Well I did It, Finally

[Cassini12]

<p>Just wanted to thank you all for your help recently.</p><p>I went ahead and ordered a brand new Celestron Omni XLT 150. After many many hours of research I came to this scope. I paid a little more than the Celestron 130 SLT with GOTO. But I opted for the XLT coatings on the optics of the Omni over the "computer" on the 130SLT. </p><p>I hope I made the right choice, My main goal was to find a scope that wil show me saturn pretty well. I think this scope should atleast show me a decent size image of saturn. Also this scope I chose over the Omni XLT 120mm refractor due to the fact that it should not only show me Saturn well but I also get the option on DSO probably a little better with the 6" Newt Reflector over the 120mm Refractor.</p><p>I have also ordered the telrad finder, I hope I can find somewhere to place it on my new scope. I should have my scope and all extras by end of this week. (I hope). </p><p>I was also thinking of purchasing a 5mm Celestron X-cel EP, and maybe also the X-cel Barlow 2x.</p><p>The thing that most concerns me is the CG-4 Equatorial mount. This looks tough as nails, but also seems to look very complicated. Remember I am only used to the MEade DS-2114 goto (POS). </p><p>So thanks again, and if anyone has any comments on this scope, I look forward to reading them. THANKS ALL</p><p>-Cassini</p>

 

[TahaSiddiqui]

<p><BR/>Replying to:<BR/><DIV CLASS='Discussion_PostQuote'>Just wanted to thank you all for your help recently.I went ahead and ordered a brand new Celestron Omni XLT 150. Posted by Cassini12</DIV><br /><br />Congrats dude! It looks like a very nice scope and yeah I believe you will see Saturn in a very nice size. You're max. useful magnification is 360X which is great. The mount seems really nice too, even it seems confusing. Yeah, the 5mm and 2X barlow would be perfect for&nbsp;you're telescope.</p><p>Oh btw, tell me how well it works, I might want this as a future scope </p>

 

[Cassini12]

<p><BR/>Replying to:<BR/><DIV CLASS='Discussion_PostQuote'>Congrats dude! It looks like a very nice scope and yeah I believe you will see Saturn in a very nice size. You're max. useful magnification is 360X which is great. The mount seems really nice too, even it seems confusing. Yeah, the 5mm and 2X barlow would be perfect for&nbsp;you're telescope.Oh btw, tell me how well it works, I might want this as a future scope <br />Posted by TahaSiddiqui</DIV></p><p>Thanks, And yes I will give you all the heads up once I use it on a few things. Should ship out today, hopefully will be here for the weekend. Thanks</p>

 

[crazyeddie]

<p><BR/>Replying to:<BR/><DIV CLASS='Discussion_PostQuote'>Just wanted to thank you all for your help recently.I went ahead and ordered a brand new Celestron Omni XLT 150. After many many hours of research I came to this scope. I paid a little more than the Celestron 130 SLT with GOTO. But I opted for the XLT coatings on the optics of the Omni over the "computer" on the 130SLT. I hope I made the right choice, My main goal was to find a scope that wil show me saturn pretty well. I think this scope should atleast show me a decent size image of saturn. Also this scope I chose over the Omni XLT 120mm refractor due to the fact that it should not only show me Saturn well but I also get the option on DSO probably a little better with the 6" Newt Reflector over the 120mm Refractor.I have also ordered the telrad finder, I hope I can find somewhere to place it on my new scope. I should have my scope and all extras by end of this week. (I hope). I was also thinking of purchasing a 5mm Celestron X-cel EP, and maybe also the X-cel Barlow 2x.The thing that most concerns me is the CG-4 Equatorial mount. This looks tough as nails, but also seems to look very complicated. Remember I am only used to the MEade DS-2114 goto (POS). So thanks again, and if anyone has any comments on this scope, I look forward to reading them. THANKS ALL-Cassini <br /> Posted by Cassini12</DIV></p><p>Well, it's certainly a better scope than what you're using, but it's still not what I would have chosen if you're primary objective is a better view of Saturn. &nbsp;For that, you need a scope with significantly more aperture and much longer focal length to give you greater magnification. &nbsp;What you've chosen is a scope better suited for deep-sky, wide-angle viewing that has a <span style="font-weight:bold" class="Apple-style-span">shorter</span>&nbsp;focal length and scarcely 2 additional inches of additional aperture than what you are already using. &nbsp;The 120mm refractor would have been a better choice for planetary viewing, by far, with it's longer focal length (1000mm vs 750mm on the scope you bought), plus, as a refractor, it would have much crisper, more contrasty views, since it has no central obstruction to cause diffraction. &nbsp;I don't think you'll see much improvement in your views of Saturn with the scope you chose. &nbsp;It's on a nice, sturdy-looking mount, though.</p> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>

 

[MeteorWayne]

<p>I wish people would listen to our advice and go to an astronomy club and look through a variety of scopes befroe they spend their money.</p><p>But they never seem to....</p> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font color="#000080"><em><font color="#000000">But the Krell forgot one thing John. Monsters. Monsters from the Id.</font></em> </font></p><p><font color="#000080">I really, really, really, really miss the "first unread post" function</font><font color="#000080"> </font></p> </div>

 

[Cassini12]

<p><BR/>Replying to:<BR/><DIV CLASS='Discussion_PostQuote'>I wish people would listen to our advice and go to an astronomy club and look through a variety of scopes befroe they spend their money.But they never seem to.... <br />Posted by MeteorWayne</DIV></p><p>&nbsp;Ok, before we go any further, you cant just assume that everywhere in the USA there is astronomy clubs just&nbsp;flowing out into the road due to large number of them. Were I live there is VERY limited options avialable, also I work 5-6days a week 10+hrs a day, and the weather has been so bad lately around here that I dont have the advantage of scope testing. </p><p>So moving on from that major factor, I do understand that the longer FL and higher FR would have made the refractor a better choice (also no collimation), but the image size/quality i did not feel would be&nbsp;THAT much greater, than the 6" reflector so I went with one that I felt would do Saturn justice and also since I DO LISTEN to you all, I remembered that I am not going to purchase a scope for $400-$500 JUST for Saturn as that will get old. SO, I went with one to get me Saturn, AND also some DSO. And with the tiny bit of money i saved on the 6" over 120Refractor I ordered a EP case, and also a Telrad Finder... Thnx</p><p>&nbsp;-Cassini</p>

 

[MeteorWayne]

<p>I understand what you are saying, but to my way of thinking, before plunking down the money, I stand by my advice.</p><p>Mass clubs:</p><p>http://www.astronomyclubs.com/1/190/23/0/club.aspx</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>http://www.skyandtelescope.com/community/organizations/searchresults?clubType=47956&city=&countrySelect=47501&stateSelect=47766&description=&registration=Find+Club</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>I know there are none close.</p> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font color="#000080"><em><font color="#000000">But the Krell forgot one thing John. Monsters. Monsters from the Id.</font></em> </font></p><p><font color="#000080">I really, really, really, really miss the "first unread post" function</font><font color="#000080"> </font></p> </div>

 

[crazyeddie]

<p><BR/>Replying to:<BR/><DIV CLASS='Discussion_PostQuote'>&nbsp;Ok, before we go any further, you cant just assume that everywhere in the USA there is astronomy clubs just&nbsp;flowing out into the road due to large number of them. Were I live there is VERY limited options avialable, also I work 5-6days a week 10+hrs a day, and the weather has been so bad lately around here that I dont have the advantage of scope testing. So moving on from that major factor, I do understand that the longer FL and higher FR would have made the refractor a better choice (also no collimation), but the image size/quality i did not feel would be&nbsp;THAT much greater, than the 6" reflector so I went with one that I felt would do Saturn justice and also since I DO LISTEN to you all, I remembered that I am not going to purchase a scope for $400-$500 JUST for Saturn as that will get old. SO, I went with one to get me Saturn, AND also some DSO. And with the tiny bit of money i saved on the 6" over 120Refractor I ordered a EP case, and also a Telrad Finder... Thnx&nbsp;-Cassini <br /> Posted by Cassini12</DIV></p><p>If the mount can handle an 8" F/6 tube assembly, that would give you the aperture and focal length you'll need to get <span style="font-weight:bold" class="Apple-style-span">significantly</span> better views of Saturn.&nbsp;</p> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>