Looks like you made your choice and decided to get a reflecting telescope, now the question is which kind of telescope you should get.
Well although they are the same kind of telescopes there are still some differences.
So the question stands, what’s better: a Newtonian or a Schmidt-Cassegrain telescope?
Well, they perform the same tasks, however, the Schmidt-Cassegrain produces a much better picture, while being far smaller in frame over similar-sized Newtonian telescopes.
Schmidt-Cassegrain Telescope
Since Schmidt-Cassegrain is a type of Reflecting Telescope, that uses two mirrors, instead of one, while having a corrector plate that can be found at top of the scope which helps with minimizing the image blur.
Because the gathered light covers the whole length of the tube twice, it performs much better when it comes to planetary observation, even though you will experience a small loss of detail.
Pros and Cons
Although Schmidt-Cassegrain is just another Reflecting Telescope, they have an edge over their competition because these types of telescopes are super easy to maintain compared to their Newtonian counterpart.
As previously mentioned because of their design they are much better suited for planetary observation, yet they are also a bit more expensive when compared to a similar-sized Newtonian telescope.
However, because of its design, it is almost impossible to find a Schmidt-Cassegrain telescope that is bigger than 16”. Still, this allows them to be more compact and much more versatile while still providing a wonderful experience.
Newtonian Telescope
In order to see how the Newtonian Telescope goes against Refracting Telescopes check out our previous article on Reflecting vs Refracting Telescopes.
Let’s just go over it once again real quick.
Being the most common type of reflecting telescope, the Newtonian Telescope uses one mirror in order to give us an image by reflecting the light that comes from the opening onto a secondary mirror.
Pros and Cons
The Newtonian Telescope is an amazing telescope when it comes to deep space observation, while still being beginner-friendly.
Still, the constant maintenance that is required might be a little scary to anyone who is a first-time owner.
This type of telescope, unlike the Schmidt-Cassegrain telescope, needs to be collimated, which simply means the mirrors within the scope will need to be realigned.
Comparison
From this, it is easy to see that both telescopes do the exact same job while having little difference.
They both are a type of Reflecting telescope which means that they use mirrors, however, the Schmidt-Cassegrain telescopes are much easier when it comes to maintenance. This does not mean that they are better when it comes to usage, as these telescopes are often considered to be targeted towards intermediate-level astronomers and astrophotographers.
The Newtonian telescopes still remain best for anyone who is looking to get into the hobby of stargazing and deep space photography, even though they are a little bit harder to maintain.
The design of the Schmidt-Cassegrain telescopes makes them be a bit more expensive than their Newtonian counterpart, while not allowing them to reach a big size.
Still, both telescopes do a phenomenal job when it comes to reflecting the image, which makes it hard to put one above the other!
References
- How Does a Newtonian Telescope Work
https://thebackyardgnome.com/how-does-a-newtonian-telescope-work/ , Accessed 5th October 2021 - Schmidt-Cassegrains
https://starizona.com/blogs/tutorials/schmidt-cassegrains#:~:text=Schmidt-Cassegrain%20telescopes%20are%20a,use%20both%20lenses%20and%20mirrors.&text=It%20is%20reflected%20from%20a,a%20smaller%2C%20convex%20secondary%20mirror. , Accessed 5th October 2021