They would work for planetary imaging, but not for DSO imaging. Since you're looking for a mount AND a scope, I'm guessing your total budget is in the neighborhood of about $2,000. First, the HyperStar lens kit costs around $1,000 alone. Robert’s obsession with all things optical started early in life, when his optician father would bring home prototypes for Robert to play with. 5 out of 5 stars (2) Total Ratings 2, $49.99 New. Free shipping. But you do get a helpful 2x Barlow lens that will double the magnification of any eyepiece. The Meade LX85 GoTo German Equatorial Mount delivers top-notch performance for beginner astronomers and experienced astrophotographers alike! The SkyWatcher and iOptron are less common, but still show up from time to time, but rarely as cheap as the Celestron or Orion. Country/Region of Manufacture. Compatible Series. Actually, I thought the Meade LX85, … Consult a Celestron dealer for more information. The LX85 Series is the perfect choice for the cultivated observer and astro-imager looking to chase deep-sky … Using them together, you can follow the arrows on the app to point to different deep sky objects that the app finds that will be visible from where you are. Your target has now doubled in size on the image sensor, so it takes up 4 times as many pixels (remember, area is a square function). I took their advice and got the Orion Sirius EQ-G with ED80 combo. That’s great if you want to take it out to your favorite campsite where the skies are dark at night. The home to all amateur astronomers & telescopes! Actually, I thought the Meade LX85, … Celestron C8 SCT OTA - CGE. I thought the 8 inch evolution … No matter what stage you’re at in your astronomy journey, Meade has the tools to help you continue progressing. Meade's new LX85 Series features a high-quality, portable, GoTo, German Equatorial Mount. Truthfully, you can’t go wrong with either brand. This requires a HyperStar lens for the particular model of scope (again, you can't use the EdgeHD * version on a regular C8 or vice-versa, and different size scopes require different HyperStar lenses due to different secondary mirror sizes). If you really want to stick with a lower mount in the 30-lbs class, then for DSO imaging I wouldn't recommend anything with a focal length over around 600 mm and with a fairly large sensor like a DSLR or something with a KAF-8300. Using third party AUX equipment can fry the mount. Coronado Solar Telescopes; Explore Scientific. Even then, the Sirius EQ-G with a 30lb load capacity is considered under weight but I know it's not a bad mount. The same PowerSeeker and AstroMaster ranges get a bit more expensive as you approach the $200 mark, offering improved optics, multiple eyepieces, and high-quality alt-azimuth controls. Your source for Reflectors (Newtonians) from top brands like Celestron, Sky-Watcher, Meade and Explore Scientific, all at unbelievable prices. China. If you want to capture Jupiter with some detail, then a small field of view will suit you well, so an image sensor with a smaller width and height along with a longer focal length pays off. From the beginner first starting to dabble in astronomy to the professional who’s made a career of it, either company has great telescopes with the features you need to continue advancing at your craft. OpticsMag is reader-supported. Orion Atlas EQ-G - Has a great track record for AP, usually a little more than the CGEM, depending on who's got what on sale. Third, you put your camera in front of the corrector plate, so you're losing some collecting area. Coronado Solar Telescopes; Explore Scientific. You still run into the problem that this is a 30-lbs class mount and you're loading the payload pretty well. This puts its focal length at 1,600 mm. On the downside, all the motors that move this telescope and make the alignment and movement so easy also make a lot of noise. If you were to get something in the 40 lbs weight class like those above, you could easily put something with a focal length up to 800 to 1,000 mm on it (assuming you're not using a small-sensor camera) and do some good imaging. With a massive f/15 focal ratio and a 1900-millimeter focal length, the ETX125 Observer is well equipped to help you see the heavens like never before. It can find and track over 40,000 celestial objects, making it easier and more fun for you to observe the deep sky. Counterweight for CGE Pro, CGEM DX, CGE or CGX-L - 94187 - NEAF Demo SKU: CNP-CEL-94187 Individual Counterweight Weights (lb. Think of it this way: visually, you don't use one eyepiece for everything, right? The iOptron RC8 is an 200 mm f/8 RC. Even better, now they’re equipped with fully automated GoTo mounts that can find and track over 40,000 celestial objects, taking your astronomy to new heights. When it comes to the scope I would be using. For long exposures, you'll need a solid mount for it, and neither of these mounts are really going to cut it. The flashlight is putting out the same mount of light, but it's less concentrated the further you get from the wall. Celestron 94186 Extra 11 LB Counterweight for Cg-5 Mount. Extra Free Accessories: Celestron Polar Scope for AVX Mount; Free shipping . If this doesn’t already seem like enough to get you started, you also get a 3x Barlow lens. Meade. Buy Celestron Advanced VX GoTo German Equatorial Mount featuring Motorized Computer-Controlled EQ Mount, Low-Cog Dual-Axis DC Servo Motors, NexStar+ GoTo Hand Controller, 40,000+ … This means you can see finer details and brighter images so you can extend your reach into space. Counterweight for CGE Pro, CGEM DX, CGE or CGX-L - 94187 - NEAF Demo SKU: CNP-CEL-94187 Individual Counterweight Weights (lb. The role of the mount is to keep the object dead-still in the field of view during the exposure. And if you get a mount that can handle heavier payloads, you have a lot more versatility in the long run. The EdgeHD 8 is an f/10 scope, which means long exposure times. The new AVX … Ever since Synta took over Celestron, they seem to have relegated it to the red-haired (well, orange) step child of the company. What Meade Has to Offer. HyperStar essentially turns the scope into one of the newer Celestron RASA scopes. It’s easy to use and the telescope’s 16-channel GPS receiver helps to ensure that you’re always properly aligned without any frustration. Your tracking is going to be mediocre at best and you will want to upgrade immediately. Consult a Celestron dealer for more information. Even an cheap short-tube 80 mm like the Orion CT80 would give you something to play with while you save up for a better scope. Red Dot vs Holographic Sights: Which Is Better? The use of autoguiding made a dramatic difference to the types of images I was able to capture on my old Celestron CG-5, (Now the Celestron Advanced VX). Explore Scientific APO Triplet Carbon Fiber; ... Meade LX85 (9) Meade LX850 (4) Meade LX90 (3) Meade Optical Tube Assemblies (19) Meade … Though not AS long, its still pretty long. This itch was prompted by seeing the new Nexstar Evolution series. But it has a couple down sides. Not only do the long focal ratios of those telescopes require much longer exposure times in the camera, the longer focal lengths will amplify tracking errors a lot more. The LX85 Series is the Perfect Choice For the Cultivated Observer and astro-imager looking to chase … If your image is 1,000 pixels wide, a field of view 30 arcminutes wide will appear to have less apparent magnification than a field of view 10 arcminutes wide.) These telescopes can get astronomically expensive though, reaching $18,999. Vixen 35505 Polarie Star Tracker Astrophotography Compact Mount. If you tried to use that scope and camera to take a picture of NGC 7000, you'd get only a tiny portion of the nebula. So the combination of amplified tracking errors, and long exposure times, means you'll be very frustrated with cheaper mounts. My current imaging payload includes an OTA, camera, coma corrector, off-axis guider and camera, spacers, Telrad, small finder scope, and various cords and wires as well as a side-mounted 80 mm refractor (which I'm probably going back to using for autoguiding soon, since the OAG isn't really as great as I was hoping). It’s also got multiple guided tours built-in. I think Celestron … If you’re going to make an upgrade, the eyepieces would be the thing to upgrade. The longer focal length means a smaller field of view for any given image sensor, so the accuracy of your mount already has to be high to deal with it. Some folks can get 1" average RMS with it, but that is such a novelty. The problem appears to be quality control. Meade LX85 8in ACF OTA Only. Print Email. But, remember your pixels are now 0.5 arcseconds, meaning that 10 arcseconds is 20 pixels of error. The same thing is happening in your telescope. @Richard mentioned that movement is pretty stiff, and I observed this with my newer mount as opposed to the older one. But, once again, it really all depends on just what you want to capture pictures of. That's significantly higher than is recommended. The Advanced VX (AVX) sets a standard in mid-level telescopes, providing many of the features found on Celestron’s most sophisticated German equatorial mounts at an extremely affordable price. Celestron AVX Mount (Beginner) iOptron CEM25P (Beginner) Sky-Watcher Az-Eq5 ... Meade Series 6000 115mm Triplet APO (Wide Field, beginner/intermediate) ... LX85 Series 6000 115mm APO Triplet Refractor. It also makes it nearly impossible to use a mono camera with filters (there are some options, but the price is just adding up). What makes this telescope special is the fully automated GoTo mount. Originally started as a mail-order company shipping out reflector telescopes, Meade grew into a prominent name in the industry. Make sure this fits by entering your model number. To see this in action, take a flashlight and stand a foot or two away from a wall and turn on the flashlight. We are your source for astronomy telescopes, eyepieces, astroimaging cameras, and more! Meade Series 5000 HD-60; Meade Ultra Wide Angle 4; Meade Telescope Accessories 12; Meade … One thing that can be said here, however, is that you really can't have too much mount. The Craig Newmark Graduate School of … For Orion. But they also have some telescopes that near $10k in price, such as the CGX-L telescope at $8699. Honestly, I wouldn't want to put that on an EQ-6 or iEQ45 as a main imaging train. see all. Thus, by increasing focal ratio, you exponentially increase the required accuracy of your mount to produce a good image. Combined with the three eyepieces, you’ll have six levels of magnification to choose from. I really like the Meade HD-60 for high powers — it’s very sharp. This GoTo telescope mount sits at the same price point as the Sky-Watcher … The Advanced VX sets a new standard in mid-level telescopes, providing many of the features found on Celestron’s most sophisticated German equatorial mounts at an extremely affordable price. Contact Meade … Meade's new LX85 Series features a high-quality, portable, GoTo, German Equatorial Mount. Meade has no shortage of advanced telescopes for you to choose from. I'm sure the AVX is a fine mount, I almost got one, but you are really pushing the weight with an 8" on those mounts. They’re known for making high-quality telescopes equipped with their Advanced Coma-Free optics. HyperStar allows you to remove the secondary mirror and attach the camera where the secondary would be. … The Advanced VX 6” … With one of the best warranties in the industry backing up their products and many diverse telescopes to choose from at all levels, it’s easy to see why so many people trust Celestron for their astronomy needs. If this is the case, then I'd really recommend you spend as much of that as you can on the mount and go with a lesser scope with the intent to upgrade down the road. Heavy-duty dual-fork mounts or GoTo German Equatorial Mounts are also found on some of these telescopes, depending on what type of telescope you’re looking for. As above, I was quite impressed by the optics of the 8-inch Coma-Free SCT that came with the LX85 GEM package, and also by the quality of the AVX-like mount. Once you learn and understand how this device operates, you’ll never want to view space through a beginner telescope again. Ok, now let's say you switch scopes to another scope with the same aperture, but twice the focal length (let's say you were at 1,000 mm before, now 2,000 mm). 10 Best Golf Rangefinders in 2021 – Reviews & Top Picks, 10 Best Telescopes under $100 in 2021 – Reviews & Top Picks, 10 Best Trail Cameras in 2021 – Reviews & Top Picks. The modern SCT is a popular telescope design due to it's compact size vs … For Meade. Some Meade ETX models (60/80) ship with the Autostar #494 controller. $2,149.00 . One point in the RC's favor: the EdgeHD uses mirror shifting to focus, as do most SCTs. The Celestron mounts, several … Included is everything you need to get started. Imaging through long focal ratio and long focal length telescopes like SCTs and RCs requires mounts with extra precision. CELESTRON AVX GEM. For use with a standard surveyor tripod (with 5/8-11 attachment bolt), use the MEC002 column. Tiny. Sky-Watcher HEQ5 Pro vs Celestron AVX. These include the Advanced VX, CGEM II, CGX, … Starting around $2,000, the Advanced VX700 lineup comes with the Advanced VX, the most portable and compact German equatorial mount that Celestron makes. Of course, the upside is that you get to choose f/2 or f/10 (or for a bit more, f/7 as well), which gives you some versitility, but at a huge cost and limited camera options. Such is the situation with the LX200-ACF telescope. The most popular designs include Celestron's EdgeHD and Meade… In this range, you get great options like the AudioStar Hand Controller that lets you choose from over 30,000 celestial objects that the telescopes can find. If you’re just getting into astronomy and you’re looking for the basic tools to get started, Meade has some of the most affordable offerings available. Using AudioStar, you can point the telescope at any of them with the push of a few buttons, saving you the time and frustration of locating them manually. Contact Us. If you spend a bit more, some incredible features start popping up around $1,000. They make it easy to get things adjusted so you can locate the celestial bodies you most want to observe. To make SkyFi III work with these scopes, you need to replace the #494 Autostar controller (which does not have a serial port) with the #497 Autostar (which does). I love it. Meade LX85. It’s going to take some practice, but you’ll learn a lot along the way! Starting in the mid-three-hundreds, you get great choices like the StarNavigator series or the Observer. If you shell out for one of these, especially the SkyWatcher or iOptron, and go cheap on the scope for now, you can get started doing some basic imaging (or even a DSLR with a good lens up to about 300 mm) and save up for a better scope later. I thought I had it whittled down to the last decision I had to make. Remove the secondary, and you're only using the f/2 primary, and then the HyperStar lens provides the correction needed for imaging. ... GoTo EQ drive upgrade kit for MEADE LX85 … Sky-Watcher HEQ5 Pro vs Celestron AVX. Meade LX65 4; Meade LX85 7; Meade LightBridge Plus 3; Meade LX90 3; Meade LX200 4; Meade LX600 3; Meade LX850 3; Meade LightSwitch 2; Meade Telescope Mounts 3; Meade Telescope Mount Accessories 2; Meade Eyepieces and Barlows. You're capturing the same amount of light, that's determined by the aperture. In this range are some of the most advanced telescopes in the world, and they’ll satisfy the needs of any astronomer. Let's say you have an 8" SCT and a 30 mm eyepiece. I’m mostly interested in deep sky astrophotography of nebula, galaxies, and star clusters. I’m leaning towards the Celestron because of how long it’s been on the market vs the Meade which is brand new. I can tell you right now that over in ther/astrophotography they will tell you to get a small refractor if you're just starting astrophotography. And since it’s just 30 pounds fully assembled, you’ll have no problem taking it in your car to your favorite viewing spot. Celestron 22 lb. This leads to image shift when focusing. Also standard in this range are great features like a built-in 16-channel GPS receiver that makes for fast, precise star alignment. Let's say your choice of a camera and telescope combination gives you a pixel-resolution of 1 arcsecond per pixel across a field 1,000 arcseconds wide (so about 16.67 arcminutes). Sort: Clear All. Compatible with Innovative Celestron Accessories! But it’s a bit difficult to set up and get aligned. If you really did want to do AP through something like an 8" SCT or RC, then I'd recommend an EQ6-R Pro at a minimum ($1,500), or ideally a Losmondy G11 ($3,500).