LX200 10" or 8"? (happy ending)

Hi,

After having fun with my ETX105 for almost 2 years, and getting more and more obsessed with
astronomy, I will upgrade my to a bigger telescope. Of course, equipment can be expensive.....
and this means my wife has to agree.....
My wife has watched my increasing enthousiasm for this hobby with some amusement. I said to her
I would really like to buy the LX200 8". I showed her some pictures, and she read about the
scope on the internet. She then said: I think you should buy the 10", and get a good camera
too...

well, what more encouragement do we need :-)

x-mas will be fun this year

--
md
www.xs4all.nl/~martlian

md wrote:
Hi,

After having fun with my ETX105 for almost 2 years, and getting more and more obsessed with
astronomy, I will upgrade my to a bigger telescope. Of course, equipment can be expensive.....
and this means my wife has to agree.....
My wife has watched my increasing enthousiasm for this hobby with some amusement. I said to her
I would really like to buy the LX200 8". I showed her some pictures, and she read about the
scope on the internet. She then said: I think you should buy the 10", and get a good camera
too...

well, what more encouragement do we need :-)

x-mas will be fun this year

"Well OK dear. If you think it's best..."
'-)

Shawn

On Tue, 23 Nov 2004 01:29:49 +0100, "md" not given to avoid spam
wrote:

Hi,

After having fun with my ETX105 for almost 2 years, and getting more and more obsessed with
astronomy, I will upgrade my to a bigger telescope. Of course, equipment can be expensive.....
and this means my wife has to agree.....
My wife has watched my increasing enthousiasm for this hobby with some amusement. I said to her
I would really like to buy the LX200 8". I showed her some pictures, and she read about the
scope on the internet. She then said: I think you should buy the 10", and get a good camera
too...

well, what more encouragement do we need :-)

x-mas will be fun this year

The ETX weighs about 14lbs.
An 8" LX200 about 45.
A 10" about 65.
Think about that before deciding.
-rich

RichA wrote:
On Tue, 23 Nov 2004 01:29:49 +0100, "md" not given to avoid spam
wrote:


Hi,

After having fun with my ETX105 for almost 2 years, and getting more and more obsessed with
astronomy, I will upgrade my to a bigger telescope. Of course, equipment can be expensive.....
and this means my wife has to agree.....
My wife has watched my increasing enthousiasm for this hobby with some amusement. I said to her
I would really like to buy the LX200 8". I showed her some pictures, and she read about the
scope on the internet. She then said: I think you should buy the 10", and get a good camera
too...

well, what more encouragement do we need :-)

x-mas will be fun this year


The ETX weighs about 14lbs.
An 8" LX200 about 45.
A 10" about 65.
Think about that before deciding.
-rich

At least think about those JMI wheelie bars.
:-)

RichA wrote in message . ..

The ETX weighs about 14lbs.
An 8" LX200 about 45.
A 10" about 65.
Think about that before deciding.
-rich

Rich has a good point.

I followed almost exactly the same path as you propose (except I
started with an ETX90). I bought the ETX new to "check" I was serious
before plonking all my cash on a "big" scope. To be honest, I regret
wasting time doing that - but I did learn the sky a bit better before
getting the more serious scope as an upgrade. My next scope was a
second hand 10" LX200. I selected this as being the minimum aperture I
wanted balanced against my ability to carry it.

After about 6 months of struggling up and down the stairs to set this
beast up, I can honestly report that my enthusiasm waned (something I
wouldn't have thought possible). Unless skies were absolutely
pristine, and the forecast was for them to remain that way all night,
I wouldn't bother setting up. Too many episodes of struggle and
alignment followed by waiting 2 hours cool-down, then the bloody
clouds would roll in and I'd have to break it down and truck it all
back indoors without even getting to use it! That wore thin really
quick!

Thankfully my plan included moving to an imaging setup mounted
permanently in a roll-off roof observatory. For I while (prior to
building the observatory, but while buying the "parts"), I used an
Orion 80ED (bought for use as a guide scope) as a quick look scope -
to the total exclusion of the 10" LX200. It got my enthusiasm back up
to par in no time. I wouldn't have believed this either until I
experienced it myself. I really enjoyed the views through the little
scope, and didn't feel the experience was "spoilt" because I wasn't
using the maximum aperture available to me at the time. Guess I was
learning the truth of the advice, like Rich's, that I'd (unconciously)
discounted.

Now I've got everything mounted in the observatory - it's a dream. I
plan to upgrade to a 14" LX200 this February and my enthusiasm knows
no bounds :-)

Returning to the topic, I'd like to amplify Rich's point; Based on my
own direct experience, I'd say that unless you plan to permanently
mount your scope in the (not too distant) future, you will likely get
more use from an 8" LX200. And you'll save some cash that you could
put to a nice Nagler or two.

(But I wouldn't mind betting you'll still want to get the 10" :-)

Cheers
Beats

"RichA" wrote in message ...
On Tue, 23 Nov 2004 01:29:49 +0100, "md" not given to avoid spam
wrote:

Hi,

After having fun with my ETX105 for almost 2 years, and getting more and more obsessed with
astronomy, I will upgrade my to a bigger telescope. Of course, equipment can be
expensive.....
and this means my wife has to agree.....
My wife has watched my increasing enthousiasm for this hobby with some amusement. I said to
her
I would really like to buy the LX200 8". I showed her some pictures, and she read about the
scope on the internet. She then said: I think you should buy the 10", and get a good camera
too...

well, what more encouragement do we need :-)

x-mas will be fun this year

The ETX weighs about 14lbs.
An 8" LX200 about 45.
A 10" about 65.
Think about that before deciding.
-rich

thanks rich, we are aware of the weight.
anyway, there is no need for me to drag the 10" up and down stairs and a permanent setup is
planned for next year.

--
md
www.xs4all.nl/~martlian

"justbeats" wrote in message
...
RichA wrote in message . ..

The ETX weighs about 14lbs.
An 8" LX200 about 45.
A 10" about 65.
Think about that before deciding.
-rich

Rich has a good point.

I followed almost exactly the same path as you propose (except I
started with an ETX90). I bought the ETX new to "check" I was serious
before plonking all my cash on a "big" scope. To be honest, I regret
wasting time doing that - but I did learn the sky a bit better before
getting the more serious scope as an upgrade. My next scope was a
second hand 10" LX200. I selected this as being the minimum aperture I
wanted balanced against my ability to carry it.

After about 6 months of struggling up and down the stairs to set this
beast up, I can honestly report that my enthusiasm waned (something I
wouldn't have thought possible).

I can imagine! fortunately, there is no need for me to drag it up and down stairs. just a few
meters to get it in my backyard.

Thankfully my plan included moving to an imaging setup mounted
permanently in a roll-off roof observatory.

my plan exactly

For I while (prior to
building the observatory, but while buying the "parts"), I used an
Orion 80ED (bought for use as a guide scope) as a quick look scope -
to the total exclusion of the 10" LX200. It got my enthusiasm back up
to par in no time. I wouldn't have believed this either until I
experienced it myself. I really enjoyed the views through the little
scope, and didn't feel the experience was "spoilt" because I wasn't
using the maximum aperture available to me at the time. Guess I was
learning the truth of the advice, like Rich's, that I'd (unconciously)
discounted.

I am not selling my ETX as I am aware that I will keep on using it.

Returning to the topic, I'd like to amplify Rich's point; Based on my
own direct experience, I'd say that unless you plan to permanently
mount your scope in the (not too distant) future, you will likely get
more use from an 8" LX200. And you'll save some cash that you could
put to a nice Nagler or two.

no worries, I will have some cash left anyway.
--
md

I was in a similar situation earlier this year. My wife bought me an
ETX-105 for X-mas '01. I used that all the time, but still yearned for
larger glass. When a friend decided to sell his 10" LX200GPS and stuff
(about $5k worth of scope & gear) I talked it over with the spouse and
got it. It is a very good scope and I use it all the time. I hardly ever
use the 105 any more, but with Saturn starting to rise I may take it out
some more.

The higher contrast of the 105 makes it a better planetary scope than
the 10". I've had the 105 over 300x during last year's mars opposition
and the views were incredible.

Seeing around here rarely allows that much power.

Craig

In article , "md" not given to
avoid spam says...
Hi,

After having fun with my ETX105 for almost 2 years, and getting more and more obsessed with
astronomy, I will upgrade my to a bigger telescope. Of course, equipment can be expensive.....
and this means my wife has to agree.....
My wife has watched my increasing enthousiasm for this hobby with some amusement. I said to her
I would really like to buy the LX200 8". I showed her some pictures, and she read about the
scope on the internet. She then said: I think you should buy the 10", and get a good camera
too...

well, what more encouragement do we need :-)

x-mas will be fun this year

--
md
www.xs4all.nl/~martlian

On Tue, 23 Nov 2004 21:06:40 +0100, "md" not given to avoid spam
wrote:


"RichA" wrote in message ...
On Tue, 23 Nov 2004 01:29:49 +0100, "md" not given to avoid spam
wrote:

Hi,

After having fun with my ETX105 for almost 2 years, and getting more and more obsessed with
astronomy, I will upgrade my to a bigger telescope. Of course, equipment can be
expensive.....
and this means my wife has to agree.....
My wife has watched my increasing enthousiasm for this hobby with some amusement. I said to
her
I would really like to buy the LX200 8". I showed her some pictures, and she read about the
scope on the internet. She then said: I think you should buy the 10", and get a good camera
too...

well, what more encouragement do we need :-)

x-mas will be fun this year

The ETX weighs about 14lbs.
An 8" LX200 about 45.
A 10" about 65.
Think about that before deciding.
-rich

thanks rich, we are aware of the weight.
anyway, there is no need for me to drag the 10" up and down stairs and a permanent setup is
planned for next year.

Then consider the 12", IMO, the best value in SCTs going.
-Rich

"RichA" wrote in message news
On Tue, 23 Nov 2004 21:06:40 +0100, "md" not given to avoid spam
wrote:


"RichA" wrote in message ...
On Tue, 23 Nov 2004 01:29:49 +0100, "md" not given to avoid spam
wrote:

Hi,

After having fun with my ETX105 for almost 2 years, and getting more and more obsessed
with
astronomy, I will upgrade my to a bigger telescope. Of course, equipment can be
expensive.....
and this means my wife has to agree.....
My wife has watched my increasing enthousiasm for this hobby with some amusement. I said
to
her
I would really like to buy the LX200 8". I showed her some pictures, and she read about
the
scope on the internet. She then said: I think you should buy the 10", and get a good
camera
too...

well, what more encouragement do we need :-)

x-mas will be fun this year

The ETX weighs about 14lbs.
An 8" LX200 about 45.
A 10" about 65.
Think about that before deciding.
-rich

thanks rich, we are aware of the weight.
anyway, there is no need for me to drag the 10" up and down stairs and a permanent setup is
planned for next year.

Then consider the 12", IMO, the best value in SCTs going.
-RichA

unfortunately, a 12" would be too expensive, the 10" is a stretch already, remember I was
aiming for the 8" to start with.
--
md