A little help with choice of telescope. 4.5" or 6"

[jesterdev]

I am planning on getting a telescope today, and have been looking around and learning as much as I can, but still have some questions. Really I just want to know what the real difference is between what I can see with a 4.5" vs a 6" telescope. Some actual pictures would be perfect, and I've tried to find some, but no luck so far. If anyone has any links I would be very greatful. <br /><br />I may just end up buying the 4.5" for know, and getting a 6" in a few months. At least that is where I am leaning towards at the moment. However I am just bought all 3 volumes of Burnham's Celestial Handbook, and I'm hoping that I will be ok with a 4.5" when looking for the objects listed in the books. Any comments? <br /><br />And I'm sure you figured it out, but I am really new to all this.

 

[harmonicaman]

Choose the bare bones 6" -- aperture is everything! You can always add accessories and additional eye pieces later...<br /><br />Differences between a 6":<br /><br />A quick shot of Saturn taken with Ektar 1000 using eyepiece projection on a six-inch telescope, Summer 1993. (D. Armstrong) <br /><br />...and a 10":<br /><br />This was taken in August 1997 with a 10-inch Newtonian, using a 9.7mm plossol and 2x barlow on Gold Max 800. (D. Armstrong)

 

[nevers]

Harmonicaman is right - Aperture is (just about and almost always) everything. A lot of the objects in Burnhams are very dim and tiny - you won't be able to see most of them with either 4.5 or 6"er. Not to discourage you by any means. The objects you CAN see will most certainly look better in the larger 'scope.<br /><br />I have some photos on my website taken with some of my various 'scopes - mostly my Meade 5" Refractor and a Canon Powershot G5 and stacked with RegiStax. Most of them were taken in very light polluted skies but, you'll get some idea what can be seen realistically if you want to look - they are fair examples of what the 'scope actually sees in dark skies.<br /><br />Good luck and keep us posted! <img src="/images/icons/smile.gif" />

 

[CalliArcale]

All else being equal, bigger is better -- go with the 6". I have a 130mm Newtonian and it's fun, but my dad's 8" Schmidtt-Cassegrain blows its socks off, so to speak.<br /><br />But are these otherwise the same 'scope? Is cost a consideration?<br /><br />* Newtonians generally get much better bang-for-the-buck than Schmidtt-Cassegrains, but as they get bigger, they get bulkier too (long tubes).<br /><br />* As the 'scope gets bigger, you may need a bigger mount to support the weight. This may increase the cost. See what the manufacturer recommends for a mount.<br /><br />* If it's a 4.5" Newt versus a 6" S-C, you're probably breaking even; S-Cs lose some light-gathering ability because they have an extra mirror and a hole in the middle of the primary mirror, and this means they have a lower effective resolution than a Newtonian of the same apeture. The Newt will be a lot cheaper, though.<br /><br />If they're very similar telescopes and cost isn't too big a deal, I'd really go for the 6". Bigger really is better with astronomical telescopes. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p> </p><p><font color="#666699"><em>"People assume that time is a strict progression of cause to effect, but actually from a non-linear, non-subjective viewpoint it's more like a big ball of wibbly wobbly . . . timey wimey . . . stuff."</em>  -- The Tenth Doctor, "Blink"</font></p> </div>

 

[jesterdev]

Well cost is a bit of a factor at the moment. I was looking at auctions on ebay, and found quite a few 4.5" for around $60, and 6" for around $90. I would imagine these are cheap ones, but that's just about what I'm looking at for cost at the moment. I would be willing to go upto $130. At least till the middle of the summer, but of course shipping is $50 is is way overboard! <br /><br />Any idea's on other places I might look? That barebones 6" sounds interesting..

 

[harmonicaman]

Ebay does have some great deals! You can cut and past the auction page url into a post here and we can comment on your specific selection!<br /><br />Also, when you search Ebay, you can select telescopes that are "Closest to you"; you might find one you can go pick up and avoid the shipping expenses.

 

[jesterdev]

Still waiting to buy one. Everyone here has opened my eyes, and for that I am thankful. Here is the url to one I was considering on ebay:<br /><br />http://cgi.ebay.com/New-White-6-Short-Tube-Newtonian-Reflector-Best-Buy_W0QQitemZ7629035036QQihZ017QQcategoryZ28181QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem <br /><br />And I am currently looking around on Astromart as well. The above ebay telescope also sells on amazon.com, and I think it was telescopepro.com as well. But it seems like a cheap model.

 

[tfwthom]

Danger...danger Will Robinson!!<br /><br />It has a screw on sun filter! Tells me right off that it's a piece of junk. No one includes a screw on eyepiece sun filter with a scope anymore. With a reflector no less.<br /><br />Save your money and buy a real scope. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <font size="1" color="#3366ff">www.siriuslookers.org</font> </div>

 

[jcdenton]

Forget about eBay when it comes to used astro stuff. Use Astromart instead. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>