Michael Hiatt said:
Greetings All,
I am sure somewhere this thread has been discussed before, but darn if I can find it. I have previously owned an 8" and 10" Meade SCT, and a 10" Orion DOB. I recently got the chance to view through a 4" FS-102 and loved the view from my city.
Hence, I am in the market to buy either a 4" or 5" refractor like the FS-102 in quality. I hope not to start a brand discussion as AP, TV, Tak, Tec, etc all make great scopes. The issue here is portability, complexity, and cost vs. how much more detail one can see. Cost is last as I can wait a few months to save up the difference. However, I am concerned that the 5" will not be nearly as portable and require heavier duty mount/tripod which makes is less attractive to use and toss in the car on family trips.
I would classify myself as a occassional visual observer, going out maybe once or twice/month and more often during warm months and special astronomy events. I would like to be able to study not only the planets, but some of the brighter Messier's. With that in mind, would those of you with experience with both 4" and 5" refractors give your two cents on which you use more and why, what primary difference you notice visually, and the old saying "if I had it to do over again".
Thanks,
mhiatt
Hello there Michael,
An excellent question, one that I hope to be able to answer in great details over the next few months. However, I can say this much already.
If the seeing isn't great, the view through a 5" vs 4" may look very similar in details. However, when the seeing drops below subarcsec, many fine details may be seen. Also, the very small details that may seem hard in the 4" becomes much easier in the 5". Of course, the view is brighter through the 5" but more importantly, the 5" will give you higher magnification for the same exit pupil over a 4".
Also, the 5" is a god-sent for binoviewing, affording more "3D like" look with brighter view and therefore affording more magnification.
Can't comment on the DSOs yet except that my much wider FOV couple with 5" aperture makes the view of the stars in Cygnus more satisfying than my 4".
As to portability, here's where the problem starts as you've aptly pointed out. This is where not all 5-inchers are alike Unfortunately, this is where the brand has to be name so that that a point can be made :-(. Since weight is one of my most important factor to be, I chose the Tele Vue NP127 because it's so light (only 14 lbs!) with the length almost identifcal to my 4-incher that it can go on my lowly, lightweight Vixen Super Polaris mount with no issue! This combination makes it very portable and still light enough to carry around the backyard.
http://www.cloudynights.com/images/NP127-SP-GEM.jpg
As to tossing in the car, take a look at the hardcase of the my 5" NP127 vs my 4" TV-102. Can you tell which one the NP127 is slumbering in ;-)?
http://users.adelphia.net/~ronbee/Toys/Images/NP127-TV102-cases.jpg
The same hardcase and the same EQ mount are what I took to the Mexican dark sky not too long ago ;-), in my little Toyota RAV4 SUV!!
If I had to do it all over again and if I were not economically deprived at the time :-(, and despite still being a 4-inch Tall Evangelist and all ;-), I'd go straight to a *small* 5-incher that has the contoured body of a 4-incher ;-).
Best wishes to your quest.
Ron the 5-inch Tall Evangelist B[ee]
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