Planetary Scope

[Guest recceranger]

Hi all,

 

I,m looking a good scope for planetary visual observing.  Want a decent size clear image that shows good detail not a dot in the FOV.

 

Anyone got some advice?

 

Cheers 

 

Rick

[+RonC]

Plenty of good scopes around Rick, you better specify the price your willing to pay?

[T A WOW]

I'd say either a Mak cass or a long f/length refractor. But as stated above depends on what you want to spend and how big you are comfortable with.

[dawson]

What do you call  decent size clear image? How much of the field of view do you want the planet to occupy and still look clear?

 

If you want it to look like this:

 

Then you'll need something like a 24 inch reflector.

Edited May 10, 2013 by dawson

[dawson]

If you would be happy with this:

 

Then you could probably achieve that with the 127mm Mak-Cassegrain (as well as many other scopes).

 

These are just images I've knocked up in Paint, but might be able to show you very very roughly the extremes. I'd suggest you get to an event where there are a range of telescopes on show, and get the owners to show you the planet du jour and you make an informed decision. I'd be happy for you to come to NG2 and look through my two Maks (127 and 180mm) to compare them, but you should also have a look through other telescope designs too.

 

James

 

[oldfruit]

Do your research and read reviews of scopes on cloudynights or star gazers lounge. Everyone will give different opinions but the reviews usuall speak for themselves. I am sure someone will have some advice but mine would be to do the research first. It usually gives a good idea of different opinions and things to look for in a scope, and also things to avoid.

 

If you have the funds a Celestron 9.25 inch schmidt cassegrain would be a good investment. More than one of our other members has one but one of our members (tbird) has one and i was lucky enought to look through it and Jupiter was the best i have ever seen.

[Brantuk]

What's your budget Richard? There's a variety of scopes you can choose from to suit the purpose - as above it's either a long fl refractor or a cassegraine Mak or Sct. They come in all sizes and depends largely on imaging or observing or both, and of course budget. Come to a session and compare if you like.

[red dwalf]

good 8 or even better a 9.25" sct give very good visual views of Jupiter and Saturn, i find most of others are alittle too small in any scope with a reasonable budget, venus is a good view also but no detail as it`s a bright creasent visually.

[red dwalf]

check this site out,

http://www.skyatnightmagazine.com/field-view-calculator

gives a good idea of what you can see either visually or imaging with a camera, you can enter lots of scopes and eyepiece combinations in the calculator.

[Guest recceranger]

Thanks all,

Sorry, my budget is around £1'300! Important when asking this Question. Considered the MAK route and C9'25. I have even considered a Dob with GOTO at around 10 or 12"

Don't get me wrong, I looked a Saturn (my first viewing!) with my ED80 and although small it was fantastic. Crisp, clear, basically awesome.

Just want to improve my range a bit without it all becoming impractical.

Thanks again

Rick

[dawson]

Are you going to get bored of one planet per season and want to explore (visually or imaging) DSOs?

 

If imaging DSOs (they largely look the same visually) you'll need an equatorial mount; this will eat a large part of your £1100 budget.

 

We've got several members on here with >8" SCTs, and I've just bought a second hand 180 Mak, but only had it out once without the dual speed focuser on and attempts I made of Saturn were out of focus, but I was VERY pleased with the visual.

 

I'm not long into this but good luck.

 

James

[philjay]

Hi Richard

 

Most scopes recommended will give you a decent image of lunar and planetary but a true planetary scope must fill certain criteria

 

Long Focal length in order to give good magnification with comfortable eye relief using longer focal length eyepieces.

Good contrast, essential for picking out finer detail

Good colour correction, important for picking out subtleties in detail

 

Longer focal length refractors F7 plus with good colour correction  fill all the criteria and Maksutovs and SCTs and Cassegrains fill 2 of them and will perform well.

 

I am a planetary observer (amongst many other things) and have owned all the above mentioned types and have settled on Long Focus refractors for planetary because in my (and many other planetary observers) opinion they give the better views in most of the conditions experienced in this countries weather. Don't take my word for it, have a look at Neil English' web site and articles, he can explain why better than I. http://neilenglish.net/

 

 

I have 2 firm favourites at the moment which I use regularly my Meade ED Triplet 127mm apo and a vintage/antique mix 4" F15 achromatic refractor. They both give stunning views and do not require long cool downs, collimation checks etc to perform, you just pick em up, stick em outside to cool for a bit then start observing, no messing

 

However  Saying that I am currently using an 8" F6 Newtonian for planetary imaging so what I have just said above may be taken to have been negated by this confession. But that is not the case I still use refractors for visual planetary, the only reason I am using the reflector is because its got more aperture and gives a brighter image for my camera. But it takes far more attention to get a decent image out of it.

 

A top optics big dob can perform better than most high end refractors but the conditions have to be just right whereas a semi decent long focus refractor will perform well most of the time.

 

Is your budget for the scope only or the mount as well? If its the scope then there are a lot of good scopes out there within your budget that will give you a lifetime of observing pleasure.

 

 

 

 

Hope that helps

[Guest recceranger]

Phil,

 

Yes, the budget is for OTA only.  I have an HEQ5 and SW ED80 at the moment.  The ED80 is weapon of choice for AP and the Planetary scope is sought for exactly that, planets/Lunar (maybe certain other i.e. small DSO/Binaries etc.

 

If you had to chose would you take a 120 - 150 odd mm Frac, Mak 180 or a decent Dob (12" ish)?

 

I'm pretty cool on this though as when a get a bit more involved with AP I will look at specialised to task scopes and ancillary items.  For now its pure vis pleasure and indulgence!

 

Rick

[philjay]

Oooh now there's a question   My personal choices in order of preference for a purely visual planetary / doubles scope would be:

1

1300 squids would buy a nice used 127mm ED Triplet refractor ( I have the Meade version) and that would be my choice every time. I still remember spending between midnight and 0200 hours at Stargazerslounge 7 starparty last year just observing Saturn through it. It was stunning, I have never seen the C ring before until that night, conditions were good but according to a lot of folks who looked through it this was one of the best views on the field that night, and there was some posher stuff than this around.

2

A big Mak would be good from an aperture point of view so nice bright images and the central obstruction isn't as big as an SCT or trad Cass so the contrast wouldn't suffer as much but wouldn't be as contrasty as a refractor. Also the cool down times wind me up, just too long that's why I got rid of my Mak eventually

 

3

SCT. I had a C11 and swapped it for the Meade 127 ED Triplet refractor, and never looked back.... nuff said??

 

4

Big Dob. I have done side by sides with Dobs and a couple of my scopes. One example my 4" F15 Achro was giving detailed views of Jupiter this last apparition when it was low don, the dob next door was still fuzzy. Why? Nothing to do with optics, it was down to the fact that the frac was high up out of the thermal ground shear level and the dob was on the floor right in it.

OK when atmospheric conditions are right, a nice high planet, a well figured mirror, perfectly collimated, with the no heat interference from the observer a Dob will give good views but that's a lot of variables to get together for a good view and in this country most are beyond our control

 

Whereas once a refractor has acclimated (faster than a comparable mak, SCT or Newt in my experience) its a lot easier to use and is more forgiving with conditions.

 

Also you mentioned doubles, again from experience even my 6" F8 achro frac is better than some of the reflectors Ive had for cleanly splitting doubles. Splitting doubles is easy with most types of scopes but refractors with the sharper contrasty image means you can determine the minimum mag for a split whereas my old SCT and Mak (to a lesser extent) I had to over magnify to guarantee a split.

 

You did ask   :D  

[Guest recceranger]

So the cool down of a MAK isn't an issue for me.  The 180 has better aperture per quid than a 6" Frac (especially an APO!).  I'm assuming then that the MAK 180 will give a better image for planetary visual?

 

Really wish I had time prior to the IAS this weekend to take a look through a few differing scopes (Mak's, Frac and 8 - 10" SCT's).  Alas the weather, arrow of time and my own unique ability to leave everything to the last safe moment has made this impossible.

 

In short I will make a call when I take a look via a few dealers and also some sound advice from a few advanced members attending the show.

 

Thanks all for your replies.

 

Rick

[dawson]

I'd still suggest attributing more of your decision making on getting your hands on the scopes and looking through them first hand rather than what any traders show or tell you at an exhibition.

Good luck.

James

[Guest recceranger]

Thanks James,

 

I agree.  Judging by the weather there is no rush!  Read so many great reports about the MAK 180 and C9'25 I think it will probably come down to one of these.  The deal offered will prob be deciding factor

 

Cheers dude

 

Rick 

[dawson]

Rick, you are welcome to come to NG2 and have a look through my 180 mak anytime if that helps. Codnorpaul has an 8" celestron sct and i'm sure he'd say the same.

Yes, the weather forecast isn't great is it!

James

[Guest CodnorPaul]

Sorry been away for few days - yes have a squint through the SCT anytime, but get to a meet and there will be umpteen opportunities to compare scopes!

[Guest recceranger]

Thank you troops,

A big help and much appreciated

FAB