Help an equipment junkie narrow to one scopePosted By Dave Adams |
I am trying to settle on 1 main scope for observing here in metro Detroit where the light pollution is pretty bad and seeing not so great. I have learned over the last year or so that I really enjoy binoviewing and have also learned the importance of apeture after having only a Brandon 94 for about 10 years. I put my C9.25 on a unistar up against my 12.5" Telekit the last few good nights and learned how nice it is to be able to sit and observe. I also have learned how poor I am at finding things in these suburban skies. I just am not that great at star hopping. I want to get the easiest to use/setup scope that I can find with a good amount of apeture. I am thinking whatever I get can be left in my garage and I will wheel it out on the driveway for observing.
The options I am thinking of now are:
1. Nexstar GPS 11'' on JMI wheeley bars
2. ARGO Navis for my 12.5" Telekit
3 Losmandy gm-8 or g-11 with the gemini goto on wheely bars to suport C9.25 for a while then maybe a C-11 or C-14.
Which of the above would be the easist to use scope? I had an lxd55 and felt like going through the setup for Autostar was cumbersome. Is the Nexstar GPS going to be a lot simpler?
How about the other options compared to the Nexstar for ease of use?
I am thinking setup is not that great of an issue since I am planning to leave the scope setup in the garage and wheel it out. I would like to be able to wheel something out and get up and running with a minimum of headaches and the least amount of work to go from one object to another.
I am a lazy astronomer in case you didn't notice. Thanks.
Dave Adams
p.s. My C9.25 and 12.5" Telekit (Pegasus mirror) were about the same on Saturn tonight. The 12.5" made out the 5th star in the trapezium easily where the C9.25 made it out only part of the time. Stars were a little tighter I thought in the 12.5" but had more flaring at times. The scopes both performed well and were pretty close in the views they gave.
The options I am thinking of now are:
1. Nexstar GPS 11'' on JMI wheeley bars
2. ARGO Navis for my 12.5" Telekit
3 Losmandy gm-8 or g-11 with the gemini goto on wheely bars to suport C9.25 for a while then maybe a C-11 or C-14.
Which of the above would be the easist to use scope? I had an lxd55 and felt like going through the setup for Autostar was cumbersome. Is the Nexstar GPS going to be a lot simpler?
How about the other options compared to the Nexstar for ease of use?
I am thinking setup is not that great of an issue since I am planning to leave the scope setup in the garage and wheel it out. I would like to be able to wheel something out and get up and running with a minimum of headaches and the least amount of work to go from one object to another.
I am a lazy astronomer in case you didn't notice. Thanks.
Dave Adams
p.s. My C9.25 and 12.5" Telekit (Pegasus mirror) were about the same on Saturn tonight. The 12.5" made out the 5th star in the trapezium easily where the C9.25 made it out only part of the time. Stars were a little tighter I thought in the 12.5" but had more flaring at times. The scopes both performed well and were pretty close in the views they gave.