Re: 5" or 6" refractor

Well, then perhaps you shouldn't have opened a can of worms and asked which
telescope was better? ^_^

But seriously, I don't know if a well-made 6 inch Mak will match a 5 inch apo
refractor, but it should come close, based on my experience. And it's easier to
mount, handled better in the wind (which you should try and avoid as much as
possible anyways), and should dampen out its motions better on any mount, but
will take longer to have its optics cooled (but this can be solved by storing it
in a cool place all the time).

Again, it's weighing the pluses and minuses. If you only go by the quality of
the view, then whatever mechanical, storage, and handling problems you encounter
are things you can't complain about. I go for the total package; optical
performance, price, mechanical and storage considerations, et al. I find that
this produces a more satisfying telescope for me because :

- if it's too large and cumbersome then I'm less inclined to take it out for
casual viewing, what most of us do, but

- if it cost a lot then I feel the urge to prove my money wasn't invested in a
thing I rarely use (very important with some wives),

among other considerations.

The old adage is still true; the best telescope for you is the one you're going
to use the most often. A larger telescope provides better views, but if it's
too much to handle conveniently then how often are you going to use it?

Good Luck with your decision, but I feel certain that if you follow that old
adage, then the scope you'll get will be the one you'll enjoy the most.

By the way, about the mid-sized Maks. Syntha through Orion telescopes makes
ones that are optically quite good at a very reasonable price. I was very
surprised to find that my 127mm f/12.1 Mak performed so well, and further
surprised when a friend put his on an optical test bench with a laser based
tested and found very good optics in it, and further surprised when another
friend said it outperformed his old C-8 in terms of image clarity, sharpness,
and contrast (but NOT brightness)

--- Dave
--
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Pinprick holes in a colorless sky
Let inspired figures of light pass by
The Mighty Light of ten thousand suns
Challenges infinity, and is soon gone

david.nakamoto@xxxxxxxxxxx


"Dan" <mowcat@xxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:ABmne.28260$wD6.856573@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> Will a good 6" Mak equal a good 6" f/12 achro in planetary viewing? The one
> person I've asked said that his 6" TEC equaled a 5" apo. Maybe I should
> consider it...I don't know. This decision making is starting to give me a
> headache.
>
> Dan


.

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