Small apo sensible for grab and go?

My interest for my urban observing is in double stars and wide field star asterisms.
Does it make sense to you to use an 80 or 90 or 100mm apo for this, or is this overkill and a small achro would do the job as well? This far I have used only larger Dobs, so I am quite unfamiliar with refractors in this range.
Thanks for your help,
Bill Meyers

Hi Bill,
I have an 80mm APO f/6 and a 127mm ED f/9 and I can say that the 127ED does much better on double stars. The cost was about the same for both.
The APO is nicer for it's wide field.

Absolutely!!! A couple of years ago I got a lens from an Orion ED80. Made the tube and rings (I have a lathe) and put it on a Meade one-arm goto altaz that I picked up at RTMC. Uses the 494 Autostar and has a good goto. I tightened up the mount, trashed the thin aluminum legs that came with it, and put it on the walnut tripod in the picture. Easy to transport, set up and use. I see it as my long-term "grab-and-go".

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Bill:

It depends on what you consider "grab and go."

Personally I don't find a 5 inch refractor as "grab and go", I think an 8 inch DOB is more portable.

I have a fair collection of small refractors and over the years I have had quite a few... Right now, I am using an ED-80 and I am quite pleased with it.

Right now the scope that has my eye is the StellarVue 102ED. A tad bit over $1000, it is F/7 and compact with a dual speed focuser. It should be small enough to be "grab and go" and yet 4 inches is enough to do some real damage on doubles. I am guessing it will have some false color as it is a doublet but it should be relatively minimal, at least by my standards.

jon

Bill Meyers said:

My interest for my urban observing is in double stars and wide field star asterisms.
Does it make sense to you to use an 80 or 90 or 100mm apo for this, or is this overkill and a small achro would do the job as well? This far I have used only larger Dobs, so I am quite unfamiliar with refractors in this range.
Thanks for your help,
Bill Meyers

A small newt also makes a good grab-n-go.

Here's my grab and go
http://www.astromart.com/articles/article.asp?article_id=474

I can pick it all up, move it at will, set up in 5 minutes, and tear down just as fast.

But honestly, the ability to grab and go is as much, if not more so, dependant on the mount, than the scope on it, in my opinion.

Timm

Hi Bill
IMO a good 80mm to 100mm widefield APO compliments a newton perfectly. There are several TV85's on Amart right now that would fit the bill. I use a TV NP101 on a Gibraltar as my grab-n-go. Out the kitchen door in one trip, a few eyepieces in the next and I'm ready.
Buck