List of telescopes for purchase

[04Stefan07]

OK I thought I would start a clean thread with a list of telescopes I am interested in.

Newtonian was the recommended choice but wanted to share my research.

- Used for both imaging and visual (I understand one will be not as good as the other which is a compromise I can deal with)
- Budget up to $700
- For use on an HEQ5 Pro
- Doesn't need to be the biggest aperture money could buy, happy to compromise it for a different design.
- Will be using my guidescope
- I have experience with various types of telescopes so not a complete beginner
- 6" I think will be the limit, pushing it will be too weighty

Telescopes
1)Sky Watcher Black Diamond 120mm f/8 Refractor OTA
http://www.myastroshop.com.au/products/details.asp?id=MAS-045H

2) Sky Watcher Black Diamond 150mm OTA
http://www.myastroshop.com.au/products/details.asp?id=MAS-069A2

3) Sky Watcher Black Diamond 127mm MAK OTA
http://www.myastroshop.com.au/products/details.asp?id=MAS-065B

4) Bresser - Messier AR-127L Refractor OTA
http://www.myastroshop.com.au/products/details.asp?id=MAS-031B2

[glend]

I still believe you should go for an 8" newt, Andrews offers two, and f4 and a f5 at the same price $499. The f4 would be marginally lighter due to the shorter tube. There are people imaging with 8" newts on HEQ5s.
Stay away from those refractors, they are achromats and will have chromatic aberration (CA) which will make imaging a nightmare, even if you use a CA filter. If it was an f12-f15 maybe but the CA will be significant at that f ratio. Suggest you do some research on CA in Achromat scopes.
Good luck.

[rmuhlack]

my pick is still the 150mm newt, for the reasons offered in the previous thread

[04Stefan07]

Any noticeable difference between the GSO that Andrews sell and the Skywatchers that Ozscopes, MyAstroShop and Siruis Optics sells? Not to mention Bintels!

[Atmos]

I would not be surprised if they all came from the same factory :lol:

[glend]

The main differences are both the manufacturer and in the business model used. All Skywatcher products are imported by Tasco and they wholesale out to all the Australian retailers ( so there are three profit margins your paying there: the factory, the wholesaler (Tasco) and the retailer. GSO products are non-exclusive imports, meaning that Andrews and Bintel bring them in directly, they are normally held in a 'bonded warehouse', at leasr in Andrews case, so they only are paid for when they sell one. Less costly potentally than the wholesaler (Tasco) model, less profit margins along the way. GSO products are made by GSO in Taiwan. Skywatcher products are made by the large mainland China factories of Synta.
If you think that you will need backup retailer service, then Bintel has a good reputation in that area. Some retailers simply 'drop ship' from the wholesaler for big ticket items like scopes and never actually see them before they ship.; they are shipped to you from Tasco in the case of Skywatcher.
Hope that helps.

[04Stefan07]

Can get confusing with all the re branding!

Ok so after some more research and thinking out of the four telescopes I mentioned I have narrowed it down to two.

1) Bresser - Messier AR 127L Refractor
2) Skywatcher/GSO 150mm Newtonian

I've read that the Bresser is achromatic which is a feature that is needed for imagining but there aren't many reviews on this scope. A couple I read say it's very good and quality built.

[glend]

I owned a Bresser Messier AR-102L that I imported directly from europe. It was a nice scope and build quality was good but suffered from chromac aberration as all Achtomats do - not something good for imaging. They are essentially the same scope as the US Explore Scientific brand, made in the same Synta factory.

[Chris.B]

http://www.bintel.com.au/CamberwellStoreClearanceSale.aspx

Bintel have one 6" f/4 on special.

[04Stefan07]

Ooo didn't see that.

Wonder what it comes with.

[04Stefan07]

OK have decided I am going to go with the Newtonian.

I just need to choose which size for my needs!

[04Stefan07]

Ended up with the 6" GSO Newtonian 150/600 OTA.

Thank you all for your input!!

[Somnium]

that was going to be my recommendation. i hope it all works well for you, happy imaging and observing to come !