LX90 10" versus LX200 GPS 8"

[Striker (Tony)]

I'm happy to give my comments..

I'm not that interested in visuals as their is nothing to see in light poluted Brisbane.....so my route was down astrophotgraphy....I can get more detail and colour on DSO doing Astrophotography in light polution then I have seen through a big dob in dark skies.

Mind due I cant see anything through my C11 visualy in Brisbane's light polution...

So for me astrophotography through an SCT was an easy decission.

I did have a 8" dob and hated it....but I didn't use it to its potential.....too frustrating and unappealing.

Saying this I have all the respect and admiration for Andrew(Astro_South) for his knowledge and ability using his 12.5 Dobsonian....Which I have looked through man times.

[Dave47tuc (David)]

IMHO.
You guy’s are so human!!
There will be never the perfect scope (but I know a few that come close)
Everyone has an opinion on telescopes. We all don’t like the colour Blue or Pink or Red. My point being every scope has good and not so good points.
People are so lucky today, with so many choices and the cost so cheap or affordable...

A small story. A little while ago someone rang me and asked my opinion on what to buy for a telescope. First thing I said don’t read the forums on the net or net reviews.
Too many mines better than yours. We broke it down to affordability, carrying capacity. After a while and a look through my old Meade LX 200 10”. He made decision. A Meade ETX 125. He has never looked back, so to speak.

I’ve had many scopes the last 2, 10” GPS LX 200 and now 10” Dob with Argo Navis.
Which is better I have been asked many times.
Both are very good scopes. The Meade is better built with more gadgets. Motors Go To all sorts of stuff. The Dob is simpler in design and in use in some ways.
One I pushed a few buttons to get to an object the other I push the scope to it.
Dose not bother me either way.

The other night I was looking at the Pleiades and for the first time with a big scope I could get the whole cluster in the one field. (31 Nag) That was awesome even under Moon light. The SCT could not do that. But I love looking at the Moon and I really missed the LX 200’s motors to cruise over the surface. So to get one thing you may loose another.

The original ? was about a LX90 10” and LX 200 8”. One is smaller than the other and Aperture rules in most cases. For me either is a very good Telescope.
See if you can see them both in real life and not in a magazine. This will help you choose more wisely.

Guy’s it gets boring with that is better than this. The Scope is a means to and end getting you closer to the Universe. No one will ever agree totally and all scopes have pro’s and con’s.
So putting a valid point across on what telescope is good and not so good is what new people are looking for.

Clear skies to all and please clear night for Snake Valley camp.

[mick pinner]

lt really does come down to dollars dosen't it.
lf you had the choice between a 12" dob and a 12" sct what would you buy if money was no object?, the impression that the dob is a poor man's scope l think comes from the fact that they are mainly entry level scopes into astronomy and therefore people are cautious, 6-7 thousand dollars is a lot to spend on a hobby you are just embarking into and may not stay interested in.
l have had 2 newtonians, an 8" then a 10" on eq mounts, l now have the 12" SCT and a 6" refractor, and have a 16" RC on order, as l have progressed further into astronomy and moved from one scope to another l can appreciate each scope l have had because each one has led me to wanting to see that little bit more.
Because there is so much great equipment out there it does tend to show up the shortcomings of the scopes that the majority of us use and this makes us want more especially when you see some of the brilliant astro photos being taken, l am probably not as interested yet as some of the people on the forum in having a case full of Nagler ep's and other top end ep's, l think spending money on the operating system first is more important than worrying about what sort of ep l am going to stick into it l had a look through both Dave and Goeffs dobs at the small get together we had a while back and was more than happy with the views, very good scopes in my opinion but it is nice to go out flick on the power to the SCT and be looking at any object in the skies within a minute or two also has it's appeal when you think l can go inside and have tea then come back 2 hours later and the object is still there, learning to appreciate each scope for what it offers instead of criticising it for what it hasen't got l think is the key to success at least until the finances come along that allow us to move on.

[Starkler (Geoff)]

If money was no object I would have a 15-16 inch truss dob with premium optics fitted with argonavis and possibly Bartelised and still come out cheaper than a 12inch sct, but thats just me.
If I had a fixed home observatory like Striker, id possibly have a set up like his.

[[1ponders] (Paul)]

Point 1. Go to a star party, astro night, find people in your area who have these scopes.

Point 2. This debate has been raging world wide for years and will never be answered.

Point 3. As been said many times on this site, "The best scope for you is the one you use". So to find the one your really want see Point 1.

I have a 10X50 binocs, a 60mm refractor, and 80mm refractor, a 100mm refractor, and 200mm sct and I'm trying to save up for either a 300mm or 400mm Dob (probably the 400 eventually). Why so many. They each have advantages and disadvantage (ignore the aperture rule) and I love using each and everyone I have and I'm sure I'm going to love using the 400mm when I eventually get one.

See Point 1.

[rumples riot]

Dave47tuc,

Your're getting bored with the argument; I get sick to death with certain people on this forum running SCT's down all the time like it is a crime to own one. I did say that each type of scope has flaws and limitation. What I don't appreciate is that someone is considering purchasing an SCT either the LX200 or an L90 and they get told that getting a dob is better cos they don't cost as much and infer that they are a waste of money. Especially when those people have never owned an SCT.

Its about time us SCT owners stood up to this nonsense, if you choose to buy a dob, that is cool, if you choose an SCT that is also cool. We don't need to be crucified for our choices.

[Dave47tuc (David)]

I don't care what telescope someone has as long as they enjoy using it.
Does get boring with people of what scope is best like you do Rumples.
SCT, Newt, Refractor whatever you prefer. All opinions are valid yours mine whoevers.
By the way I have never run any telescope down.

[ballaratdragons (Ken)]

Guys, we all look up at the same sky! We have the same interest! We just do it different ways.

Lets have 'whirled peas' coz it's getting hot in here!

[rumples riot]

Dave47tuc, I was not saying that you are the culprit. I was agreeing with you when I said your getting bored with the argument. That is, I am getting sick of the inferences and claims from certain others, yourself not included. The mine is better than yours argument is very tiresome. And quite frankly I don't care if people are getting tired of me defending my purchase, tell the people who start the arguments, those that infer that spending money on a scope is wrong. Look back through this thread and look who started the issue. That person does this time and time again. All I am saying is let the person asking the question decide which LX scope or SCT they want, not put in a snide remark that is it cheaper to buy a dob. Maybe they don't one.

That all I have to say. Just leave us SCT owners alone. We like our scopes.

[Starkler (Geoff)]

Paul, I have not and am not attacking people who choose to own a sct. Norm the original poster asked about how a dob stacks up against Meade sct's, and I gave my reasons for choosing a dob, whereas you gave your reasons for choosing an sct.

Norm will choose what he wants for himself after reading the pros and cons of both viewpoints.

Now in the interest of 'whirled peas' its time to lock the thread.