What scope and coma corrector are you using?

Tareq AbdullaChris SullivanalacantRob Johnsonphilhilo
Fast Newtonians 69 replies2.3k views
Aris Pope avatar
10" Orion Atlas and the Starizona Nexus Coma Corrector brings it down to f/3.5

6" GSO Imaging Newtonian and the Starizona Nexus Coma Corrector brings it down to f/3
ArnoudB avatar
GSO 8" F/4 with Baader mpcc mkII
Tommy Lease avatar
Skywatcher Quattro and Starizona Nexus
MarMax avatar
My fast Newt is a Vixen R200SS (8" f/4) that was purchased used but was NIB condition. I  dropped it on the concrete garage floor before first light which destroyed the focuser. The complete abbreviated story is here.  I've installed a rear fan, machined the spider vanes and moved the primary mirror forward to accommodate the focuser. 

Corrector for f/4: TSGPU

Corrector for f/3: Starizona Nexus

Main imaging camera: ASI2600MC-Pro (APS-C)

Tharsis82 avatar
I'm using SW Quattro 150p with his native coma corrector, reducing the focus to 517.2mm, according to Sharpcap platesolving.
Ferenc Szabo avatar
I use 2 different ones. One is the Sharpstar .95X CC the other is the Starizona 0.75X

Despite the Starizona being the most expensive CC out there (unless someone knows another that cost more than $450) 

I am not totally happy with the Starizona, while the Sharpstar being less than half the price doing very well. 

Here are the reasons I am no longer a fan of the Nexus CC: 

1. I can't get round stars with it. It's always showing elongated stars around the corners or flattened stars across the entire field. 
I tried it on 3 different News, obviously can't be that all 3 newts have the same problem and magically repair themselves when I replace the CC with the Sharpstar CC.  

2. Not enough threads  to attach  the camera and extensions. It's barely a few turns to tighten, I don't think it's a good design this way. 

3. Expensive. It cost more than my Newts really, if I dont' count the modifications I've done to them.

4. Maybe it's meant to be used on 8" or larger, although I have an 8" Newt and the stars are still leave a lot to desire. 

5. If you go to the website, it says "up to APS-C" sensor size. Well, I think the APS-C is stretching it. As I said I couldnt get nice stars with 4/3rd sensor and neither with the 533mc or the mm pro.   I always have to crop and the 533 sensor isn't very big to begin with. 

I'm ok with the Sharpstar CC, although I thought about getting another CC and see it in comparsion.
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Tareq Abdulla avatar
Ferenc Szabo:
I use 2 different ones. One is the Sharpstar .95X CC the other is the Starizona 0.75X

Despite the Starizona being the most expensive CC out there (unless someone knows another that cost more than $450) 

I am not totally happy with the Starizona, while the Sharpstar being less than half the price doing very well. 

Here are the reasons I am no longer a fan of the Nexus CC: 

1. I can't get round stars with it. It's always showing elongated stars around the corners or flattened stars across the entire field. 
I tried it on 3 different News, obviously can't be that all 3 newts have the same problem and magically repair themselves when I replace the CC with the Sharpstar CC.  

2. Not enough threads  to attach  the camera and extensions. It's barely a few turns to tighten, I don't think it's a good design this way. 

3. Expensive. It cost more than my Newts really, if I dont' count the modifications I've done to them.

4. Maybe it's meant to be used on 8" or larger, although I have an 8" Newt and the stars are still leave a lot to desire. 

5. If you go to the website, it says "up to APS-C" sensor size. Well, I think the APS-C is stretching it. As I said I couldnt get nice stars with 4/3rd sensor and neither with the 533mc or the mm pro.   I always have to crop and the 533 sensor isn't very big to begin with. 

I'm ok with the Sharpstar CC, although I thought about getting another CC and see it in comparsion.

You are lucky to have 3 Newts and 2 CC/reducer, i have only two Newts and one CC that is 1.0x no reducer, and it is good one only that i didn't make perfect backfocus to have best out of it.

Because all people are complaining about stars, i made myself a plan that i will buy few equipment to be only for stars, for example with refractors i decided to have 4 setup, one of them is only for stars so it is fully corrected and then i never worry about stars issues, i will try to think the same for reflectors too, and then if i buy Nexus or Sharpstar i won't worry about stars much as i will use stars from another setup.

For now i have Meade R8 8" f/5 which is discontinued and i was lucky to have a last piece new from a seller, and GSO 6" f/4, this GSO collimation is bad, so i will try to modify it to fix that, then later i will buy Nexus for it so i can go fast to f/3, maybe i will have good stars with mine, if not then i just have to buy another setup to give me same FOV and use it only for stars and use this f/3 for narrwobanding [and Lum sometimes] only.
Dave Bloomsness avatar
Hey All,

I run 2 scopes on separate  mounts (CEM 70 and Paramount MYT). Right now I have my highly modified Quatro 10" f4 with the Starizona Nexus, and a 10" RC @f6. I usually have my Tak E160 on the mount that the RC10 is currently occupying. I also have the Sharpstar CC which I find works quite well. I have the Explore Scientific HRCC (not my favorite) that came with my 8" f4 CF newt, which I still have, although I had to replace the spider and secondary holder. Of all my scopes, I really prefer the fast Newts.

Dave
masslessparticle avatar
I’m shooting with a Sharpstar 15028HNT at f/2.8. I’ve only had the scope a few months and it’s been an absolute blast.

 I’ve got it paired with an ASI6200MC. Back focus has been a bit fiddly but at 55.6mm, I’ve almost got a totally flat field
Well written Engaging
Ian Dixon avatar
Hi all,

I love this topic (and love newts).  Last year I bought an f5  8" TS ONTC from a member on this board (carbon fibre tube - 1000 mm focal length).  This setup came with a TS Coma Corrector 1.0x TSGPU so called "Superflat" - 4-element and plugs into a Baader Steeltrack focuser (2").  The corrector fits quite tightly and I have not had a problem with tilt.   So far I am really liking this rig, running it on my old AP 900 with either a 2600 MC or 2600 MM camera.  

I have collimated a couple of times with a Hotech laser unit, works fine and really holds collimation compared to my old Orion 10" newt that I started out with years ago.  

Thanks for reading.

Ian

EDIT:  Including an image of a first time set up in the backyard. 

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John Favalessa avatar

I’m new to the topic and fairly new to owning a Newtonian. Mine was built by @Dan Watt and is a Watt 8" ƒ4 Newtonian Astrograph. Currently I’m using a TS Optics 1x coma corrector and an Astor System laser collimator with barlow (takes me 1 minute to collimate). I have it on an AM5 with counterweight. I’m extremely pleased with this scope. 📷 IMG_0096.jpegIMG_0096.jpeg

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Andrew Murrell avatar

I have several, depending on what I’m shooting. The main scope is the Skywatcher Quatro 300p 12” f4 coupled with the Skywatcher f4 coma corrector. For larger objects like Orion and Eta, I have the Skywatcher Quatro 200p 8” f4, also with the Skywatcher f4 coma corrector. I also have a Starizona Nexus 0.75x Newtonian Focal Reducer/Coma Corrector, which I have used on both scopes.

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Ivan avatar

Andrew Murrell · Feb 27, 2026, 07:19 PM

I have several, depending on what I’m shooting. The main scope is the Skywatcher Quatro 300p 12” f4 coupled with the Skywatcher f4 coma corrector. For larger objects like Orion and Eta, I have the Skywatcher Quatro 200p 8” f4, also with the Skywatcher f4 coma corrector. I also have a Starizona Nexus 0.75x Newtonian Focal Reducer/Coma Corrector, which I have used on both scopes.

I have the exact same setup :)

David Pitou avatar

Hello,

I have 2 DIY Newts that I use for astrophotography: an 8 inch F3.6 that has a Sharpstar 3 inch 0.85x coma corrector (producing F3 total), and a 20 inch F4 that has a 3 inch Teleview coma corrector (producing F4.5 total).

Both scopes have DIY sled focusers, carbon tubes, over size secondaries, and are both mounted on the same DIY single fork arm mount. Both scopes also have QHY600 cameras and imaging stacks with off-axis guiding and the 20 has SBIG adaptive optical guiding (and man was it tough getting the full stack into the Teleview back focus).

Dave

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Jordan Morley avatar

Paracorr type 2 and 10” skywatcher quattro. Iv got a nexus x0.75 but it requires so much fiddling I don’t use it. I like the paracorr as it suits my osc camera and produces nice coloured stars i’d like a 14” newt at some point in time just need more money 💰

Alex Nicholas avatar

Sharpstar 15028HNT with its dedicated coma corrector. When the collimation is on point, the results are absolutely golden!

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Stephen Jones avatar

I have a SW 250PDS 10” which I use for visual. I always said to myself I would not use it for astro; yup had to. Way too heavy for for SW AZEQ6 for astro but fine for visual. Had to do it though…Stuck my TV paracorr type 2 and ZWO 6200 in for some fun…lots of vignetting, and cannot get the paracorr in focus at the proper distance due to a different focuser. Use the Catseye for collimation, and some mirror flop to add to the confusion. Great fun walking downstairs for some astro…..Lots of light leaks looking at my darks but soon worked that out. Still happy with the old results. In PI now trying to process a recent photo.

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Dan_I avatar

I currently use a DIY 10” f/4.8 OTA with optics from Mirro-sphere (Franck Grière), a sandwich carbon tube, custom mechanics, and a 3” R&P focuser.

📷 scope.jpgscope.jpgThe corrector is a 2.5” Riccardi/Wynne model sold by TS. While I have yet to try large sensors, it provides very tight starts (down to 1.2” FWHM in good seeing conditions). I have also an 8” f/3.9 DIY OTA, but I don’t use it much these days. They share the focuser/corrector/imaging train assembly, I just need to unscrew the whole thing from one scope and screw it on the other one (M117 connection).

CS,

Dan

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David Pitou avatar

Here are some pictures of my 2-Newt setup

📷 Full_Setup.jpgFull_Setup.jpg📷 8-Inch Sled Focuser.jpg8-Inch Sled Focuser.jpg📷 20 Inch Diagonal.jpg20 Inch Diagonal.jpg

Jordan Morley avatar

Stop showing off David!