Welcome to IIS
Ok...here's the lowdown. The 14" will give you better resolution and brighter images because it's larger and has a smaller central obstruction in comparison to the primary mirror. However, unless it's one of the newer
EdgeHD or
ACF models, the off axis coma will be greater in the SCT than in the RC. The RC will most likely be a faster scope as its optics will be a little tighter than the SCT (probably an F8 c.f. F10 for the SCT's). Both will need field flatteners, though, unless it's an EdgeHD or ACF which are also corrected for field aberrations as well. Focal reducers will work in all scopes, except don't match a Meade ACF with their 0.33 field flattener/focal reducer. They don't work together at all. The 0.67 is OK, but the other one is a disaster. It'll look like you're doing warp 9 in any piccie you take
If you get an EdgeHD scope, you'll also get the added benefit of it being hyperstar compatible. This means you'll be able to get a
Hyperstar lens system and take piccies at F1.8 to F2.0. Think of it as being a good way of taking a piccie of M16 that would normally take an hour or more, in 5-10 minutes
.
Then you have to think about your budget....what can I afford. What accessories do I want to get with it. What camera do I want to buy. Do I want to start with a DSLR or a dedicated CCD astrocamera...what else will I need with the camera etc etc etc. Then you have to think about guiding the scope for DSO pics, what sort of guidescope/guider combo you want and need...it adds up to quite a bit of cash in the end
Anyway, I hope that has helped you out. Anymore questions, just post away
