Meade LX200GPS 12"

[rousey346 (Jay)]

Gday, I own a LX200GPS 12", since owning it, i know the colimation has not been perfect, just waiting for a friend to come around with a laser colimator for me.

Question is, when looking at stars they are not pinpoint, and also, the image at anything above 100X just does not have the quality of what i would expect of a 12" SCT.

my question is, is it the colimation which is causing the degraded image?

Thanks

[renormalised (Carl)]

Yes, most likely. Is the scope an ACF scope or a plain SCT.

[Lester]

Hi Jay, Could be collimation. Check view of out of focus star and see if the shadow of the secondary is central to the primary. Make sure you view this when the out of focus star is central in the field of view. Also good to have the OTA near to outside ambient temperature when doing this or any high magnification viewing. Collimation is very easy on these scopes, I rarely have to adjust mine.

Also to add apply the mirror lock to help keep the primary from tilting when viewing for collimation.

All the best.

[AstroJunk (Jonathan)]

I have a 14" and it needs at least 30-60 mins to settle down in temperature before it gives sharp images.

I don't know what telescopes you are used to looking through, but remember that your lowest power eyepiece will still yield a very high magnification. Any atmospheric issues will be greatly exaggerated over say a 12" dob at half the mag using the same eyepiece.

[rousey346 (Jay)]

its just a 12" GPS UHC not the ACF model.
Optics on this scope apear to be perfect, no scratchs, smudges, anything.

Yeah i understand the magnificatons, just surprised, my last scope was a 16" dob,

For eg, jupiter, all i can see is 1 band, no spot, it just looks like and orange disk, with one band across it. Its also struggling to focus sharp above 100x. I allow the telescope to cool for over 2 hours before viewing.

my 16" and even my old 8" newtonian could resolve a number of bands and the great red spot, but this 12" SCT is just not giving me any detail.
Seeing shouldnt effect planetry viewing,

im just hoping it is due to collimation. Ive done the star tests, and it was out, i did a rough adjustment, and by eye, looks fine, but i know it can still be quite off.

Will wait till i get the laser colimation.

[GrampianStars (Rob)]

You should be getting pinpoint stars
spots 7 bands on Jupe
Mine's permenant in an Obs
Here's some Collimation tips

[rousey346 (Jay)]

im viewing without any filters, would this effect what i see on planets. Also, im in a rather light poluted area, only 40km from CBD.
I didnt think light polution would effect planetary viewing.
Jupiter appears very bright through the eyepiece, im pretty sure its mag -2.5 atm, so im just wondering if its because of its brightness thats washing out any detail.

Just thoughts


Deep sky objects appear fantastic

[GrampianStars (Rob)]

Originally Posted by rousey346

.... im in a rather light poluted area, only 40km from CBD. I didnt think light polution would effect planetary viewing......

I use a sheild to cut out stray light
AC061 Dew shield flexible for 12" SCT $118AUD
http://www.telescopes-astronomy.com.au
these filters are good as well
Baader Neodymium Moon & Skyglow Filter
(It enhances contrast of all reddish details and so this filter can also be used for planetary viewing (the Great Red Spot on Jupiter), as well as of blue details (some surface and atmospheric details on Mars when stacked with the yellow filter). A positive feature is that the image retains its natural colors in as opposed to the effect of conventional color filters.