Serious Quote and Recommendations Wanted - Page 2

ballaratdragons (Ken) · #21 12-10-2005, 05:18 PM

Here's one option. $8,800 for the 10" Ritchie Cretien.

http://www.bintel.com.au/meadercx400.html

ballaratdragons (Ken) · #22 12-10-2005, 05:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by xrekcor

If your permenently mouting the scope in an observatory, do you really need the GPS feature? you'll only need to use it once. Maybe you could save some bucks there.

regards,CS

Would be nice to take it to schools occasionally. Then it would need GPS resetting again. If the Tripod/Peir is included and the whole unit is a good price we won't have to bother making a peir.

ballaratdragons (Ken) · #23 12-10-2005, 05:25 PM

Or this: https://www.bintelshop.com.au/Product.aspx?ID=6580

xstream (John) · #24 12-10-2005, 05:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ballaratdragons

Here's one option. $8,800 for the 10" Ritchie Cretien.

http://www.bintel.com.au/meadercx400.html

Don't want to put a dampener on it Ken but the RCX is not an RC it is an advanced RC design. There is a big differance.

Go the 14" Meade there supposed to be a great scope for imaging.

ballaratdragons (Ken) · #25 12-10-2005, 05:35 PM

John, I was thinking the Meade as it is 14" and comes with an LPI. Even the mount looks solid.

ballaratdragons (Ken) · #26 12-10-2005, 05:38 PM

Or this one which would leave enough dollars in the budget for EP's.

https://www.bintelshop.com.au/Product.aspx?ID=5389

Though the 14" does sound like a better buy for apature!

ausastronomer (John Bambury) · #27 12-10-2005, 05:52 PM

Ken,

Firstly let me explain that the Meade RCX 400 has been taken off the market temporarily as there are a number of known issues which Meade need to resolve. I would certainly be waiting until the next batch of this scope are released and had at least a year in the market place to be properly tested and proven. In addition it is not a true Ritchey Chretien design. A true Ritchey Chretien uses a concave hyperbolic primary and a convex hyperbolic secondary with the curves of both mirrors matched to each other, it uses no corrector plate of any description. This is why they are so expensive to make well. The Meade RCX400 uses a spherical primary in conjunction with a corrector plate to try and achieve the same effect as a true RC. My understanding from the literature I have read is that the instrument is designed and optimized for astrophotography and may not be a great choice for visual astronomy.

In terms of a normal SCT, I know that some of the larger Meade SCT's have had optical issues. I know that the 16" Meade SCT at Sydney observatory had a number of optical issues which took some time to resolve.

My choice if you are budget limited would be a Celestron C14 but I would be putting it on a lot better mount than the G11. I know they cost, but I would be looking at something like the Losmandy Titan at least and if you can afford it something of higher quality than the Losmandy, like the Paramount ME or Mountain Instruments MI-250.

If budget is not an issue, you could look at buying all Australian made:-

Peter Mellander from Anssen Technologies is releasing a new line of Ritchey Chretien telescopes with the Optics and mounts all Australian made. The new line of scope and mount is called the "Allira Series". You may in fact be able to get just the mount from Peter. He previously manufactured a mount that was ideal for a scope like the C14, it was called the Alhena, Grove Creek observatory and Sutherland Astronomical Society both have C14's on Alhena mounts.

http://www.anssentechnologies.com.au/

CS-John B

netwolf · #28 12-10-2005, 05:59 PM

ausastronomer, you beet me to it..
I was going to mention Anssen Technologies also.. The also have a new GEM on the way that is supposed to be more affordable and Australian made.

Also the TAK epsilon 180 was advertised in the recent AS&T for $5,800 OTA only from AEC. This is an astrograph and a very good one at that.

Oh and one out of budget dream of mine is the Centurion 18.
http://www.astroworks.com/
and Observatory made in QLD
http://www.astroworks.com/adomes.html.

Regards

ballaratdragons (Ken) · #29 12-10-2005, 06:10 PM

Thanks John, but budget is an issue. I would love to spend their money on all the best gear, but that is not to be!

Even the Meade 14" at $9995 will be pushing the friendship with council as by the time EP's and delivery are added it will be over budget.

If I was to get the Meade 14" at $9995 we won't have any left for 'extras'. But between us that form the group to 'caretaker' it I'm sure we can come up with EP's, computer etc.

I was asked not to mention how much the council budget is, but I'm sure you can work it out.

ballaratdragons (Ken) · #30 12-10-2005, 08:31 PM

OK, how does this package sound to set up a small community observatory?

All items from Bintel:

Meade LX200GPS 12" f/10 SCT
Bintel BT-302 (GS12"Deluxe) Premium Dob
Meade Series 5000 20mm Plossl EP
Meade #126 Short Focus 2x Barlow
and $1000 to spend on other accessories (computer maybe)

davidpretorius · #31 12-10-2005, 08:44 PM

looks good mate.

i have no experience with this, just happy to see you getting it off the ground!

[1ponders] (Paul) · #32 12-10-2005, 09:42 PM

If you're thinking of imaging with it Ken you'll need to consider a good wedge or go for just the OTA and as has been said a good EQ mount. If you're just thinking visual the the fork mount on its own would be fine. But for that price you could even think of a 20" Dob with Argo Narvis

ballaratdragons (Ken) · #33 12-10-2005, 09:48 PM

I thought these LX200's were set up for astropics! Now that has thrown a spanner in the works. I thought I could just pop the TouCam in it and hey presto! Doesn't the LX200 track objects?

Boy this gets confusing

[1ponders] (Paul) · #34 12-10-2005, 10:04 PM

It does track Ken, and you can take great planetary images with the ToUcam. But if you want to do DSOs with a Canon or dedicated CCD you either need a wedge to turn the mount into an equatorial mount (different sort of equatorial than a GEM) or a derotator to remove the rotational effect of the fork mount.

[1ponders] (Paul) · #35 12-10-2005, 10:06 PM

You're going to learn HEAPS about it at the Star Camp Ken

ballaratdragons (Ken) · #36 12-10-2005, 10:08 PM

My TouCam has the Mod for DSO's. I must have read up on these scopes wrong.
I was under the impression that they could be changed from ALT/AZ to EQ at the flick of a switch.

ballaratdragons (Ken) · #37 12-10-2005, 10:10 PM

So Paul, if I mount this LX200 on a GoTo GEM will that fix the problems?

p.s. I think they want the quote in before the Camp. Makes things difficult. I can try make them wait until I suss out what you mean at the Camp.

[1ponders] (Paul) · #38 12-10-2005, 10:20 PM

You wouldn't need the full LX200 setup on a GEM. Just the OTA. Besides you can get eq mounts with much better Periodic error than is available with the LXs. That's part of the reason I decided to sell my LX200 and buy a new meade OTA and got a Losmandy mount. The mounts not the best, but its affordable, reliable and upgradable.

ballaratdragons (Ken) · #39 12-10-2005, 10:24 PM

OK. I hope I can get a quote for a set-up like that within their budget!

If not, the astrophotography will have to go by the wayside.

[1ponders] (Paul) · #40 12-10-2005, 10:33 PM

Ken you can get a G-11 with Gemini including delivery for about $4800 delivered (doesn't include customs and GST) from OPT. My new G-11 without Gemini delivered will be around $3500 + $250 for a StarMate to drive it. No goto but your group could save up for ArgoNarvis and Encoders.

Ota Celestron 9.25 from the same place about two and a half grand (not sure here, probably around 3 - 3.5? G) *' meade OTA is $1600 - $1800 so I imaging a 12" would be around $4000 - $5000. Striker could tell you how much for an 11' Celestron