Astrograph that is also good for visual planetary?

[kosborn (Kevin)]

Originally Posted by that_guy

If you're thinking of an SCT maybe grab one thats fastar or hyperstar compatible. It'll give you f/2 when you want to image DSO and f/10 when you want to view or image planets.

How easy is it to switch from standard configuration to Fastar and back? Do you need to do a whole collimation each time?

Kevin

[Stonius (Markus)]

Yes, one of the things I really like about the C11 is the ability to shoot at f10, 7 and 2. The optics are pretty universally acclaimed and some of the work done here by Troy and others attests to this. And i like the fact that it is fairly compact considering the focal length.

But I get a sense Celestron are a bit like apple with a 'walled garden' approach to their tech. Proprietary hardware obstructionism rather than compatibility. So while I like the idea of the different focal lengths Im wary of being locked in to a fastar system unless it stands on it's own compared to other dedicated offerings. Same with the mount. A number of reviews have put me off.

[Camelopardalis (Dunk)]

I don't think there's a big conspiracy to prevent people making accessories for Celestron scopes...it's just not that big a market.

Meade did produce Fastar compatible scopes for a while but no longer do so. Even Celestron themselves no longer produce the Fastar lenses themselves, they leave that to Starizona and their Hyperstar system. All it is is a lens that screws into the secondary obstruction where the secondary mirror usually sits.

Who else mass produces SCTs?

And what other f/2 imaging systems are out there that you want to compare with?

Fastar lenses come up for sale in the classifieds occasionally, so it's not illegal to buy and sell them