Meade SC8: Advice needed

"Ahab" wrote in message
...
ok..I'll check them out.

Whats the Celstron equivalent to Meade LXD-55 SC8 I wonder ?

--
Ahab


Probably the C8-SGT:

http://www.celestron.com/prod_pgs/tel/c8sgt.htm

Jeroen.

I've just bought a LXD55-SC8, mail order.

2 BIG boxes arrived and I was put off by the clearly marked "Made in China"
boxes though the Meade web site clearly states that the scopes were fully
fabricated in USA.

Nevertherless, after assembly and balancing, I tested it for alignment and
surprise surprise, it was very close to being aligned, a few qiuck turns of
the screws and it was completed.

Moon & Mars were both visible later that night, aiming with the finder
scope proved a little tricky as the finder is a little too close to the OTA
but bearable. Moon appeared crisp and sharp on the 26mm SP , Mars, it's
usual reddish disk seemingly foggy. With a 2x Barlow, I could find no fault
with the scope.

A collimation check, using a SP 6.4mm and a mag.1 star, out of curiosity
revealed the scope to be very slightly out and less than a quarter turn
brought it back.

In using the supplied tripod, with the SP6.4 and 2x barlow, a hand taken off
the OTA quickly whilst viewing, the scope settled down within 5 seconds. So
the tripod is acceptable by my standards...BTW tripod was a minimum
extension! Common sense stops me from using the tripod at any extension
other then for levelling.

So, I guess, I paid 30% less for a "Chinese peach"


I was thinking of upgrading to a Meade LXD-55 SC8.

Has anyone got any advice as whether they are a good scope or not. I
have
read a few reports of autostar failing and the motor drives failing.


Thanks in advance.
The LXD55 family, have a lot of 'QA' problems (probably the worst of any
range of scopes Meade have ever produced). The 10", is oversize for the
mount. The 8" is 'borderline'. If you can get a good example, then it is
great value for money, but there seem to be more 'lemons', than 'peaches'
in
the crop...

I've just bought a LXD55-SC8, mail order.

2 BIG boxes arrived and I was put off by the clearly marked "Made in China"
boxes though the Meade web site clearly states that the scopes were fully
fabricated in USA.

Nevertherless, after assembly and balancing, I tested it for alignment and
surprise surprise, it was very close to being aligned, a few qiuck turns of
the screws and it was completed.

Moon & Mars were both visible later that night, aiming with the finder
scope proved a little tricky as the finder is a little too close to the OTA
but bearable. Moon appeared crisp and sharp on the 26mm SP , Mars, it's
usual reddish disk seemingly foggy. With a 2x Barlow, I could find no fault
with the scope.

A collimation check, using a SP 6.4mm and a mag.1 star, out of curiosity
revealed the scope to be very slightly out and less than a quarter turn
brought it back.

In using the supplied tripod, with the SP6.4 and 2x barlow, a hand taken off
the OTA quickly whilst viewing, the scope settled down within 5 seconds. So
the tripod is acceptable by my standards...BTW tripod was a minimum
extension! Common sense stops me from using the tripod at any extension
other then for levelling.

So, I guess, I paid 30% less for a "Chinese peach"


I was thinking of upgrading to a Meade LXD-55 SC8.

Has anyone got any advice as whether they are a good scope or not. I
have
read a few reports of autostar failing and the motor drives failing.


Thanks in advance.
The LXD55 family, have a lot of 'QA' problems (probably the worst of any
range of scopes Meade have ever produced). The 10", is oversize for the
mount. The 8" is 'borderline'. If you can get a good example, then it is
great value for money, but there seem to be more 'lemons', than 'peaches'
in
the crop...