Hi I need all you APO owners help. I have a LX-200 10" f/10 and c102 f/5 refractor. I'm considering a 4" apo to replace the c102. Question is: Is it worth the $2000+? What I plan to use it for: I mainly do deep sky observing of mainly nebulas and clusters. I also enjoy the planets when they are out. My eyepiece collection is as follows: Nag 31mm T5, Meade 14mm UWA, 8.9mm UWA. I must confess I have never looked thro an APO and thus this post. With mars coming so close to earth do you think that I would benefit from an APO an see more detail then with the two scopes I have? The average seeing condition around my house are OK to bad. So the 10" usually shows a broken up image with more then about 180X. However about once a month(most of the time for a few days in a row) the seeing gets good to excellent and the views thro the 10" LX-200 a simply breath-taking(every time I look thro the EP at such times I cant believe my eyes at how much detail I'm seeing in my own personal scope). The c102 is useless on planets. So basically I would use the APO for the times when I'm to lazy to set up the 10" or when all I want to look at is planets and the seeing is not good. Do you guys think that it is worth the $$$, and will I be able to see more detail on mars when it swings by then in my 10". Also any recommendations on Tak v.s. TV 4" APO?
I have a LX-200 10" and c102. Do I need an APO?
Started by power_overwhelming, 01/24/2003 01:37AM
Posted 01/24/2003 01:37AM
Opening Post
Posted 01/24/2003 04:19AM
#1
I really believe a 4" APO will complement your 10" very nicely, Vladimir, if you have the budget. The 4" APO cools
down very quickly and is still portable enough to move around easily. A Vixen GP mount would be more than adequate for the TV-102. What magnification you can use on the TV-102 depends on seeing condition. For me during Mars last apparition, I was able to often use 176x and frequently 220x on Mars. A couple of excellent nights allowed me to use 293x to a great satisfaction, revealing the tiny Syrtis Minor! (Of course these are all TV Radian
eyepieces ;-). On those good nights (after it's determined by the 4" APO scout), you can haul out the well collimated, well cooled down 10" for the best bang! For a very excellent Mars' guide, please read this and feast your eyes on this...
http://www.arksky.org/mars2003.htm
http://panther-observatory.com/gallery/planets/doc/MarsCollage2001.htm
.. but the 4" can't even come close to this
http://www.ghg.net/egrafton/
As indiferent as I am to my TV-102, please note that the Takahashi FS102 is still on sale for a highway robbery price of $1895! Either the Tak FS102 or the TV-102 would not disappoint.
Last but not least, I leave you this one food for thought. We sojourn on this planet but only once (unless you believe in reincarnation ;-). So while working hard like dogs :-(, don't we all at the very least deserve one of the finest thing in life?
Best wishes on your quest.
Ron the 4-inch Tall Evangelist B[ee]
down very quickly and is still portable enough to move around easily. A Vixen GP mount would be more than adequate for the TV-102. What magnification you can use on the TV-102 depends on seeing condition. For me during Mars last apparition, I was able to often use 176x and frequently 220x on Mars. A couple of excellent nights allowed me to use 293x to a great satisfaction, revealing the tiny Syrtis Minor! (Of course these are all TV Radian
eyepieces ;-). On those good nights (after it's determined by the 4" APO scout), you can haul out the well collimated, well cooled down 10" for the best bang! For a very excellent Mars' guide, please read this and feast your eyes on this...
http://www.arksky.org/mars2003.htm
http://panther-observatory.com/gallery/planets/doc/MarsCollage2001.htm
.. but the 4" can't even come close to this
http://www.ghg.net/egrafton/
As indiferent as I am to my TV-102, please note that the Takahashi FS102 is still on sale for a highway robbery price of $1895! Either the Tak FS102 or the TV-102 would not disappoint.
Last but not least, I leave you this one food for thought. We sojourn on this planet but only once (unless you believe in reincarnation ;-). So while working hard like dogs :-(, don't we all at the very least deserve one of the finest thing in life?
Best wishes on your quest.
Ron the 4-inch Tall Evangelist B[ee]
Funding Member
