Peter - let's take a step back and look at things.
1) Paul has been able to get some fab images without all those "extras".
2) said images look good to me.
ergo one can deduce that:
3) said extras aren't entirely necessary - one can grab quite nice images without them. Sure, if they float your boat, go for it. For me, and I suspect, many others, they don't.
Do I need the kitchen sink with a scope? No. Do I want it? Not really. Can I afford it? No. Can I justify X amount for a RCOS? No. Not when alternatives can do what it does, for a fraction of the cost. People insist on being silly and apportioning quality to a brand name, and it's dangerous. Brand name does not equal quality, well not always - there's no guarantee. As a society, we're so heavily taken by "image", that other things tend to be ignored. I ain't one of the Joneses (if you haven't noticed by now lol).
Dave
Quote:
Originally Posted by Peter Ward
Sorry Dave, looks to me like you have a "tall poppy" attitude to RCOS.
Close?
......so, GSO has ion milled zero expansion optics with .96 strehl or better? an absolute position focuser re-produceable to 1/50,000th of an inch *and* tracks focus with temperature changes? Ultra rigid carbon fibre truss that delivers ~20 arc sec all sky pointing? Primary, Secondary and ambient temperature probes and thermal control? Adjustable primary, secondary and baffle? High torque 1/100th of a degree instrument rotator option? dedicated 70~120mm wide field flattner? External Stepper remote control...plus all of the above controlable via a local PC, network or internet?
Of course it doesn't, and all of the above costs $$$
But it's a great little scope...and represents an excellent solution for many....but I'd suggest it's still not a Benz  |