Is bigger better???

[h45e (Anthony)]

I am wondering if a 6" scope is better than a 8" scope? I'm planing to do some astro photography for dso's.

[barx1963 (Malcolm)]

All other things being equal, bigger is better. Having said that, probably morew details is needed as to how you are planning to use scope to answer a query for imaging work. EG waht mount are you planning to use? What are you planning to image? What camera do you have?

[h45e (Anthony)]

I was thinking of

Meade LS 8" Advanced Coma-Free LightSwitch telescope

Or

Meade LS 6" Advanced Coma-Free LightSwitch telescope

Or

Celestron 8 Inch CPC 800 XLT Schmidt-Cassegrain Telescope

[OICURMT]

I'd question the ability for the LS's to support very much on a single arm...

[mswhin63 (Malcolm)]

for deep sky you will need equatorial mounting. Each of the scopes that you have looked at are all ALT/AZ mounts and won't be able to carry out long exposures due to field rotation.

If you can get a wedge for any of those three then it may then be possible to do deep sky.

Most imaging is done using Equatorial mounts although Cassegrain scopes can be fitted with Field de-rotators to compensate although they are quite expensive.

[gary]

Originally Posted by h45e

I'm planing to do some astro photography for dso's.

Another extremely important attribute of a telescope being used to photograph
extended DSO's is its "speed".

If you divide the focal length of the scope by its effective aperture, you will
obtain a dimensionless number referred to as an F-number. The F-number is
synonymous with the "speed" of the optics and the smaller the number
the "faster" the optics are said to be.

For DSO's, the faster the optics, the shorter the exposure time required
and the less noise in the image.

[h45e (Anthony)]

I want to use those two scopes, but i honestly dont know which one to get..

I want bang for buck but I also want my friends to enjoy the wonders that is the universe.

[ZeroID (Brent)]

For visual bigger is always better so 8" will outgun 6' obviously. But Astrophotography has different needs and an Alt/Az Dob LS is not the choice for long exposure DSO requirements.
I'd go with the 8" Celestron as best call and wedge it later for photography but be warned its a long hard expensive path as I am finding out ..