lx200r

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dewwydew

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I just ordered 12" lx200r with 5mm nagler eyepiece and a 2x powermate. I think that would be to much for planetary viewing but would it be ok for nebulas or galaxies? What would be a good televue eyepiece for planets? Thanks
 
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tfwthom

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This your 1st scope?<br /><br />You need to remember that SCT's are the worse scopes for planets. Refractors rule planets.<br /><br />You are going to need perfect conditions to use that 5mm eyepiece (588x) on anything, the scope will max out at 600x.<br /><br />I would use a 20mm nagler for planets and most the time my friends that have a 12" SCTs swear by the 31mm nagler.<br /><br />I have an 8" SCT and the shortest focal length eyepiece I use is an old 13mm type 1 nagler. I live with either a 32mm possl or a 20mm possl and add a 2x barlow when the skies permit.<br /><br />That's why I have refractors for planets. There's where the 3-6mm nagler and the 2.5x and the 5x powermates get a workout.<br /><br />THINK LOW POWER!!!<br /> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <font size="1" color="#3366ff">www.siriuslookers.org</font> </div>
 
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bbrock

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This is a mixed bag of opinions. Actually, lunar and planitary objects are very bright and you can get away with higher powers on them that you can't get away with on DSO's. The long focal ratio is working against you, and for you. In steady seeing, at high power, you will have better contrast views with longer focal ratio. But if seeing goes bad, you are much worse off at the higher power. Don't give up on the high power SCT. The rule of thumb is 50 x aperture inches. But with bright objects, you can push that to 70 or 80 x. Good seeing conditions will cure many ills. <br /><br />Best of Luck<br />Bill
 
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dewwydew

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the lx200r is a Ritchey-Chretien. Is the ritchey chretien ok for planets?
 
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tfwthom

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It's still a folded light path. <br /><br />From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia<br />(Redirected from Ritchey-Chretien)<br />Jump to: navigation, search<br />The Ritchey-Chrétien telescope or RCT is a specialized Cassegrain telescope with a hyperbolic primary and secondary mirror. It was invented in the early 1910s by American astronomer George Willis Ritchey (1864–1945) and French astronomer Henri Chrétien (1879–1956). Ritchey constructed the first successful RCT, which had a diameter of 0.5 metres, in 1927. The second RCT was a 1-metre instrument constructed by Ritchey for the United States Naval Observatory.<br /><br />The Ritchey-Chrétien design is free of first-order coma and spherical aberration, although it does suffer from third-order coma, severe large-angle astigmatism, and comparatively severe field curvature (Rutten, 67). When focused midway between the sagittal and tangential focusing planes, stars are imaged as circles, making the RCT well suited for wide field and photographic observations. As with the other Cassegrain-configuration reflectors, the RCT has a very short optical tube assembly and compact design for a given focal length. The RCT offers good off-axis optical performance, but examples are relatively rare due to the high cost of hyperbolic primary mirror fabrication; Ritchey-Chrétien configurations are most commonly found on high-performance professional telescopes.<br /><br />REPEAT:::::making the RCT well suited for wide field and photographic observations.<br /><br /> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <font size="1" color="#3366ff">www.siriuslookers.org</font> </div>
 
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dewwydew

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photographic observations is what I really wanted to get into. Planets would have been a plus but thats ok. <br />
 
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tfwthom

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Now you are opening another can of worms. (astrophotography) Again is this your 1st scope?<br /><br />7 Don’t be seduced by astrophotography. Many people buy more telescope then they really need, thinking they will eventually get into serious astrophotography. Few do. While snapshots of the Moon and planets are possible with any telescope that can track the sky, acquiring superb images of nebulae and galaxies requires gear that’s more expensive and specialized then most beginners should consider. <br /><br /> Ten Tips for First-Time Telescope Buyers <br /><br /> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <font size="1" color="#3366ff">www.siriuslookers.org</font> </div>
 
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tfwthom

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Maybe I should add.....<br /><br />I've been trying for 3 seasons to get a wide field piggyback shot of Orion. Film tests (800 or 400 iso and which make)....lens tests (28mm or 50mm)....settings....times...weather changes (dew in Arizona) ....high clouds...etc...I've probably used 20 rolls of film. Processing the film at a pro shop (you can't just take them anywhere) costs more.<br /><br />The best picture I've gotten had an airplane (lights) fly through it that I didn't notice at the time. None of the others turned out (IMO)<br /><br />Enjoy your scope and don't worry about trying astrophotography, it will drive you nuts. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <font size="1" color="#3366ff">www.siriuslookers.org</font> </div>
 
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dewwydew

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no I have a meade 4.5 model 4500 but its broken. I got it 10 years ago for a gift. I havent used a scope in a long time but im allways looking up into the stars and have allways wanted a good scope so I think the lx200r will do ok. Its on its way know UPS. It will be here on wed. Is nagler good for galaxy and nebulas. I read that Radians are good for planets. I was thinking 18mm Radian would be ok.
 
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tfwthom

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OK.......the LX200 (any of them) are good scopes. You have already ordered the LX200R (maybe more scope then you need) I hope you got the UHTC coating (after all you got a lot of money invested in it already) Order the cables (#507 for the LX200 models) so you can update the handbox softwear.<br /><br />On eyepieces I swear by TeleVue (any of them)<br /> <br />Radians are for eye relief they all have 20mm eye relief and a 60 degree apparent field of view. Great if you wear glasses while observing.<br /><br />Possls 50 degree apparent field of view.<br /><br />Panoptic 68 degree apparent field of view.<br /><br />Nagler 83 degree apparent field of view. (SpaceWalking)<br /><br />You need to "testdrive" eyepieces in you scope that's why I always tell people to join a club or go to a star party. Never been observing with people that will not let me try out an eyepiece in my scope to see if I liked it. <br /><br /><br /> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <font size="1" color="#3366ff">www.siriuslookers.org</font> </div>
 
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jcdenton

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<font color="yellow">You need to remember that SCT's are the worse scopes for planets. Refractors rule planets.</font><br /><br />I don't know about this. I would think a 12" scope that is cooled and properly collimated would beat out a smaller refractor on a night of good seeing. I'd be more concerned with the portability of this scope.<br /><br />dewwydew, are you aware of how large and heavy this scope is? I hope you plan to either permanently mount it, or put it on wheels and roll it out of your garage when you want to observe, since assembling it is really a two person job. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>
 
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tfwthom

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Without getting into the Ford/Chevy debate.....I'll put my 5" Takahashi FS128 up against a 12" (anything with a mirror) anytime, on a planet, the Moon, or splitting a double. Crank the power and see who holds the better image. It's what refractors are best at. <br /><br />Getting back to digital photography.....Currently there is only one camera made for astrophotography Canon Canon EOS 20Da Astrophotography Digital SLR Camara, Body Only $2,199.95. This camera will not take terrestrial photos with out adding a special filter. There is a filter inside all digital cameras that has to be removed to take prime focus astrophotography that ruins the warranty. It's either film or CCD. (and print film is pretty much dead)<br /><br />You can do eyepiece projection photos with digital cameras. NEVERS is pretty good at it. NEVERS <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <font size="1" color="#3366ff">www.siriuslookers.org</font> </div>
 
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dewwydew

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I think its around 150 pounds. My cousin lives with me so if I need help I think he can help me. I have no kids no girlfriend why not treat myself to a nice scope. Im only 26 so ill have many years to enjoy.
 
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