So, what else?

[emadmoussa]

If I get a 12" SCT, I'm getting the following with it:

1.  2" visual back

2.  2" focal reducer (not sure which?)

3.  2" diagonal

4.  Wide angle 24mm  eyepiece (and, perhaps a Baader zoom)

I'm majorly a visual observer and want to make the experience count. Anything else I need?

Thanks!! 

[laudropb]

I would think you would also need some kind of dew control, probably heaters and a dew shield.

[emadmoussa]

1 minute ago, laudropb said:

I would think you would also need some kind of dew control, probably heaters and a dew shield.

Oops, absolutely. I knew something was missing. Thanks! 

[DAVE AMENDALL]

I get excellent results with a Celestron 2" Barlow X3  on my SCT. Gives good high power detail planetary lunar ect.

12 " aperture should be impressive. I hope you have a good mount. I am using the 9.25...Dave

[emadmoussa]

1 minute ago, DAVE AMENDALL said:

I get excellent results with a Celestron 2" Barlow X3  on my SCT. Gives good high power detail planetary lunar ect.

12 " aperture should be impressive. I hope you have a good mount. I am using the 9.25...Dave

Aiming to get the Meade LX90 12" which is a fork mount. Looking at it, though, gives me the impression that the tripod is undersized. 

[DAVE AMENDALL]

Perhaps the way to go on an aperture of that size is to put the fork mount on a pier and put the tripod in the shed.

Sturdy vibration free will double the performance even if you are visual only. I did not regret this move with my EQ6 which is now on a pier..............Dave

[emadmoussa]

I had my EQ6 on a pillar. Sold the tripod. If I can find a similar sturdy pillar for the Meade LX90 12", I'll probably go for it. Meade's giant tripod that comes with the LX200 model is astronomically expensive. 

[michael.h.f.wilkinson]

If you are getting a 2" visual back, and a 2" diagonal, don't go for the focal reducer. I have never used mine for visual since I got my 2" visual back. The distance from reducer to EP is wrong with a 2" diagonal. Instead, get something like a 40mm SW Aero (which is a TMB Paragon clone) for wide-field viewing, apart from a 24mm SWA or UWA. I would also not go for a 3x Barlow, but rather use shorter focal length EPs (Vixen SLVs are highly recommended).

For dew control, my C8 works fine on almost all nights with just the dew shield, I rarely add a dew band

[emadmoussa]

3 minutes ago, michael.h.f.wilkinson said:

If you are getting a 2" visual back, and a 2" diagonal, don't go for the focal reducer. I have never used mine for visual since I got my 2" visual back. The distance from reducer to EP is wrong with a 2" diagonal. Instead, get something like a 40mm SW Aero (which is a TMB Paragon clone) for wide-field viewing, apart from a 24mm SWA or UWA. I would also not go for a 3x Barlow, but rather use shorter focal length EPs (Vixen SLVs are highly recommended).

For dew control, my C8 works fine on almost all nights with just the dew shield, I rarely add a dew band

Thanks! So you're saying with 2" visual back and diagonal a focal reducer is redundant and won't make much difference to the FOV? But what about the claim that FRs 'condense' the light and make DSOs brighter? Never used one, I'm just assuming based on my brief research on the subject. 

Not having to spend money on an FR is a plus.

I'll certainly consider the EPs you suggested. 

[emadmoussa]

That's what I used to decide...  https://astronomy.tools/calculators/field_of_view/ 

[DAVE AMENDALL]

With regard to the Pier, not sure if this one is still made. It was sent to Barcelona

[emadmoussa]

3 minutes ago, DAVE AMENDALL said:

With regard to the Pier, not sure if this one is still made. It was sent to Barcelona

What is it called? Looks pretty expensive  

[DAVE AMENDALL]

Price was around £600 They moved to Portugal immediately after the brexit  referendum.  I have their address somewhere

[emadmoussa]

Please, if you find the address, let me know. Thanks!

[Davey-T]

Meade giant field tripods come up occasionally on AB&S, I bought one for the 10Micron for £400.00

It will be a bit hard lifting a 12" on and off so it would need to be permanently mounted, have you considered a 10", I'd prefer a 10" ACF over a 12" LX, it would also be just about liftable by one person and fit on an ordinary Meade tripod.

Dave

[emadmoussa]

I have no illusion it'll be heavy and awkward. But since my previous scope was a 12" Dob, I'm not sure I want to go lower on aperture. The difference between my previous 10" and 12" Dobs was noticeable. 

I'd like to think I can manage it on my own. I'm also excited about sharing the experience with my 6-year-old daughter (she loves space and stuff), a Dob would be a bit more awkward for a young child to look through. But who knows? It's all tied up to how my finances go after moving, I might end up going back to Dob land. My impression is that my previously considered 14" Flextube GoTo might be harder to move around. 

So, I plan on keeping it permanently mounted on its tripod. It'll be stored in the conservatory, which has a double door that opens on the garden deck (same level). So, it'll be a matter of moving it a max of 2 meters. I'm also thinking about getting these to go with the tripod >> 

 

[michael.h.f.wilkinson]

2 hours ago, emadmoussa said:

Thanks! So you're saying with 2" visual back and diagonal a focal reducer is redundant and won't make much difference to the FOV? But what about the claim that FRs 'condense' the light and make DSOs brighter? Never used one, I'm just assuming based on my brief research on the subject. 

Not having to spend money on an FR is a plus.

I'll certainly consider the EPs you suggested. 

The focal reducer can only take in light from an area the size of its 2" aperture, and compresses this into a smaller radius. This is useful if you only have 1.25" EPs, however, the 2" EP I mentioned grabs light fro the same 2" diameter area. If you put a focal reducer in front of a 2" EP you will only see the centre 1.25" or so illuminated, i.e. there will be severe vignetting.

[emadmoussa]

2 minutes ago, michael.h.f.wilkinson said:

The focal reducer can only take in light from an area the size of its 2" aperture, and compresses this into a smaller radius. This is useful if you only have 1.25" EPs, however, the 2" EP I mentioned grabs light fro the same 2" diameter area. If you put a focal reducer in front of a 2" EP you will only see the centre 1.25" or so illuminated, i.e. there will be severe vignetting.

Understood. Thank you!

Would a 2" Caryford SCT focuser function as a visual back too?

[michael.h.f.wilkinson]

12 minutes ago, emadmoussa said:

Understood. Thank you!

Would a 2" Caryford SCT focuser function as a visual back too?

Certainly, but that is mainly useful for imaging, I find. When using the scope visually I just use a 2" visual back, when doing planetary imaging I use the 2" rack and pinion focuser I have

[emadmoussa]

Just now, michael.h.f.wilkinson said:

Certainly, but that is mainly useful for imaging, I find. When using the scope visually I just use a 2" visual back, when doing planetary imaging I use the 2" rack and pinion focuser I have

Good to know. I think I'll get the focuser either way, but first I need to check if there will be any clearance issues with the fork mount - I mean, too long back preventing the scope aiming at zenith. 

[michael.h.f.wilkinson]

25 minutes ago, emadmoussa said:

Good to know. I think I'll get the focuser either way, but first I need to check if there will be any clearance issues with the fork mount - I mean, too long back preventing the scope aiming at zenith. 

I think there will be issues. These focusers are quite long.

[emadmoussa]

Yep, had a Revelation one on my C11 4 years ago. Was quite good, but chunky. Insert existing attachment

[emadmoussa]