what to get

Hi,
I currently own an ed 100 which I really enjoy using but I would like to get some more aperture. I need advice/opinions. my budget is about $3000. I do love refractors and am thinking about a Tak fs 128. For much less I can get an ed 120. Worse mechanics but if bought from a place like Company Seven or ITE then I can be assured that it will match optically with the best (I think).
I live in Brppklyn for most of the year but during the summer I go upstate to the catskill region thus I can really enjoy DSO's for about 2 months a year (15-25) viewing sessions). Would a larger aperture Mak Cass from Intes Micro or a Tak Mewlon 210 be a better choice for me?
It has a small CO (25%) but a long f ratio not making it great for DSO's but great for planets which is what I get most of the year.
I can't keep the ed 100
Question questions...
Well what do I do?????? :S :S

How about keeping the ED100 for planetary viewing, and investing in a large reflector for DSOs? (you'll be able to save some money and get the best of both worlds)

Just my humble opinion... 8)

Simple: Mak-Newt. Specifically an MN55 or MN66.

Compact, small central obstruction (20-24%), large & highly corrected field, 30-40mm eyepiece friendly, barlows well for high power use and best for last...affordable. 8)

Next question?

Jeff

Itz:
I wanted more aperture for DSO's and Planetary viewing and purchased a new Celestron C6 OTA with Starbrite XLT coating standard. I screwed my focal reducer onto the back and then my SCT 2" dielectric diagonal. The "wide field" views with my TV Panoptic 22mm ep are exceptional. My planetary ep's work very nice with this setup also. For higher power planetary viewing I just remove the f-reducer. Lunar viewing is almost as good as an ED refractor which I owned. Tak sharp stars and practically no image shift. For the money, you can't go wrong with 6" OTA like that. Maybe some people out there will dissagree, but this C6 is so much better than the optics and mechanics of my venerable C8 ota. It's light enough to sit well on a Meade or Celestron Goto GEM. I could have paid more for a very good 5-6" scope, but this does the trick. Good luck with your decision.

itz marcus said:

Hi,
I currently own an ed 100 which I really enjoy using but I would like to get some more aperture. I need advice/opinions. my budget is about $3000.

...

Question questions...
Well what do I do?????? :S :S

Hi Itz Marcus,

I don't remember seeing if you mentioned what kind of a mount you have? I like someone's suggestion up above somewhere about a C9.25, if you have a decent mount. You can often find these on amart for $700-$900 for the OTA and they're consistently good visually. These were being sold at one time with the old CG5 mounts and an inadequate tripod.

Another option would be to go with a high quality dob. I've looked through a bunch of the Astrosystems Telekits and you really get a lot of aperture and quality for the money.

Phil