Travel Scope
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Travel Scope
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- DeanD
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Re: Travel Scope
These have great contrast and give nice views of planets, nebulae etc. Even the ETX90 can give great nebulae views: the first time I looked at the Swan (M17) in one I was amazed at the detail.
Or if you want a wider
If you want 4" or above refractors, you are limited to achromats, but they can give great views; especially f8 and above: but then they are getting quite long.
Another alternative might be a small iOptron alt/az mount (eg: their "SkyHunter") with a 4" or 5" f5 achromat (like the Skywatcher 120/600)- although the 5" might be pushing their 5kg payload limit. I have found that IOptron have excellent customer service.
Happy shopping!
Dean
Binos: Steiner Wildlife XP 10x26, Swarovski 8x30 Habicht, Zeiss SFL 8x40, Vanguard Endeavour 10.5x45, Fuji FMTR-SX 10x50, Tak 22x60, Orion Resolux 15x70
Eyepieces: way too many (is that possible?), but I do like my TV 32mm plossl, 13mm Nagler T6, 27mm Panoptic and 3-6mm Nagler zoom, plus Fujiyama 18mm and 25mm orthos and Tak 7.5mm LE
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Re: Travel Scope
I have looked at the Meade MakDeanD wrote: ↑Sat Oct 28, 2023 1:07 am If you want a go-to as well, for that budget you could get a nice matsutov: ETX 125? or Sky-Watcher 127/1500 AZ-GO2 Explorer (can get this with a 102 refractor too)?
These have great contrast and give nice views of planets, nebulae etc. Even the ETX90 can give great nebulae views: the first time I looked at the Swan (M17) in one I was amazed at the detail.
Or if you want a wider fov: a Schmidt-cass, eg Celestron Astro Fi 5 - the Celestron 125 Schmidt-cass has a great history as an all-rounder.
If you want 4" or above refractors, you are limited to achromats, but they can give great views; especially f8 and above: but then they are getting quite long.
Another alternative might be a small iOptron alt/az mount (eg: their "SkyHunter") with a 4" or 5" f5 achromat (like the Skywatcher 120/600)- although the 5" might be pushing their 5kg payload limit. I have found that IOptron have excellent customer service.
Happy shopping!
Dean
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Re: Travel Scope
https://explorescientificusa.com/produc ... 2221347844
∞ AP Scopes: #1: TPO 6" f/9 RC #2: ES 102 f/7 APO #3: ES 80mm f/6 APO
∞ G&G Scopes: #1: Meade 102mm f/7.8 #2: Bresser 102mm f/4.5
∞ Guide Scopes: 70 & 80mm fracs -- The El Cheapo Bros.
∞ Mounts: iOptron CEM70AG, SW EQ6R, Celestron AVX, SLT & GT (Alt-Az), Meade DS2000
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∞ Binos: 10X50,11X70,15X70, 25X100 ∞ AP Gear: ZWO EAF and mini EFW and the Optolong L-eXteme filter
∞ EPs: ES 2": 21mm 100° & 30mm 82° Pentax XW: 7, 10, 14, & 20mm 70°
Searching the skies since 1966. "I never met a scope I didn't want to keep."
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Re: Travel Scope
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Re: Travel Scope
There is nothing wrong with their optics: I remember using one of these inMike Q wrote: ↑Sat Oct 28, 2023 1:16 amI have looked at the Meade MakDeanD wrote: ↑Sat Oct 28, 2023 1:07 am If you want a go-to as well, for that budget you could get a nice matsutov: ETX 125? or Sky-Watcher 127/1500 AZ-GO2 Explorer (can get this with a 102 refractor too)?
These have great contrast and give nice views of planets, nebulae etc. Even the ETX90 can give great nebulae views: the first time I looked at the Swan (M17) in one I was amazed at the detail.
Or if you want a wider fov: a Schmidt-cass, eg Celestron Astro Fi 5 - the Celestron 125 Schmidt-cass has a great history as an all-rounder.
If you want 4" or above refractors, you are limited to achromats, but they can give great views; especially f8 and above: but then they are getting quite long.
Another alternative might be a small iOptron alt/az mount (eg: their "SkyHunter") with a 4" or 5" f5 achromat (like the Skywatcher 120/600)- although the 5" might be pushing their 5kg payload limit. I have found that IOptron have excellent customer service.
Happy shopping!
DeanCass 127. It definitely has my attention.
It was tracking beautifully too.
Binos: Steiner Wildlife XP 10x26, Swarovski 8x30 Habicht, Zeiss SFL 8x40, Vanguard Endeavour 10.5x45, Fuji FMTR-SX 10x50, Tak 22x60, Orion Resolux 15x70
Eyepieces: way too many (is that possible?), but I do like my TV 32mm plossl, 13mm Nagler T6, 27mm Panoptic and 3-6mm Nagler zoom, plus Fujiyama 18mm and 25mm orthos and Tak 7.5mm LE
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Re: Travel Scope
I am sure its a great little scope, and yes it would probably be a great grab and go scope its not go to and that is a requirement.JayTee wrote: ↑Sat Oct 28, 2023 4:32 am I have the Bresser Comet Hunter 102MM. It's a great scope with a very wide FOV. And it is very grab n' go!
CH 102 Scope_869x869.jpg
https://explorescientificusa.com/produc ... 2221347844
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Re: Travel Scope
How well do these things work on bright nebula and clusters? I know they are quite good on planetsDeanD wrote: ↑Sat Oct 28, 2023 5:36 amThere is nothing wrong with their optics: I remember using one of these inMike Q wrote: ↑Sat Oct 28, 2023 1:16 amI have looked at the Meade MakDeanD wrote: ↑Sat Oct 28, 2023 1:07 am If you want a go-to as well, for that budget you could get a nice matsutov: ETX 125? or Sky-Watcher 127/1500 AZ-GO2 Explorer (can get this with a 102 refractor too)?
These have great contrast and give nice views of planets, nebulae etc. Even the ETX90 can give great nebulae views: the first time I looked at the Swan (M17) in one I was amazed at the detail.
Or if you want a wider fov: a Schmidt-cass, eg Celestron Astro Fi 5 - the Celestron 125 Schmidt-cass has a great history as an all-rounder.
If you want 4" or above refractors, you are limited to achromats, but they can give great views; especially f8 and above: but then they are getting quite long.
Another alternative might be a small iOptron alt/az mount (eg: their "SkyHunter") with a 4" or 5" f5 achromat (like the Skywatcher 120/600)- although the 5" might be pushing their 5kg payload limit. I have found that IOptron have excellent customer service.
Happy shopping!
DeanCass 127. It definitely has my attention.Bortle 1 skies at Arkaroola in South Oz on a night with probably 1 arc second or better seeing (translation: no degradation of the view at any time: yes, they do exist, sometimes!). We had it on Saturn at over 500x: and it was sharp and contrasty. An amazing view with a definite arc where the Encke division should be...
It was tracking beautifully too.
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Re: Travel Scope
Thanks for your recommendation but that only 80mm and i want to be 100mm or better.
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Re: Travel Scope
Ok then there's this one. Currently out of stock so you may have to wait a while.
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Re: Travel Scope
That would work. It checks all the boxes nicely. Thanks
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- Bigzmey
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Re: Travel Scope
https://agenaastro.com/celestron-nexsta ... scope.html
While I am a big fan of Maks for planets, Moon and doubles, they tend to produce dim images of
Mounts: SW: SkyTee2, AzGTi; iOptron: AZMP; ES: Twilight I; Bresser: EXOS2; UA: MicroStar.
Binos: APM: 100-90 APO; Canon: IS 15x50; Orion: Binoviewer, LG II 15x70, WV 10x50, Nikon: AE 16x50, 10x50, 8x40.
EPs: Pentax: XWs & XFs; TeleVue: Delites, Delos, Panoptic & Plossls; ES: 68, 62; Vixen: SLVs; Baader: BCOs, Aspherics, Mark IV.
Diagonals: Baader: BBHS mirror, Zeiss Spec T2 prism, Clicklock dielectric; TeleVue: Evebrite dielectric; AltairAstro: 2" prism.
Filters: Lumicon: DeepSky, UHC, OIII, H-beta; Baader: Moon & SkyGlow, Contrast Booster, UHC-S, 6-color set; Astronomik: UHC.
Solar: HA: Lunt 50mm single stack, W/L: Meade Herschel wedge.
Observing: DSOs: 3122 (Completed: Messier, Herschel 1, 2, 3. In progress: H2,500: 2196, S110: 77). Doubles: 2461, Comets: 34, Asteroids: 261
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Re: Travel Scope
Good recommendation Andrej. I think this is better than the one I recommended because of the largerBigzmey wrote: ↑Sat Oct 28, 2023 5:14 pm Here is my recommendation. 6" SCT, good for both DSOs and planets/Moon.
https://agenaastro.com/celestron-nexsta ... scope.html
While I am a big fan of Maks for planets, Moon and doubles, they tend to produce dim images of DSOs.
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Re: Travel Scope
I have actually used one of these once. I thought it's images were decent. The one I got to mess with had a issue with one of the motors and it had to go back to be repaired. It seems like in any review you read about them there is always one or two that have bugs. Its the way of the world now i guessBigzmey wrote: ↑Sat Oct 28, 2023 5:14 pm Here is my recommendation. 6" SCT, good for both DSOs and planets/Moon.
https://agenaastro.com/celestron-nexsta ... scope.html
While I am a big fan of Maks for planets, Moon and doubles, they tend to produce dim images of DSOs.
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Re: Travel Scope
https://agenaastro.com/celestron-f6-3-r ... 94175.html
I use a Meade
Refractors: Meade AR-5 127mm f/9.3, Meade ST-80 f/5 and Meade 60mm f/12, Jason 60mm f/15 #313, Jason 60mm f/12 #306 S7, Bushnell Sky Chief III 60mm f/15.
Reflectors/Catadioptrics: Meade 10" F/4 Schmidt-Newtonian, Galileo 120mm f/8.3 Newtonian, Meade 2045D 4" f/10 SCT, Meade ETX-90EC f/13.8 & Sarblue 60mm f/12.5 Maksutov-Cassegrains.
Mounts: Skywatcher EQ6-R Pro & Meade LXD55 Equatorial mounts, ES Twilight II and Meade 2102 ALT/AZ mounts, a modified 10" SkyQuest Dobsonian mount, various 60mm EQ mounts.
Misc: Celestron 20x80mm binoculars, Revolution II Imager/accessories, & lots of optical accessories/eyepieces.
Projects: 8" f/2.9 and 65mm f/10 reflectors, Dobson-style binocular mirror mount.
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Re: Travel Scope
So in reality it is almost 300 over the budget lol.StarBru wrote: ↑Sat Oct 28, 2023 7:35 pm I believe Bigzmey's recommendation of the Celestron Nexstar 6SE to be the best choice for your criteria and for just $99 more than your $1000 budget, totally worth the amount spent! As mentioned by SkyHiker (Henk), that scope has a good reputation. Also, I would recommend this focal reducer for observing your DSO's, which you can always add later.
https://agenaastro.com/celestron-f6-3-r ... 94175.html
I use a Meade f/6.3 focal reducer on my Meade 2045D 4" F/10 Schmidt Cass, and I love it!
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Re: Travel Scope
ST80 - about 18 inches long and maybe 5 pounds with an upgraded Crayford focuser. This was my most used scope for awhile until I got an:
72ED - since the dew shield retracts, it's shorter than the 80mm but it's f6. Definitely a chunky monkey, noticeably heavier than the 80mm.
Mak 90mm - sold this one. Very light and compact, but I didn't like the small
ST102 - might be the best bang for the buck, but the length is starting to get up there for fast fracs.
ST120 - Long and weighs around 11 pounds loaded, so I wouldn't consider it an easy travel scope. It does it in a car trunk but I wouldn't try it on a plane.
I'm not a planetary observer, so minimal data on that. Uranus and Neptune look fine, but they look like planetary nebulas with my scopes. The moon looks decent in all of them although I do stop down the 80mm.
YMMV.
Man... That's some icky-tasting stuff!
=============================================================================
AT50, AT72EDII, ST80, ST102; Scopetech Zero, AZ-GTi, AZ Pronto; Innorel RT90C, Oberwerk 5000; Orion Giantview 15x70s, Vortex 8x42s, Navy surplus 7x50s, Nikon 10x50s
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Re: Travel Scope
You can use scope without reducer. Depends on your targets, EPs you have and personal preferences. This package with or without reducer is a great value. The scope matches well payload capacity of the mount and all included accessories while basic are of good quality. What you get often in other packages is that the scope is too heavy for the mount, or legs are too weak and need to be upgraded, or diagonal and EPs are junk.Mike Q wrote: ↑Sat Oct 28, 2023 8:08 pmSo in reality it is almost 300 over the budget lol.StarBru wrote: ↑Sat Oct 28, 2023 7:35 pm I believe Bigzmey's recommendation of the Celestron Nexstar 6SE to be the best choice for your criteria and for just $99 more than your $1000 budget, totally worth the amount spent! As mentioned by SkyHiker (Henk), that scope has a good reputation. Also, I would recommend this focal reducer for observing your DSO's, which you can always add later.
https://agenaastro.com/celestron-f6-3-r ... 94175.html
I use a Meade f/6.3 focal reducer on my Meade 2045D 4" F/10 Schmidt Cass, and I love it!
Mounts: SW: SkyTee2, AzGTi; iOptron: AZMP; ES: Twilight I; Bresser: EXOS2; UA: MicroStar.
Binos: APM: 100-90 APO; Canon: IS 15x50; Orion: Binoviewer, LG II 15x70, WV 10x50, Nikon: AE 16x50, 10x50, 8x40.
EPs: Pentax: XWs & XFs; TeleVue: Delites, Delos, Panoptic & Plossls; ES: 68, 62; Vixen: SLVs; Baader: BCOs, Aspherics, Mark IV.
Diagonals: Baader: BBHS mirror, Zeiss Spec T2 prism, Clicklock dielectric; TeleVue: Evebrite dielectric; AltairAstro: 2" prism.
Filters: Lumicon: DeepSky, UHC, OIII, H-beta; Baader: Moon & SkyGlow, Contrast Booster, UHC-S, 6-color set; Astronomik: UHC.
Solar: HA: Lunt 50mm single stack, W/L: Meade Herschel wedge.
Observing: DSOs: 3122 (Completed: Messier, Herschel 1, 2, 3. In progress: H2,500: 2196, S110: 77). Doubles: 2461, Comets: 34, Asteroids: 261
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Re: Travel Scope
Thanks for your imput. That scope is actually on the list.Bigzmey wrote: ↑Sat Oct 28, 2023 9:46 pmYou can use scope without reducer. Depends on your targets, EPs you have and personal preferences. This package with or without reducer is a great value. The scope matches well payload capacity of the mount and all included accessories while basic are of good quality. What you get often in other packages is that the scope is too heavy for the mount, or legs are too weak and need to be upgraded, or diagonal and EPs are junk.Mike Q wrote: ↑Sat Oct 28, 2023 8:08 pmSo in reality it is almost 300 over the budget lol.StarBru wrote: ↑Sat Oct 28, 2023 7:35 pm I believe Bigzmey's recommendation of the Celestron Nexstar 6SE to be the best choice for your criteria and for just $99 more than your $1000 budget, totally worth the amount spent! As mentioned by SkyHiker (Henk), that scope has a good reputation. Also, I would recommend this focal reducer for observing your DSO's, which you can always add later.
https://agenaastro.com/celestron-f6-3-r ... 94175.html
I use a Meade f/6.3 focal reducer on my Meade 2045D 4" F/10 Schmidt Cass, and I love it!
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- DeanD
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Re: Travel Scope
As I mentioned, even the ETX90 is surprisingly good on bright nebulae, like M17 and M42, and here in the south Eta Carina. The ETX125 is better... good contrast, and enough light gathering to enable bright nebulae to "pop". I have had nice views of some of the brighter galaxies too, likeMike Q wrote: ↑Sat Oct 28, 2023 10:57 amHow well do these things work on bright nebula and clusters? I know they are quite good on planetsDeanD wrote: ↑Sat Oct 28, 2023 5:36 amThere is nothing wrong with their optics: I remember using one of these inBortle 1 skies at Arkaroola in South Oz on a night with probably 1 arc second or better seeing (translation: no degradation of the view at any time: yes, they do exist, sometimes!). We had it on Saturn at over 500x: and it was sharp and contrasty. An amazing view with a definite arc where the Encke division should be...
It was tracking beautifully too.
FWIW I agree with Bigzmey about the Celestron 6": the bigger the
All the best,
Dean
Binos: Steiner Wildlife XP 10x26, Swarovski 8x30 Habicht, Zeiss SFL 8x40, Vanguard Endeavour 10.5x45, Fuji FMTR-SX 10x50, Tak 22x60, Orion Resolux 15x70
Eyepieces: way too many (is that possible?), but I do like my TV 32mm plossl, 13mm Nagler T6, 27mm Panoptic and 3-6mm Nagler zoom, plus Fujiyama 18mm and 25mm orthos and Tak 7.5mm LE
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