Cumbrianwolf Posted January 19 Share Posted January 19 Just a curiosity of mine, I own what could be called a large aperture telescope at 254 mm 10" parabolic imaging Newtonian telescope. The reason was twofold for me, as in I was a visual user who wanted to dip just his toe into the astrophotography world and at the same time I also did not wish to lose out on the images I was once used to with a 14" scope, so the 10" was a happy compromise of the two and since I could not settle on either subject it has stayed with me. Now I am just starting to get things moving forward with more serious astro imaging, but only after a lot of research, questions, and spending hard-earned cash to get there. So I am wondering who else prefers the larger optical tube for astrophotography and the reasoning as to why? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cumbrianwolf Posted January 21 Author Share Posted January 21 I guess not many of us, then, I always find the unique niche in my hobbies. 🤪 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MartinS Posted January 25 Share Posted January 25 I have a Meade 12” f8 ACF with QHY268M and a CFF250 with SX36 and plan to image some of the smaller DSOs. Both systems need fine star grooming, but I will get there. Just been distracted with my wide field systems at the moment. Having tried a 14” ODK, I decided 12” was sufficient for U.K. skies. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cumbrianwolf Posted January 25 Author Share Posted January 25 30 minutes ago, MartinS said: I have a Meade 12” f8 ACF with QHY268M and a CFF250 with SX36 and plan to image some of the smaller DSOs. Both systems need fine star grooming, but I will get there. Just been distracted with my wide field systems at the moment. Having tried a 14” ODK, I decided 12” was sufficient for U.K. skies. Nice choice(s) on the OTA, one of the best I have had was a 10" Meade LXD 75 Schmidt Newtonian way back in 2005, this was mainly visual viewing and I found it to be the best blend of a reflector and refractor in one with the correction lens on the front, only briefly tried it for imaging, and it was pin sharp edge to edge. If the OTA came up for a decent price I think I would buy one, mind you the tube was much heavier with added glass. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MartinS Posted January 26 Share Posted January 26 Thanks, I have a soft spot for Meade telescopes, probably due to my first telescope being a Meade 12” GPS. The Celestron Edge 11” I had for a period was also excellent. They are not the lightest scopes but weight is not a problem with a Mesu200. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cumbrianwolf Posted January 26 Author Share Posted January 26 9 hours ago, MartinS said: Thanks, I have a soft spot for Meade telescopes, probably due to my first telescope being a Meade 12” GPS. The Celestron Edge 11” I had for a period was also excellent. They are not the lightest scopes but weight is not a problem with a Mesu200. I genuinely think the telescopes or some of what Meade made were superb optical instruments, the LXD 75 mount on the other hand was barely able to hold the weight of the scope let alone anything else and let the package down. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MartinS Posted January 26 Share Posted January 26 I couldn’t agree more, as you say some of the Meade mounts together with their electronics have been a disappointment. I have the LX850 f8 OTA only and it is mounted on a Mesu, so best of both worlds. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave_S Posted January 26 Share Posted January 26 (edited) Back in the day (pre 2014), I imaged with 8" , 10", and 12" Meade SCTs. They were built in the US back then, not China. The 10" and 12" on a Fork Mount, and Meade Wedge. The 8" parallel mounted alongside a WO 110 Triplet on an NEQ6. 0.33x and 0.63x reducers. Great telescopes. 🙂 Edited January 26 by Dave_S 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MartinS Posted January 26 Share Posted January 26 Nice memories Dave, here is my first telescope in 2016. A second hand but immaculate Meade 12” LX200 GPS, with AE super wedge and a WOGTF81 piggybacked. It was a baptism by fire experience getting this to support AP, talk about jumping in with both feet. It was a good learning experience, but I resigned myself to the reality my skill was just not up to the task. So I sold it on and moved to a separate mount, OTA arrangement. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave_S Posted January 26 Share Posted January 26 Imaging at that focal length, and f/10 placed a high demand on the accuracy of the drive, and guiding, as feint DSO's required lengthy exposures. Also too narrow a FOV for the big DSOs. Great for Planets, as Damian Peach used to demonstrate, using a 14" SCT as I remember. You can't beat large apertures for visual of course. I visited Astro Engineering's facility near Ely, to buy some of their 'Kit' 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave_S Posted January 26 Share Posted January 26 The imaging setup with the 12" Meade SCT in 2010. I was LRGB imaging then, but don't have the time, or enthusiasm to go back to that now, especially with the infrequent clear nights that we get. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MartinS Posted February 15 Share Posted February 15 I hear you reference the weather, but for me there is no substitute for being able to switch on and be imaging DSO’s within 10mins Followed but the pleasure of composing the data captured in your own back garden into a finished image. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.