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Hi Larry,

I'll address a few of your questions below:
----- Original Message -----=20
From: Larry Owens=20
Sent: Monday, December 27, 1999 9:08 AM
Subject: [M]: Advice: LX200, SBIG-ST237, Software


Gentlemen:

This is my first post to the group, hello to all.

I'm planning to purchase some additional equipment and I'm looking for =
a bit of advice. =20

I've decided to move into CCD astronomy after many years of film based =
astrophotography, and also add a bit of portability. My present =
equipment includes a 10" Newtonian that I can't move without a truck, =
and light pollution is getting worse at home.

Here's what I'm planning at this point after a bit of research: =20

I want a fairly large aperture scope with precise "go to" capabilities =
and a relatively short focal ratio for CCD. Additionally, I need a =
scope that will fit comfortably in the trunk of my car. I've considered =
the Celestron Ultima 2000 8" with "Fastar" but the Celestron doesn't =
seem to have the sturdiness I need for serious CCD work for both =
lunar/planetary and deep sky. What my choice appears to be at this =
point is the 10" LX200 F6.3 with wedge.


This is a very good choice. I own this very telescope, except mine is =
an F/10.

The CCD I'm looking at is the SBIG ST237 (640x480x7.4micron) with =
color wheel. This camera is within my budget and seems to be a good fit =
to the optics of the LX200. With a reducer I can get F4, which gives me =
approx. 1.6 arcseconds per pixel and a 16x12 arcminute field of view for =
deep sky. This is within Nyquist sampling guidelines of 1.5-2 =
arcsec/pixel. Even at F6.3, I'll have about 1 arcsecond per pixel, this =
may also work for some deep sky objects as well, and I also have the =
option of binning to 2x2. With a barlow I can do lunar and planetary =
work at about .5 arcseconds per pixel. This camera also uses a parallel =
port interface to a laptop, so I can control the scope by serial port =
and the camera over parallel without having to buy interfaces.


Before you buy this camera, I would suggest that you look at the =
Starlight Xpress MX5C. This camera sells for about $1,200 new and works =
very well with the LX200. What sets this apart from most other cameras =
is that the MX5C is a full color unit...takes full color images in ONE =
exposure with no need for exterior mounted filters. I own one and it's =
super.

I'd like to know about the kinds of problems I may run into with =
reducers and flip mirrors, and which ones are best with the LX200 =
optical system (10" f6.3) In reading MAPUG archives, I seem to be =
hearing that Celestron reducers are better than Meades, haven't heard a =
lot about flip mirrors. Also, am I going to be able to use a barlow or =
reducer with a flip mirror and CCD?


I use a True Technology flip mirror with my camera. This is a very =
well built unit with a very attractive price tag. (about $235)

Also, I'd like some advice on software. Should I use The Sky Level IV =
and CCDSoft, or Meade's Epoch 2000 products? Of course I'm looking for =
something that will allow me to combine 3-color exposures and also one =
that will easily allow me to do mosaics from several exposures of large =
objects beyond the single frame field of view of my CCD.


The Starlight Xpress camera comes with software which works very well =
and is very user friendly. Hope this helps, Al.

Thanks in advance to everyone and all comments are welcome.



------------------------------------------------------
Larry Owens, Nortel Networks
Cellphone: (770)316-9570=20
Page: 1-888-886-1461
-------------------------------------------------------
"Science is a refinement of everyday thinking."


- Albert Einstein, 1879-1955
-------------------------------------------------------=20

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<DIV><FONT size=3D2>Hi Larry,</FONT></DIV>
<DIV>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV>I'll address a few of your questions below:</DIV>
<BLOCKQUOTE=20
style=3D"BORDER-LEFT: #000000 2px solid; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-RIGHT: =
0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px; PADDING-RIGHT: 0px">
<DIV style=3D"FONT: 10pt arial">----- Original Message ----- </DIV>
<DIV=20
style=3D"BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4; FONT: 10pt arial; font-color: =
black"><B>From:</B>=20
Owens</A>=20
</DIV>
<DIV style=3D"FONT: 10pt arial"><B>To:</B> <A =
<DIV style=3D"FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Sent:</B> Monday, December 27, 1999 =
9:08=20
AM</DIV>
<DIV style=3D"FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Subject:</B> [M]: Advice: LX200, =
SBIG-ST237,=20
Software</DIV>
<DIV><BR></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3D"Times New Roman, Times" =
size=3D4>Gentlemen:<BR><BR>This is my=20
first post to the group, hello to all.<BR><BR>I'm planning to purchase =
some=20
additional equipment and I'm looking for a bit of advice.&nbsp; =
<BR><BR>I've=20
decided to move into CCD astronomy after many years of film based=20
astrophotography, and also add a bit of portability.&nbsp; My present=20
equipment includes a 10" Newtonian that I can't move without a truck, =
and=20
light pollution is getting worse at home.<BR><BR>Here's what I'm =
planning at=20
this point after a bit of research:&nbsp; <BR><BR>I want a fairly =
large=20
aperture scope with precise "go to" capabilities and a relatively =
short focal=20
ratio for CCD.&nbsp; Additionally, I need a scope that will fit =
comfortably in=20
the trunk of my car.&nbsp; I've considered the Celestron Ultima 2000 =
8" with=20
"Fastar" but the Celestron doesn't seem to have the sturdiness I need =
for=20
serious CCD work for both lunar/planetary and deep sky.&nbsp; What my =
choice=20
appears to be at this point is the 10" LX200 F6.3 with =
wedge.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3D"Times New Roman, Times" =
size=3D4></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3D"Times New Roman, Times" =
size=3D4></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3D"Times New Roman, Times" size=3D4>This is a very =
good=20
choice.&nbsp; I own this very telescope, except mine is an =
F/10.<BR><BR>The=20
CCD I'm looking at is the SBIG ST237 (640x480x7.4micron) with color=20
wheel.&nbsp; This camera is within my budget and seems to be a good =
fit to the=20
optics of the LX200.&nbsp; With a reducer I can get F4, which gives me =
approx.=20
1.6 arcseconds per pixel and a 16x12 arcminute field of view for deep=20
sky.&nbsp; This is within Nyquist sampling guidelines of 1.5-2=20
arcsec/pixel.&nbsp; Even at F6.3, I'll have about 1 arcsecond per =
pixel, this=20
may also work for some deep sky objects as well, and I also have the =
option of=20
binning to 2x2.&nbsp; With a barlow I can do lunar and planetary work =
at about=20
.5 arcseconds per pixel.&nbsp; This camera also uses a parallel port =
interface=20
to a laptop, so I can control the scope by serial port and the camera =
over=20
parallel without having to buy interfaces.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3D"Times New Roman, Times" =
size=3D4></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3D"Times New Roman, Times" =
size=3D4></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3D"Times New Roman, Times" size=3D4>Before you buy =
this camera, I=20
would suggest that you look at the Starlight Xpress MX5C.&nbsp; This =
camera=20
sells for about $1,200 new and works very well with the LX200.&nbsp; =
What sets=20
this apart from most other cameras is that the MX5C is a full color=20
unit...takes full color images in ONE exposure with no need for =
exterior=20
mounted filters.&nbsp; I own one and it's super.<BR><BR>I'd like to =
know about=20
the kinds of problems I may run into with reducers and flip mirrors, =
and which=20
ones are best with the LX200 optical system (10" f6.3)&nbsp; In =
reading MAPUG=20
archives, I seem to be hearing that Celestron reducers are better than =
Meades,=20
haven't heard a lot about flip mirrors.&nbsp; Also, am I going to be =
able to=20
use a barlow or reducer with a flip mirror and CCD?</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3D"Times New Roman, Times" =
size=3D4></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3D"Times New Roman, Times" =
size=3D4></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3D"Times New Roman, Times" size=3D4>I use a True =
Technology flip=20
mirror with my camera.&nbsp; This is a very well built unit with a =
very=20
attractive price tag.&nbsp; (about $235)<BR><BR>Also, I'd like some =
advice on=20
software.&nbsp; Should I use The Sky Level IV and CCDSoft, or Meade's =
Epoch=20
2000 products?&nbsp; Of course I'm looking for something that will =
allow me to=20
combine 3-color exposures and also one that will easily allow me to do =
mosaics=20
from several exposures of large objects beyond the single frame field =
of view=20
of my CCD.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3D"Times New Roman, Times" =
size=3D4></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3D"Times New Roman, Times" =
size=3D4></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3D"Times New Roman, Times" size=3D4>The Starlight =
Xpress camera=20
comes with software which works very well and is very user =
friendly.&nbsp;=20
Hope this helps, Al.<BR><BR>Thanks in advance to everyone and all =
comments are=20
welcome.<BR></FONT><BR><BR></DIV>
<DIV>------------------------------------------------------</DIV>
<DIV>Larry Owens, Nortel Networks</DIV>
<DIV>Cellphone: (770)316-9570 </DIV>
<DIV>Page: 1-888-886-1461</DIV>
<DIV>-------------------------------------------------------</DIV>
<DIV>"Science is a refinement of everyday thinking."</DIV><BR>
<DIV>- Albert Einstein,=20
1879-1955</DIV>------------------------------------------------------- =

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