Celestron VS Meade

Robin Lee · Post by **Robin Lee** » Thu Jul 12, 2007 10:30 pm

Hello guys, do you prefer Celestron to Meade or vice versa? Please let me know your reason. If you know about their quality control issue, after sales service and so on, please state it too.

By the way, I just know that we can get "lobang" if we are buying Meade from www.grandeye.com.hk. What about Celestron? Does any dealer have such "offer"?

Actually, I just want to do a survey on which is more prefered by people. I am doing an assignment to buy a telescope for my school astronomy club. The purpose is to do visual observing and imaging.

Meng Lee · Post by **Meng Lee** » Thu Jul 12, 2007 10:37 pm

Erm, but since you mention imaging, then there are some factors involved already. Meade unless its LXD 75 configuration, the rest are fork mount configurations then astrophotography is hard, unless you have the derotator. With the wedge, at our latitude, the setup looks scary to me, and you need OTA counterweight systems as well.

So, I would say, Meade SCT LX200R (which is aplantic SCT configuration) on an equatorial mount is the best, hehe.

Robin Lee · Post by **Robin Lee** » Thu Jul 12, 2007 11:03 pm

Yup, at our latitude, if we are going to use wedge, we have to bind sandbags on the opposite tripod leg to prevent the setup flip over. Counterweight system is not a big problem though as most of the fork mounted telescope owners will get one if they get a piggyback scope or have some heaving eyepiece end equipment.

Robin Lee · Post by **Robin Lee** » Thu Jul 12, 2007 11:04 pm

Yup, at our latitude, if we are going to use wedge, we have to bind sandbags on the opposite tripod leg to prevent the setup flip over. Counterweight system is not a big problem though as most of the fork mounted telescope owners will get one if they get a piggyback scope or have some heaving eyepiece end equipment.

I am interested to try Celestron CGE as I haven't touched equatorial mount before. However, is it easy to do the alignment without Polaris? I doubt that we can see it here.

Meng Lee · Post by **Meng Lee** » Thu Jul 12, 2007 11:15 pm

hmmm, CGE is a very good mount as far as I know. But it could be very heavy for students to carry. For astrophotography, polar alignment with Polaris is not accurate enough also. Need the drift alignment method which does not need Polaris or stars near Polaris. For visual, just magnetic compass will do.

But CGE is really a heavy mount, take note. Oh, and its Losmandy style dovetail plate. I also don't know if CGE latitude adjustment can be lowered to our latitudes or not. That's the main problem with buying equatorial mounts in this region.

Robin Lee · Post by **Robin Lee** » Thu Jul 12, 2007 11:28 pm

No, the minimum latitude is 10 degree. People say some modifications can make it to 0 degree but I don't know the way. I can carry my 8"LX90 together with the tripod without stopping for a rest for around 50m. So, I think CGE is easier to handle.

Do you know any about their manufacturing issue?

Meng Lee · Post by **Meng Lee** » Thu Jul 12, 2007 11:37 pm

Hmm, perhaps the modification is a custom machined wedge to be inserted between the mount head and the pier to let it lower even more. (idea copyright of Remus). Then the other question is whether the counterweight bar will hit the legs or not when it is lowered so much.

I am not sure of any manufacturing issues of CGE.

kingkong · Post by **kingkong** » Fri Jul 13, 2007 12:15 pm

meade, celestron or sky-watcher. all got equivalent mounts that is capable of reasonable imaging with reasonable amount of efforts.

Robin Lee · Post by **Robin Lee** » Fri Jul 13, 2007 6:29 pm

I think it's better to talk about their aftersales service than their products. Do you guys have any idea on this?

By the way, do you guys know any guy who sells Celestron at a cheaper price than US vendor?

SingAstro

Celestron VS Meade

Which SCT manufacturer do you prefer?

Celestron VS Meade