I can happily report I managed the Antares split this morn!!! (3-30am)
Seeing was only average so it was a little "mushy" with the 5mm LVW in my 8" newt at 200x...
But there it was .... the little blue pup right beside it's larger orange mumma
You're right. It's very do-able in the 8". I think it's gonna look very nice in steadier seeing.
Thanks for encouraging me to have a go at it.