telescopecomparison · 2-way
Celestron RASA 14 vs William Optics FLT 156
Celestron
RASA 14
Best suited for intermediate imagers building a versatile kit running a permanent observatory setup.
William Optics
FLT 156
Best suited for intermediate imagers building a versatile kit running a backyard imaging setup.
Key differences
-27% focal length
+128% aperture
Faster by 4.8 f-stops
Specifications
| Specification | Celestron RASA 14 | William Optics FLT 156 |
|---|---|---|
| Optics | ||
| Type | astrograph | refractor |
| Optical design | Rowe-Ackermann Schmidt Astrograph | Apo triplet FPL-53 |
| Aperture | 356mm | 156mm |
| Focal length | 790mm | 1085mm |
| Native f/ratio | f/2.2 | f/7.0 |
| Image circle | 52mm | 52mm |
| Full-frame support | Yes | Yes |
| Physical | ||
| Weight | 30.0kg | 11.5kg |
Advantages of Celestron RASA 14
- Wider field — 790mm vs 1085mm focal length
- 128% more light-gathering aperture
- Faster optics at f/2.22 vs f/7
Advantages of William Optics FLT 156
- Tighter framing — 1085mm vs 790mm focal length
- Lighter (11.5kg vs 30kg) — easier to travel with
Best for — Celestron RASA 14
- Medium-sized galaxies and planetary nebulae
- Fast imaging — short exposures per sub
- Faint-object imaging under dark skies
- Full-frame astro cameras and DSLRs
Best for — William Optics FLT 156
- Medium-sized galaxies and planetary nebulae
- Full-frame astro cameras and DSLRs
Celestron RASA 14 — typical FOV & scale
- With Full-frame (36×24mm, 3.76µm)FOV: 2.61° × 1.74°Scale: 0.98"/px
- With APS-C (23.5×15.7mm, 3.76µm)FOV: 1.70° × 1.14°Scale: 0.98"/px
- With IMX533 square (11.3×11.3mm, 3.76µm)FOV: 0.82° × 0.82°Scale: 0.98"/px
William Optics FLT 156 — typical FOV & scale
- With Full-frame (36×24mm, 3.76µm)FOV: 1.90° × 1.27°Scale: 0.71"/px
- With APS-C (23.5×15.7mm, 3.76µm)FOV: 1.24° × 0.83°Scale: 0.71"/px
- With IMX533 square (11.3×11.3mm, 3.76µm)FOV: 0.60° × 0.60°Scale: 0.71"/px
Celestron RASA 14 — recommended user
Best suited for intermediate imagers building a versatile kit running a permanent observatory setup.
William Optics FLT 156 — recommended user
Best suited for intermediate imagers building a versatile kit running a backyard imaging setup.