> Can anyone comment on the 8" LX200 for CCD use? Does anyone have
> a web page
> showing results?

Jim,

I use an 8" LX200 f6.3 with an ST7E. Web page is in the works, but no time
to put images up yet. That's not really a good test of whether it would
work for you anyway - too many individual variables in the mix to see a
great shot and say 'I can do that' or to see a crappy shot and say 'looks
like my setup won't work'.

> What about the 8" f/10 with f/6.3 or f/3.3 focal reducers vs. the
> 8" f/6.3?
> Anyone have experience with these combos?

I use the f6.3 (1280 focal length) most of the time (12.5' x 18.5' FOV on
the ST7) and sometimes use the Meade .63 reducer (gets me f4 and a 20' x 30'
FOV). It seems to work fine, but as most of my interest lies in faint
galaxies, I really don't have the need for a huge FOV all the time. It
does come in handy on occasion though!

The f6.3 vs f10 decision was fairly easy for me when I got the scope in '95
because I primarily was interested in film work and lower f meant shorter
exposures. Now with the CCD, that's really not as much of an issue as it
once was. The problem with the natively shorter focal length of the f6.3
are poorer capability for planet imaging (but still possible), and you
really can't use the .33 reducers (too much correction). with the f10, you
are better on both counts there.

> How is the standard wedge with the 8"? Will the 8" fit on the Superwedge?

For beginning imaging (that's still me after 2 years working with the ST7)
the standard wedge is just fine. The 8" does not weight enough to really
strain things too much. With a few modifications, the setup is acceptable
for imaging. Never tried the Superwedge, but have heard they are quite a
bit sturdier (as one would expect). Probably want to use a larger tripod
though if you went up in size for the wedge.
>
> Has anyone used the Meade flip mirror with the 8" LX200?

No need to spend your money here. With "HP' mode on the LX200, and suing
the ST7's guide chip there is no need to use an external device to focus,
align, or guide during imaging.

Once the camera is aligned with the scope and close to focus, that's where
it stays the rest of the night. With the 'HP' mode, I just do a goto to the
object I want to shoot, and the scope stops at a nearby star that has always
(so far) been visible in the Telrad. Tweak the position of the scope to
center the star in the Telrad and that puts it on the chip. I watch the
position of the star via 'focus mode' continuous readout on my CCD software,
and finish the slew after the star looks centered. It also makes a good
place to do a final focus check.

> I'd appreciate any comments on these or any other areas involving
> use of the
> 8" for CCD use.

All in all it is a good setup to start working with. I have done shots of
asteroids, comets, hundreds of galaxies ,etc and am still learning. The
kicker was a couple years ago as Astrofest when I was doing some short (5
minute) shots of some old favorites like the M27 -dumbbell and M17-swan
nebulas. Someone walked up to me and saw one on the screen and said 'that's
a better view than I just got at the yardscope" If you are not familiar
with the name, the 'Yardscope' is a 36" Dob that they have set up there
every year. That made me feel pretty proud of my 8" and ST7 to have a
simple 5 minute exposure with no special processing compared better than the
view in a 36" scope.

Do I wish I had a 12" or 16" scope, and a 2k x 2k back-illuminated site chip
now? Sure, but I didn't need/want/couldn't afford that when I started (and
still can't!), so here I am. I kind of grew into it and learned as I went,
and the 8" is a great 1-person portable scope.

If you want any more info, or want to see specific images I have taken with
this setup, let me know and I can post a couple on a temp web page for you.

My main web page is at http://www.venomtech.com/~tkroes but there is a lot
that doesn't work yet as I am under major revision and haven't found the
time to finish it yet. Check out the 'modifications' link from the main
page to see some of the things I have done to improve the LX200 and
tripod/wedge for imaging.

Anthony J. Kroes
Green Bay, WI

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