Posts Made By: Jake Jacobson

Anyone have experience with this mount? It is hard to tell from the picture, but it looks like a CG-5 (or knockoff).

http://www.apogeeinc.com/images/eq_mount.gif

Anyone know the pros/cons of this mount? Does it use CG-5 dovetail plate and accessories?

-Jake

Hi All -

Spent several nights up -way- too late observing from a dark sky location with my Meade DS-90 (90mm achromat) and my newer LX200 (8"). On Friday, I actually was up late enough to catch Saturn. Seeing seemed great as I was able to view Saturn very clearly with the DS-90 at 250X (cassini VERY clear, shadows on rings, cloud belts clear, etc.) - it was razor-sharp. Since I have never before used the 8" to view planets, I trained the LX200 at Saturn. At the same magnification, Saturn did not appear nearly as sharp. I could barely make out the Cassini division, and the image lacked the sharpness provided in the refractor (saturn has always been this sharp in the 90mm.) I checked collimation, and it appeared to be fine at this magnification.

Shouldn't Saturn appear clearer in the 8"? Is the 8" more succeptable to seeing? The one variable is that I was using different EP's on the two scopes: on the DS-90 I was using a 4.5mm Vixen Lanthanum (great planetary EP!), and on the LX200 I was using a Meade (series 3000) 16mm EP and a 2x barlow. The 16mm and 2x combination normally provides a sharp view on the DS-90, but it also is half the magnification with that scope (1000mm FL.)

Is this just the difference in EP's, or is the refractor just a sharper image by design, even though it has less aperture?

-Jake

Hi Guys -

This is my 3rd attempt at imaging M57 with my Toucam webcam. This is 30 X 15 sec. images stacked. Taken with an 8" LX-200 in alt-az mode (no wedge.)

Still have a ways to go, but I am having fun getting there!

-Jake

Well, now that the Meade $99 EP deal has started shipping, there are already ads popping up on Astromart. Both offering the set for around $350. I am sure we will see Astromart flooded with these EP's as they come in.

Is anyone really willing to pay $350 for a set of eyepieces that cost only $99? Especially since there will be alot of these on the market?

Has anyone seen the new HEQ5 mount yet? Anyone know where to order one (other than Orion)?

Just saw this today and thought it was interesting.

http://www.proastronomer.com/lxsertel.html

I guess they have been having some trouble with these scopes and are now refusing to carry them.

Here is a shot of Jupiter I took on the 5th with an 8" and a webcam.

I did have a larger BMP version, but it is too big to post.

Comments appreciated!

-Jake

Hi Guys -

Another Saturn attempt with a webcam. Seeing was in and out, but there were some nice still moments.

Unfortunately, there was a speck of dirt on my CCD chip, which left a spot on the image.

Taken with an 8" LX200 and Toucam Pro webcam.

-Jake

It has been a bad year to be a freelancer for me....I am unfortunately having to sell my beloved 8" LX200 for financial reasons.

I do still have my first scope, a 90mm refractor. Unfortunately, I have been spoiled by 8 inches of aperture, and do not think that I will ever be happy with 3.5 inches again.

I may be able to get a scope within the $600 range. I would like an 8" scope. Goto is not a priority, but I do need a scope that will track (i.e. NOT a dobsonian mount). As I live in Los Angeles, I do need a scope that will do well for planetary work - and basic webcam planetary imaging.

It appears as though the best candidate is the Konus 200mm reflector. It is basically the same Synta scope that Orion sells, with a few nicer upgrades such as a 50mm finder, and included motor drives. The scope in question can be found in detail at the digitec optical website.

Is there anyone out there who has actually used this scope and can recommend (or not) this scope? Are there any other options in this price range? Am I going to be dissapointed after owning my wonderful LX200 (which has provided me with outstanding views of just about everything)?

-Jake

Here is a good question for all of you experts.

I am looking at two different scopes. One is an f/5 8" newtonian. The other is a 6" f/8 refractor (synta.) One of these will replace my 8" SCT f/10.

My question is this: In my 8" SCT, I can resolve globular clusters to the core. Will I be able to do this with the 6" achromat. I understand that resolving power is mainly a function of aperture, but I also understand that refractors have no central obstruction, and yield much higher contrast than other optical systems (also, they are just plain sharper.) Does the better optical system of the refractor make up for the smaller size in regards to resolution? In other words, will I be able to resolve most globulars into stars to the core?

I know this seems like a silly point to base the purchase of a scope on, but globulars have become my favorite deep sky objects to observe, since graduating to the 8" SCT.

Thanks in advance,

Jake