1

The Past, Present and Future of the Schmidt Cassegrain

Telescope

Rod MolliseRod MolliseALCON 2003ALCON 2003

NashvilleNashville

2

Do You Like Cats?!

3

No! REAL Cats!…CATADIOPTRICS!

Yes? You’ve come to the right place!

4

The PastThe Original Celestron SCT

The SCT design had been around for a while, but it took Tom Johnson The SCT design had been around for a while, but it took Tom Johnson to figure out how to mass produce it. This is his prototype 18.5” in 1963to figure out how to mass produce it. This is his prototype 18.5” in 1963

5

The PastCelestron Pacific Is Born

This is the This is the Down With LoveDown With Love Telescope, the famous Telescope, the famous Celestron Pacific 10, which all of us dreamed of owning Celestron Pacific 10, which all of us dreamed of owning and none of us could afford (2000 1964 dollars!)…and none of us could afford (2000 1964 dollars!)…

6

The PastThe Earth Shook!

In 1970, Celestron introduced the In 1970, Celestron introduced the legendary “Orange Tube” C8. This was the legendary “Orange Tube” C8. This was the

telescope that made the SCT relatively telescope that made the SCT relatively affordable…affordable…

7

The PastCelestron’s Success Didn’t Go Unnoticed

The Criterion Dynamax was a telescope The Criterion Dynamax was a telescope that was intended to better the Orange Tube that was intended to better the Orange Tube

for a lower price. It failed…for a lower price. It failed…

8

The PastCriterion Was Never Much of a Threat, and Celestron Had 10 Years of Sunny Days with SCT Sales Almost All to

Themselves.

9

The PastUntil 1980…

Meade’s new 2080 was a groundbreaking Meade’s new 2080 was a groundbreaking scope that did improve on the C8 in at least scope that did improve on the C8 in at least

one way…one way…

10

The PastThrough the 80s, Both Companies Made

Significant Advances—adding DC Motors and Other Features to the Basic

Telescopes.

11

The PastThey Also Added Larger and Smaller Telescopes to Fill-out Their Product Lines: 4s, 5s, 8s, 10s,11s and 14s.

12

The PastHalley-Mania Turned Out Not to be a

Good Thing for Either Company

In the course of trying to meet demand In the course of trying to meet demand from a suddenly scope-crazy public, Meade from a suddenly scope-crazy public, Meade and Celestron wore out their tools and their and Celestron wore out their tools and their

workforces.workforces.

13

The PastThe Post-Halley Telescope Depression was bad for Meade and Celestron, but

fatal for the Dynamax.

The Bausch and Lomb 8001 Pro Was the Best “Dynamax” The Bausch and Lomb 8001 Pro Was the Best “Dynamax” ever, but following Halley, the Company ended all SCT ever, but following Halley, the Company ended all SCT

Production…Production…

14

The PastWhile Meade and Celestron Were

Putting Themselves Back Together, a New Player Came on the Scene!

The Takahashi TSC225 was a beautiful scope, but The Takahashi TSC225 was a beautiful scope, but it was quite expensive at nearly $4000.00, and was it was quite expensive at nearly $4000.00, and was

ultimately not a success…ultimately not a success…

15

The Past

But What Was the Most Historic SCT Event of the 80s?

Hint: Hint: SomebodySomebody Built the First Built the First Commercial Goto SCT…Commercial Goto SCT…

16

The Past The Celestron Compustar

Celestron was there Celestron was there first in 1986 with a first in 1986 with a goto SCT, the goto SCT, the Compustar, eventually Compustar, eventually available in 8, 11, and available in 8, 11, and 14 inch apertures. 14 inch apertures. Unfortunately, a few Unfortunately, a few bugs and a high price, bugs and a high price, $22,000.00 list, for $22,000.00 list, for the 14 doomed it.the 14 doomed it.

17

The Past Post-Halley, Meade’s Efforts Focused

Mainly on Developing and Marketing an SCT of a New Type

The LX6 featured an The LX6 featured an OTA with a focal ratio OTA with a focal ratio of f/6.3. The previous of f/6.3. The previous

flagship scope, the LX5 flagship scope, the LX5 stayed on to provide stayed on to provide f/10 optics for those f/10 optics for those suspicious of 6.3…suspicious of 6.3…

18

The PastMeanwhile, Celestron Offered Several

Models of Its Increasingly Sophisticated DC Drive Powerstar

19

The PastThe Top of the Line for Celestron Was

the Ultima 8, However The Ultima 8, soon The Ultima 8, soon

joined by an Ultima joined by an Ultima 11, is remembered as a 11, is remembered as a classic by many classic by many amateurs. With it’s amateurs. With it’s heavy-duty fork, it heavy-duty fork, it was one of the best was one of the best non-goto non-goto astrophotography astrophotography scopes ever made.scopes ever made.

20

The PastThen in 1992 a Telescope Came

Along That Changed Everything!

21

The PastThe LX200 (1992): An Historic

Breakthrough

Not because it was Not because it was much more advanced much more advanced than the Compustar than the Compustar initially, but because it initially, but because it was affordable, was affordable, surprisingly surprisingly affordable, at affordable, at $1995.00 for the 8 and $1995.00 for the 8 and $2295.00 for the 10.$2295.00 for the 10.

22

The PastFollowing the LX200 Intro, Meade

Revamped the Rest of the Product Line

Introduced the LX100Introduced the LX100 Revived the basic Revived the basic

20802080 Revived the 2045 as Revived the 2045 as

the 2045Dthe 2045D

23

The PastFollowing the LX200 Debut, Celestron

Searched for Direction Reintroduced a spur Reintroduced a spur

gear telescope, the gear telescope, the Classic 8.Classic 8.

““Astrophoto scopes” Astrophoto scopes” on heavy-duty on heavy-duty Losmandy mounts.Losmandy mounts.

Brought back the Brought back the good, old C5.good, old C5.

24

The PastThe 9.25 Was the First New Celestron

OTA in Quite a Few Years

The 9.25 really caught on, albeit slowly, finally The 9.25 really caught on, albeit slowly, finally attaining an almost legendary status today.attaining an almost legendary status today.

25

The PastThe Celestron Ultima 2000 (U2K)

“The LX200 Buster” Just Didn’t Make It

26

The PastMeade Also Introduced Some New SCTs

As the Century Wound Down

The LX50 Was The LX50 Was a PECless DC a PECless DC Drive Scope Drive Scope

Available in 8 Available in 8 and 10 Inch and 10 Inch Apertures.Apertures.

27

The PastThe 2045 Disappeared, Replaced by a

Little MCT, the “ETX” ““Everybody’s Everybody’s

Telescope” was one of Telescope” was one of the most revolutionary the most revolutionary CATs in years.CATs in years.

It started life with a It started life with a simple RA drive, but simple RA drive, but went on to gain a went on to gain a computer and goto as computer and goto as the ETX EC.the ETX EC.

28

The PastAt About This Time, Many Celestron Fans Became Concerned About the

Health of the Company

Celestron, You See, Had Been Celestron, You See, Had Been Bought-out by Notorious Department Bought-out by Notorious Department

Store Telescope Importer, Tasco. Store Telescope Importer, Tasco. Meade Just Seemed to Go From Meade Just Seemed to Go From

Strength to Strength While Celestron Strength to Strength While Celestron Featured the Same, Old Boring Stuff. Featured the Same, Old Boring Stuff.

29

The PastFinally, Competition for the ETX in the

Form of the Nexstar 5 The Nexstar 5 featured The Nexstar 5 featured

the classic C5 OTA, the classic C5 OTA, and less plastic than and less plastic than the ETX.the ETX.

The NS5 was soon The NS5 was soon joined by the NS8, joined by the NS8, also with a single-arm also with a single-arm fork mount.fork mount.

30

Yes, Things Seemed to Be Looking up for Celestron

UNTIL, in May 2002, Amateurs Received Word That It’s Parent Company TASCO Had Filed for

Bankruptcy!

31

But This Turned Out to Be a Good Thing. Celestron International Was No More, but Celestron Was Reborn As an Independent Entity, Its Assets Bought-out by a Team of Former Management Personnel…

32

The PresentActually, Things Had Been Improving

for Celestron for a While Before the End of Tasco…

33

The PresentMost People Are Most Curious About the GPS Capability of This Telescope. Does It Work? What Does It Do for the

Astronomer?

Faster scope Faster scope setup.setup.

(Possibly) more (Possibly) more accurate goto.accurate goto.

Future uses.Future uses.

34

The PresentBut GPS Is Probably the Least

Significant Advance for the Nexstar GPS Ergonomic handles.Ergonomic handles. Slip-ring routes Slip-ring routes

signals, so there is no signals, so there is no problem with twisted problem with twisted cables and no need for cables and no need for “hard stops.”“hard stops.”

Carbon Fiber Tube.Carbon Fiber Tube. Reasonable price.Reasonable price.

35

The PresentAnd the New Celestrons Just Kept

Coming!

36

The PresentCelestron Has Also Reworked the

Original Nexstars, the 5 and 8.

37

The PresentThe Celestron Advanced Series

Inexpensive Inexpensive goto scopes goto scopes on Chinese on Chinese GEMs.GEMs.

Available Available with 5, 8 and with 5, 8 and 9.25” SCT 9.25” SCT OTAs.OTAs.

38

The PresentThere’ve Also Been Many Changes at

Meade, but I’m Happy One Thing Remains the Same!

39

The PresentMeade, Like Celestron, Has Not Been Idle, Revamping Their Entire Product

Line Over the Last Several Years

The LX 50 is The LX 50 is gone.gone.

Non-goto Non-goto ETX90 has ETX90 has been phased been phased out.out.

New LXes.New LXes.

40

The PresentThe LX 90, the First of the New Meade

Goto Scopes. One of the most solid, One of the most solid,

friendly scopes I’ve friendly scopes I’ve used.used.

Excellent goto Excellent goto accuracy.accuracy.

No cord wrap.No cord wrap. Full-featured Autostar Full-featured Autostar

computer.computer.

41

The PresentThe Second Wave of New Meade Gotos. Like the Celestron Like the Celestron

Advanced Series, Advanced Series, these are U.S. Made these are U.S. Made OTAs on imported OTAs on imported (Chinese) GEMs.(Chinese) GEMs.

Only SCT offered is Only SCT offered is an 8. The other scopes an 8. The other scopes are refractors and are refractors and Schmidt Newtonians.Schmidt Newtonians.

42

The PresentBut This Is the One We Were

Waiting For…

43

The PresentMeade Obviously Had to Produce a GPS

and They Did It in a Big Way. After 10 years of After 10 years of

fame, the original fame, the original LX200 was history.LX200 was history.

The new scope The new scope features GPS, a huge features GPS, a huge object library, a mirror object library, a mirror lock, a motorized lock, a motorized crayford focuser and crayford focuser and more.more.

44

The Future! Where Is the SCT Going in the

Next 30 Years?

45

The FutureMaybe Here?The Toastar!

46

The FutureOr Here?

The Mixstar

47

The FutureOr My Personal Favorite:

The Beerstar

48

The FutureBut Probably Here

49

The FutureThe Joys of a Real Computerized Scope

No need to bring a No need to bring a computer into the computer into the field.field.

Run a planetarium Run a planetarium program on your program on your scope.scope.

Take CCD images Take CCD images without a computer.without a computer.

Talk to your scope.Talk to your scope.

50

The FutureBut There May Be a Limit to the Fancy

New Features

51

The FutureSomething Will Eventually Have to

Give.

52

The FutureWhat Will Probably NOT Happen?

Premium SCTs

53

The FutureWhat I Don’t Expect to See

Built-in CCD cameras: CCDs are getting better Built-in CCD cameras: CCDs are getting better and cheaper every day. Who wants to be locked-in and cheaper every day. Who wants to be locked-in to one camera?to one camera?

Built-in image intensifiers: Unless they get better Built-in image intensifiers: Unless they get better and cheaper in a hurry.and cheaper in a hurry.

Internet ready telescopes: Some amateurs are Internet ready telescopes: Some amateurs are experimenting in this area, but this is too much of experimenting in this area, but this is too much of a niche market for Meade and Celestron.a niche market for Meade and Celestron.

Really big SCTs: Rumors of a C18 Really big SCTs: Rumors of a C18 notwithstanding! notwithstanding!

54

The FutureWhat Do I Want?

My wants are really My wants are really simple: built-in dew simple: built-in dew heaters. I’m just so heaters. I’m just so tired of the cables tired of the cables and control boxes and control boxes and power cords! Is and power cords! Is that too much to that too much to ask?! ask?!

55

The FutureWhat is my final prediction?

56

Want to Learn More? Shameless Plug!

http://members.aol.com/rmollise/index.html

57

But you don’t HAVE to buy anything to learn more about SCTs!

http://members.aol.com/rmollise/index4.html

58

OH! THOSE CELESTRON GIRLS!

59

60

And Never Forget:

SCTs ROCK!

61