# Any Astronomy Experts Out There



## N7OQ (Jun 10, 2006)

Well I have been saving to buy a new Telescope and getting ready to buy a new Meade LX200RGPS. Well I was excited about it until I read a post from a guy who sells telescopes who really slams Meade says that 75% of the scopes he sold were bad and quility control was very bad etc etc.. Have any of you heard of really bad problems with Meade telescopes? I was always under the impression that Meade made a good product so this caught me by surprise. I don't really want to shell out 3 grand for something that will give me problems. I know there are some astronomy experts here.


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## Ghosty (Jan 17, 2005)

N7OQ..

I would think that an Astronomy Forum would probably produce better ansswers then what we could give you -- especially when you are talking 3K....

But with that said...

My DW's brother (PhD) works for NASA (he is an actual Rocket Scientist (jet propulsion engineer) and when we wanted to get my DD a telescope he told us that 99% of the ones that he, NASA, his friends, etc uses are made by ORION ... when i told him that I could get a good price on a MEADE he told me that they were all made in China now and were not of the quality they were when they were made here and that they were mostly junk ... then he talked well over my head for 10 minutes about this and that and finally said that if I would hold off buying a MEADE that he would get my DD a ORION for Christmas (which he did) ...


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## MJRey (Jan 21, 2005)

I've been shopping/looking at telescopes for a few years and the Meades always seem to get good reviews. I did find that they are having some financial trouble and in the past couple of years they moved their assembly to Mexico from Irvine, CA. Maybe they've cut costs a bit too much. If I find anything else out I'll let you know. I know some of the other brands are better but they usually cost many times more than the Meade/Celestron models.


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## W Podboy (Jan 4, 2007)

Bill,
My Boss is really big into astronomy. He has a Hand Ground 18 inch refracted mirrored something or another and his best buddy assigns the tasking order for the Hubble so I figured he had an idea about things of this nature

So awhile back I had asked about Mead because my wife was interested in a good beginners scope and his opinion was Mead lost their quality some years ago. I ended up getting her a Celestron for a starting point.

For what it is worth

Wes


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## fspieg (Jul 31, 2006)

The experts here http://www.adlerplanetarium.org/plan/index.shtml really like this one (and they don't sell it) http://www.telescopes.com/telescopes/catad...xltcoatings.cfm. I was able to see and use one of these at our local club and all I can say is it is one fine piece of truly professional equipment. And the accessories available will boggle your mind, and your wallet.


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## BigBadBrain (Aug 26, 2004)

I'm no expert but I know some people in the Cloudy Nights forum who are. Here (clicky) is a link to a discussion comparing the Meade to a Celestron. Scroll down aways (9 posts) and there is a post by 'Postmaster' that has links to a number of threads that discuss the Meade. All throughout the thread they talk about QC issues on Meade but there isn't any substantiation. [EDIT: After a little more reading of some of the very long threads on Cloudy Nights I ran across a reference to mirror flop while focusing the LX. There is a lot to look at on those threads - hopefully enough to help you with your decision.]

Hope it helps.

BBB


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## N7OQ (Jun 10, 2006)

Thanks everyone, I have been doing a lot of research and looking at a lot of different scopes. Think I will join some astronomy forums and see what I can find out.


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## BigBadBrain (Aug 26, 2004)

Let us know how it turns out Bill. I'm always glad to use someone else's research to make a decision (not that I'll be buying a $3K scope but I can dream can't I?).

BBB


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## N7OQ (Jun 10, 2006)

Well I decided on a Celestron CPC 800 GPS scope and ordered it today. I already have a Celestron C8 and I have loved this scope the optics are outstanding but the C8 had a very basic mount compared to the CPC scopes. This new scope had very good reviews and and even though a lot of the parts are made overseas the optics are made here. The big plus is it cost less than the Meade so I now plan on buying a new Eyepiece that costs $620 Clicky here really cool eyepiece. I also plan on buying some other options like a wedge, better image processing software so my pictures should get much better.

Now I need to go camping to those nice dark treeless spots, this is not easy to do sense the DW wants spots with a lot of trees. Well sense I'm the one driving I guess the spot choice is up to me...Ah right


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## BigBadBrain (Aug 26, 2004)

Wow Bill, I lust after that 13mm Tele Vue eyepiece as well! Talk about an incredible field of view and at good magnification too! Unfortunately, that price tag represents a large part of my astronomy budget! (Can you imagine TWO 13mm Ethos in a binoviewer? Man, you'd fall right into that thing!) Sounds like you have a nice setup now with the new mount and updated OTA. I'm looking hard at Celestron when I go for my first real cassegrain.

I'm now considering spending the cost of that Tele Vue on converting a Canon 350D to get rid of the standard IR filter and put on a bandpass filter that will allow me to photograph emission nebulae and capture the reds. I know you can do it yourself but it looks like surgery to me. (Sorry for the digression - my point is that there are SO many choices on where the $$ can go in this hobby!)

I plan out vacation camping trips so I can decide where we set up camp. If it just happens to be next to a dark sky spot then I'm sure it was just coincidence.







We are heading for one of the darkest spots in Oregon in June - I can hardly wait to take my XT10i Dob out there and ogle at the stars! I'll also be taking pictures of course (not with the Dob - either with a new refractor or with my Canon 100-400mm lens mounted on an iOptron GEQ GPS mount). We'll be camping just after the solstice in a waning moon so viewing will likely start at 11pm and be good until 2am. Mama is going to be a little grumpy about the late nights but she'll get over it once she sees a couple DSOs.


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## N7OQ (Jun 10, 2006)

Hi BBB yeah I also though how cool it would to look through a pair set into a Binoviewer but that would too much of a stretch for my budget. Good deal with the Canon mod I was looking at the mod myself yesterday. I found a page that goes step by step with pictures of each step so think I will do the mod myself. I have the 300d right now and the wife has the 400 d I think 10.2mp and I'm planing on buying the new one that just came out with 12mp just the body. So then I can dedicate my 300D to astronomy only.

I have a Meade DSI camera that I use for autoguiding and I have designed and built a LX200 emulator for it so I can use my meade software to guide my Celestron scope. I think I'm going to redesign it to use a minimum of parts so I can fit all into a cable connector shell. It used a pic chip and my original design had the focus feature built into it and used relays plus a rs232 line lever converter chip I think I can get it down to one chip 4 diodes and a few resisters. Autoguiding is so much better than looking into a cross hair eyepiece and doing the guiding yourself. I have done this for 45 minutes at a time doing several pictures and after looking into a eyepiece that long you start to see thing, you really need a comfortable chair plus a ccd can see stars I can't see so there are so many more to choose from.

I also want to buy a good APO ED 80mm scope to piggyback the SCT for autoguiding and imaging too and a mount for the camera so I can use my 70-300 lens to get those really wide field pictures like the American Nebula by Cygnus. OK now I just need lots of time clear skies and good camping spots. One of the best places I camped at for dark skies was Crater of the Moons Id. All the flat black lava made it that much darker, I has so much fun there.

The DW likes my Astronomy hobby better than my Ham radio hobby, she can participate in it and enjoys the pictures but can't stay up as long as I can. Anyway BBB keep me posted on your Astronomy adventures love to talk Astronomy and learn new things. 
Clear Skies,


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## BigBadBrain (Aug 26, 2004)

Bill,
Where did you find the site on replacing the filter? Can you post th link?

I'm still a beginner when it comes to astrophotography. I must admit to being a hobby junkie but I've been putting off astronomy for so many years while still lusting after a nice capability. I'm even thinking about how I might wrangle an observatory (try and fit THAT into your covenants) that will allow me to keep the scope setup for more than a few hours at a time.

For astrophotography I am starting with wide field photography with my Canon 100-400 lens and my 28-135 lens. The 100-400 is premium glass and takes marvelous photos in the daytime but I need the modified camera body to do justice to the wide field. I have a camera body that I can modify (a 350D) that I bought used. I'm still a bit nervous about the whole thing though. I'm not sure where exactly to get a bandpass filter to replace the UV/IR filter either. I have some looking to do. I've used a barn door tracker for some wide field before but found that tuning the motor to give precise tracking is more trouble than it is worth. I want to do astronomy not mechanical engineering and control circuit design (I did that in school 30 years ago and I've forgotten all of it!).

I'm currently saving for an Orion 102mm F/7 ED Refractor for my first real camera-ready scope. I always thought I'd start with a cassy but the refractor images I've seen are all very good and the cost for the mount for a lighter scope is closer to what I can afford. Also, this scope will be more transportable and easier to grab and go. It also takes hours to cool my XT10 even with a fan so DSO observing at high magnification is tough. I have a 9mm Plossel that I've never yet gotten to give me decent images because I can't seem to get the mirror cooled! Frustrating (and another reason I want an observatory).

We've got serious LP issues here too. I have neighbors who light up their backyards with search lights and motion sensors set so sensitive that if I turn the focus knob it triggers their lights. Oh well. such is life.

BBB


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## N7OQ (Jun 10, 2006)

Hi BBB,

Here is the link to do the Canon mod click here A lot of info there from the author and people who have done the mod. You will love that ED and the pictures you take will be outstanding too. I have a friend who bought a ED and now that is the only scope he will look through, he just loves it. My SCT does Ok with temp equalizing but I put it out and set it up before the sun goes down. My biggest problems are LP and dew. I do have a heat strip that I control with a light dimmer and when I put it on and keep it just above the dew point my collector stays dew free. I sure with I could get the DW to move out into the country but thats not going to happen anytime soon. What I really want to do is move to Washington where I'm from, a place in the country in Washington would be darker than a place in the country in California. Oh well I can aways dream so in the mean time camping it my way to get to dark skies.


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## ember (Jan 17, 2008)

one of our clients built an observatory, ( we poured the cement pad for it to sit on) he has it set up so he can operate it from his home computer, his office computer and his summer home computer. He is a real sweety and took a picture of the full moon on my Dad's birthday for me a few years ago. Dad has alzeimers now, and the story of how he go the pic changes a bit, but he knows thath pic is the moon on his 80th birthday.


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## BigBadBrain (Aug 26, 2004)

Ember - I think an observatory is the ultimate dream for most amateur astronomers. Kind of a Holy Grail sort of thing. Well, an observatory and class 6 or 7 dark skies where weather is always clear and the seeing is great. Wow, I think I just defined heaven on earth!

Bill, that camera mod is just plain scary; like doing surgery! With my old eyes and shaky hands I'm not sure I could do that kind of work anymore (in school I graduated from an electronic technician degree program - before I became an engineer - and I wouldn't have hesitated to tackle this - 30 years ago!). I may go out and look for a good used 300D rather than trying it on my 350D. Unfortunately, the 300D seems to be holding its resale pretty well and finding one I can afford could be tough.

I'm contemplating buying a no-development lot (reserved for camping/RV use) a little north of Cle Elum to try and get to some decent dark sky. That would be a little over an hour drive from here but it would be great to have someplace close to go and camp with the stars. I'm pretty swamped with light pollution here too. I went out to look at the skies last night but the seeing was so bad I didn't even get out the binoculars. First relatively clear sky in weeks and it was like looking across a hot pavement parking lot. Twinkle twinkle little star, bah humbug!

Summer is coming - someday! I will miss Orion though - such a great constellation.

Clear (and dark) skies!

BBB

(Why the switch to the Blackbird on your avatar? Were you a driver?)


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## BigBadBrain (Aug 26, 2004)

Hey Bill,
I was reading on the Cloudy Nights forum about modding a 350D and there was a lot of discussion on the differences a Lumicon deep sky filter ($100 clickity) will make for using your unmodded camera and getting the deeper colors out of the images of nebulae. Here (clcicky) is a link to the thread on the subject.

I'm not sure what to think to tell the truth but getting the filter and paying the price of longer exposures sure sounds better than surgery on a camera.

BBB


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## N7OQ (Jun 10, 2006)

Hey BBB,

Well fine business on the Lot close to Cle Elum should be a great place to get some great pictures and just do some visual exploring. I too will miss Orion but look forward to Sagittarius so much to see there. Well if your up to doing the mod then I would not do it, you are correct it is like doing sugary. The filter looks like a nice way to go and I might do just that until I get the new 450D body next Christmas. You know the Canon does not do that bad unmodded and you can get a lot of practice before you make that dision and maybe by then a good 300D might came available then you could do the mod on that one.

The Avtar I had was a LX200 and now that I'm going to buy a CPC800 instead I decided to replace the avtar with one I already have until I can get a CPC one. I was a maintainer not a driver, I worked on Navigation and Communications systems and got to work on the SR71 for about 12 years before they retired it sure miss that airframe. 
Clear Skies,
Bill


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## BigBadBrain (Aug 26, 2004)

I know a couple drivers - kind of odd folks but fantastic stories! I grew up in Spokane and remember lazy summer days laying in the shade and watching those super high altitude contrails wondering what they were. They were special KCs refueling the BB. I didn't find that out until I went to work at a large defense contractor. As a kid I had an SR-71 model hanging in my bedroom right next to a BUFF. There is one of the SR prototypes (YF-12) in the Museum of Flight here in Seattle. Ii has the drone mounted on top - pretty cool display, one of my favorites (next to my own airplanes - or should I say, the ones I worked on).

I went out last night to try and get a couple shots of the Orion neb before Orion dove over the horizon for the year but it is getting closer and closer to the LP dome that is Seattle/Tacoma and my pictures were not salvageable. Too bad - the weather is closing up again tonight. Man, I almost froze out there - 28degrees F for a Seattlite is like 30 or 40 below for a North Dakodan. We don't even own heavy coats here (OK, we do, but we can never find them).

There was a lot to look at last night. I even got caught up in bare-eye looking for a long time (standing there holding my binos). I really miss the dark skies we had when I was a kid. Closest streetlight was 2 miles away and only worked half the time!

For the non-astronomers out there - turn out your lights!

Clear skies.
BBB

Oh, a quick note - last night while I was doing a time exposure of the big dipper guess what chose to fly past - the ISS! There is a nice straight line right through the exposure. Too bad the picture didn't turn out (I had some exposure length issues and a little drift in my tracker - even Photoshop couldn't save it). I also had a jet fly through the Orion nebula when I was trying to capture it. Not too surprising since Orion is basically right over the approach to SEATAC from where I live.


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## N7OQ (Jun 10, 2006)

Hmmm From Spokane too, I lived close to Rogers High School and that is the school I graduated from. I can remember looking at Orion as a kid think it looked like a dogs head, Terrier type dog the 3 stars that make the belt is the nose of the dog and I though the Pleiads was a little dipper









I also worked on those tankers you saw, they are KC135Q's Setup special for the sled, special tanks for carrying JP7. Yep sled drivers are different but some of the top pilots, it was a hard program to get into. I have a lot of SR71. KC135Q and U2 stories too, went a lot of places with these planes. A couple of our SR71B trainers were actually YF12's that were converted with a raised rear cockpit so the back seater can see the runway too. You could tell the YF12's by a extra fin that was on the bottom of the wings ran from the aft to front of the wing and the SR's don't have these.

Back when I was imaging with my Cookbook ccd camera I had a lot of satellites streak across my pictures. South of me I get a lot of Air traffic going into Sac metro so don't do any long imaging in that direction.

Dark Skies


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