In November 2005 I bought my LX200 telescope and I was quietly looking for a suitable and affordable guidescope.
I could use my 400mm SLR Photolens but I wanted a better solution.
And I also was on the lookout for a better travel scope ...
On December 8, 2005 I spotted an advert in the newpaper: just like last year supermarket chain Lidl offered a telescope at a modest price.
I remembered that my good friend Carsten Arnholm had bought the same scope and mount last year, so I did not hesitate and went to the local Lidl shop: they had plenty in stock.
A very nice maintenance page (in German but with pics !) by Stefan Gross
Here is how I motorized this Astro-3 mount
Easier/faster focusing
RA Coarse Clamping worn out
Star test and some images
Autoguiding Tutorial
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The Lidl advert [in Dutch] The price is in Euros |
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The box. |
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The bottom of the box ... |
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It is absolutely impossible that these example images - on the last page of the manual - were captured with this scope, as this part of the moon can only be viewed and imaged from a space craft ... just look where Mare Crisium is ... *laughs* |
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First time setup Optics: Bresser Skylux Refractor; aperture: 70mm f/10; focal length 700mm Mount: Astro-3, not motorized Eyepiece holder diameter: size 1.25 inch 3 Kellner eye pieces: 4 - 12 - 20mm Dew cap |
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A closer look. |
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The OTA carries the Bresser label. |
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The equatorial head. |
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Tripod legs: round metal tubes; the tripod hinges are plastic. |
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The OTA mounted in the LX200 piggy back rings: the rail nicely fits in the dovetail clamp. Note: you can also see the clamp which provisionally held the EQ1 motor.
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The EQ1 RA Simple Drive motor provisionally attached: it works! Here is how I motorized this Astro-3 mount
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A leftover piece of square aluminium tube [4x2 cm], 2 bolts and the ETX70 is ready to ride the dovetail of my Astro-3 mount, so now the ETX70 has not only found a mount but also a wedge and thus can be operated in Polar Mode now. The original clamping bolt of the dovetail was too short, but a piece of threaded rod and a knob quickly solved this problem. |
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February 24, 2006. My LX200 telescope with piggy-backed Lidl scope
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In August 2009 I bought this Acuter Merlin Motorised Multi-Function Mount and Tripod, mainly to be used as travel mount for my Coronado PST and the OTA of my Skylux scope. Here is a fine review written by Steve Wainwright. |
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After having used the Astro-3 mount for some time - though mainly as travel mount only - I noticed that when tightening the RA Coarse adjustment clamp the aim was no longer true: during tightening something caused a highly unwelcome misadjustment. After disassembly I found a deep grove in a plastic bus; this groove was a wear-and-tear result of the fastening the RA bolt. As a temporary solution I mounted the plastic bus upside down, so that the RA bolt now has a fresh surface to work on. But certainly it will not take long before a new groove has been made, so the hunt for a lasting solution is on. |
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I thought hard and deep how to fix the problem: I needed something springy, very flat and strong as steel. Suddenly I remembered that years ago I had owned a Flat Squeeze Coin Purse which closed itself by flat pieces of steel, so called blue tempered spring steel. The springs in winding clocks are made of the same material and I think your local clockmaker can help you out. I searched my goodies box and immediately found one of the strips I had salvaged from the long worn out purse. |
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Here the steel strip is mounted inside the RA part of the mount: it is the curved piece of thin metal. I do not think I need to fasten it in any way: because of the springy nature it holds itself nicely in place and has nowhere to go. Also the RA clamping bolt - in top top of the image - will see to that. I did some tests: the RA is firmly clamped, so for the time being I consider this problem FIXED ! |