12 replies to this topic

[nreid]

Ok looks like I am going to sale my dob and my orion refractor to jump into the CAT market. I have about 1300+ to speed no more than $1599. I am looking at three scopes. The celestron C9 1/4-S ADVANCED SERIES, the nexstar 8i, and the meade 8" LX-10.

I am not real good with EQ mounts but I am willing to learn. I would prefer a go-to but I can add this later with all three I believe. My gut says go with the C9 because of size. But I am not sure about the setup. I have read most of the post and I am still just looking for opinions and comments that might help with this task.

This will be the last scope for a long time since my wife is having a baby in a couple of months and I can no longer justify having two scopes. So this one will need to be one I can live with happly for several years... If that is possible in this field.

Thanks!

[jrcrilly]

There's no easy way to add goto to the LX10 but you can install digital setting circles on it to help you find your way around. Cost for that is around $500.

[imbored20]

I have the 8" lx10, and love it. I got the UHTC from woodlands while it was on sale for $899. Although goto would be nice, im having a great time learning the sky and learning to locate things. If its still on sale, i would definitly go for the lx10, cause its a steal at that price.

John, who makes the digital setting circles? I might be interested in that in the future.

[jrcrilly]

John, who makes the digital setting circles? I might be interested in that in the future.

http://www.jimsmobil...ta.htm#Complete

[conus]

I am not real good with EQ mounts but I am willing to learn. I would prefer a go-to but I can add this later with all three I believe. My gut says go with the C9 because of size. But I am not sure about the setup.

I'd never had a scope before, but the EQ mount w/goto isn't really tough to learn. None of the AS 9.25 components are really heavy. The OTA weighs 21 pounds. Befor the clouds rolled in last night, I had about one and a half hours to work with. Within that time period I was able to set up, check out Jupiter, saturn and about 25 Messier and NGC objects.

[Stelios]

Ok looks like I am going to sale my dob and my orion refractor to jump into the CAT market. I have about 1300+ to speed no more than $1599. I am looking at three scopes. The celestron C9 1/4-S ADVANCED SERIES, the nexstar 8i, and the meade 8" LX-10.

I am not real good with EQ mounts but I am willing to learn. I would prefer a go-to but I can add this later with all three I believe.

No, you CANNOT add GoTo later to the C9.25S (short of purchasing the mount for $695 and trying to sell the old one). There is no conversion possible.

I definitely recommend the GoTo. If finances dictate a choice between the C8S-GT and the C9.25S I would say get the C8S-GT. This way you have an open path to other scopes in this series (i.e. two years down the road, sell the C8 OTA and get a C9.25 OTA. Or get one of the excellent C6R OTA's, or a different refractor, or...). I have used on my mount a C8 OTA, a C9.25, a Meade AR-5 OTA (I was wondering if the mount would protest but it didn't ) and a C6R so this is a very live possibility.

[nreid]

yeah the meade is really starting to look like a nice package for $899. Man this is a slippery slope. Get the meade and have money for EPs and other things of spend the whole lot on a C9.25 and have nothing left. How do you feel about the quality of the lx-10?

[imbored20]

The LX-10 optical tube is the same quality as Meade's most expensive SCT. It is my first scope, so I dont have much to compare it to, but I love it. The tripod is very sturdy, and everything is constructed well. If you dont absolutly NEED goto, then for the price, the LX10 cant be beat.