Help on choice of scope

I was planning on purchasing an LX200 10" scope when I read that the optics
of the LDX75 10" are the same as the LX200 scope. I am not interested in
doing any type of photography or imaging. Am I just as well off to purchase
an LDX75 scope and save $1700 ? Or would I still be better off with an
LX200 ?

Thanks

TxTruck4x4 wrote:
I was planning on purchasing an LX200 10" scope when I read that the optics
of the LDX75 10" are the same as the LX200 scope. I am not interested in
doing any type of photography or imaging. Am I just as well off to purchase
an LDX75 scope and save $1700 ? Or would I still be better off with an
LX200 ?

Thanks



The LXD75 doesn't come with a 10" SCT.

I think it's an odd choice to get a 10" SCT for visual use only. But, if
that's what you want, you have little choice but to get the LX200 forks,
unless you get a GEM and install the OTA yourself.

You might want to consider a Celestron NX11GPS instead. It is reported
to be a much easier scope to setup on the tripod.

Good luck,
Stephen

TxTruck4x4 wrote:
I was planning on purchasing an LX200 10" scope when I read that the
optics
of the LDX75 10" are the same as the LX200 scope. I am not
interested in
doing any type of photography or imaging. Am I just as well off to
purchase
an LDX75 scope and save $1700 ? Or would I still be better off with
an
LX200 ?

Thanks

Hi:

There may be a bit of confusion here. AFAIK, Meade doesn't have a 10
inch LXD 75 SCT. They do have a 10 inch SNT, but that is quite a
different animal. A lot of folks are happy with the LXD 75, but if this
is a scope you intend to keep for a while, I'd strongly suggest you go
with the LX 200, even the 8, if you are not sure about spending for the
10. It is much more versatile and able to take on tasks you might
become interested in in the future.

Peace,
Rod Mollise
Author of:_Choosing and Using a Schmidt Cassegrain Telescope_
http://members.aol.com/RMOLLISE/index.html

Stephen Paul wrote:

I think it's an odd choice to get a 10" SCT for visual use only. But,
if
that's what you want, you have little choice but to get the LX200
forks,
unless you get a GEM and install the OTA yourself.


Hi Stephen:

Actually, that's not an odd choice at all. After all, in an SCT you get
the ability to observe while sitting at a driven telescope, once which
can be fitted with oodles of visual accessories...everything from
spectrascopes to focal reducers...and which will reliably point at any
object you choose.

Peace,
Rod Mollise
Author of:_Choosing and Using a Schmidt Cassegrain Telescope_
http://members.aol.com/RMOLLISE/index.html

Hi,

I own a Meade 8" LX200GPS and a Televue NP101. I use both scopes
strictly for visual use. If I could have only one? Without question,
it would be the 8" sct as it is about equal to the NP101 on planets
(some nights better, some nights worse) but is much, much better on
deep sky.

I truly believe that the 8" sct is the best all around scope.

Clear skies,
Jeff



RMOLLISE wrote:
Stephen Paul wrote:

I think it's an odd choice to get a 10" SCT for visual use only.
But,
if
that's what you want, you have little choice but to get the LX200
forks,
unless you get a GEM and install the OTA yourself.


Hi Stephen:

Actually, that's not an odd choice at all. After all, in an SCT you
get
the ability to observe while sitting at a driven telescope, once
which
can be fitted with oodles of visual accessories...everything from
spectrascopes to focal reducers...and which will reliably point at
any
object you choose.

Peace,
Rod Mollise
Author of:_Choosing and Using a Schmidt Cassegrain Telescope_
http://members.aol.com/RMOLLISE/index.html

Thanks Rod,

Yes there seems to have been some confusion, I guess I didn't word the
question very well. I am aware that the 10" LXD75 is a SNT and the LX200 is
a SCT. I was just wondering if it was worth the $1700 more for the SCT when
it would not be used for anything but visual. Since optically Meade's SCT
and the SNT are suppose to be the same, I assume the difference in price is
mostly because the LX200 drives are of higher quality, plus the SCT are
built in the USA instead of China as is the case with Meade's SNT. I
believe you are saying that going with the LX200 is better because I can
always do imaging if I decide to. I am reasonably sure that I will not and
can always buy an LX200 in a few years should I decide to. I have had
several scopes in the past and have dabbled in photography but had no
interests in pursuing it so I'm reasonably certain that visual is all I'm
looking for. With that being the case, I was trying to asked (in my poorly
worded post) if any advantage's of the LX200 justifies spending $1700 more
when it's for visual use only.

Thanks again for your help.





"RMOLLISE" wrote in message
oups.com...

There may be a bit of confusion here. AFAIK, Meade doesn't have a 10
inch LXD 75 SCT. They do have a 10 inch SNT, but that is quite a
different animal. A lot of folks are happy with the LXD 75, but if this
is a scope you intend to keep for a while, I'd strongly suggest you go
with the LX 200, even the 8, if you are not sure about spending for the
10. It is much more versatile and able to take on tasks you might
become interested in in the future.

Peace,
Rod Mollise
Author of:_Choosing and Using a Schmidt Cassegrain Telescope_
http://members.aol.com/RMOLLISE/index.html

Hi,

What you might want to consider is the LX90 or the Celestron Nexstar 8.
Both of those are very good scopes and are much cheaper than the
LX200.

The 8" SCT is very easy to set-up and use.

jeff

Jeffk1965 wrote:
Hi,

I own a Meade 8" LX200GPS and a Televue NP101. I use both scopes
strictly for visual use. If I could have only one? Without question,
it would be the 8" sct as it is about equal to the NP101 on planets
(some nights better, some nights worse) but is much, much better on
deep sky.

Including just two scopes isn't really an all inclusive comparison. :-)


I truly believe that the 8" sct is the best all around scope.


As with other things, I am a believer, become indifferent.

Turns out there are alternatives that are equally the best. The trick is
to figure out which is the best for you.

Is the LX200 worth $1700 more for a visual scope. No eff'n way :-). But,
as I said, in 10" apertures, you have no real alternative, except the
easier to handle NX11GPS.

Once you get down below 10", you have several options from both C and M.
LX90, LX200, LXD-75, CG-5, Ni, and NXGPS come immediately to mind. Also,
the 8" F5 Celestron reflector, and the 8" SNTs from Meade are usable on
the associated GEMs.

Extrapolating from my experience with the 8" F5 on CG-5, the 10" F5 Newt
from Celestron is undoubtedly a bit too large for the mount, as would
likely be the 10" F4 SNT from Meade.

And then there are Dobs with DSCs and EQ Platform drives. Considered by
many to be the best solution going.

Stephen Paul wrote:
Jeffk1965 wrote:
Hi,

I own a Meade 8" LX200GPS and a Televue NP101. I use both scopes
strictly for visual use. If I could have only one? Without
question,
it would be the 8" sct as it is about equal to the NP101 on planets
(some nights better, some nights worse) but is much, much better on
deep sky.

Including just two scopes isn't really an all inclusive comparison.
:-)


I truly believe that the 8" sct is the best all around scope.


As with other things, I am a believer, become indifferent.

Turns out there are alternatives that are equally the best. The trick
is
to figure out which is the best for you.

Is the LX200 worth $1700 more for a visual scope. No eff'n way :-).
But,
as I said, in 10" apertures, you have no real alternative, except the

easier to handle NX11GPS.

Once you get down below 10", you have several options from both C and
M.
LX90, LX200, LXD-75, CG-5, Ni, and NXGPS come immediately to mind.
Also,
the 8" F5 Celestron reflector, and the 8" SNTs from Meade are usable
on
the associated GEMs.

Extrapolating from my experience with the 8" F5 on CG-5, the 10" F5
Newt
from Celestron is undoubtedly a bit too large for the mount, as would

likely be the 10" F4 SNT from Meade.

And then there are Dobs with DSCs and EQ Platform drives. Considered
by
many to be the best solution going.



Hi again,

My opinion is not just based on the two scopes I own and use.

I currently own a Televue NP101 and Meade 8" Lx200GPS and have also
looked through all types of scopes at my local club and dark site,
including Dobs in the range of 6 to 18", refractors from 3" to 6",
Meade ETX scopes, and SCT's in sizes from 8, 10, 11, 12, and 14". The
SCT's are very easy and quick to set-up. They are easier to use than
the Meade 8" or 10" LXD55 or LXD75 mounts or the Celestron 6" refractor
on the CG-5 goto mount. The SCT's offer all around good visual
performance. I am the quickest to set-up at my club and the quickest
to take down with my 8" LX200GPS.

I would go for a Celestron Nexstar 8 or Meade 8" LX90 over any of the
Celestron AS-GT scopes or the Meade LXD55/75 series. Just my opinion
though..

jeff

Jeffk1965 wrote:
Stephen Paul wrote:

Including just two scopes isn't really an all inclusive comparison.

My opinion is not just based on the two scopes I own and use.

Thanks for clearing that up.


I would go for a Celestron Nexstar 8 or Meade 8" LX90 over any of the
Celestron AS-GT scopes or the Meade LXD55/75 series. Just my opinion
though..

Cool.

Frankly I think it's kind of a waste of money. The CG-5GT is plenty
accurate, costs less, and can be used with both your 8" SCT OTA and your
NP101. Not only, but the money you save on the CG-5GT, can buy you a
Universal Astronomics UniStar, which you can use for both OTAs in quick
look mode as well.

Even without the UniStar option, a GEM also can be used unpowered for
visual astronomy. I've done this on numerous occasions. Simply plant the
tripod, get a quick polar alignment through the polar bore scope, attach
the scope, find something interesting to look at using the finder scope
and the charts, lock the declination axis and nudge in RA.

Furthermore, one can forego a GoTo alignment, and simply use the RA
drive. With the GEM, you can release the clutches, slew the OTA on
target and lock the clutches down. The RA drive will just keep right on
humming along, obliviously.

As the SCT is versatile, so too is the the GEM. I can think of nothing
more versatile, than the 8" SCT on a GEM. ;-)

Stephen Paul
Shirley, MA