Switched from my 8-inch to a 4-inch scope for deep sky, huge difference

I used to think bigger aperture was always better, but after three nights comparing views from my yard in Tucson, the smaller scope with better optics showed me more detail on the Veil Nebula. The faint contrast just popped with the 4-inch refractor, and it was easier to set up on a weeknight. Anyone else find that a lighter, higher quality scope beats a big light bucket on most nights?

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ivan_schmidt8d ago

Man, that reminds me of this guy I used to observe with back in Ohio. He had this massive 12-inch dob that took him an hour to haul outside and collimate. One night his mount broke and he had to borrow my little 5-inch Mak. He spent the whole evening grumbling about the smaller view, but then he caught the Veil on a clear night and just went quiet. Next week he sold the big dob and bought a smaller refractor, said his back and his neck finally thanked him. He still talks about how the dead-on stars in the little scope made the faint stuff look like it was etched in glass. Big aperture is great, but only if you actually get it out of the garage. He's been out three times more than I have this month, and I live in a better sky spot.