Meade LX200 Classic EMC 8" SCT ready to go

[Aussie Dave]

This scope has been sitting packed away for about 3 years and it's ready for visual and eventually some imaging. This was my first Schmidt-Cassegrain telescope I bought and thought it was the best thing ever, even though I couldn't use it.

In that time I've bought what it needed to be mounted and a few extras like the 2" Bintel Dielectric diagonal, 2" Bintel ED Barlow, Meade 2" 26mm wide angle EP and Orion correct image 9x50 illuminated finderscope (hoping to mod this later for guiding). I managed to snap up some new old stock too, a couple of Meade 1.25" filters and the Meade 1.25" diagonal.

For now it's only mounted to my Skywatcher EQ5 which I swapped over from my trusty Skywatcher Pro Series 150. I won't be getting the original forked mount for it as the electronics are getting a bit long in the tooth and I can always mount it to my Skywatcher Pro EQ6 anyway.

This is one project crossed off my long list of things to do.

[Knighty2112]

Looks like a cracking scope. Hope you get some great views from it.  

[knobby]

Interesting finderscope placement , lovely looking scope 

[Aussie Dave]

haha, I thought someone would notice this. I bought this scope used and there are 2 placements that the finderscope could be mounted, front and rear. I've only mounted it to the front for now to balance out the weight a tad with the 2" gear on the back. I'll probably mount it to the back. I don't know what the previous owner/s had mounted to it as the 2 mounting points, front and rear are aligned.

[michael8554]

Nice rings too.

Michael

[Highburymark]

Looks great - couple of guys I know mount their finders at the front - with a flexible raci like the Orion they can go anywhere. Hope the scope meets your expectations Dave

[laudropb]

Looks great Dave. I will await your first light report.

[Aussie Dave]

3 hours ago, Highburymark said:

Looks great - couple of guys I know mount their finders at the front - with a flexible raci like the Orion they can go anywhere. Hope the scope meets your expectations Dave

@Highburymark what's the Flexible raci? Like a strap? I don't mind it at the front really but not for visual. It will end up at the back eventually.

I didn't think much of the Orion finderscope, Jupiter looked to be out of shape and focus on it wasn't quite right. I noticed between the eyepiece and the diagonal it has a threaded type adapter with a thin spacer on it, 1 piece. The threaded end goes into the eyepiece. I can unscrew the eyepiece but it does sound rough and there seems to be some play in the eyepiece after unscrewing it. I don't think I should be doing this, I assumed it was a fixed focus finder.

 

3 hours ago, laudropb said:

Looks great Dave. I will await your first light report.

@laudropb I had a quick visual tonight after a slight star collimation and it seems to be ok, time will tell for imaging. It only had slight seagull wings on stars.

I looked at Jupiter and the moons, no visual difference to my two C8's. All I need now is a nice astro camera

[Aussie Dave]

Orion findersope all sorted, it's fine. I just needed to tighten everything up!

I took it off and went outside to test it. I've seen more fuzzies in this than the scope