Maksutov-Cass versus Newtonian

Dave G - funnily enough, the Orion Optics Mak-Cass has a spider... Out of interest, which has the larger % obstruction - the Mak-Cass or the Newt?

In that case its not really a maksutov. Its a klevzov-cassegrain. It would also employ a meniscus correcter lens near the focusser to correct for abberations normally solved by a corrector plate. It could also be a ritchie-chretien cassegrain which also has a spider and no corrector plate

Considering the options available to you, and the fact that you have a decent budget, it seems to me that a ritchie-chretien cassegrain is something you should be looking at. Meade do an RCX modified RC as a 16" OTA!! All the benefits of a faster newt with the flat field of a mak!!

Dave - they advertise as a Mak-Cass... Scroll down to the bottom of the page - there's an image with the Mak-Cass with the spider... Mr. Klevsov would be most put out

www.orionoptics.co.uk/acatalog/OMC_Maksutovs.html

Reports of the LX200R are not good. The RCX is a non runner (mount included and OTA can't be seperated from mount).

As for budget, I guess I do have a fair bit to play with but like anything else, the more I spend on the OTA, the less I have for the imager, focuser, filters, filter wheel, software etc...

I guess I'm looking for the best bang for the buck woithout spending a significant portion of the budget and having to scrimp elsewhere...

Cheers

Dave

Dave - they advertise as a Mak-Cass... Scroll down to the bottom of the page - there's an image with the Mak-Cass with the spider... Mr. Klevsov would be most put out

Yes he would indeed. They advertise it as a 'Sub aperture Maksutov' which by definition is in fact a Klevsov!!

If I were in your shoes, I'd be thinking aperture!! The coma problems with newts can be corrected to an extent using a coma corrector. In fact I've been thinking of getting hold of an F/5 10" newt and corrector for nice wide field imaging of galaxies! I'd be very temped by that 16" newt at 4.6K and a decent coma corrector, maybe one of those paracorr lads!

If I were in your shoes, I'd be thinking aperture!! The coma problems with newts can be corrected to an extent using a coma corrector. In fact I've been thinking of getting hold of an F/5 10" newt and corrector for nice wide field imaging of galaxies! I'd be very temped by that 16" newt at 4.6K and a decent coma corrector, maybe one of those paracorr lads!

If we're back down to f/5 10" scopes perhaps the OTA of Meades LXD75 Schmidt Newtonians are worth condisering. You guys can probably comment on the design more than I can but basically its a fast newtonian with a schmidt corrector plate, and the obstructions has no spider.

If we're back down to f/5 10" scopes perhaps the OTA of Meades LXD75 Schmidt Newtonians are worth condisering. You guys can probably comment on the design more than I can but basically its a fast newtonian with a schmidt corrector plate, and the obstructions has no spider.

Al, thats something I might well consider myself!! However for DaveMc's purposes, it might be a little 'lightweight'

perhaps the OTA of Meades LXD75 Schmidt Newtonians are worth condisering.

AL, As a matter of interest, I found this review of the 8"schmidt newt.

www.nightsky.at/Art/SN8/