Celestron C6-N Newtonian VX GOTO any good for Astrophotography?

[tinmanjo]

Hi, I would like to get into Astrophotography but my budget is around £800, I am not a newbie to astronomy but I do consider myself an newbie to Astro CCD stuff .  I have had a 200p Dob for a while and would like to move on to imaging, I found one for my budget from First Light Optics - Celestron C6-N Newtonian Advanced VX GOTO.  Although it is a basic OTA and needs an autoguider camera, camera holder  and eye pieces, I have limited budget and do not wish to spend stupid amounts like you do with  the HEQ5 Pro.   The VX is the same price in 3 different shops so I am guessing that its a good bargain, considering the mount is good.

Does anyone have any experience with this setup?

[Christopher Davenport]

Hi there,

Sorry I don't have experience with the VX, but I have read that it is a good mount, comparable to a HEQ5. 

I had to go through this decision making process last year.

The CN6 is essentially a 150p and costs very little, so they are throwing it in free with the mount.

To compare apples with apples, a HEQ5 syntrek + 150p would set you back about £630 + £180  = £810

Whereas the VX Cn6 comes in at £765 so that's £50 cheaper, which is a compelling case from Celestron.

However based on the adoption rates by Europeans, I would say that very few VX's are shipping.

I don't know why this is? Anybody else know why?

Some personal thoughts on this issue:

- The HEQ5 is a well tested mount, known and loved by many and very well recommended.

- EQMOD support for Skywatcher mounts ... 

- The perception is that Celestron focus is on Cassegrains and fork mounts. (good for planetary, but a pain for long exposure.)

- May be it is to US focused so support is less here in Europe?

My understanding is that Orion, Sky watcher and Celestron mounts are all made by the same company anyway, but the designs are different.

Either way, I had a grand last year and I spend it like this to get myself started in astro. (All used kit off Astro buy sell and ebay.)

DSLR 600D for £200 + Baader Mod for £150

EQ5 Pro Mount for £350

80ED for £200

Focal Reducer for £80

These took me some significant searching and negotiations to stay under the mark. (takes some self control.)

Hope this helps you in your thinking.

[Blazar]

I have a VX and think its a very tidy mount indeed. There are quite a few members here on SGL that use them now.

Here is a thread that started off:

http://stargazerslounge.com/topic/206752-celestron-advanced-vx-mount/

I like the All Star Polar Align  feature and that has worked well...though I will be guiding in the future...

I don't think you will regret buying one.

Regards

[tinmanjo]

Thank you  for the replies, they have been most helpful.   I think I am leaning towards the VX,  I like the look of the PEC, so it has in built error checking.    The focuser could be replaced but those are just niddly addons, I will probably likely replace the OTA, also I will  need an auto guider at some point, something like the Orion Star Shooter but this will be a next purchase.  

@Blazar - Thanks for the link.

[MickODee]

@tinmanjo, did you get the Celestron AVX in the end? I am looking into it all too as I want to progress into more decent astrophotography and I have been looking at Skywatchers HEQ5 and EQ6 and then I found this https://www.firstlightoptics.com/advanced-vx-goto/celestron-c8-n-newtonian-vx-goto.html

 

[Bagnaj97]

On 9/12/2017 at 01:18, MickODee said:

@tinmanjo, did you get the Celestron AVX in the end? I am looking into it all too as I want to progress into more decent astrophotography and I have been looking at Skywatchers HEQ5 and EQ6 and then I found this https://www.firstlightoptics.com/advanced-vx-goto/celestron-c8-n-newtonian-vx-goto.html

 

I started off with the AVX+C6-n combo and it worked well enough, although the stock focuser is terrible. I think the C8-n would be too much for imaging on the AVX, especially once you start adding a camera/coma corrector/guiding etc. It should be ok for visual use.

I'd look at HEQ5 or AVX with 130P-DS/150P-DS/ED80 to start with.

[Freddie]

Good to see you have a reply as that thread is 3 years old and "tinmanjo" hasn't logged on for over 2 years !!!