Re: [APML] call for suggestion

[Alen Koebel <alen_koebel@yahoo.ca>]

 --- Tim Hart <Tim.Hart@haworth.com> wrote: 

> I just bought a LXD-55 6 inch refractor.  It's a
> great scope...it does have some good points....and
> bad points...
> 
> The Mount is not photography stable...it shakes a
> bit.  Some replace it....change the legs etc.

I've heard that the legs are the weak point - but that
is fixable if you are willing to put the effort in.
There are other problems with the mount, some of them
related to quality control. When it comes to stability
for photography, what you are experiencing with a 27
lbs. 6" f/8 refractor with a long tube is not what the
user of a 13 lbs. 6" f/5 S-N with a _much_ shorter 
tube will experience. I still believe based on
comments from users (e.g. on the Yahoo!
LXD55telescopes group) that the mount should be 
adequate with the 6" f/5 S-N OTA for prime-focus 
astrophotography, partly given the modest focal length
involved. Even the periodic error numbers I have 
heard seem acceptable (although by no means stellar,
pun not intended).

[snip]
> Stay away from the SN design....the fast scope needs
> constant attention to align the optics.  

I have to disagree. Unless the secondary alignment
screws on the LXD-55 SN6 are much looser than those
on my MTS-SN6, you won't need to align them very
often, and it's no big deal to do. I have *never*
needed to re-align the primary. Of course, I'm not
in the habit of bouncing the scope down flights of
stairs, either.


______________________________________________________________________ 
Post your free ad now! http://personals.yahoo.ca

--  APML Archives at <http://astro.umsystem.edu/apml/>  ---
             Unsubscribe at <majordomo@seds.org>