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Subject: [M]: Question on balance
From: Mike Schriber - Corporate Computer Centers, Inc.
Reply To: mapug@shore.net
Date: Sat Dec 20 00:38:06 1997

Ok, tell me if I'm crazy or just doing something wrong. I have a 10"
LX-200 with a Losmandy "D" plate 2D counterweight system and a Milburn
dovetail system. I mount a Celestron 80WA in the rings. I have a Meade
dewshield up front.

Here's the deal: I have a problem with the telescope being front heavy.
Even without the Meade dew shield I have to move my weights almost all the
way to the back to balance things out. I have my telescope set up right
now with a 216XT attached to the Celestron and a 35mm heavy camera (with
focal reducer and skyglow filter) attached to the LX-200. Even with all
this junk on the back I still have to move my five pound weight all the way
to the back of the telescope. With my Kendrick dew shield I can move it
forward a few inches. Isn't this the opposite problem that everyone has?
I know I need some more weight (for this configuration and visual
applications) but I figured it was all the weight at the back I'd have to
worry about.

On a different note: I just noticed that with the Meade dew shield and
dovetail systems the dew zapper will not fit around the corrector. It will
only fit on the dew shield forward of the set screws. Since this only
contacts the OTA on the three plastic screws and a few other places I don't
think it's going to do any good. Does anyone else have this kind of setup?

Thanks (again).

Mike