Re: Off Topic: Celestron vs Meade
| Subject: | Re: Off Topic: Celestron vs Meade |
| From: | Email address hidden |
| Date: | Fri May 03 04:38:04 1996 |
>Well, as long as Im on
>the line, I might as well ask a couple more questions.
>1. The C8+ had a telescoping/adjustable tripod. The celestar 8
>had a solid, non-adjustable tripod. Which is better? I kind of
>thought the adjustable one was more versatile and useful for my
>purposes.
I have not actually used the adjustable tripod, but just from the looks of
it, it would appear to be a bit on the wiggly side. I vastly prefer the
wider base attachment points of the non-adjustable tripod. I briefly had a
Celestron C8+ and the supplied non-adjustable tripod was clunky but
relatively solid.
Optically, I seem to remember that the C8+ was pretty good. I had some
seroius troubles with the "factory installed and tested" Advanced Astro
Master and the drive base, though. Also, note that the AAM requires much
more button pushing to enter an object or just navigate the menus, since it
doesnt have a numeric keypad like the LX50 or LX200.
>2. I assume the main advantage of the lx200 is that it is computerized
>and slews you right to the stars. Is it that difficult to manually
>slew the telescope to the proper RA and DEC, assuming I have a laptop
>with an astronomy program, and/or a good star atlas?
If you are talking about manually (by hand) slewing the LX200, that will
destroy the alignment, since the computer uses the motor shaft revolutions to
determine OTA travel. The LX200 must be slewed using the hand controller and
motors, but can be slewed that way to any coordinates, or directly to an
object.
>3. And you know that celestron c5. I know its small and portable (which
>in my case is sometimes an advantage, because I travel here and there)
>but would any of you buy one because of that advantage of portability?
>I keep thinking that I might be unhappy with the performance of the C5
>in the long run.
Well, I had a Meade 2045D and loved it for the portability. It was, however,
a visual only scope due to some shortcomings in the drive base gearing and
clutching...... it took about 30 seconds for the drive to "kick in" once
engaged. I tried a C5 once, in the store, and found that the drive engaged
immediately, so although it was almost twice the price, it might be usable
for more than visual work. The 2045D fit in a case that looked like it might
be a carry-on item on some airlines. Not sure about the C5.....
My $0.02
Paul Goelz
Evanston, IL
