Posts Made By: Mike Gibson

Most people? Perhaps, but not a skilled observer or astro- photographer. For instance, how white is Jupiter? The 4" TV, Tak, and Vixen doublets will have a teenie bit more color on bright objects than the AP Traveler, TMB triplets or NP-101 Petzval. The prestige is earned in the marketplace with top notch mechanicals and consistently superb optical quality. Remember, Tak makes a triplet too, and it ain't cheap.

1) Yes, for a stock configuration, the Autostar #497 must be connected to the HBX port to receive power. It is also connected to the computer's serial port to receive the firmware update via AUX port on the Autostar.

2) Meade's ASU application works fine for Windows XP in my experience.

There are ways to power up the Autostar without the mount, but if you fry your #497 do not call Meade for free support!

http://www.weasner.com/etx/autostar/as_power-box2.html

Yes, it should work. There is a RS232 vs. I2C data bus difference, but usually this only effects the dumb 505 and smart 506 cables.

Mike Weasner is Da Man for ETX...here is a link to a user group with the specific information you need to setup the ETX 70AT with a #497 (scroll down a bit):

http://forum.tonyleung.com/viewtopic.php?p=369

The Rigel Quikfinder base fits very well on the FS102 tube with provided 3M adhesive tape. The Rigel clicks on and off very cleanly and stands off the tube for easy sighting. Sweet!

I own both too. Optically, they appear to be identical and I propose that the dielectric flat is sourced from the same supplier.

The AP is finished better with a tapered nose, baffled rear, and chamfered edges. But the TV comes in two versions, with a shorty for SCTs.

No, the LX200 classics were offered with Meade "Super Multi-Coatings" (EMC). UHTC was not an upgrade option.

"EMC" has always been a little vague to me, because it applies differently to Meade's reflectors and refractors.

That's a pretty good load with all devices powered up, guessing 5 to 8 amps. Plus you will want separate power for the SBIG camera unless using a relay box, right? Don't buy the minimum capacity, because you will need reserve for colder weather and discharge between charging times. Factor in the cost of a good charging unit if not included.

Assuming 75% duty at the highest rate, the lowest cost solution would be a 50AH to 80AH deep cycle battery (Batteries Plus, WalMart, Sam's Club, Sears, etc.). [AH = amp hours] These will give you the most capacity per dollar, but are heavy and not packaged for portability. Most are not true "deep cycle" units that can handle 80% draw down, but they are a good start and readily available. RV and golf cart dealers have the real thing, but they are expensive. If you go this route, learn care and feeding of the battery (charging), usually lead acid.

Kendrick makes a very nice 12V 33AH battery in a package for astronomers with built in voltmeter, but it is not cheap ($300+).

I use two 12V 17AH jump start style batteries (usually yellow case), which are about $30 each at home stores and easy to move around for a G-11, Kendrick heaters, and ST-237, but I don't go for 12 hours!

Two more things...use fuses on all your gear. It is very easy to fry a Losmandy digital drive board. And test your rig before going in the field.

The Orion Atlas / Synta EQ-6 mount is a very solid platform for the 20lb C9.25; it will accept any generic Vixen style dovetail bar, which includes the C9.25 extruded aluminum bar.

The mount is heavy and more of a burden to move around than a GM8.

ITE offers an autoguider upgrade to the basic mount (which lacks this feature):

http://www.iteastronomy.com/products/accessories/overview.php?p=EQ-6+MOUNT

Don - this is a no brainer IMHO...get the C9.25 and use it happily for visual on your driven GM8 mount. The larger aperture and quality optics of the C9.25 more than offset a narrower FOV and longer cooldown time compared to the 8" f/6 or f/7 Discovery PDHQ Dobs. The f/8 "Mars" version does not change the equation for me as the C9.25 is great on planets too.

Since you are likely using the GM8 with your Vixen, you will only be able to use one scope at a time. Advantage Dob.

GEMs or GEM Forks are just alt-az mounts pointed at the North Celestial Pole to track objects with single motion in Right Ascension (RA). Accordingly, altitude motion becomes "Declination".

See this Celestron tutorial on polar alignment for the basic concepts, noting that super precise polar alignment is not necessary for general GEM use:

http://www.celestron.com/polar.htm