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Old 27-06-2008, 10:51 AM
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Satchmo
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Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Sydney
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1O" and under scopes for planetary are ok if you don't mind black and white views of the planets at higher magnifications ( as the image is too dim) to excite colour vision.

There is simply no subtitute for aperture and light gathering. A 12" F5 will be a far superior planatary instrument than an 8" F8. Long focal length instruments just had better reputations 30 years ago because they had so little departure from a sphere and there was less skill about to make faster mirrors for the amateur. A slight difference in central obstruction between different F ratios is nothing compared to the importance of smooth optical surface.

As far as I know theres a S/H 12" F6 conical mirror available here
http://www.iceinspace.com.au/forum/s...ad.php?t=31474

Hope this helps.
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