REVIEW OF MEADE 10" LX200 ACF SCHMIDT-CASSEGRAIN TELESCOPE

I bought the Meade 10" LX200 ACF Schmidt-Cassegrain Telescope and have been testing it extensively and this is my review of the telescope. I bought it optical tube only and put it on a variety of mounts to test it.

[@TSAlpha2933]

RIP Meade/Orion, they're closing here in Torrance

[@tsulasbigadventures]

I know. They closed their main headquarters in Watsonville. So sad.

[@JoeJaguar]

thanks for the great review

[@tsulasbigadventures]

Thanks, Joe.

[@perry92964]

i would love to have a scope like that, im 6'2 and 200lbs and i would have heart failure putting it on a mount. i have an 8 inch and im so afraid of dropping it every time i use it. just a thought, do you have to have the tripod set so high?, i like to sit while im out.

[@ultrametric9317]

I hope it's good because it might be the last one you ever buy new. Meade/Orion ceased operations suddenly today.

[@garylawson5381]

That's depressing news. That explains why I couldn't get hold of them on the phone.

[@tsulasbigadventures]

@@garylawson5381 I heard and I am highly disappointed in this news. It's unbelievable that they could cease operations in this atmosphere with more people than ever interested in astronomy. So sad.

[@knarf9335]

Wow, that is shocking to hear.

[@knarf9335]

Tsula, I used to have a 10" Meade LX50. A very similar optical tube to yours, but it was attached to an LX200 like fork/base assembly, push to, not goto. That beast weighed 65 lbs and I had to lift it shoulder height and tip it 45 degrees in the air to slot it into the equatorial wedge. I am 6'10" and 170 lbs. I took a deep breath and said a prayer each time I set it up. I know what you are dealing with. Frank

[@christopherhamm1574]

I love my 10” LX50. Thankfully they put that slotted hole on the wedge. I couldnt imagine placing the scope on the wedge without it. Clear skies. Chris

[@knarf9335]

I agree, I had that scope 30 years and it worked perfectly the whole time. 15 years later I bought a used Magellan II computer for it, slick push-to setup. I remember before I bought the scope, I went to a sporting goods store and picked up a 65 lb barbell set to see just how heavy the setup was going to be. I bought it anyway. The scope new was $1695 and the tripod was an optional accessory!

[@tsulasbigadventures]

Honestly I am thinking about purchasing a mechanical jib.

[@tsulasbigadventures]

@@christopherhamm1574 Hi Chris: I don't see how people get the LX200 10" that is forked onto the wedge. It looks frightening to even contemplate.

[@tsulasbigadventures]

@@knarf9335 I started lifting 65 pounds from the ground to waist level every day until my 12" LX90 came. It weighed way too much for me but I bought it anyway too. I put it on that peg one time and after that I permanently put on a JMI Wheeley Bar.

[@ultrametric9317]

Tsula if I might be presumptuous to offer advice - arrange the so mount the telescope in the saddle will point horizontally, with the knobs on the high side - that way you can just put the near edge of the dovetail in the saddle and let it slide down to engage the fixed lip of the saddle - then hold it in place with one hand and your upper body while tightening the knobs with your other - when it seems tight, before letting go peek around the front and back and make sure both sides are fully engaged and the saddle is trapping the mounting plate.

[@tsulasbigadventures]

How do you get an equatorial mount horizontal? I have tried just about everything. I think I need a jib. I will see if I can administer your suggestions or hire a telescope butler.

[@jrp164]

​@@tsulasbigadventuresTurn the saddle so the tightening knobs point North. 90 degrees to what you did in the video. It's easier as the scope no longer wants to slide downhill before you can tighten it. Still precarious. That's a whopper.

[@tsulasbigadventures]

@@jrp164 Thanks for the tip. I'll try it that way and see if it's easier. I'll try it when I have a visitor here to catch it in case of another mishap.

[@ultrametric9317]

@@tsulasbigadventures Just like you had it set up - only set the DEC to zero so the saddle doesn't point at the pole, it points at the horizon. Make SURE the tightening knobs are on TOP - the take the scope horizontally and lift it up over the bottom rail of the saddle, let the near edge contact the saddle between the rails, then gently let it slide down until the dovetail engages the bottom rail. At that point the scope will be 1/2 captured and all the weight will be relieved. Then you rotate the scope forward, pivoting on the captured side of the dovetail, until the plate settles against the saddle, then use one hand to tighten the knobs TOGETHER while you suppoer the scope with one hand/arm and your torso - one lnob a little, the other a little, back to the first one, alternating until both are tight. Before letting go, peer around the front and back and verify that the rails have captured the dovetail.

[@garylawson5381]

That's what I do.

[@Michael.Chapman]

As usual, fun to watch, thank you Tsula. Now you have the triplet set: 8”, 10” and 12”, wonderful:-) I’m older now and what was easy at 40 is no longer (injured leg and shoulder), so weight is a huge consideration. Here in Australia, Meades are very hard to come by-let alone finding one within pick-up distance. Great viewing coming at you!

[@tsulasbigadventures]

Thank you, Michael! I love all my Meades and feel lucky to have found this one. That's too bad they are hard to find in Australia.

[@MrSummitville]

Now that Orion Telescopes is *CLOSED* , and Orion owned Meade, what happened to rhe Meafr factory in Tijuana, Mexico? Is it closed, too?

[@tsulasbigadventures]

I have been researching this issue since I own quite a few Meade telescopes and can find nothing except according to Google the Meade Tijuana Factory is open today.

[@anata5127]

I still cannot understand why your preferences are with Meade but not 16-18” lightweight high quality Dobs. If I was in your location, it would not be “second thought” about purchasing dob. Another thing. Observatory could be very helpful for you.

[@tsulasbigadventures]

I own a 10" Dobsonian but it's too long to fit into my Jeep for travelling. That was why I went for the 10" Meade but it turned out to be a bad purchase as a travel telescope because it is just too heavy for me to heft onto a mount without the fear of dropping it. What company makes a lightweight 16-18" Dobsonian? Once you get over 10" on a Dob you are talking about a heavy telescope and long too. I'm open to suggestions because I like to travel to super dark sky sites every year. I purchased plans for a roll-off roof observatory and just yesterday hired a builder to build it for me. Where I live everything takes a very long time but eventually he will get it done. At that point I plan to put the 10" Mead onto my EQ6R Pro in the observatory forever and ever amen.

[@k.h.1587]

1st. How cliché youtube commenter of me

[@JamesAdams-ev6fc]

Very fun video, Tsula. Despite what you say, I think you must be quite strong. I have my eye on the 10 or 12 inch version and for a while I hope to be able to load one of them in place.

[@tsulasbigadventures]

Thank you! I used to be much stronger. Well, they are great telescopes and if you can handle the weight go for it!

[@ericwalker3368]

Like your videos. Have the telescope manufacturers come up new materials to lighten the primary mirror?

[@tsulasbigadventures]

Thank you. Someone told me that they add a weight to the mirror on this telescope. I have never heard of that but he said it can be removed. If so, I plan to remove it.

[@Stephen-gp8yi]

You need to hire a muscle man to do the donkey work!great bargain though for sure!

[@tsulasbigadventures]

I definitely need an assistant.

[@waltergold3457]

Excellent review except for mirror locking not being explained clearly enough to those of us inexpert in the workings of the SCT. And your scene with the seller was, I regret to say, worthy of Christopher Nolan. 🙂 (Sorry about that - late to the party, I saw a few days ago his most recent effusion and wasn't impressed, to say the least.)

[@tsulasbigadventures]

Walter: Why do you regret to say it's worthy of Christopher Nolan? My sister says Christopher Nolan is famous and great. What are you trying to say? I'm sorry I didn't explain mirror lock more thoroughly. I kind of thought that too but since I don't care for the feature since I believe it added to the excessive weight I didn't want to waste too much time on it. I can make a separate video about it later.

[@waltergold3457]

@@tsulasbigadventures Nolan's movies, on any subject, are less about the subject and more about the Nolan. The throbbing music, the rapid-fire dialogue, the disjointed timelines - they can work sometimes, in lighter works, but not in one of innate and inordinate gravity. The last thing Nolan needed to do was look like he'd appropriated history for the sake of aggrandizing himself.

[@gregerianne3880]

Congrats on getting a GREAT buy on the 10" LX200, Tsula!! That's terrific. Is the optical tube itself on the LX200 made of the same material as your LX85? Obviously, the larger mirror on the LX200 adds a good bit of weight, but 12 lbs to 30 lbs is really a big difference. And, why do you keep getting attacked by your telescopes and mounts?! Does JMI make portable, rolling cranes? %-}

[@jimcabezola3051]

I injured my right shoulder a number of years ago. It took a lot of exercise and working out to "fix" it while not damaging it further. Oddly enough, without actually trying to work in that particular direction, the strength in my arms increased to the point where my setting up my Celestron 8 stopped looking like the juggling efforts of a one-armed Capuchin monkey. I can FEEL your struggle with your 'scope, though... My Celestron 8 is less of a tussle in my back yard. Some times, though...I reach for my binoculars. 🤣🤣 Which reminds me: have you ever tried a pair of optically-stabilised binoculars? I have not, but the idea behind them sounds intriguing, so I wanted to ask. Please enjoy EVERY opportunity to get out under those big skies of yours. Aloha!

[@jackjennings6143]

I Wonder how the old sct's compare to these new ones. i just finished restoring my 10" 1988 Meade lx6 would be interesting to compare the two :)

[@ericbarnett6771]

I have an 8" LX6, and an 8" LX10. I have looked through the newer ACF OTA's and really couldn't see much of a difference. Maybe the ACF was a tad brighter. As always, proper collimation is key.

[@tsulasbigadventures]

I don't think I have ever looked through one. I guess the old ones didn't have the ACF or the UHTC. Maybe I could find one to borrow and compare.

[@Michael.Chapman]

A great question. Coatings today are presumably better. The Meade ACF design would likely give better performance than earlier ‘pure’ instruments. As for Celestrons, I have two vintage examples, a 1975 C5 (uncoated) and a 1989 C8. I’ve heard that the American made C5 of the ‘70s has brilliantly corrected optics, compared to reintroduced C5s of the early 2000s. I’ve also heard that C8s built close to the 1984 Halley’s Comet apparition were not too good-high demand caused Celestron tooling to wear and this led to some poorer optics. For both companies, I prefer the idea of’ American made’ versus Chinese-but have no evidence either way.

[@Astronurd]

Some Meade SCT's have a large metal counterweight inside behind the primary mirror. These can be removed easily resulting in a much lighter scope. Yours definitely looks like one of those models. I would look into this Tsula. Good luck 🤞.

[@tsulasbigadventures]

I have never heard of that. Thanks for the tip. I will definitely look into removing it.

[@MrSummitville]

​@@tsulasbigadventures Our Astronomy Club members have every size of Meade SCT's up to 12". None have a counterweight behind the primary mirror.

[@tsulasbigadventures]

@@MrSummitville I had never heard of that. And I have no intention of opening up the back of my 10" Meade. Anyway, someone told me how to get it onto the mount using a table and now I can get it onto the saddle without worrying about dropping it. It's a great telescope.

[@gee6607]

...or you can sell it. .to me 😢

[@tsulasbigadventures]

Ha ha. I looked at a video someone suggested demonstrating how to get it on the mount using a table. I'm going to give it a try.

[@christopherhamm1574]

Good morning Tsula! Please forgive my absence. Work has been chaotic, we bought a new RV and lots to do around the house… and to make matters worse your new videos have not been popping up in youtube. So I have some major catching up to do. I hope you are well. I still have my 10” mid 90’s LX50 SCT scope that has excellent optics. Sadly, I hear Meade and Orion have gone out of business…? This late breaking news is starting to make its way into facebook land. I hope it is just a rumor. Well Ive got some catching up to do here on this channel. Clear skies, Chris

[@tsulasbigadventures]

Hi Chris: Somehow I missed this comment until just now. I was wondering what happened to you. I'm glad to hear from you. Sky & Telescope reported that the Watsonville Office of Orion was closed and they laid everyone off. (If so, how can they still be taking orders?) That is very sad news for me. I bought my first telescope from Orion when they had a retail store in downtown San Francisco in the 1990s. And I also bought my first Meade from them-- that little iconic Meade ETX that I retrieved from my nephew. I am mad about it really. I told them months ago that their search engine on their web site was terrible and they ignored me. They refused to post my reviews of their products even though they were glowing reviews and they just seemed incompetent to me. I hope someone will come in and take over who knows what they are doing. Take care and clear skies to you.

[@markihde4381]

30# is a lot of telescope weight for anyone to safely handle by themselves, because it is awkward weight. That's the main reason my larger scopes don't get used as often as I'd like. My neighbor probably wouldn't appreciate getting phone calls at 1:00 AM to help me get my 40#, 6", f/12 refractor onto my equatorial mount. Nice to see that you use one of my favorite astronomy accessories -- a Telrad.

[@tsulasbigadventures]

It doesn't seem like much until you heft it up on the air a couple of times above shoulder level with all the weight on the back of the telescope and then you realize you are in over your head.

[@michaelhollman9470]

Thank you for sharing another wonderful and thoughtful video. Your advice on age and weight are spot on. I am substantially bigger than you are (6'8" - 265lbs.) and even I, with my aging back and shoulders, would not want to heft up that telescope by itself anymore (it would have been no problem when I was in my thirties - but I'm now in my sixties). Those are tasks best left for the young (like my son and son-in-law)! While I would never turn down a 10" LX200 if the price were right, I'm presently looking at the 8" SCT simply because I desire portability and would like to prevent myself from hurting my rusty joints any further! Keep up the great videos! I greatly appreciate your efforts and information!

[@tsulasbigadventures]

Thank you so much. The 8" is so much more practical and oh so much easier to handle and it's a great telescope too. You won't be disappointed if you get the 8".

[@ultrametric9317]

The other technique is to use a strong table and to set the scope down on the table on its front with the cover on - then manipulate it over to engage the mount, which has the saddle pointed straight up - once firmly attached, then put on the counterweights and rotate the scope out of the way and remove the table. People use this technique to mount up to C14s without assistance! But I always do the technique I mentioned below, and never have had a problem. My scope weighs 45 lbs. I'm a man but I'm no Schwarzenegger and I'm your age :)

[@tsulasbigadventures]

I had a table next to the mount to catch the telescope in case it wasn't fully engaged. The hardest part is getting the dovetail into the losmandy groove when I am not tall enough to see the groove. I will try to incorporate your suggestions. Thank you.

[@RobertRidgley]

Good lesson about weight. Now that I’m older I have several scopes and my rule is that no component can weight more than 20 pounds. I had a 10” LX 200 fork mount with an equatorial wedge 20 years ago and it was a handful since the OTA did not separate from the forks. Getting it mounted in the wedge was difficult them , now it would be impossible.

[@tsulasbigadventures]

I have the 12" Meade which is forked but it is permanently bolted to a JMI Wheeley Bar. I am not willing to take it off that peg again. Hopefully it will remain dark here long enough that I can keep it on the Wheeley Bar. I cannot imagine trying to get it onto that wedge. No way no how.

[@AI_Karen]

I like watching your videos it gives me encouragement to push harder

[@tsulasbigadventures]

Thank you. I'm glad to hear whenever I am having a positive impact.

[@k.h.1587]

It makes sense to just make one type of optics, but for a long time they were making both.

[@tsulasbigadventures]

I'm sure it's cheaper for them to manufacture that way.

[@brodymk45]

Have you ever made a telescope collection video? If not, you should!

[@tsulasbigadventures]

Oh dear that would take me forever just to drag them all out and set them up. I can try.

[@ronm6585]

Thanks Tsula. You got a great deal on that scope. 👍🏻

[@tsulasbigadventures]

Thanks. Well, we'll see if there is a follow up video of me in the hospital.

[@lindafinch8983]

Hi Tsula, a bit of a beast perhaps, but what a handsome one! Such a fantastic addition to your Meade family too. I’ve always kept a Meade telescope and love them for their build quality and their stability. I put small wheel units under each tripod leg of my 10” to move it outside and rarely need to separate the telescope from it’s base. I’m of similar age to you and this provides enough work out and allows me to enjoy great astronomy! Enjoy your new Meade it will be a favourite member of your Meade “family” Loved your program…I have telescope buying envy now!!!🤗🌙✨

[@tsulasbigadventures]

Hi Linda: Thanks! I am going to have to permanently attach it to a mount like I did with the 12". I thought it would be a good telescope for camping trips and it did make the trip very enjoyable to have so much aperture in dark sky sites but now that I am back home it needs to go on wheels like you suggested or some other permanent set up. Take care.

[@lindafinch8983]

@@tsulasbigadventures HI Tsula, if you are thinking of wheels for your telescope tripod this might interest you. I worked as a piano technician and we use wheels under each leg of a grand piano for moving the instrument. These can easily support 1100 lbs so a telescope is no problem! Try looking up Jahn Piano spiders supplied in sets of three. With a handy brake on each wheel set, you can steer, move and lock down your tripod and scope easily. Thick rubber tyres reduce vibration and save floor damage too! Hope you find this helpful🤗🌙

[@tsulasbigadventures]

@@lindafinch8983 Linda: I just looked it up and it sounds like an excellent idea. Thank you so much for the suggestion. I'm going to get a set. I am scared to death of putting that beastly telescope onto the mount but if I can leave it on there and wheel the whole mount outside I would get a lot more use out of it. Thank you! !

[@lindafinch8983]

@@tsulasbigadventures Hi Tsula, you’re welcome! I’m happy to think this will help you. If you have any questions or problems regarding the wheels feel free to contact me I’ll be pleased to help🤗🌙✨

[@tsulasbigadventures]

@@lindafinch8983 Thank you. I'll let you know if I have any issues. Thanks.

[@OlliesSpace]

Hey Tsula the video between you and the lady really made me laugh 😂 That looks like a real bargain. I also feel like amoungst ladies of your height and age, you are at least 50% stronger than most!!! I think my C925 would be a little better at 2.5kg lighter and still 2350mm although not ACF like this. On a serious note I heard lately that Meade and Orion are closing down which if true would be very sad. Clear skies to you. Ollie

[@tsulasbigadventures]

Hi Ollie: Thank you. I feel like a 90 pound weakling. I have tried to keep in shape as I get older but this telescope has conquered me. I should have gotten the 9.25 Celestron but alas I am a Meade gal. Yes, today I saw the article in S&T about Orion. Total mismanagement! There is no way they should be having troubles. I have tried to write them about their horrible web site with the worst search engine in the world and why on earth did they refuse to accept my reviews of their products which were glowing and highly praising? It makes me mad. I am hoping someone will buy the losers and bail them out. Clear skies to you.

[@k.h.1587]

I am pretty sure televue only has adapters that thread on the 2" sct threads. You are much better off removing that 2" sct plate off of the back of the scope and get a visual back that threads onto the 3.25" rear cell, because using the 2" plate obstructs the rear baffle. With 1.25" eyepieces it is not as much of an issue, but when going for the maximum 2" field of view, stars at the edge are choked off. Also, as i said in a previous issue, dont put the diagonal and eyepiece on before mounting it, those few pounds and the stuff jutting off the tube, even the light weight telrad can get in the way when lifting it onto the mount

[@tsulasbigadventures]

I did use a Televue adapter for this telescope and it allows me to use both 2" and 1.25" eyepieces with no choked off stars. I don't remember you telling me to take off the diagonal and eyepiece before mounting but I will keep that in mind although I think I need to purchase a Jib to lift this telescope.

[@k.h.1587]

@tsulasbigadventures just because you don't see visible vignetting does not mean fainter stars are not visible at the edge. I used to think the same thing, that the Peterson eye opener concept was not needed, because I saw what appeared to be a fully illuminated field based on the sky background in my c11 when I was still attaching the diagonal via the 2" threads. Then one time I happened to be defocused and noticed the donuts were cut off on one side in the outer portion of the field, so I switched to 2 different options, first my manager sold me his jmi microfocuser that attached directly to the 3.25" rear cell, and that made that issue go away and there were many more stars at the edge of my field. The 2nd being an astrophysics visual back that did the same, which is what I eventually settled on. Currently with my 10" meade I use the same JMI focuser, which happens to be more enjoyable being controlled by the meade hand controller, with the focuser plugged into the drive base, that it was with the older version jmi hand controller / battery box, which moved it too slowly. It was in a bag of parts the tweakers didn't take in my storage. What is the biggest/widest/lowest power eyepiece you use? You may still be in the range . where you aren't losing as much

[@tsulasbigadventures]

@@k.h.1587 I have a 56mm 2" eyepiece and a 40mm Televue Plossl that is 1.25".

[@k.h.1587]

@tsulasbigadventures with the 56mm it will be an improvement, and just in general it is a bad idea to obstruct the baffle in any scope. I'm not sure if it effectively reduces aperture, or just the outer part of the field, but either way, for about $100 it is worth it to have a fully unobstructed scope, especially if you use that 56mm eyepiece a lot. Which I personally do when in dark skies. Otherwise I prefer 40mm superwide and 28-31mm range ultrawide. All have about the same true field, but different exit pupils and apparent fields.

[@tsulasbigadventures]

@@k.h.1587 I use the 56mm often for large objects like NGC7000 or IC1318 but I am not clear why you think I should replace my Televue SCT adapter. It screws directly onto the back of the telescope.