Best value Cassegrain around $1500

[JimsShed]

Hi people. My very first post, and I'd appreciate any advice for my first scope. I've been stalking the forums, checking products etc and right now, I feel like I've already "owned" 2 or 3 scopes and then moved on as my knowledge has improved and my needs have become clearer.

Right now I've narrowed down the type of scope to a Cassegrain due to their more compact size and portability. A dob is out, even though it would be great for home use. I need to be able to take this scope when travelling.

Budget is circa $1,500 (approved by the board of management :thumbsup:)
Goto would be great, but if I can add-on later then maybe sway to visual quality over tech.
Primary use will be sighting the sky, but I want the option to take the odd picture with an SLR. If I ever get into the photography, then I may look for a more purposeful scope for that.

My initial thoughts was a Celestron SE4, Nextstar 127SLT, then an SE6, then...well it goes on. The SE6 rates well, but it appears I could get an 8 inch OTA and mount for similar money but what to get? I see so much experience on these forums and ask if you could help me with some recommendations?

Signed Tortured (Jim)

[Camelopardalis]

Hello Jim and :welcome: to Ice in Space!

You seem pretty certain that a cass/cat is for you and I'm the wrong person to discourage you since I own a couple myself for similar reasons. They may be master of none, jack of all trades or whatever, but a good one will serve you well.

In my experience, the C8 (or likewise Meade 8") will show significantly more and fainter detail than the C6, and is only about 1.5kg heavier, so my sentiment is don't waste your time and money and jump right in at 8"...it's a bit of a sweet spot. Even on the Celestron SE mount (6SE and 8SE use the same mount) the scope is a little under mounted but with a careful hand it is possible to operate without too much vibration and it's a very portable combination. Likewise, there are other mounts that would handle it equally well/better, but those alone would likely eat up your budget without the OTA.

Regarding goto, I'd say it's a must have because the focal length gives you a relatively narrow FOV, unless you have a nice wide 2" eyepiece, so push to and/or manual tracking might be a bit of a challenge.

As for photography...the focal length doesn't lend itself well to DSO photography easily, but this turns around to be an advantage for planetary imaging. You win some you lose some :D no scope is perfect...

[Merlin66]

Stretch your budget a little and there a good 10" SCT in the for sale forum...

[Wavytone]

For both photography and visual the best option IMHO is a skywatcher or Orion Maksutov-Newtonian, there are typically 190mm aperture and f/4.5 to f/5.6. Visually superb, and a nice medium field and fast enough for taking some nice photos very easily.

Finding one secondhand is very hard, new they're out of you're budget though, and the other issue is a mount to match.

FWIW The smallest cassegrains with 2" backs are the skywatcher 180mm f/15 maksutov and the Intes Micro M703, 180mm aperture x f/10. Both are primarily visual scopes, for moon and planets, not suited to photography.

[rrussell1962]

Jim, have PM'd you. You are very local to me. I have a couple of scope types you can try out, including Nester 8se, before buying if you want. Weather and work nights permitting.

[Allan_L]

One like this I would say:
http://www.iceinspace.com.au/forum/showthread.php?t=131318

[brian nordstrom]

:thumbsup:Plus one on that , awesome scope for little money .
Brian.

[JimsShed]

Thank you everyone for your input so far, and a special thanks to rrussell1962 for inviting me around to his place for a chat and a wonderful evening of looking at the sky through some of his scopes.
The experience was fantastic. Fortunately he has a Celestron SE8 and a Vixen ED80, both had goto's, but as I found out, it's all about the looking, and I gotta admit that right now I'm pretty impressed by the ED80, not quite as bright as the SE8 tonight, but to me it was sharper and more immersive. I'm now in the market for an ED(something). As I saw in real life, they're just as portable as well (bonus).
There seem to be a few makes of ED refractors out there, so would appreciate any of your comments and recommendations on them.

Jim

[Amaranthus]

Orion ED80T CF is a real gem.

[Wedgie]

Hi Jim,
I've a couple of classic APO refractors being a TV Genesis and a TV Genesis SDF you are welcome to try as well if inclined. Northside Bne. I don't have my Meade LX200 any more - sorry!