Ok, I did it... LX10

Thanks Jon for the link, now I have more choices to ponder, don't know if
that is a good or bad thing.(c;
The Meade eyepiece deal for $99. apparently is not available with this scope
unfortunately.

Tell me what you think, I am considering the Orion Epic
ED-2 series in 12.3 and 5.1 mm, and a shorty 2X Barlow. Anyone have an
opinion, is there another eyepiece moderately priced from Orion that they
feeel would be a better choice?


For what its worth.....

With a 2032 mm focal length, the 5.1mm eyepiece will give 400X, not often
useful.

The shorty barlow and the 12.3mm will double up you 25mm eyepiece that probably
comes with the scope.

If I were in your shoes, I would be looking for eyepieces to give you a broad
range of magnifications. I was under the impression that the Meade eyepiece
deal was still available, that would seem like a nice deal.

My experience is that 15mm and 9 mm www.scopestuff.com 66 degree Widefields are
quite nice, I think those would be good choices along with a Shorty Barlow.
They are the same eyepieces as the Orion Expanses. I don't recommend the 6 mm
and have not used the 20mm though I believe it quite similar to the 15mm and
worth owning. Those eyepieces are $39 shipped.

I would also be looking for a wide field eyepiece, a 32mm plossl gives good
views in a F10 SCT and provides a maximum FOV. For now you might be happy with
the 25mm that come stock but star hopping getting the widest possible FOV is a
big help. Even with a 32mm plossl the FOV will be less than 1 degree.

At some point you may want to get a F6.3 focal reducer which will increase your
FOV by about 50%.

jon

jon

I started out viewing with the supplied Meade 25mm eye piece. Viewing
Saturn with just the 25mm Eyepiece was nice, but when I coupled it with
my Orion "Shorty-Plus 2x 3-Element Barlow", the Cassini division stood
right out. This would have made it 160x. My wife, who doesn't have all
that much interest in Astronomy, could see it right away. I then got
greedy and tried my 10mm(supplied with my XT10) + 2x Barlow for 400x on
Saturn, but despite being larger it was much more blurry.

I don't know enough about Eyepieces to comment on the Epic, but I think
I will pick up a 17mm Highlight Plossel from Orion. I have the 32mm
Highlight that I enjoy in the XT10.

Having never used a wedge, I really liked it. Compared to a normal
equatorial mount, I found the wedge on this scope very easy to
lock/unlock and maneuver.

If you have the same trouble with the finder mount, don't attempt to
bend it. It doesn't bend, in hindsight I should have redrilled it.

Clear Skies,
Mark


John Damico wrote:
Very cool Mark. I'm hoping mine arrives Mon or Tues, was shipped by Woodland
Hills last Monday. Today I am ordering a few eyepieces for ir from Orion,
nothing extravagant, but will increase my magnification choices beyond just
the one eyepiece. Tell me what you think, I am considering the Orion Epic
ED-2 series in 12.3 and 5.1 mm, and a shorty 2X Barlow. Anyone have an
opinion, is there another eyepiece moderately priced from Orion that they
feeel would be a better choice?

Having never used a wedge, I really liked it. Compared to a normal
equatorial mount, I found the wedge on this scope very easy to
lock/unlock and maneuver.

The problem with the wedge mounted fork is that things can get pretty awkward
trying find and view targets in the northern sky, the eyepiece gets pretty
close to the base..

Jon

Having never used a wedge, I really liked it. Compared to a normal
equatorial mount, I found the wedge on this scope very easy to
lock/unlock and maneuver.

The problem with the wedge mounted fork is that things can get pretty awkward
trying find and view targets in the northern sky, the eyepiece gets pretty
close to the base..

Jon

I started out viewing with the supplied Meade 25mm eye piece. Viewing
Saturn with just the 25mm Eyepiece was nice, but when I coupled it with
my Orion "Shorty-Plus 2x 3-Element Barlow", the Cassini division stood
right out. This would have made it 160x. My wife, who doesn't have all
that much interest in Astronomy, could see it right away. I then got
greedy and tried my 10mm(supplied with my XT10) + 2x Barlow for 400x on
Saturn, but despite being larger it was much more blurry.

I don't know enough about Eyepieces to comment on the Epic, but I think
I will pick up a 17mm Highlight Plossel from Orion. I have the 32mm
Highlight that I enjoy in the XT10.

Having never used a wedge, I really liked it. Compared to a normal
equatorial mount, I found the wedge on this scope very easy to
lock/unlock and maneuver.

If you have the same trouble with the finder mount, don't attempt to
bend it. It doesn't bend, in hindsight I should have redrilled it.

Clear Skies,
Mark


John Damico wrote:
Very cool Mark. I'm hoping mine arrives Mon or Tues, was shipped by Woodland
Hills last Monday. Today I am ordering a few eyepieces for ir from Orion,
nothing extravagant, but will increase my magnification choices beyond just
the one eyepiece. Tell me what you think, I am considering the Orion Epic
ED-2 series in 12.3 and 5.1 mm, and a shorty 2X Barlow. Anyone have an
opinion, is there another eyepiece moderately priced from Orion that they
feeel would be a better choice?

Very cool Mark. I'm hoping mine arrives Mon or Tues, was shipped by Woodland
Hills last Monday. Today I am ordering a few eyepieces for ir from Orion,
nothing extravagant, but will increase my magnification choices beyond just
the one eyepiece. Tell me what you think, I am considering the Orion Epic
ED-2 series in 12.3 and 5.1 mm, and a shorty 2X Barlow. Anyone have an
opinion, is there another eyepiece moderately priced from Orion that they
feeel would be a better choice?

"Mark R." wrote:
Just one problem in that the finder mount didn't
match up with the mounting screws. I attempted to bend the mount just
slightly
so it would match up but managed to break it. With a large washer I
managed to secure it well enough, but I plan on buying a right angle
finder.

I have an LX-10 also, although I have since bought another 'scope, I still
use it at times.
I strongly recommend that you buy a Telrad. The finder for the LX-10 is
difficult to use, and the addition of an inexpensive Telrad has greatly
increased my enjoyment of the LX-10.

Have Fun!
Mike

"Mike kB" wrote in message
news:j26_b.594392$ts4.140149@pd7tw3no...
"Mark R." wrote:
Just one problem in that the finder mount didn't
match up with the mounting screws. I attempted to bend the mount just
slightly
so it would match up but managed to break it. With a large washer I
managed to secure it well enough, but I plan on buying a right angle
finder.

I have an LX-10 also, although I have since bought another 'scope, I still
use it at times.
I strongly recommend that you buy a Telrad. The finder for the LX-10 is
difficult to use, and the addition of an inexpensive Telrad has greatly
increased my enjoyment of the LX-10.

Have Fun!
Mike



I also have an LX10 and also found the finder difficult to use. In my case I
couldn't get it to focus.

Then I found this page of useful stuff
http://geocities.com/jmmahony/LX10/fixes.html by John Mahony which advises
that there is an assembly problem in the finder and that one lens needs to
be reversed.

This make my finder at least usable now.

Regards,
Kim.

Um, interesting. The finder in my LX10 was fine. In fact, I still have the
original finder since I eventually replaced the 6x30 with an 8x50. I didn't
have any trouble focusing the 6x30 but I wanted something larger.

Ray

"kim bowers" wrote in message
...

"Mike kB" wrote in message
news:j26_b.594392$ts4.140149@pd7tw3no...
"Mark R." wrote:
Just one problem in that the finder mount didn't
match up with the mounting screws. I attempted to bend the mount just
slightly
so it would match up but managed to break it. With a large washer I
managed to secure it well enough, but I plan on buying a right angle
finder.

I have an LX-10 also, although I have since bought another 'scope, I
still
use it at times.
I strongly recommend that you buy a Telrad. The finder for the LX-10 is
difficult to use, and the addition of an inexpensive Telrad has greatly
increased my enjoyment of the LX-10.

Have Fun!
Mike



I also have an LX10 and also found the finder difficult to use. In my case
I
couldn't get it to focus.

Then I found this page of useful stuff
http://geocities.com/jmmahony/LX10/fixes.html by John Mahony which
advises
that there is an assembly problem in the finder and that one lens needs to
be reversed.

This make my finder at least usable now.

Regards,
Kim.