TheSkySearchers

So, I used to own a second hand EDGE1100HD, and it had some mirror flop issues, so I sold it. I am currently using an f4 12 inch newt, and find using it visually a real pain. So I am considering going back to an SCT and wondered if anyone has an experience with the Meade ACF f10 12, compared to the EDGE1100HD? Out of the box, is mirror flop better with one than the other? I havent seen many Meades for sale second hand, and thats either because no one buys them or they dont sell them because they like them.
Are there any benefits from the Edge compared to the Meade?

Thanks

Paul

Hi Paul,

The Celestron Edge telescopes are supposed to have mirror locks on them to prevent mirror flop. Were the mirror locks not installed or non-functional on the Edge telescope that you used?

Cheers,
JT

I used to own a 9.25 Edge and had no issues whatsoever with mirror flop. In this and other regards it outperformed the plain vanilla 9.25 SCT. I'm considering as a large cat, either the 11" Edge or the Vixen VMC260L.

I've been thinking/planning to someday buy a Celestron 11" Edge HD (to put in my future/someday observatory!) so I would like to learn more about this issue! So far, I have been leaning fairly heavily toward the Celestron 11" Edge HD rather than the competing Meade 12" LX200 ACF, specifically because: (1) there is less field curvature in the Edge HD, and my eyes aren't getting any younger, and (2) my fear that the electronics in Meade's mount just might fail catastrophically, like apparently many have done in the past, and then that Meade might abandon me (based on reports I've read with horror, on various astronomy forums) with no way to fix/service it if that happens. Reliability of hardware is a big deal! Now, if Meade were to offer a superior product warranty (say 5+ years, and preferably 10) I might consider the Meade. But at present, the Celestron warranty is actually the better one (2 yrs, vs 1 yr for Meade) and I also don't see people posting complaints of the Celestron mounts failing.

I own the EdgeHD11 and the optics are excellent. As for the mirror flop, there is a little, the mirror locks work but if you are planning AP with autofocusing you wont be able to use the locks. The flop is there but very small - manageable. It generally shows up after a meridian flip.

Mirror flop seems to be inherently part of SCTs, look at the newer classical cassigrains if you can find some.

My 12 " Meade was put together poorly, lots of backlash on the mirror focuser, I had to retap the knob because it wasn't taped correctly, so I can only advise a hit or miss, other then that the performance is pretty good. I would bite the bullet and get a crayford focuser. My opinion is that celestron seems to have better qa and support and overall a slightly better product only based on online readings and having a meade 12"

It seems that it is hit and miss with mirror flop. My 8" SCT (the newest model) has almost none, and older EdgeHD 9.25" has more. However, you can get external focuser and lock EdgeHD mirror.