Posts Made By: Jackie Pritchard

Does anyone have a Nexstar 8SE mount that they use with a smaller refractor? I occasionally see just the mounts for sale and I am thinking it might work for what I want to do. I would like a 90mm refractor that weighs no more than 9 pounds with accessories and then a 8" larger scope: either Celestron SCT like comes with the 8SE or perhaps a Vixen VC200L or Vixen VCM200L. I would like to use the same mount for both refractor and 8" telescope.

Questions: anyone switched back and forth from a refractor to SCT or Vixen using this mount and can comment on whether GoTo works smoothly for both? Also, I have read the mount is good but the tripod could be improved by using the CPC tripod. Are there other tripods that would improve stability but weigh less? Any cons about this mount in terms of reliability, noise, etc?

I am wondering if anyone uses the Orion mount in a seated and/or reclined position? I can't tell by the picture but it looks like the arm may be shorter than the UA Unimount. I know the UA can be used seated/reclined. My heaviest bin will be a Fujinon 16X70 so I am thinking the Orion may be a more economical way for me to go if I can use it in a zero gravity lounge chair.

I need a second telescope to complement my TMB 92L - a 92mm refractor. I have never owned any refractor over 4" or spent more than a couple minutes looking through a Dob or SCT. I have never looked through a Mak-Cass or Mak-Newt. I need some advice on choosing between these MCTs, MNTs and a larger refractor. I am posting here because I am a rank newbie on Maks and I didn't want to post in the refractor or cat forums because that would probably engender a partisan response.

First, I am visual only. Second, I would not consider any telescope over about 13 pounds. I don't want a Dob or SCT, so no suggestions there, please. My primary viewing is lunar, planetary & double stars though I wouldn't mind tackling some brighter Messiers though my suburban environment is light polluted.

Here are the choices I am considering. In refractors, an AT111EDT or Skywatcher 120ED. An excellent quality 127mm Mak-Newt MN56 (1/8 wave or better). A 165mm Mak-Cass with 1/8 wave and 165mm aperture and 32% CO (MN6511).

If anyone has used a 4.5" or so apo/ED refractor and one or both of these Maks, I would love to hear your pros & cons.

At this point, I am leaning strongly towards the refractors because I know them the best. But, again, I am pretty ignorant of what a MNT or MCT can do except from what little I have read about them. I know they may need collimation periodically & they may need more cool down, especially with large temperature drops. MNT have the reputation of being "apo-like" but the MN56 has mostly been compared to a good 4" apo and that wouldn't be enough of an improvement over my 92mm apo. The MCT has more aperture but a larger CO and more cool down. Unfortunately, I don't know anyone who owns either - as I know that looking for oneself is the best test.

Just wondering, if you are already a supporter and your support still has several months to go, what happens if you support again? Is it added at the time your current support expires or is it going to run concurrently? I'm considering the Super Bowl bet but it would be of little value unless it is not added until my current support expires.

It is very cumbersome to do a classified search by the state of Washington because it's pages of new supporter announcements. I wonder if it would be possible to not put every new support notice in the state of Washington classified ad search just because they default to Anacortes WA?

Thanks Alex, Warren, Peter and Alexis! I feel like I have just stayed at a Holiday Inn Express!

Thanks for all the great advice. I guess I simply need to find someone with an 8" and see how it feels to lift. And decide if my wife will allow me a corner of the downstairs to store it. While I am a male, and able to lift a fair amount of weight, I had polio as a baby so my right arm is much weaker. It's often not the sheer weight that's a factor for me, but how well I can control the weight with mostly one arm while using the other as a secondary support. Higher weight in a compact form is easier for me to handle than bulkier items with uneven weight distribution. Rather than theorize, I need to try lifting a Dob of 6" and 8" I guess...

Ed & Jon,

Thanks very much. I think I understand this subject a bit better now. Ed, actually the Meade 5" refractor is one high on my list to investigate.

John and Jon, thanks for the advice and explanations. It sounds like focal ratio is more important for achros and perhaps less for very well made apos/eds. I live where seeing conditions are not great (Pacific Northwest) so I am looking to go 4" refractor.

George, Michael, John & Bill,

Thanks for taking the time to provide advice. I appreciate it.

Jackie