Re: Meade and SCTs / MCTs in general

Hi:

Paul Murphy wrote:
> 1. What are the odds they are planning a 10in Maksutov on the new RCX mount?

Only they know, but from what _I_ know and have heard? Doubtful. The 7
inch MCT hasn't exactly been a sales giant for them. I doubt that they
could sell a 10 MCT "RCX" for what they sell the 14 for...another major
consideration.

>
> 2. Any idea why Celestron is only using the different mirror geometry on
> the 9.25 and why neither they nor Meade are making other scopes of the
> same geometry even though it apparently has real advantages optically?

There isn't any "different mirror geometry" on the 9.25. Not much,
anyway. They are basically the same as the other scopes: spherical
primary, _slightly_ aspherical secondary usually. The only difference
in the 9.25 is a slightly larger native focal ratio for the primary.
The reason I stress this is that there was a rumor going around for a
while that the 9.25 had a parabolic primary (!). ;-)

>
> 3. Why has it been decades since either Meade or Celestron have really
> made significant geometrical changes to their SCTs optics (not coatings,
> mounts and electronics) but the actual design? At first I thought just
> to save manufacturing costs, but they must have retooled their shops a
> couple of times in the last 25 years.

The design they have works pretty well, and, given the prices consumers
expect to pay, they've been wary of changing. Meade _is_ taking a
chance with its new SCT design, the RCX, which is a lot of what SCT
users have CLAIMED they've wanted over the years. NOW we'll see if we
really wanted these things bad enough to PAY for 'em. ;-)

>
> --
> Clear Skies,
>
> Paul Murphy
>

Same to ya.

Peace,
Rod Mollise
Author of _Choosing and Using a Schmidt Cassegrain Telescope_
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