can't decide weather to buy this????

[rikroe666]

Can someone help me make my mind up about buying this scope?

Its a meade lx90 EMC 8" on goto folk mount,  i think its an older model as the newer models have different coatings, he wants £350 is that a good price for this setup?  .

The problem is i wasn't even looking for one, my next planned purchase was a used CG-5 GT or even a HEQ5  so i could have a go at AP with the 130p-ds and also have goto with the 200p-ds for visual(so i can actually find things   )  

My question's are 

1, should i just save the money and buy a new (used)eq goto mount and use the scopes i have got? or buy the meade with goto?? 

2, is this a good price?

3, will this be any good to have a go at starting AP? 

4, will i get any better views with this over what i have?

Sorry for all the questions, just need some guidance

[ronin]

The Meade will be an Alt/Az mount, so DSO AP is problematic.

You could buy a wedge but a wedge is usually £300-400.

The scope is a slow SCT, so you would need a reducer for DSO AP.

I suspect you would be better off with an EQ mount.

[steppenwolf]

AP means different things to different people! If your aspirations are towards deep sky imaging then this proposed purchase is a no-no... For deep sky imaging, an equatorial mount and a sturdy one at that, is a prerequisite.

Sent from my iPhone from somewhere dark .....

[Uplooker]

AP means different things to different people! If your aspirations are towards deep sky imaging then this proposed purchase is a no-no... For deep sky imaging, an equatorial mount and a sturdy one at that, is a prerequisite.

Sent from my iPhone from somewhere dark .....

You would be wise to take note of Steppenwolf's reply. - the Master has spoken ;-)

Ian

Sent from ma fone using Tapatalk

[rikroe666]

Thanks for the replies,

Yes i think if i can get my head around imaging my main targets would be DSO's so i guess if i bought this it would end up been a quite expensive visual scope and i would still need to buy a EQ mount for the AP.

I doubt it would give £350 better views than the 200p either.

Thanks i think my mind is made up, better start saving a bit more for a HEQ5

[RichM63]

Save, save, save, do not lash out £350 for something that would give you no improvement.

Or offer £150 to take it away for cash???

Or if you are OK with assorted bits of kit, check my sig' and go with an AstroEQ + motors + EQASCOM for full GOTO at a fraction of the full package cost.

[rikroe666]

Save, save, save, do not lash out £350 for something that would give you no improvement.

Or offer £150 to take it away for cash???

Or if you are OK with assorted bits of kit, check my sig' and go with an AstroEQ + motors + EQASCOM for full GOTO at a fraction of the full package cost.

Wow nice bit of kit, i didn't know you could buy anything like that, could save a bit of cash with it.  

How hard is it to setup? not very good with computers.

I doubt he will take £150 i've already told him i wont be having it now, i would defo have it at that price.

[pete_l]

If you wanted to start imaging with an LX90, you'd need to get a focal reducer, as it's native F/10 is on the long side (read: exposures would need to be a lot longer, but on the upside: the targets  would appear larger) for imaging. Also, the LX90 doesn't have a mirror lock, so it's not impossible for the main mirror to move fractionally as the scope tracks or as it slews.

This will also become "yet another scope" to add to your collection, and you'll probably still want to go with a GEM for one of your existing scopes, too.

Personally, I'd stick to your original plan. You'll find that imaging is a money pit, without buying extra stuff just 'cos it's a bargain!

[rikroe666]

If you wanted to start imaging with an LX90, you'd need to get a focal reducer, as it's native F/10 is on the long side (read: exposures would need to be a lot longer, but on the upside: the targets  would appear larger) for imaging. Also, the LX90 doesn't have a mirror lock, so it's not impossible for the main mirror to move fractionally as the scope tracks or as it slews.

This will also become "yet another scope" to add to your collection, and you'll probably still want to go with a GEM for one of your existing scopes, too.

Personally, I'd stick to your original plan. You'll find that imaging is a money pit, without buying extra stuff just 'cos it's a bargain!

Yes i will be better off just buying the HEQ5, like you say i don't need another scope and i know for sure my girlfriend doesn't want another one in the bedroom

[ollypenrice]

I agree totally with Steve. Getting an LX 90, even on a wedge, to work for DS imaging would be unlikely to succeed. We can't say impossible, but we can say unlikely!!

Olly

[Stardust]

I had a fork mounted 10" LX200 for some years but when I got interested in AP it wasn't upto the task, even on a wedge. The last year I had was just to piggyback a 85 mm refractor which I did get some good results. In the end I sold it, which was a wrench as it had all the accessories and upgrades and now have a GEM with a nice refractor. With hind sight I probably wouldn't have bought a fork mounted sct, but we live and learn.

[Carina Lass]

My lx90 was pretty good on a wedge. I was able to do 4 min subs.

It does need a pier though or it vibrates like a tuning fork.

As to the weather, I guess if you bought it when it was cloudy, it would be more likely to clear later..

[steppenwolf]

It does need a pier though or it vibrates like a tuning fork.

(

I guess that is because both tuning forks and fork mounts have two tines .......

Sent from my iPhone from somewhere dark .....

[Carina Lass]

Eagle neb from my lx90

[rikroe666]

Eagle neb from my lx90

That looks real good!!!  

If i had to buy a wedge as well for longer subs i would be spending quite a lot more that just buying a decent EQ mount.

Just noticed the spelling mistake in tittle its meant to say whether, ha.

[carastro]

I know 2 people who have managed to image successfully on a forked mount, but most other people struggled for a long time and gave up.

I think you should stick to your original plan.  

Carole 

[ollypenrice]

Eagle neb from my lx90

You have an image, yes, but if we are honest we see images from much smaller scopes (three inch refractors) which acheive comparable resolution far more easily. This is LRGB (no Ha for a fair comparison)

in an 85mm refractor.  It's a mosaic but if you look at the double stars in the Eagle you can easily compare resolution.

http://ollypenrice.smugmug.com/Photography/Widefield-images-including/9131296_ijREH#!i=616479913&k=tQ8TNB2&lb=1&s=O

So I don't see much point in splashing out on all the gizmos needed to start imaging on a big SCT when the end result will only resolve to the standard of something a fraction of the size and general difficulty. Sure, acheiving 10 inch scope resolution with a 10 inch scope takes any of us to another level but if all we get is the equivalent of a small refractor image then I can't see the point. I'm not knocking your image, just saying that there are easier ways to go about it. I have a 10 inch SCT but I know that my 5.5 inch refractor will knock it for six so I don't do DS imaging with it.

Olly

Edit; sorry, to see the full image you'll need to copy and paste the full address into a browser. The link isn't working.