While going though my astro/computer room tonight and setting up the Orion telescope on the CGEM for some stuff I am working on I came across some old photos within picture archives. I believe these images are taken back in 2003 not long after my LX-200 12″ GPS arrived. I am very fond of the 12″ LX-200 GPS UHTC. This is one awesome and very capable telescope. I shared many great nights under the stars with friends and family exploring the heavens in Alt/Az sharing my first real experiences with an excellent visual telescope.
12" LX-200 GPS with Sac-8 attached (2003)
I still have my LX-200 and will never part with it. This is an excellent telescope which was tweaked throughout the years and a real performing goto telescope. I do hope that I will find some room to have this permanently mounted when the Observatory and warm room go up this year. I am contemplating having a pier for the LX in either a roll off building setup or a roll off roof. I enjoy having nothing between me and stars when operating in Alt/Az. My plans with my observatory will definitely include the LX-200.
Setting up to view Mars
Along with the LX-200 came some power requirements while I was setup in remote places. I whipped together a very cool and portable power supply setup which had 4- 12 volt automotive style receptors strategically located on it. Hidden under the hood of this power supply was a 110aH gel cell deep cycle marine battery. Not pictured was a 750 watt 120V power inverter to power the laptop. I still have this setup and use it often when a remote location is desired.
Field power supply and desktop..This unit breaks down in 3 minutes for Transport
The LX and gear stashed in the corner of my old apartment
Looking through some of these old pictures reminds me of some simpler times. The mount and scope was large, but I had a very portable setup which could be put across the backseat of my car and driven anywhere within minutes. Field setup times could be accomplished in about twenty minutes by a single person. The LX-200 GPS is a great telescope and one I am very proud to own. When I crave large aperture and planets this will always be the scope I reach for. There is nothing more enjoyable sometimes then to hop objects visually under the stars without the worries of setting up for imaging or worrying whether one has brought all the proper cables to hook up with. I look forward in the future to setting the LX back up and spending some hours under the starlit sky hopping object to object and viewing the skies through my faithful LX-200 with my APO attached.
Looking direct to the East-Southfield, Ma 2003
The LX-200 GPS was my first real telescope I have owned. The only other telescope I owned before this was a cheap store-bought refractor back around 1980. I have spent many hours at many locations with the LX-200GPS and every time it performs perfectly. The LX-200 does need a bit of tweaking and one must have a good working knowledge of the telescope. If anyone is interested in starting out in astronomy the LX-200 represents a great choice. The 12″ may be large for some but is an investment that keeps on giving.
Sideview of Sac-8 Amplifier and Kendrick Dew Heater Attached
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