From: Mark Gaffney <markgaffney@me.com>

Date: January 3, 2010 1:55:41 PM MST

To: astro_IIDC@yahoogroups.com

Subject: GSO RC`s

Hi Milton & others,

There`s been some discussion on the SCT users group (initiated by me) about comparisons between the new cheaper style of Ritchey Chretien scopes & the new Celestron Edge HD ones. I`ve noticed these GSO ones for sale locally (& they`re cheaper than the Edge scopes) I think if you scroll down to Guan Sheng on this site & go down that page a little you`ll see them;

http://www.andrewscom.com.au/site-section-10.htm

Rod Mollise believes these scopes`ll remove coma alright but introduce their own problems of astigmatism & curvature of field. Michael Bieler from Astronomics I believe, has volunteered to the discussion the information that a 0.75 reducer is in the offing for these scopes but Rod upon further questioning says the place to start with them is to replace the focuser. I know you were showing an interest Milton in similar Orion astrographs at one stage. What would be your & others considered opinion of them be..I haven`t got sufficient funds to buy even one of these  8" OTA`s but who knows later in the year?

Mark.