Re: APO or Mak? BE PATIENT please
- From: Stephen Paul <smarshallpaul@xxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Sun, 10 Apr 2005 22:18:46 -0400
tedkord@xxxxxxxxxx wrote:
Without factoring in the surface quality of the Coulter mirror versus the APO you own (since I have no way of knowing them), at equal magnifications the Coulter should always give better views, regardless of seeing. Plus, the eyepieces you use to get the same mag in the coulter as in the APO, will probably have bigger eye lenses, more eye relief, and be easire to view through (not always true in this day and age of Radians, etc...)
Of course, there is that weight factor - I've been there. Well, I'm still there as the only scope I currently own is an 11" SCT. 100+ lbs with all accessories on it. If I had a small 80-100mm APO, that might very well get used more often. Regardless of seeing.
I have a 12.5" Dob that over the past several months sees little use, and a 80EDF7.5 that sees a lot. I also have a 102EDF9, and it sees less use than the 80ED (now that I have one). The 80ED is just an easier scope to mount in altazimuth mode, and fits better through the door.
But, I live in New England and I don't really get out much unless the skies are forecast to be really good. If it's also going to be super dark when that happens, I put the 80ED on the GP and attach the camera. I'm not going to waste a good night on visual. :-)
I take the Dob out when I want to look at globs, the larger brightest galaxies, and planetary nebula at 300x+. Or when there's a "warm" night for planets (no scope cooldown). The rest of the time (which is mostly) I enjoy the small ED refractors. I might even put in the binoviewer, which I think is the cat's meow for sublime experience. M44, M45, The Double Cluster, just about any double star of reasonable separation, as well as bright "fuzzy" globs look simply wonderful with both eyes on the mark.
A big Dob is nice to have two or ten times a year, but a small refractor can be used on any given night, at a moments notice. When the seeing is excellent, a small refractor can show astounding amounts of detail on planets at reasonably low powers. On a super transparent and dark night, more detail is visible than one might imagine with galaxies, dim open clusters, and diffuse nebulae.
I know of a few folks who have 5" and larger refractors, who also having smaller scopes, are also more selective about when the larger apo comes out for the night. I can recommend 80-100mm apos (sorry Rat) if you're prone to not taking out the big Dob.
As for Maks, I've had the Synta Maks in 102mm and 127mm apertures and they couldn't hold a candle to the 80ED and the 102ED respectively in terms of performance. I also have a local friend who returned an Intes 7" Mak within a week. Not that it was necessarily a "bad" scope by design, but as Mark D. pointed out, where temperature drops and rises are significant and quick, the more glass you have, the worse off you are. That includes the NorthEast U.S..
YMMV.
Stephen Paul (Confirmed small refractor lover) .
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