Lack of Meades

[robwin]

I have a Meade ETX105 and a Meade LX90 10" and i love them so easy to use,but i am thinking of getting a skywatcher pro series i can't really afford the lx200r scopes i saw in the sky at night mag.

Cheers

Rob

[psychobabbler]

Again can i say thanks to Gepetto and all of you for answering my original query about the lack of meades which i posted on the Welcome site. I've learned more in 10 minutes that i have in the past two months reading mags.

Nothing has put me off looking at a combo of 10" LX200 plus DSI pro, but will wait to speak/see Jamie in Paisley and the Glasgow AS.

Cheers

DC

[Ambermile]

The camera integrates (up to) 15 second exposures to the max requested exposure time. If it took, say, a single 90 sec exposure then the de-rotation algorithms would not be able to save the image as too much rotation would have occurred n the single frame.

Arthur

[OXO]

Thanks for clearing that up Arthur makes sence now hehe 8)

[FLO]

Ah, thanks

[FLO]

The camera integrates (up to) 15 second exposures to the max requested exposure time. If it took, say, a single 90 sec exposure then the de-rotation algorithms would not be able to save the image as too much rotation would have occurred n the single frame.

Just checking that I understand: The 15 sec single exposure limit only applies when using Drizzle to auto-rotate the images prior to stacking?

[Ambermile]

I'm not sure on that one Steve. I think it may be universal.

Arthur

[FLO]

I have settled today on Meade's SN8 OTA. It has also become clear that the LXD75 is the wrong mount (Russ ) so I am going to bite the bullet and get an EQ6PRO! The HEQ5 would be fine I am sure but the EQ6 should take pretty much anything else that comes my way so makes more sense in the long run. I will use the DSLR then choose an imaging CCD later.

Many thanks for all the info and advice

Philip, Psychobabbler, you can expect more Meade talk

[russ]

Superb choice Steve! Best mount for the money bar none and a knockout OTA too. :sunny:

[geppetto]

That sounds yummy Steve

Have you found a decent dealer to get one from

Tell you what, a pat on the back for eveybody who chipped in on this thread.

Two pages of honest opinions without one single "Meade, you dont want to buy that ######!) that you often

see on forums (other brands as well)

[FLO]

Oops, change of plan... Its going be the SN10!

The difference in price was minor and having just sold my 10" Dob to Grant, I will appreciate the extra aperture when observing :cyclopsani:

Just hope its all going to fit in the back of the car!!!

[russ]

Its going be the SN10

hmmm that should be nice!

[MartinB]

Fantastic. The SNs looks the business and an extra 2" is always handy... if you know what I mean

Better start doing some weights Steve!

[FLO]

Have you found a decent dealer to get one from

:D

[The Warthog]

I know someone who has an SN. Not sure whether it's the 8 or 10, now, but he swears by it. I think he thinks of it as his telescope for life.

[FLO]

The SN10 has arrived Its a monster :shock:

Sadly, I will have to wait a while for the EQ6 The importers have sold out!!!

Rog probably bought the last one

[Kaptain Klevtsov]

So why a Schmidt Newt. instead of a classical Newt. Where's the benifit in all this extra glass?

Captain Chaos

[FLO]

For a conventional Newtonian to fully correct (OK, not fully) abberations, it must have a parabolic mirror. Unfortunately, parabolic mirrors are difficult to grind/polish, particularly when mass produced, whereas a spherical mirror can be made easily and cheaply to a very high standard. The Meade Schmidt Newtonians use a spherical mirror, relying instead on the Schmidt corrector lens to reduce abberations. The result is a fast scope with a remarkably well corrected image (they say), no secondary mirror supports and a sealed tube.

Disadvantages? I guess they must be the same as those affecting any scope with a front corrector lens: Longer cool-down time and a tendency to dew.

I will write a first light report when I get my hands on the EQ6!

[Kaptain Klevtsov]

Oh, so the corrector lens is dead easy to make then, best get some milk bottles melted and a plaster mould sorted out.

Seriously I'm quite taken with these and as they're cheaper than an RCX of the same size it looks like a "more possible" solution. If Rog. has got one we should be seeing some of his "test" images.

I'm currently waiting for a large slab of dosh to either land or not (bleddy receivers) so either I'll want a big 'un or stick with what I've got. Probably going to Dobberise the Skelescope as I can't shut the shed with it mounted without pointing it somewhere other than up, plus it seems to have a little too much shake for imaging. Best get a SCT / SN / RC / MC type thats a little more manageable.

Captain Chaos

[FLO]

If I am not mistaken, a Maksutov Newtonian comprises of only spherical surfaces! Some consider the Mak' Newt to be the very best all-round telescope...

[richard42]

for me the go-to on the etx and lx90 were the killer aps, if i had just got a newt and a eq mount i would not still be into astronomy and be out when ever i get the chance, the go-to allowed me to see things and start to learn the sky by seeing stuff with my own eyes.

As to the technical and mechanical problems i have had (and philip sorted) there have been many, i have now got most of the stuff to have a crack at guided dslr images so i say thank you mr Meade but cant help feeling a bit ripped off by him.

[Kaptain Klevtsov]

Go-to is available with a Newt., and forgive me for saying so, but Meade don't have the market cornered as far as software and hardware bugs are concerned. Synta mounts don't yet synchronise the go-to view (OK they do NOW if you upgrade the handset) with ASCOM planetarium software.

The go-to on Synta mounts do it for me currently but I do need to upgrade (X2) if I want it to work as I would like.

Captain Chaos

[FLO]

Thanks for your comments Gneiss,

the JMI NGF-55 seems to be the preferred focuser upgrade (requires no drilling) but I am on the lookout for a cheaper alternative. What focuser have you fitted?

[FLO]

Which focuser did you fit Gneiss?

[FLO]

That is interesting,

It looks to be the same (GSO) focuser that I am hoping to fit (a fraction of the cost of the JMI). The Baader is said to be better again but it is proving difficult to obtain!

I am not looking forward to replacing the focuser as it looks as though I will have to go inside the tube to collect/replace the four nuts!