|
|
Thread Tools | Display Modes |
#1
|
|||
|
|||
Telescope upgrade ???
Pardon for crashing the party here :-)
I've had a Mead EXT80 for a while and I'm on the cusp of an upgrade. I'm interested in combined viewing of moon, planets and deep sky. My biggest limitation is my location. North NJ. Lots of lights. Once in a while I drive up to NY state, but I'm almost always setting up by my house. My max budget is say $1,500. I want a motorized scope for sure. I have also read mixed reports on GPS models. Half the time they dont work. After researching what appears to be available, I've narrowed it down to two. 1. Celestron NexStar 8SE (8" Schmidt-Cassegrain). This seems to be a decent all around value. I can also add the GPS module later on if I like. Also less expensive than the Meade 8" models... 2. Orion SkyQuest XT10g (10" dobson) with "go to". A better bet for deep sky, but I dont know how it would work out with all the light sources where I live. I'm also not at all sure about how well the "go to" motor will work on that. Again.. I've heard mixed reviews. Also no chance of adding a GPS as far as I know... Any comments or suggestions ??? Thanx in advance... |
#2
|
|||
|
|||
Telescope upgrade ???
|
#3
|
|||
|
|||
Telescope upgrade ???
On 16/06/2010 20:56, Michael wrote:
Pardon for crashing the party here :-) I've had a Mead EXT80 for a while and I'm on the cusp of an upgrade. I'm interested in combined viewing of moon, planets and deep sky. My biggest limitation is my location. North NJ. Lots of lights. Once in a while I drive up to NY state, but I'm almost always setting up by my house. My max budget is say $1,500. I want a motorized scope for sure. I have also read mixed reports on GPS models. Half the time they dont work. After researching what appears to be available, I've narrowed it down to two. 1. Celestron NexStar 8SE (8" Schmidt-Cassegrain). This seems to be a decent all around value. I can also add the GPS module later on if I like. Also less expensive than the Meade 8" models... GPS on a telescope is pretty much silly unless you intend to observe from the back of a moving flatbed truck! At best on the LX200 series it allows Meade to reset the incorrectly loaded realtime clocks with an accurate satellite time and avoid user error putting in a couple of numbers that can be read off any detailed walking map. Provided you have kit with two (or more) star alignment the instrument can sort itself out if you can point it to the right stars. 2. Orion SkyQuest XT10g (10" dobson) with "go to". A better bet for deep sky, but I dont know how it would work out with all the light sources where I live. I'm also not at all sure about how well the "go to" motor will work on that. Again.. I've heard mixed reviews. Also no chance of adding a GPS as far as I know... Any comments or suggestions ??? If you want portability then 8" is as big as you should go. There are folks who eat 3 shredded wheat for breakfast who will tell you that yomping across marshland in the pitch dark with a 10" SCT is easy. I have a 10" SCT and carry it the least distance I can get away with. Regards, Martin Brown |
#4
|
|||
|
|||
Telescope upgrade ???
Martin Brown wrote:
On 16/06/2010 20:56, Michael wrote: ... GPS on a telescope is pretty much silly unless you intend to observe from the back of a moving flatbed truck! ... Might come in handy if you're chasing an asteroid occultation though. |
#5
|
|||
|
|||
Telescope upgrade ???
On Jun 16, 3:56*pm, Michael wrote:
Pardon for crashing the party here :-) I've had a Mead EXT80 for a while and I'm on the cusp of an upgrade. I'm interested in combined viewing of moon, planets and deep sky. *My biggest limitation is my location. *North NJ. *Lots of lights. *Once in a while I drive up to NY state, but I'm almost always setting up by my house. *My max budget is say $1,500. *I want a motorized scope for sure. *I have also read mixed reports on GPS models. Half the time they dont work. *After researching what appears to be available, I've narrowed it down to two. 1. Celestron NexStar 8SE (8" Schmidt-Cassegrain). This seems to be a decent all around value. *I can also add the GPS module later on if I like. *Also less expensive than the Meade 8" models... 2. Orion SkyQuest XT10g (10" dobson) with "go to". *A better bet for deep sky, but I dont know how it would work out with all the light sources where I live. *I'm also not at all sure about how well the "go to" motor will work on that. *Again.. I've heard mixed reviews. *Also no chance of adding a GPS as far as I know... Any comments or suggestions ??? Thanx in advance... Thanx for the input to the people that responded. I'm going to pay a visit to a local astronomy club at their next public meeting in a few days. I'm told there are usually about 30 telescopes on a typical night. It should help me get a better idea of what to do before I spend 2 g's |
#6
|
|||
|
|||
Telescope upgrade ???
On Jun 17, 8:51*am, Michael wrote:
... I'm going to pay a visit to a local astronomy club at their next public meeting in a few days. *I'm told there are usually about 30 telescopes on a typical night. *It should help me get a better idea of what to do before I spend 2 g's That is exactly the thing to do, there is no substitute for personally using the various telescope designs usually encountered at a star party. \Paul A |
#7
|
|||
|
|||
Telescope upgrade ???
On 17/06/2010 16:51, Michael wrote:
On Jun 16, 3:56 pm, wrote: Pardon for crashing the party here :-) I've had a Mead EXT80 for a while and I'm on the cusp of an upgrade. I'm interested in combined viewing of moon, planets and deep sky. My biggest limitation is my location. North NJ. Lots of lights. Once in a while I drive up to NY state, but I'm almost always setting up by my house. My max budget is say $1,500. I want a motorized scope for sure. I have also read mixed reports on GPS models. Half the time they dont work. After researching what appears to be available, I've narrowed it down to two. 1. Celestron NexStar 8SE (8" Schmidt-Cassegrain). This seems to be a decent all around value. I can also add the GPS module later on if I like. Also less expensive than the Meade 8" models... 2. Orion SkyQuest XT10g (10" dobson) with "go to". A better bet for deep sky, but I dont know how it would work out with all the light sources where I live. I'm also not at all sure about how well the "go to" motor will work on that. Again.. I've heard mixed reviews. Also no chance of adding a GPS as far as I know... Any comments or suggestions ??? Thanx in advance... Thanx for the input to the people that responded. I'm going to pay a visit to a local astronomy club at their next public meeting in a few days. I'm told there are usually about 30 telescopes on a typical night. It should help me get a better idea of what to do before I spend 2 g's It is worth pointing out here that provided you don't mind buying second hand and know what you are looking at there are some real bargains to be had in nearly mint condition around late February time. Your local astro club may well have someone who could help you. Regards, Martin Brown |
Thread Tools | |
Display Modes | |
|
|
Similar Threads | ||||
Thread | Thread Starter | Forum | Replies | Last Post |
ETX upgrade | AndreLTR | Amateur Astronomy | 5 | May 1st 08 12:18 PM |
Telescope upgrade | McSlemon | UK Astronomy | 7 | February 1st 06 09:30 AM |
Telescope upgrade ? | Terry A Haimann | Amateur Astronomy | 20 | October 2nd 05 03:06 PM |
BBC - Giant UK telescope gets upgrade | Nick | UK Astronomy | 2 | May 27th 04 03:06 AM |
Considering OS upgrade. | Malcolm Scrimger | SETI | 12 | July 20th 03 04:02 PM |