Mars tonight, C-8 vs. APO!

Had a peak at Mars around 2 am tonight, still low on the horizon. Just
bought an older, used C-8 SCT Faststar OTA, want it to try it out.
Also, compare it to my C-102F APO.
C-8 is pretty sharp, seems brighter than the 4" APO, looking at the
stars around Mars in comparison. Mars didn't show much details, it was
blazing in both scopes, may be the APO was less flaring.
I can tell, Mars has it's phases, only 2/3 of the planet was showing.
Moon was very nice in both scopes, very sharp in the C-8 too.
I'll keep playing with the C-8, very compact scope for an 8"-er.
Can be used for wide field f/2 imaging too with the right accessories
and CCD.
Julius

Julius,

For just observing, which scope do you prefer to use? I'm working on
making up my mind about what scope to buy.

peace,
Cherokee

Cherokee wrote:
Julius,

For just observing, which scope do you prefer to use? I'm working on
making up my mind about what scope to buy.

peace,
Cherokee

If you buy a small APO or semi-APO 3-4", it all ways have room for you
in the future for observing, than move on to some thing biger.
I also have a C-11, weighs 30 LB. For quick look and planets, I like the
APO. To set up the C-11 is more comitment(cooldown time etc...), also I
all ways check the seeing before observing, things can look very ugly
with a large aparture when the seeing is bad.
4" APO is sharp, that's why people love it, 8" or 11" lightgethering is
much brighter, can see lot more deeper for sure.
Julius

Julius,

I like your idea that if I buy a small, quality refractor, it will
always be a companion no matter what other telescope I buy in the
future.

hmmmm....

peace,
Cherokee

Julius.

Just the OTA of the C11 weighs 30 LBS. The fork mount or equatorial mount
probably adds another 60 LBS. Four inch APOs rule!! There was a guy that
used to post here by the name of Ron Bee. Ron did amazing things with his 4
inch Tele Vue 102. He called it the "Light Cup".

Regards,

-mij

"szaki" wrote in message
...
Cherokee wrote:
Julius,

For just observing, which scope do you prefer to use? I'm working on
making up my mind about what scope to buy.

peace,
Cherokee

If you buy a small APO or semi-APO 3-4", it all ways have room for you in
the future for observing, than move on to some thing biger.
I also have a C-11, weighs 30 LB. For quick look and planets, I like the
APO. To set up the C-11 is more comitment(cooldown time etc...), also I
all ways check the seeing before observing, things can look very ugly with
a large aparture when the seeing is bad.
4" APO is sharp, that's why people love it, 8" or 11" lightgethering is
much brighter, can see lot more deeper for sure.
Julius

That is very true. It is always useful as a quick-look scope when you do not
have the time to setup a larger scope. It will always perform fairly well on
planets in bad atmospheric conditions where a larger scope will show more
distortion.


"Cherokee" wrote in message
ups.com...
Julius,

I like your idea that if I buy a small, quality refractor, it will
always be a companion no matter what other telescope I buy in the
future.

hmmmm....

peace,
Cherokee

Cherokee wrote:
Julius,

I like your idea that if I buy a small, quality refractor, it will
always be a companion no matter what other telescope I buy in the
future.

hmmmm....

peace,
Cherokee

Yes, I had a TV Pronto for 2 years. Only 70mm aperture, but I had it
with me every where, day or night.
Now I have 4" APO, bulkier, but still portable and no cool down time.
Julius

I think you guys just talked me into buying a used refractor setup from
a new friend.

peace,
Cherokee

Yup. I four inch refractor is a very versatile instrument that you will
always want to have available.

"Cherokee" wrote in message
ps.com...
I think you guys just talked me into buying a used refractor setup from
a new friend.

peace,
Cherokee

The venerable C8 is hard to beat especially the newer better ones.
Cheap, low weight/portable, ...... the list is endless. What I regret is
there never was a Scope of the Century appointment made in 1999
or perhaps it would have been the C8.

....

szaki wrote:

Had a peak at Mars around 2 am tonight, still low on the horizon. Just
bought an older, used C-8 SCT Faststar OTA, want it to try it out.
Also, compare it to my C-102F APO.
C-8 is pretty sharp, seems brighter than the 4" APO, looking at the
stars around Mars in comparison. Mars didn't show much details, it was
blazing in both scopes, may be the APO was less flaring.
I can tell, Mars has it's phases, only 2/3 of the planet was showing.
Moon was very nice in both scopes, very sharp in the C-8 too.
I'll keep playing with the C-8, very compact scope for an 8"-er.
Can be used for wide field f/2 imaging too with the right accessories
and CCD.
Julius