Chas, are you in Tampa? If you want an observing buddy when I come down
there, let me know.


"CHASLX200" wrote:
You bet a super smooth mirror will make a diff! I have a 11" F/5.2 EL
Starmaster with Zambuto optics, and a 15" Obsession with a f/4.5 OMI-Torus
mirror, both scopes when cooled down, collimated and in excellent seeing,
will
go toe to toe with any high end Mak or APO in the 7" or bigger range!
Both
these mirrors have such a smooth polish, that the contrast difference will
knock you down.

Both scopes will handle 1000x with ease on nites with seeing 9+, and i
live in
Tampa Florida so i have super seeing. No SCT can even come close to the
refractor like contrast, on deepsky or the planets, that these two mirrors
produce.

So i say yes if you live in a place where seeing is excellent, then paying
$500
to $1500 extra for great optics is the only way to go...