Regarding 12" solid Tube -Few Q's:

[barx1963 (Malcolm)]

Originally Posted by -George-

Thank you. I was just at Andrews optics. Spoke with Luke. The GSO actually has a better mirror than the saxon. 0.36 arc resolving vs saxons 0.56. And i get 4 eyepieces with the GSO while saxon only 2.

So im paying 450 less to get a better mirror and 2 extra eyepieces. Thats the logic I like!

Want to thank thr members here, starting with Alex who i spoke to first because I never heard of GSO until now and thats awesome value for money. 1-2 weeks i should have it!

Sorry but I agree with Allan. Limiting Magnitude and resolution are a function of the mirror size primarily. Yes there are "better" 12" mirrors but the effects show up in less aberrations (eg spherical aberration, astigmatism etc) or the quality of the coatings not in large differences in the limiting magnitude and certainly not the theoretical resolution of the scope.

Malcolm

[-George-]

either/or, I am just very happy that I got something good for a price that is perfect to learn on. As I gain experience over a fear years, then I can look into something like $3000+

For 850, can't go wrong as an instrument of education and yet still get a lot of joy as the quality will be fairly good and it gives me more eyepieces to play with to learn what sizes I find myself using. So to me, it offered the most tools to me to learn on while providing something of pleasing quality for a price that is perfect to start on.

[barx1963 (Malcolm)]

Don't get me wrong I am not saying there is anything wrong with the purchase, I had a 12" GSO for years and loved it (only sold it last year as I had no room to keep it anymore!)
The issue I have is with retailers and makers making some odd claims about properties of their scopes

Malcolm

[SimmoW (SIMON)]

George, I picked up my Meade Lightbridge on Sat!

I haven't got a huge station wagon nor heaps of storage, so i had to get a truss version. See my blog for pics. An unexpected advantage is the lightness of each piece to carry.

The default red dot finder is frustrating, impossible to adjust l. I'll probably try to swap for a Telrad. can't believe the red dot finder is more expensive than the telrad. But these scopes focal length is very long, so I suspect we will also need right angle finder
scopes. Plus they let in so much light there are too many stars, so it's hard to navigate! You're gonna love your 'bucket!

I love my Televue EP collection. But on Sat I tried buying a 42mm Bintel eyepiece, $59. Bargain of the century, well made and a vista of a view! I didn't think its quality was substantially less than the TVs.

Have fun with your new scope.

[-George-]

Thanks Simmon,

The GSO comes with a right angle finder. I will see how that goes.

[noeyedeer (Matt)]

Originally Posted by -George-

Thanks Simmon,

The GSO comes with a right angle finder. I will see how that goes.

just remember that the right angle finder is correct view. so when you go from finder to scope it will be inverted. kinda tricky at first but you will get the hang of it.

matt

[-George-]

Telescope sees everything upside down?

Is there anything I can buy with this scope to make that the right side up (like Binoculars)?

[astro744]

Originally Posted by -George-

Telescope sees everything upside down?

Is there anything I can buy with this scope to make that the right side up (like Binoculars)?

Yes but it will degrade the image and don't waste your money as you don't need it and wont use it. Just turn your head. You will find depending on where something is in the sky will determine it's orientation. In any case if you are comparing to a map just spin the map around.

The field of view in your telescope will be considerably narrower than your unaided eye so using the horizon as a frame of reference is pointless.

If you are looking at something low in the east with your back to the north the image rotation will be different to if you look at something at zenith. What if you look east with your back to the south? In fact look at something at zenith with your back facing east, west, north, south and see what happens to the image. Which is correct? Which is right way up?

Note this is an astronomical telescope. If you plan on using the telescope for terrestrial then you will have to have your back to the object (not covering the aperture) and have the telescope level.

[Allan_L (Allan)]

Originally Posted by -George-

Telescope sees everything upside down?

Is there anything I can buy with this scope to make that the right side up (like Binoculars)?

Actually, this makes the image right way up! (from a certain point of view)
From the southern hemisphere, we see everything upside down compared to those in Northern Hemisphere. (eg Orion is on his head)
And as most astronomy books are written from a US perspective, this should line us up with their view.

Anyway, in space there is NO "Right way Up".

[-George-]

But...

Am I not seeing all the detail backwards to the way it should be seen?

I mean if I have to move scope to the right to see something on the left (because everything is in reverse order), how does that work?

That is putting everything upside down in the brain rather than the way it should look (If I could see it with my naked eyes)?

[astro744]

Originally Posted by -George-

But...

Am I not seeing all the detail backwards to the way it should be seen?

I mean if I have to move scope to the right to see something on the left (because everything is in reverse order), how does that work?

That is putting everything upside down in the brain rather than the way it should look (If I could see it with my naked eyes)?

No. Even number of reflections = corrected image (may be upside down but not reversed).
Odd number of reflections = reversed image.

Upside down is not reversed.

An upside down image will match a star chart. A reversed image will not.

[barx1963 (Malcolm)]

Originally Posted by -George-

But...

Am I not seeing all the detail backwards to the way it should be seen?

I mean if I have to move scope to the right to see something on the left (because everything is in reverse order), how does that work?

That is putting everything upside down in the brain rather than the way it should look (If I could see it with my naked eyes)?

The secret is not to worry about it. You will get used to it after an hour or so. I found best thing was to have a correct image finder so it always matched my charts and then stop worrying about it!

Malcolm