LXD75 SN 10" First Light

[adamsp123]

After an abortive attempt at a go with this new toy due to snow a new window of opportunity arose, so I setup again and managed a small tour of the heavens.

First I like to say my vixen sphinx mount on the alu tripod coped absolutely fine with this rather large beast.

I am also going to make some comparisons to my SW120ED pro.

The LDX is a Schmidt Newtonian 10" F/4 with a nice electric focuser with it.

I have fallen in love with the focuser and will HAVE to get on for the 120ED.

Cooling took longer, as expected, than my Refractor and twisting the tube around to get the eyepiece into position is a pain.

It is a light bucket which clearly gathers more light and shows better resolution than the 120ED.

I viewed the moon, Plaiedes, M42, Aldeberan then cloud so packed up at that point.

It is a given that M42 was clearly brighter and showed more detail, as did the moon than my 120ED.

It was very clear however you just do not get the contrast or the pin point stars, the 120ED wins hands down on that front, ie the views are just much "crisper" all round and more satisfying but loses out on light gathering/resolution.

The moon is also cleaner in the eyepiece with the 120ED. To my eyes there is a clear distance between the two in the light gathered but the Refractor, all be it 1/4 surface area is not 4 times behind.

I am very happy with what I have seen so far but I will not be losing my 120ED but the Meade is great too.

Now if I was asked if I could keep only one which would it be..................

[philsail1]

"adamsp123"

Great news that the 10" fitted on your Vixen mount OK!

Sounds like a monster of a scope, but good light gathering power eh!

I think w'ell all be putting our scopes away for the next few days by the looks of things.

Regards,

philsail1

[John]

Thanks for your report

Sounds like a nice scope with really good light grasp. I agree with regard to hanging on to your 120m refractor - I've found that a "light bucket" plus a decent refractor is a great combination to have - cool down on my Lightbridge 12 is 60-90 mins (in the cold weather) and somtimes I just don't have time for that.

Does the SN design suffer from dew ?

John

[adamsp123]

Thanks for your report

Sounds like a nice scope with really good light grasp. I agree with regard to hanging on to your 120m refractor - I've found that a "light bucket" plus a decent refractor is a great combination to have - cool down on my Lightbridge 12 is 60-90 mins (in the cold weather) and somtimes I just don't have time for that.

Does the SN design suffer from dew ?

John

My Refractor is a keeper.

Apparently according to the chap I bought it from dew can be a problem, it has a large dewshield with it, but the glass at the front like all these types of designs are susceptable to dewing, got to get a hair dryer!

Nice field of view though with no coma, just not the tiny clean pointy little stars and high contrast like the refractor, but l do like the extra light for faint DSOs. No one scope can do everything perfectly.

pete

[Greg]

It was very clear however you just do not get the contrast or the pin point stars, the 120ED wins hands down on that front, ie the views are just much "crisper" all round and more satisfying but loses out on light gathering/resolution.

Have you checked the collimation..At f4 it's critical for sharp views, especially if keeping it in the house then taking it outside. I keep mine in a cold garage and it needs collimating every 3rd trip out..

That front corrector plate tends to dew up quite quickly but a strap soon sorts it out..

Nice first light report..

[adamsp123]

It was very clear however you just do not get the contrast or the pin point stars, the 120ED wins hands down on that front, ie the views are just much "crisper" all round and more satisfying but loses out on light gathering/resolution.

Have you checked the collimation..At f4 it's critical for sharp views, especially if keeping it in the house then taking it outside. I keep mine in a cold garage and it needs collimating every 3rd trip out..

That front corrector plate tends to dew up quite quickly but a strap soon sorts it out..

Nice first light report..

Thanks

Collimation is another area I need to address, yes at F/4 it will need doing often, I will have to get a Cheshire collimator and learn quickly how it is done.

Another plus to Refractors but the extra light is nice.

Pete