ICEINSPACE
Moon Phase
CURRENT MOON
Waxing Gibbous 99.1%
|
|

17-09-2007, 03:38 PM
|
 |
6000 post club member
|
|
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: Launceston, Australia
Posts: 6,570
|
|
Just spitballin' an idea
I've been wondering lately whether it's time to move on to a new scope. You know how it is with us planetary imagers
I've been quite happy with the C9.25 and I've become something of a SCT fan, even though I don't believe that visually/optically an SCT delivers quite the quality of image as, say, a newt. Photographically, it's great.
I'm going to stick with planetary imaging for a while and that means I don't mind sticking with an SCT. I'd prefer something around the 10" aperture OTA for the sake of portability.
I'm just wondering whether I'd see a marked improvement if I traded to something like a 10" Meade LX200R?
Obviously, the tiny bit of extra aperture is not going to set my world on fire, but what about the so-called 'Advanced Ritchey Cretien' optics? Would they be worth the switch?
I suspect not. I've yet to see planetary pics out of a Meade R or RCX series which would convince me the plunge would be worthwhile.
Not really thinking about other brands or types of scopes (newt, refractor etc) at this stage. Just this 9.25/10" LX200R comparo?
Just tossing the question out there to see what you guys think.
|

17-09-2007, 04:41 PM
|
Quietly watching
|
|
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: Yarra Junction
Posts: 3,044
|
|
in a non serious manner i can hardly see that 3/4 of an inch is going to make that much difference given the 9.25 has always recieved rave reviews......you know you want that 14 inch monster......i do  ..........a definite victim of aperture fever.
|

17-09-2007, 04:53 PM
|
 |
6000 post club member
|
|
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: Launceston, Australia
Posts: 6,570
|
|
Hi Alchemy.
As I stated in my original post, the question isn't so much one of aperture and associated light gathering, but rather optical quality.
I'm not looking to 'upsize'. I'll leave that for those who are prone to such weaknesses
Cheers
|

17-09-2007, 05:42 PM
|
 |
The 'DRAGON MAN'
|
|
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: In the Dark at Snake Valley, Victoria
Posts: 14,412
|
|
I know nothing about SCT's, but I have read many many reviews which state that the C9.25 is probably the best Astrophotography scope in the whole SCT range.
Apparently it has something to do with the figure and other mathematical changes over other models, and it is the only model they brought out using that design.
I even remember people in here commenting on why the 9.25 is far superior for planetary work over the other SCT's.
|

17-09-2007, 06:31 PM
|
 |
6000 post club member
|
|
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: Launceston, Australia
Posts: 6,570
|
|
Yep. The 9.25 sure is a nice scope, Ken  I've been happy with it the last 18 months or so...
It has a slightly different (f) figure on its primary and secondary which has an impact on its capabilities.
But I am just intrigued by this new RC range from Meade.
Prob is...I just haven't seen too many planetary images captured with them.
Maybe there's a reason for that? 
|

17-09-2007, 07:01 PM
|
 |
Registered User
|
|
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Sydney, Southern suburbs
Posts: 683
|
|
A mate has a 10" lx200r and I've looked through it
I have heard grumbles that it's not a 'true' RC design - however whatever they have done, it does seem to hold sharpness/contrast at the edges better than my old C11 did.
that said, I am doubtful there'd be a big difference - maybe a small picky difference if you were searching for that last 5-10% difference? The lx200r is an expensive puppy and I think you'd see a larger increase in quality by upgrading camera gear, rather than the OTA
|

17-09-2007, 07:21 PM
|
 |
6000 post club member
|
|
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: Launceston, Australia
Posts: 6,570
|
|
Hmmm. 5-10%. I might be happy with that difference.
As far as the cost goes, I'd use the proceeds of the sale of the 9.25 to fund most of the purchase.
Hmmm. food for thought.
|

17-09-2007, 07:25 PM
|
 |
Registered User
|
|
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Sydney, Southern suburbs
Posts: 683
|
|
have a look at the cloudy nights forums in the meade area, heaps of lx200r owners there
|

17-09-2007, 10:07 PM
|
 |
Moderator
|
|
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: NEWCASTLE NSW Australia
Posts: 33,375
|
|
well why not get a TAK 150................
|

17-09-2007, 10:09 PM
|
 |
6000 post club member
|
|
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: Launceston, Australia
Posts: 6,570
|
|
See original post, David. Not interested in a refractor at this stage.
Would definitely not want to head smaller in terms of aperture, even if it is unobstructed.
And I think a TAK 150 would involve a little more coin.
|

17-09-2007, 10:13 PM
|
 |
Moderator
|
|
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: NEWCASTLE NSW Australia
Posts: 33,375
|
|
OK then, what about a mewlon? ok you are after aperture
BTW I have a 10" LX200R OTA - crisp focus and collimation would be an issue - I am yet to get both together, but I am working on it. I have installed a dual speed feathertouch focuser. I cant understand why you would want to jump ship on the big C though, although the only thing I can see would be the mirror lock
|

17-09-2007, 10:16 PM
|
 |
6000 post club member
|
|
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: Launceston, Australia
Posts: 6,570
|
|
The Mewlon is another good and much more expensive option, David.
No. Am not after aperture. But as I've stated, would like to remain around the 9.25-10" mark...or thereabouts.
But I'd like to remain within the parameters of my original post, if possible.
I guess I'll just have to find someone with an LX200R and check it out for myself.
Cheers
|

17-09-2007, 10:26 PM
|
 |
6000 post club member
|
|
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: Launceston, Australia
Posts: 6,570
|
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by h0ughy
I cant understand why you would want to jump ship on the big C though
|
The power and the hype of the Meade marketing machine and as previously mentioned...a curiosity about how good the so-called Advanced RC optics really are
|

18-09-2007, 08:54 AM
|
Cyberdemon
|
|
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Rubyvale QLD
Posts: 2,627
|
|
Matt, something to bear in mind... for planetary imaging you're only using the very centre of the image, so off-axis errors like coma etc don't ever apply as you'll never see that part of the field in your camera.
You should focus your thoughts (so to speak) on a design that gives the best on-axis image, quite different from the wide-field designs like the meade RC.
Even with a simple newtonian scope with a small secondary the diffraction-limited field is several times larger than the disk of Jupiter, so as long as you're collimated properly then you'll be seeing the best image that you can get.
cheers, Bird
|

18-09-2007, 01:07 PM
|
 |
~Dust bunny breeder~
|
|
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: The town of campbells
Posts: 12,359
|
|
hmm... in all honesty matt i think you havent gotten as much as you can out of the 9.25 and dmk. i think kyou should work on that... just my opinion of course
if indeed money is burning a hole in your pocket you can buy me a c8 if you want
|

18-09-2007, 02:58 PM
|
 |
Country living & viewing
|
|
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Armidale
Posts: 2,790
|
|
What about one of the larger mak cas scopes? They are not anywhere as expensive as a refractor but will give better planetary images.
|

18-09-2007, 06:02 PM
|
 |
6000 post club member
|
|
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: Launceston, Australia
Posts: 6,570
|
|
Hi Terry.
That's definitely an option. Have been looking at the STF and Intes range for quite some time. Here's one I'm particularly interested in:
http://www.tetontelescope.com/produc...&products_id=9
The Mak-newts are also attractive.
They cut off around the 8" range as far as affordability goes, before they really jump up in terms of $$$.
Although it's a little step backward in terms of aperture, I like the idea of being able to purchase a scope with guaranteed 1/6th, 1/8th or even 1/10th wave optics.
I probably wouldn't notice the difference in aperture when imaging planets, from a brightness point of view, and the higher quality of optics would most likely compensate.
A definite possibility in the future.
|

19-09-2007, 07:10 PM
|
 |
Registered User
|
|
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: Laura
Posts: 596
|
|
How much money have you got
http://www.lazzarotti-optics.com/
nice but price not nice. Go a Mak.
|

19-09-2007, 07:20 PM
|
 |
6000 post club member
|
|
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: Launceston, Australia
Posts: 6,570
|
|
Hmm. Very nice optics, I'm sure...but I'm not a fan of such an open design.
Dew would surely be an issue. I'd also be worried about how easily crud could get on my mirrors.
You'd probably be able to encase it all in a tube of some description, but why not just buy it all in a tube from the get-go?
Anyway...what's the price????
Last edited by matt; 19-09-2007 at 07:31 PM.
|

19-09-2007, 08:19 PM
|
Registered User
|
|
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: Canberra
Posts: 421
|
|
|
Posting Rules
|
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts
HTML code is Off
|
|
|
All times are GMT +10. The time is now 06:47 PM.
|
|