IC 5146 Cocoon Nebula

[Stefan B]

And I think I overpaid.

Everybody overpays momentarily... Everything's far too expensive right now. I bought a EQ6-R in the last pre-COVID summer. I now see heavily used ones - much older than mine - offered 100 or 200 bucks more expensive than I bought my new one two years ago. Insane.

But...none of that other stuff is in stock that I can find.

Yes, that's the other current problem...

I have been reading up on coma correctors, so more learning to do. Thinking of the Nexus from Starizona, reducing and provides one of the focal lengths I was looking for. But I'll probably also want one that is non-magnifying, or if any, very mild. SW has a 1.0x but it's also not one of the cheaper ones. Guess I should look through all my little adapter rings too, in case I will need some of those.

I don't have any experience with reducing coma correctors. But depending on how ambitious you are in terms of star shape you should not grab the cheapest one you can get. After all it will become part of the optical train and it's a lens (or rather several of them).

Regards
Stefan

[Mike in Rancho]

Thanks Stefan,

Yeah who knows? Orion is known for being a little pricey, but I'm not sure if by that much. They claim that their version of the GSO f4 clones has special exclusive bracing. Also, some threads a few years ago noticed that the linear bearing focuser was already included with the Orion, whereas it was an extra option you could pay for on the GSO. That difference may no longer apply though.

In any event, the box arrived, so I just have to open it and see what's inside! And what else I now have to start buying lol.

As one would expect, when I put in the order we entered a week of foggy and cloudy nights, so true testing will be a ways off.

After looking at your Cocoon, and with the understanding it was f/5-ish, I still ordered the MPCC photo-visual set from a different vendor, figuring it would be good to get me started. Alas, I have not received a shipping notice. I am starting to get the feeling they were a little sneaky as to whether it was truly in stock. I did of course avoid their other coma correctors which were specifically listed as backordered, on the way, or "call for availability." So I thought I was good since this one said no such thing. Hmmm.