Hi Bill.

There is a plain good explanation for that price difference.
The G11 is a good mount but not for a 14" SCT. The 11" tube is the maximum
for good astrophotography. For any reason Celestron sells the CG11 with the
G11.
I have a friend with a CG-14, and if there is a slight wind forget about
imaging. Of course if you use it in a wind-protected observatory, thats
another question.
On the other side the 16" LX200 is rock solid, either alt-azimuthal or
equatorial mounted. The mount is monstruous. A truly professional
instrument.
Among other unique characteristiqus it remembers its alignement when turned
on, and have a built in fan for thermal equilibrium.
Resuming, they are scopes wich have no camparision at all.
The CG14 wins way ahead in a point, portability. It is even much more
portable than my 12" LX200, let alone the montruous 16".
But, if you want to image with the CG14, portability wont do you any good
because it will only give results if there are absolutely no wind.
So, if you want the G11 mount (a excelent mount for the money) get the CG11
scope , if you want the 14" tube get a better mount, either from losmandy
or Astro-Physics. This mounts, although heavier, split in two (RA axis plus
Dec axis), maintanig the same portability og the G11. You will only have
more parcels to carry.

Pedro Santos
Portugal-Europe

-----Original Message-----
Sent: Quinta-feira, 1 de Janeiro de 1998 3:31
Subject: Re: [M]: Derotator and Flat Fields?


The thing that has always made me wonder is why the 16" LX200 is so much
more expensive then the 14" Celestron which goes for only $6350 with the
fine Losmandy G11 mount. The Meade is 1.3x more aperture for 2.5x the
price; the LX200 electronics aren't worth that much (after all, their
virtually identical to what you get with the $2500 8" version). The CG-14
may be my next scope.

---
Bill Arnett "Science is a way of trying
San Jose, CA USA not to fool yourself." -- Feynman
<URL:http://www.seds.org/billa/>

View index by [date] [author] [subject]
Previous message: Re: [M]: Call for different mounts, Email address hidden
Next message: RE: [M]: Derotator and Flat Fields?, Email address hidden
Next message in thread: RE: [M]: Derotator and Flat Fields?, Email address hidden