with a 80mm ED, and these can be had for cheap.  No reason you couln't have a large scope for visual and a small one for deep sky EAA. 

[donniesoprano]

I can't answer your question, but I can tell you what I have and why.

- AT72EDII - very small and light refractor.  Gets more use than any other telescope I own (daytime solar and nighttime). Mounts on a small solid Alt/Az that carries scope, mount, & tripod in one hand.

- AT102ED - nice 4" refractor, gives great solar system views, probably least used telescope I own.  Mounts on G11.

- LX200 8" w/Forks - great all around SCT.  Forks make it heavy, but with the benefit of GOTO.  Most often used telescope.  If the seeing supports more than the 72mm, this one is just as much work as the 4" for me.

- LX200 12" OTA - excellent optics, big aperture.  Mounts on G11.  Only used a few times since I bought it, but when the conditions permit, it provides the best views of the bunch.

 

I think an SCT is an excellent telescope, but you have to be willing to learn to collimate it.  The 2 refractors you mention are essentially identical.  There would be no value in owning both of them.

 

If you're tired of standing, get an adjustable observing chair...for most people, they can be used at 'near standing' height, giving you a place to lean on.  It's much more comfortable, even if you're not actually 'standing'.

 

ds

[photoracer18]

I don't believe there is a do-all one scope. When you can only afford one scope its more of a do-most scope than a do-all one. So once I could afford more than one at the same time I started collecting multiples of each primary type including Dobs, refractors, and cats. Right now my primary refractor is my Stellarvue SVX127D doublet at 127mm and F8, very similar to your ES127 F7.5 triplet but a doublet cools down faster. Triplets are more for imaging than visual. The C9.25 is also my favorite SCT.

[Echolight]

Why would you stand up to use the 8 inch newtonian,?

[PPPPPP42]

Big SCT now, very high quality 4" refractor for wide field, grab and go or AP stuff much later.

[ShaulaB]

For purely visual? Aperture wins. The 9.25 SCT. It is portable enough to haul in any vehicle to darker skies, bringing better views of DSO's. This is posted in a beginner's forum. So I assume the poster is a beginner. There is so much mystique about premium refractors written here on CN and elsewhere. For visual, the 9.25 inch SCT will give the most viewing pleasure.

[Franx]

Thank you @vtornato, my newt is f/4.9 and at the moment it’s the one I use the most by far. I do get some nice views through it when the astronomy gods allow.

 

Thank you @donniesoprano, I was going to get an observing chair or even make my own but I want something that I can sit behind and relax while enjoying the view. My luck I’ll tip the chair over and take everything with me!

Thank you @photoracer18, I didn’t even think about cool down time because my OTA’s are kept in my garage. A new OTA will be kept indoors in a controlled environment.

 

Thank you all for responding.

[mogur]

I suggest you read the thread about insulating SCT's.

[Fabricius]

I have a Celestron 9.25 SCT and a Sky-Watcher 120ED refractor. Both are keepers. Often aperture wins, but not always. The refractor view is more pleasing to the eye (sharper, better contrast, wider field of view). Great for the moon, Pleiades, double star cluster and M31. The SCT is better for faint nebulae, small galaxies, faint stars, splitting narrow binaries and slightly better for Jupiter and Saturn. M42 is fantastic in both telescopes.

Edited by Fabricius, 09 January 2024 - 05:14 PM.

[Bean614]

I suggest you read the thread about insulating SCT's.

^^^ THIS!  What mogur said! Very important for SCT'S....

[Franx]

@Echolight, my mount with the legs at minimum still has the eyepiece quite high, the observers chair would be a plus but at the moment I don’t have one. I would show you a picture but I haven’t figured that out yet but I’ll get there.

 

@pppppp42, thanks for your feedback and I agree with the 6p’s, it’s what I’m doing now pre -planning…

 

@ShaulaB, it’s looking like aperture is going to be a winner, thank you. I’ve been looking up since Covid hit so yes I’m very much a beginner. The big difference for me was the goto mount and the ability to use SkySafari on my iPad. 

[Franx]

I suggest you read the thread about insulating SCT's.

 

^^^ THIS!  What mogur said! Very important for SCT'S....

I will definitely do this. Learn something new every day 

[Franx]

I have a Celestron 9.25 SCT and a Sky-Watcher 120ED refractor. Both are keepers. Often aperture wins, but not always. The refractor view is more pleasing to the eye (sharper, better contrast, wider field of view). Great for the moon, Pleiades, double star cluster and M31. The SCT is better for faint nebulae, small galaxies, faint stars, splitting narrow binaries and slightly better for Jupiter and Saturn. M42 is fantastic in both telescopes.

Thank you

[Echolight]

An SCT will be most comfortable and have the least eyepiece articulation on an alt/az mount.

Actually, this is true for a newtonian also. And even a refractor.

 

If comfort is paramount (I know it is for me), I'd consider a different mount also. An alt-az mount. If possible.

 

The 9.25 SCT will have a narrow field of view. But for most deep sky, aside from big open clusters, will far outclass a 5 inch.

And the Moon. My old deuced and reduced C8 is a killer on the Moon at 400x. And sucks up nebulosity like a vacuum.

Here it is pointed at Sagittarius. Pokin around picking out DSO.

Edited by Echolight, 09 January 2024 - 05:57 PM.

[rjacks]

I find my well-collimated C8 to be as sharp on planets and the moon as refractors. 

 

If you want to pan the sky in wide field - 4 inch refractor. For instance, do you want to see all of the veil at once?  - Refractor.

 

If you want a versatile tool that will give you better views of DSOs and planetary nebulae? - get the C9.25. 

 

It's really a matter of what is more important to you.  Me, I'd get the C9.25.  Then, in a few years, get the refractor.  They pair well. 

[MarkMittlesteadt]

An SCT is one of the most versatile. It doesn't excel at any one thing but it does a lot for a single scope. 

 

I have a C5 (f10) and a 6.3 reducer. In essence, my C5 does both, high power and wide field visual, well enough for me. 

 

There are better high power power scopes and better wide field scopes that excel at one or the other.

 

I like the simplicity of using one scope that can pretty much do it all...

 

Edited by MarkMittlesteadt, 09 January 2024 - 05:51 PM.

[Jon Isaacs]

Franx:

 

No matter what telescope(s) you own, an adjustable observing chair is a must have to view in comfort. It's the one accessory I use every night regardless of what scope(s) I am using. This is a Starbound Chair with an 8 inch F/5 Newtonian of a CG-5 ASGT mount.

 

 

 

Jon

[sevenofnine]

This Ed Ting 2020 video on the 9.25 SCT might help you decide if this is the right direction for you:

 

https://www.youtube....h?v=C6zsxiLvOwQ.

[zuumo]

An SCT will be most comfortable and have the least eyepiece articulation on an alt/az mount.

Actually, this is true for a newtonian also. And even a refractor.

 

If comfort is paramount (I know it is for me), I'd consider a different mount also. An alt-az mount. If possible.

 

The 9.25 SCT will have a narrow field of view. But for most deep sky, aside from big open clusters, will far outclass a 5 inch.

And the Moon. My old deuced and reduced C8 is a killer on the Moon at 400x. And sucks up nebulosity like a vacuum.

Here it is pointed at Sagittarius. Pokin around picking out DSO.

IMG_20230806_225515727~3.jpg

Excuse me if my question is very "newbe", but how do you perform slow movements in that mount? I dont see any controls, do you grab the ota and pan around manually?

[Echolight]

Excuse me if my question is very "newbe", but how do you perform slow movements in that mount? I dont see any controls, do you grab the ota and pan around manually?

None of my mounts have slow motion controls.

 

I steer it with the tip of my finger, and sometimes my thumb, on the diagonal.

 

The scope is very well balanced, and it is a very smooth mount that takes very little effort to move wherever I want.

I can track relatively easily at up to 400x.

 

It's a perfect fit for the C8. It's rated for 40 pounds. But I've had all kinds of scopes on it, including the yard cannon,.. albeit with a much taller tripod.

This might be a bit too much for it, even though the scope is less than 25 pounds all up ready to view with diagonal and eyepiece. The moment arm.

But it works well enough. And is still light enough to pick up the whole thing and move it around when needed.

 

This Orion Versago II aka Skywatcher AZ4 doesn't have slow motion controls either. 

This one I might use one or two hands. Usually just one on the front. But sometimes left hand on the front and right hand at the back. Gently. Because sitting beside it I guess. Never really though about it.

 

Or this BIG 90 pound capacity 360° panoramic ball head in portrait mode aka "side saddle" for alt/az only movement. 

No slo mo. Steered by the diagonal.

 

Edited by Echolight, 09 January 2024 - 07:51 PM.

[Franx]

This Ed Ting 2020 video on the 9.25 SCT might help you decide if this is the right direction for you:

He also made this video as well adding more confusion lol

https://youtu.be/6Jf...HXjg4CMbP9HMUTl

https://www.youtube....h?v=C6zsxiLvOwQ.

[PPPPPP42]

Having established what you are going to get, the next question now becomes what mount. If you are getting the regular 9.25” then the evo mount is the best for visual use. If you are spending the extra for the edge HD then that’s not one of the options it comes with. I forget if they sell the evo mount separate. An eq mount for mainly visual use can get annoying. There are other alt/az go-to mounts than the celestron ones of course. Go-to is pretty much a requirement to really use that OTA.

Don’t get a double fork like the CPC, it’s a good mount but they are a nightmare to move in the larger OTA sizes. Even my 8” is a bother. Plus with a single dovetail mount OTA you can switch it between multiple mounts easily as needed.

With an SCT wide FOV eyepieces are your friend but they tent to be pricier.

[JOEinCO]

Having established what you are going to get, the next question now becomes what mount....

 

In the first paragraph of Post #1 the OP said he just bought an EQ6R-Pro.  

[Tony Flanders]

As the title says I’m looking for advise on my first real OTA. I currently have two Orion OTA’s, a 4’’/600 mm refractor, a 8”/1000mm Newtonian and I would classify them as entry level OTA’s.

I'm not fond of the term "entry-level." As far as I'm concerned, the best scope for a beginner is one that also great for an experienced observer, and vice versa.

I do know exactly what's wrong with a 100-mm f/6 achromat, namely false color. But what's wrong with your 8-inch f/5 Newt? On the face of it, that sounds just about ideal. Plenty of aperture and a nice wide field of view.

In some ways, moving from that to a 9.25-inch SCT seems to be going backward -- at least as far as visual observing is concerned. Yes, you would get a smidge more aperture, but at the cost of a much smaller field of view.

Given a choice between owning only a top-quality 200-mm f/5 Newt and a top-quality 235-mm f/10 SCT, I would pick the former in a heartbeat.

Of course I have no idea whatsoever about the optical quality of your current Newt. Do you have any specific complaints about it?