On Wed, 28 Jul 2004 23:48:05 -0500, Ronn!Blankenship <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > At 11:04 PM 7/28/04, Gary Nunn wrote: > > >Option #1 > >diameter =114mm, 1000mm focal length, f/8.8 > >5x24 viewfinder with bracket; three eyepieces (.965") - > >H25mm, H12.5mm and SR4mm for magnifications of 40X, 80X, > >250X; 3X Barlow lens > > > > > >Option #2 > >diameter =70mm, F=350mm, f/5 > >Includes two eyepieces (1.25") - H25mm and MA9mm for > >magnifications of 14X and 39X. > > > Assuming that the optics on both scopes are good (you really need someone > who knows telescopes to look through them at real stars at night, as well > as reading the manufacturer's claimed test results), get #1, replace the > eyepiece holder with a real 1.25" or better 1.25"/2.00" focuser, get some > good eyepieces (if you absolutely have to, get an .965" to 1.25" adapter > and use the ones that come with it until you can get some real > eyepieces). I'd also probably add a larger finder to find fainter > objects. Get a full-aperture solar filter, too, to look at the Sun. A > place to start looking for these items is <<www.telescope.com>>: I've had > good luck with them. If you need more help, e-mail me privately (unless > there's interest in keeping it on-list) and I'll make suggestions. > > All other things equal, always go for the biggest aperture (= > light-gathering ability) available. You can see fainter objects, brighter > objects will be even brighter, and you can see finer detail (resolution in > arc-seconds is inversely proportional to aperture). Only if it is so big > that the telescope requires you to buy a flatbed truck to move should you > consider any other factor more important than aperture . . .
Ronn, doesn't Option #2 have the bigger (wider) aperture (f/5 vs f/8.8)? (At least in the camera world that's how it works - are telescopes different?) If aperture is the most important factor, why recommend the telescope with the smaller aperture? -Bryon _______________________________________________ http://www.mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l
