From: Mark Gaffney <markgaffney@me.com>

Date: January 30, 2011 7:58:38 PM MST

To: Astro_IIDC@yahoogroups.com

Subject: Re: [Astro_IIDC] OT: Astro-Tech 8" RC Astrograph

Milton, 

Here`s a review of the Guan Sheng 8" RC I bookmarked some months ago..

As you probably realise this is the same scope you`re looking at under a different moniker..

Hope it`s of some use to you..

http://www.cloudynights.com/item.php?item_id=2006

Mark.

On 30/01/2011, at 1:32 PM, milton_aupperle wrote:

Hi Folks;

This is definitely OT (Off Topic), but my 8" Celestron SCT is 5 years old and has all the issues that the old models have (i.e. mirror flop, collimation, shifting focus, shifting position when focussing, no mirror locks etc.). It's fine for visual and lunar / planetary - but not for DSO's or Photometry. So I'm looking into buying a new scope for my HEQ5. An 8" is about as big as I can go without replacing the mount.

I'd like to know if any of you have had any direct experience with the Astro-Tech 8" RC Astrograph:

http://www.astronomytechnologies.com/product.asp?id=15477&c=10607

at all? I've read good reviews about it online and in S&T too.

All though the Edged HD 8" scopes are nice, I've read reviews of people still having some of the same issues I'm having (i.e. mirror shift when focussing, collimation etc.), so they are lower down on my list of alternatives

Thanks in advance for any suggestions..

Milton Aupperle