Stefan Lilge wrote:
This is the first light (except for some test shots) for my new Meade
10" LX200R optics. As I mentioned in another post the scope has been
sent back to the dealer because it doesn't hold collimation. The dealer
promised that I would get another one for exchange, but Meade told me
it's not possible, so I'll have to wait until this one is repaired.
Actually considering that collimation was a bit rough for this shot it
didn't come out bad.
I had some unusual tracking problems in declination though. The
guidestar did jump a few pixels to the south every few minutes.

NGC 2976 taken from the middle of Berlin with a 10" LX200R at f/6.3
(Celestron f/6.3 reducer), G11 mount, SXV-H9 camera, 41x5 minutes.

Colour version will follow.

The picture can also be found at
http://ccd-astronomy.de/temp/2976-41x5gut.jpg

Stefan
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Darn, my to-do list just got longer.

Looks good to me. Yes, Meade totally stopped production of all R models
saying they are moving production to Mexico and it will resume (complete
scopes only) once the move is over. Still I wonder what the true RC
makers lawsuits have to do with this. They say they will only resume
OTA production when they catch up the backlog of complete scope orders.

My 14" has been totally discontinued. They say they won't be making it
in any version. Considering how cheap it was compared to the 16" OTA I
doubt they could make any money charging what they did and with
Celestron's standard SCT for competition felt they couldn't raise the
price sufficiently to cover the cost. It certainly wasn't for lack of
sales. The dealer I got mine from said he had far more requests for the
14 than the 12 but most settled for the 12 as he couldn't get enough
14's to cover his orders. I waited 6 months for mine and had small
deposits down at 4 dealers to get the one I did get. Gave up $300 in
lost deposits to get it when I did. Friend of mine ordered from one
dealer after I got mine and never did get his before production was
halted. My only complaint is the weight. At my age and arthritis I
need help taking it on and off the mount.

Hope you can fix the problem. I know when the 10" Celestron first came
out (that was before the 8" but after the 22", they didn't hold
collimation at all. I was at a AL convention and Bob Cox (long time
writer of Gleanings for ATMs at Sky and Telescope) had one of the very
first production models. Bob was one for very colorful language even in
ordinary conversation. That first night the scope wouldn't hold
collimation from one side of the sky to the other. A Celestron rep was
on hand as well. I still remember Bob's more than colorful comments to
the rep about his &!@*$ #(&# (()# ***^&#@ etc. He never did get it to
work yet several orders were taken. I knew two of the buyers. Both had
to return theirs for the same problem. Obviously Celestron solved the
problem but it took a bit.

Rick
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