Meade LX50 or LX200?
Ovidiu Preda
looking for some opinions. I was looking at the Meade 10" LX50. I was
going to add the Magellan II computer to it. Does this computer allow
the telescope to track a star or planet across the sky?
My second choice is the Meade 8" LX200. I would really like to have a
10" but it is just too expensive for me. Is the extra money for the
LX200 worth it? I plan on doing some planatery viewing and maybe some
deep space viewing. I'm not really interested in hooking up a camera to
it.
I'm open to suggestions. I think my budge limit is $3,000.
I was planning on making the purchase from a website called
www.astronomics.com
Has anyone out there had any bad or good experiences with them?
Either post a reply to this message or you can email me direct.
opr...@hotmail.com
All opinions welcome. Thanks.
Al
My first SCT was an 8" LX50 with a Magellan 11 which I purchased new about 4
years ago. I can't begin to tell you how pleased I was with this
telescope...like a child in a candy store! The optics were more than I
expected and the electronics were wonderful. I was going to keep this
telescope forever!
About 2 months later, I took the scope to a star party...the first that I
had attended in years. I had set up my scope right next to a person who was
using an 8" LX200 and across from a group using a 10" LX200. When I was
making the decision to buy the LX50, I briefly considered the LX200. I
reasoned that the LX50 was the same as the 200 except that the 200 had GoTo
and some extra bells and whistles...I was unimpressed!
Less than 5 months after I received the new LX50 and only 2 months or so
after the above star party, I had sold the 50 and bought a new 10" LX200. I
guess the GoTo and the bells and whistles of the 200's I had seen and used
at the star party had spoiled me. I have owned many scopes since then but I
still own the 10" LX200.
Now to answer some of your questions...Is the LX200 worth the extra money?
That depends, of course, on who you ask. Since I'm answering this question,
my response is YES INDEED! The primary advantage of the 200 is the full
GoTo capacity. This function comes in very handy...particularly on those
evenings when you have limited time to view. PLEASE NOTE...I'm not putting
down hunting or star hopping as I use to and still do this myself. I am
only saying that the 200 saves time, and for some people, may make the
evening more enjoyable.
I suggest that you attend a star party BEFORE you buy. The LX50 may be the
right scope for you...or, it may not be. BTW, Astronomics is an excellent
dealer and a good place to make your purchase.
Al
Ovidiu Preda <opr...@neo.rr.com> wrote in message
news:382E2DB3...@neo.rr.com...
Danny & Donna
regrets; the initial cost has been forgotten and I really like the scope.
No second guessing myself as to whether or not I should have gotten the
fancier scope. As was mentioned earlier, the cost of the tripod and
Magellan do narrow the price difference. Also, I think the set up on the
LX200 must be easier (although I've never set up an LX50) because (A) no
wedge [easier to mount onto the tripod] and (B) no polar alignment. Yes,
you have to align the LX200, but it's pretty quick and painless. Also, if
you view at different latitudes, you won't have to adjust a wedge with the
LX200. Since you're not getting into astrophotography, this assumes you'd
use a LX200 in alt-az.
With the LX200, it's real easy look at all sorts of objects. If you're
mainly into planetary, you might even want to consider the LX10 and have
lots more money for eyepieces, etc. Don't know much about the LX10 mount,
though. [Surely it's fine for visual use.] BTW, all the LX's track; you
won't have to buy a Magellan to get tracking.
Danny Cobb
Zeus194340
verse a couple inches of aperture, the LX-200 is better cause it comes with
tripod which is extra on the LX-50 and it has a computer data base of 64,000+
objects with it when the magellan has a limited database, although you may not
ever see all of the objects it is nice to have. It is still ultimatly your
decision i think it is worth it to get the LX-200.
Armando Rio
To track a star or planet you do not need the Magellan II. If you are not
interested on CCD, it is better to buy a LX50. The scope is just the same
and the computer to find objects is only a toy. This scope has an equatorial
mount and it is possible to read the coordinates in RA and Dec. with a very
good precision. I have an LX50 and using the coordinates I find everything
in few seconds and without using a lot of energy for the motor. Let's say I
want to see an object , I start with the dec. with a precision of 1/4 of a
degree and then the RA with a precision of 1 minute and the object is in an
ocular of 32 o 25 mm. I think it is better to use the saved money for
eyepieces, that is a lot more important than the MagellanII or the GOTO of
LX200.
When I bought the LX50 years ago, I thought about buying the MagellanII
until I found I can find so easily and in a very short time manually. To
mount the scope correctly so that you can use the coordinates takes also a
little time:
The first time you mount the equatorial edge you need more time to adjust
the angle of the tilt plate using the precise alignment. But if you observe
from the same place, this will be made only once.
When you mount your scope to observe you need:
1) put, using a compass or the polar star, the tripod face south
2) level the tripod
3) mount the scope on the tripod
4) correct in azimuth, when I can't see the polar star, I use the
declination of a star at west or east near the equator. Now I rotate the
scope in azimuth and in RA until the star is in the centre of the eyepiece.
Now I rotate the RA circle until the pointer indicates the RA of the star.
Done.
5) Now for all the night using the coordinates you can find everything in a
low power eyepiece very very easily.
Armando Rio
Rod Mollise
>looking for some opinions. I was looking at the Meade 10" LX50. I was
>going to add the Magellan II computer to it. Does this computer allow
>the telescope to track a star or
Hi:
Sounds to me as if you're new to the world of SCTs...and maybe scopes in
general. I'd suggest you do some further investigating before you buy either.
For one thing...do you have any IDEA how big and heavy a 10" SCT is? MMMMUCH
bigger than it looks in those pretty pictures in the magazines. Manageable, but
not the kind of scope most people will want to trot out into the backyard for a
quick 20 minute viewing session on a work/school night. If you have a local
astronomy club, trot on down there and talk to some of the amateurs you'll meet
there. Look at and through their scopes--don't be hasty. Yes, Astronomics is
VERY reputable.
Peace,
Rod Mollise
Mobile Astronomical Society
http://members.aol.com/RMOLLISE/index7.html
The Home of _From City Lights to Deep Space_:
Rod's Guidebook for the _Urban_ Deep Sky NUT!!
*********************************************************
Jean Valjean
> general. I'd suggest you do some further investigating before you buy either.
> For one thing...do you have any IDEA how big and heavy a 10" SCT is? MMMMUCH
> bigger than it looks in those pretty pictures in the magazines.
I have to agree one this one. I got my 8" LX200 just recently and after strongly
considering the 10". I am not dissapointed. Plus if I had bought the 10" it
wouldn't fit in my trunk! (I have a small car). Its a really big scope. The 8"
works great for me.
Jean Valjean
val...@home.com
Palle B. Strom
safely, onto the wedge is no minor physical feat, actually a job for two
men. Yes, consider the weight. it may well stop you from viewing as often as
you would like.
Ovidiu Preda wrote:
> I am going to buy a new telescope in the next few months and I was
> looking for some opinions. I was looking at the Meade 10" LX50. I was
> going to add the Magellan II computer to it. Does this computer allow
Al
If you can't lift the OTA on to your wedge, you may be doing it wrong. The
best way to do it is to leave the top hand screw partially fastened to the
bottom of the control box...then just position the bolt on the slotted hole
in your wedge and let it hang.
Al
Palle B. Strom <pbs...@cwo.com> wrote in message
news:382F05C0...@cwo.com...
Joachim Engel
> I am going to buy a new telescope in the next few months and I was
> looking for some opinions. I was looking at the Meade 10" LX50. I was
> going to add the Magellan II computer to it. Does this computer allow
> the telescope to track a star or planet across the sky?
> My second choice is the Meade 8" LX200. I would really like to have a
> 10" but it is just too expensive for me. Is the extra money for the
> LX200 worth it?
Yes!
The visual difference between 10" and 8" is not that big.
LX200 has better mechanics and electronics.
You will love the easy "GOTO" to your favourite sky objects!
> I plan on doing some planatery viewing and maybe some
> deep space viewing. I'm not really interested in hooking up a camera to
> it.
The wedge is included in the LX50 and not included in the LX200.
If you do no astro photography, you don't need the wedge.
It's easier to built up and align in azimutal mode.
Later on, when you want to make photos (may be!?), you can buy the wedge
and you have the better system (e.g. PEC).
Clear skies and open minds,
Joachim Engel
mailto:jengel-...@engel-edv.de
Zeus194340
LX-200 weighs about as much or more than the 10" LX-200 and it is huge,
consider all these things first and try to look through them also.