Doug's Home | Time | GPS | Astronomy | Photography | Internet | Software/Hardware | News/Finance | Consumer/Leisure | Volunteering | Genealogy
I'm pursuing an interest in astronomy and am not yet sure whether I'll focus on some specialized aspect (for example I am interested in Jupiter and its moons). My telescope is Meade's UHTC 7" LX200-GPS Maksutov-Cassegrain (2670mm f/15, resolution .64 arcsecond) purchased at Anacortes along with Meade's set of eyepieces, Celestron's Micro Guide eyepiece (illuminated reticle, and a flexible dew shield. I also have SBIG's Deluxe STV (CCD, ~648x480 pixels @ 7.4 microns square, for ~.6 arcsecond sampling across 4.6+'), and Televue's 2x Barlow.
Although it is now repaired, my Mak was delivered with a defect: the supplied fan power cable didn't work. Tip & sleeve were soldered together, and after I unsoldered, there was no voltage measurable from the 12v DC Out jack of the control panel.
Popular sites include Yahoo! Groups : LX200GPS, MAPUG Topical Archive, and Doc G's Info. Also Seattle Astronomical Society. I followed instructions to build a cable for serial connection to PC which allows me to run software such as AutoStar Update. I put together an enhancement to the tripod's mounting bolt named the Springy Thingy.
Eyepiece focal length (mm) | Magnification (x) | True Field of view (') | Exit pupil (mm) |
6.4 | 417 | 7.4 | 0.43 |
9.7 | 275 | 11 | 0.65 |
12.45 | 214.5 | 13.5 (apparent ~47°) | 0.8 |
26 | 103 | 27 | 1.7 |
32 | 83 | 37.5 | 2.1 |
40 | 67 | 40 | 2.7 |
My 8x50 finder field is around 4.8 degrees.