Deluxe MK66 vs Televue 85-Help!

I have an opportunity to trade my TV85 for an Intes MK66 deluxe with Sital mirror. I do mainly lunar and planetary with some terrestrial viewing. Should I do it?

Thanks for any input.

I have a similar Intes Micro M603 which does show me more detail than my 80mm refractor (although I have never used a TV 85). One thing to seriously consider is cool down time. Maksutovs, and especially these big russian ones, need to be set up outside for a minimum of an hour before you can do any kind of critical observing. If you've got a nice deck on your house, no dew problems, and the temperature doesn't fall quickly at night a lot (the cool down problem again), I'd go with the Intes. If you live in an apartment or have to drive somewhere to observe, by all means stick with the TV85.
If you do switch, you may find you have been spoiled by the focuser on the Tele Vue. You can replace the Intes focuser, though. Hope this helps,
Nils
I haven't looked at current asking prices, but I wouldn't be surprised if you could sell a TV85 here on astromart for enough money to buy a new Intes or Intes Micro (better baffling system and focuser).

I have never looked through a MK66 so I cant say if it is any better, but I would not trade my TV 85. I would just buy the Nagler zoom.
Ralph

Not for terrestrial since the focal length of the Intes is too long for anything but high magnification. For lunar and planetary there is no doubt in my mind that a well-collimated and cooled MK-66 Deluxe will trounce the TV-85 on detail (it's just physics). I guess I could sum it up like this, you'll be trading a great terrestrial scope for one that isn't, but you'll be trading a very limited planetary scope for a very capable one, albeit one that requires more time to cool down. I haven't even thought about the respective market values, but I'm sure you have. Your call.
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Mike

Perhaps keep the TV-85 Robert and save up to buy another (perhaps MK67). You'll need a good mount for the MK66. There are other choices besides the MCT.

Ron B[ee]

Hi Robert,

If possible, I'd hold on to the TV85 for wide-fields, quick-looks, terrestrial, double stars and buy another scope for lunar and planetary. After owning both 6" Maks and 6" Mak-Newts, I've arrived at the conclusion that if I have to wait an hour for a scope to cool down, that scope is going to be bigger than 6".

My two most used scopes are the TV85 (Little Buddy) and 10" F6.5 dob (Goldmember).

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