I know this is an old story and a heated topic.... I've got about $3000.00 to spend and I need help! Ok, here's the details- Live in Chicago burbs, ie poor to ok skies. I'm new but like to have the best I can afford, and have been view for over a year now even though I have a Meade Ds-2114 Reflector (please be kind). I know that I should spend money on EPs but please.... Meade Mak 7" sounds very nice. I like the planetary views, nice to show kids and all.... Will I get bored? Seems like the right choice for area I live in for backyard viewing? Goto viewing, I know I am spending a lot of money for it but I can't find simialar Mak scopes without it with a nice mount and tripod? What's the easiest route to a great scope for my area? Please help! Jim
What to buy?
Started by Jim847, 11/26/2004 05:54AM
Posted 11/26/2004 05:54AM
Opening Post
Posted 11/26/2004 06:48AM
#1
James
I too live in light polluted skies and agree that a good go-to or else guided push to (digital setting circles) mount helps a lot. The Meade 7" Mak LX200 sound good for planets. As an alternative, the Celestron 9.25" SCT is also good for planets and has more aperture for deep sky.
I personally have the 9.25" SCT OTA and recently purchased a CI-700 GEM (better for imaging) with digital setting circles. For visual though, the Meade or Celestron go-to fork mounts are great, especially since they can be used in an alt-az setup.
Those are my thoughts. I hope they help. I'm sure that others will be helpful as well.
Steven Jindra
I too live in light polluted skies and agree that a good go-to or else guided push to (digital setting circles) mount helps a lot. The Meade 7" Mak LX200 sound good for planets. As an alternative, the Celestron 9.25" SCT is also good for planets and has more aperture for deep sky.
I personally have the 9.25" SCT OTA and recently purchased a CI-700 GEM (better for imaging) with digital setting circles. For visual though, the Meade or Celestron go-to fork mounts are great, especially since they can be used in an alt-az setup.
Those are my thoughts. I hope they help. I'm sure that others will be helpful as well.
Steven Jindra
Posted 11/26/2004 06:49AM
#2
"I know that I should spend money on EPs but please...."
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No you shouldn't.
You are going in the right direction now: aperture and focal length, on the mount of your choice.
Chicago is cold in the winter. If you want to view in this weather, then also consider scopes that will reach thermal equilibrium in a reasonable amount of time.
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No you shouldn't.
You are going in the right direction now: aperture and focal length, on the mount of your choice.
Chicago is cold in the winter. If you want to view in this weather, then also consider scopes that will reach thermal equilibrium in a reasonable amount of time.
Posted 11/26/2004 05:09PM
#4
You seem to be struck with a Mak, but with $3000, you have a number of options. one option is to look at two scopes.
Discovery 10" f/5.6 DHQ dob - $760 shipped
Celestron CG 5 GT EQ mount w/ goto - $760
Intes Micro MN56 Mak Newt - $800
The Discovery comes with a couple plossls. That still leaves you with over $500 to spend on a powermate and a couple eyepieces or other accessories.
You have 10 inches with good optics for deep sky (and suprisingly good planetary performance). You also have a 5" wide field that is great on planets (for its aperture) on a goto mount.
What more could you want?
Gary Weber
Discovery 10" f/5.6 DHQ dob - $760 shipped
Celestron CG 5 GT EQ mount w/ goto - $760
Intes Micro MN56 Mak Newt - $800
The Discovery comes with a couple plossls. That still leaves you with over $500 to spend on a powermate and a couple eyepieces or other accessories.
You have 10 inches with good optics for deep sky (and suprisingly good planetary performance). You also have a 5" wide field that is great on planets (for its aperture) on a goto mount.
What more could you want?
Gary Weber
Posted 11/26/2004 05:17PM
#5
Ok- I have a confession.... I have an unfinished 10" f/6 (not sure of quality), dob I've been working on. Should I save the $3000.00 now, finsh the 10" dob and see how I like the big bucket? All I need is a spider, secondary holder and another adult (wife will have no part of it) to set the primary at the correct distance. I guess I should have mentioned this before!!! Thanks Jim.
Ps Where can I get a spider?
Ps Where can I get a spider?
Posted 11/26/2004 10:38PM
#6
Jim:
There are all sorts of answers to you're question. I'd look at first - Do you want tracking?
Answer NO - get a Dob and push
Answer Yes - get something else with tracking
Can you EASILY lift 65#?
No - Stay away from anything > 8"
Yes - Look at bigger apertures
Is it going to be permanently mounted?
No - Stay at 10" or smaller
Yes - Sock the whole thing into as big as you can get even if used.
Are you planning to take pictures?
Yes - You'll need tracking and a wedge or equatorial mounted scope. If you get a wedge then an Alt/AZm will work fine except you tack on about 25-30# for the wedge.
No - Go with a Alt/Azm. Goto like a Meade LX200GPS.
Lastly don't get sucked in by the hype. I don't have 1/10 wave eyes and you probably don't either.As for extra money for those super duper coatings I'd put the $ in aperture. Bigger aperture compensates a lot for the coatings.
Reflector or Refractor?
Take your pick. For the same price you can get a large aperture in reflector. 6 inch refractors are expensive as hell. 6" reflectors are dirt cheap.
Darrell
Darrell
There are all sorts of answers to you're question. I'd look at first - Do you want tracking?
Answer NO - get a Dob and push
Answer Yes - get something else with tracking
Can you EASILY lift 65#?
No - Stay away from anything > 8"
Yes - Look at bigger apertures
Is it going to be permanently mounted?
No - Stay at 10" or smaller
Yes - Sock the whole thing into as big as you can get even if used.
Are you planning to take pictures?
Yes - You'll need tracking and a wedge or equatorial mounted scope. If you get a wedge then an Alt/AZm will work fine except you tack on about 25-30# for the wedge.
No - Go with a Alt/Azm. Goto like a Meade LX200GPS.
Lastly don't get sucked in by the hype. I don't have 1/10 wave eyes and you probably don't either.As for extra money for those super duper coatings I'd put the $ in aperture. Bigger aperture compensates a lot for the coatings.
Reflector or Refractor?
Take your pick. For the same price you can get a large aperture in reflector. 6 inch refractors are expensive as hell. 6" reflectors are dirt cheap.
Darrell
Darrell
"They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety."
Posted 11/27/2004 07:54PM
#7
I want to thank you all for the great information. I have decided that I should spend the next month finishing my 10" dob so I can see what a larger aperture is going to do for me. Once I have experienced that, I should be able to decide on High end dob, Schmidt-Cass, or Mak? At least I can begin to know how to narrow my search. Once again thank you to all that helped. Jim
Posted 11/28/2004 03:08AM
#8
Take a look at my setup. You can get this setup with an LXD75 AR5 and then get a Meade Mak 7" tube with rings for about $2,000 all in.
Tube only Mak is the way to go. No weight in the tube that causes long cool down. With the fan on, about 1/2 hour cool down.
http://www.astromart.com/forums/viewpost.asp?forum_post_id=276578&poll_id=&news_id=&page=
Tube only Mak is the way to go. No weight in the tube that causes long cool down. With the fan on, about 1/2 hour cool down.
http://www.astromart.com/forums/viewpost.asp?forum_post_id=276578&poll_id=&news_id=&page=
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