For Sale: Meade LX200-ACF 10" f/10 OTA, Moonlite focuser, Bob's knobs, strong dovetail, finderscope base, illuminated finderscope, Bahtinov mask and dew shield.
Details: The OTA is in excellent optical and mechanical condition - ACF (coma corrected) optics and UHTC coatings. You're probably aware, but the ACF optics correct for coma through use of a hyperbolic secondary, so give an excellent edge-to-edge view. This isn't a basic SCT - Meade's ACF optics are their answer to Celestron's EdgeHD optics.
Just for completeness, there is a small, hard-to-notice cosmetic scratch on the top of the OTA, which could probably be eliminated with a scratch repair kit (of the kind used on cars) but I've never bothered. Obviously, it doesn't affect use.
Fitted is a Moonlite CS model focuser, dual-speed crayford, 2" barrel size with 1.25" adapter, tension adjustment, shaft-lock (for no movement when locking, unlike cheaper focusers) and rotating mechanism with lock screw (so that the viewing angle can be freely rotated without upsetting focus). The Moonlite has ~32mm of travel and comfortably holds around 4kg of imaging payload. I added the Moonlite focuser not so long ago - it's about 1 year old and is in as-new condition. I have the manual for the focuser and will include it. These OTAs have mirror lock and a separate mirror focus knob. I use the mirror focus for "coarse" focusing (basically to change from visual use to astrophotography use) and the Moonlite for the rest.
Bob's knobs are fitted, but I'll inlude the original collimation screws as well, in case you prefer those.
Also fitted to the OTA is a Farpoint Astro wide (Losmandy) style aluminium dovetail and two solid/strong radius blocks - 3 screws per radius block and two bolts at each end (4 in total) for the dovetail plate. The dovetail has minor marks at the contact edges, as one would expect. (I make the point about the quality of the radius blocks/dovetail and how solidly attached they are because there are some out there that are poor and poorly attached - for example, in the case of the blocks this OTA originally came with, they were attached with only one standard screw each, held on by only 2-3 threads!)
There's a standard Orion/Synta finderscope base and Orion 9x50 Illuminated Finderscope.
There's a dew shield made from EVA75 high-density foam, matt-black and lightweight. It has a notch cut-out to fit over the end of the dovetail and there's a velcro strap to keep it secured to the OTA.
And, there's a 10" plastic (i.e. not floppy) Bahtinov mask that can be attached to the end of the dew shield (usually with a bit of tape and the elastic strips attached to it) or to the end of the OTA (using the supplied plastic screws).
Shipping: I have the original shipping box, so can ship Australia wide, at buyer's expense. For shipping, the Meade-supplied screw-on cap will be fitted at the focuser end - I've added a dessicant holder to keep it dry in transit/storage. The Moonlite won't fit in the box, so will have to go in a separate package (I can bubble-wrap it and put it in a, say, 3kg satchel). Also, the dew shield will have to be rolled-up tightly and posted separately. I can take the OTA box to a shipping depot in Brisbane. I personally recommend Pack & Send, but it's your choice.
Shipping box details and approximate weights are:
OTA: 75 x 54 x 41cm ... 19kg (the Bahtinov mask will fit flat in this box)
Focuser: about 1kg in a fixed-price 3kg satchel
Dew Shield: 45 x 10cm diameter ... less than 500g
Finderscope: 25 x 15 x 9cm ... 700g
Of course, you're welcome to pick up in person from Brisbane's bayside area - that bit is free!
Photos: See the photos below and in the next post for images taken with this OTA and a humble DSLR, and I also made a 6-panel composite of
the Moon. In case you're wondering, the third photo below is of the secondary mirror, taken through the rear baffle - it shows the relative size of the central obstruction as seen from the focal plane.
Price: Asking $1750, plus shipping/postage at cost.
