Celestron C8-N GT/Skywatcher Explorer 200P (HEQ5 PRO) opinions please?

[Stormwatch]

You can choose to slew at a slower rate but you have to choose the speed before every slew or it defaults to it's fastest (and loudest) rate

I really don't understand that. Isn't this the same software as my Nexstar 102 SLT? That doesn't default back to the fastest slew rate, it stays the same as you set it. :? How can Celestron get it so right for a cheaper, entry level scope, yet make such a balls up of a more advanced setup?

[maroon bells]

You can choose to slew at a slower rate but you have to choose the speed before every slew or it defaults to it's fastest (and loudest) rate

But you still can't stop it slewing at max on set up, I just tried it and it seems to ignore any lower speeds that you enter. Perhaps we can all email them for a firmware upgrade.

[Whippy]

But it's not such a balls up! It is only a bit noisy compared to other mounts, I've been told a Meade LX200 is a lot noisier and that's a few quid more than the Celestron!

The upgradable software bit tends to be for things like small bugs in the software and things like that. Different mounts use different software. What's more of a joke with trying to upgrade is that they use 9 pin RS232 ports which haven't been seen on PC's since the dark ages. So you need to buy the hand control lead AND a RS232 to USB adapter to make it work. Even worse it the motor control update. For that you'll need the port controller thingy which is about 60 quid!

But, it works straight out of the box perfectly well so it's not like you NEED to do it.

Why don't you take a trip to an astro shop and demo one? Get one slewing and stand 10 feet back. If you feel you couldn't get on with it, then spend the extra pennies on the HEQ5 package. Opinions are like backsides mate, everyone's got one. Something like this which could be a dealbreaker for you, I'd go and hear one in the flesh.

The HEQ5 is whisper-quiet in use. Even when slewing it has a smooth, almost 'cool' sound

But those EQ6's have that great high pitched 'phasing' sound that takes me back to my music making days. Class....

[Stormwatch]

But it's not such a balls up! It is only a bit noisy compared to other mounts, I've been told a Meade LX200 is a lot noisier and that's a few quid more than the Celestron!

The upgradable software bit tends to be for things like small bugs in the software and things like that. Different mounts use different software. What's more of a joke with trying to upgrade is that they use 9 pin RS232 ports which haven't been seen on PC's since the dark ages. So you need to buy the hand control lead AND a RS232 to USB adapter to make it work. Even worse it the motor control update. For that you'll need the port controller thingy which is about 60 quid!

But, it works straight out of the box perfectly well so it's not like you NEED to do it.

Why don't you take a trip to an astro shop and demo one? Get one slewing and stand 10 feet back. If you feel you couldn't get on with it, then spend the extra pennies on the HEQ5 package. Opinions are like backsides mate, everyone's got one. Something like this which could be a dealbreaker for you, I'd go and hear one in the flesh.

The HEQ5 is whisper-quiet in use. Even when slewing it has a smooth, almost 'cool' sound

But those EQ6's have that great high pitched 'phasing' sound that takes me back to my music making days. Class....

I would LOVE to go to a shop and test out scopes. But the only shop anywhere within 300 miles of me only sells Meade stuff, which I have no interest in. So I'm reliant on opinions in places such as this.

[Whippy]

It's a shame, because from here this (ahem) sounds like the noise factor could be a dealbreaker for you. Other than that, I'd heartily recommend the setup as it's got what you need for comparatively little outlay. Have you tried your local astro society? Maybe someone's got one there you could check out.

[Stormwatch]

It's a shame, because from here this (ahem) sounds like the noise factor could be a dealbreaker for you. Other than that, I'd heartily recommend the setup as it's got what you need for comparatively little outlay. Have you tried your local astro society? Maybe someone's got one there you could check out.

Hehehe, my local astro society, while being great (I enjoyed the one meeting I've been to) seems to have not one telescope between them. So that's a no-go.

I wouldn't say the noise is a deal breaker, it's the combination of the rough tracking AND the noise. I'd like to at least track for 30 seconds or so and I'm not sure the C8-N can manage that, no one's told me it can yet. So, while I don't want to shell out an extra £300 I'd rather do that and get a setup that will last me for a good few years rather than get something that will have me fed up in a couple of months because it cant track properly.

It really is hard, scopes cost a lot of money. The fact you're defending the C8-N says a lot though, it's clearly something worth defending! I'm sure I'd love it if I got one, so I'm certainly not ruling it out. All opinions are welcome, the more the better, so I can make my decision. There's no rush anyway. I don't really have £800 to spend here, it's not like I can get either a £500 scope and £300 worth of Naglers, OR an £800 scope. I'm just willing to pay up to around £800 to get a solid setup I wont want rid of shortly.

I'd rather spend £500 though!

[Whippy]

Fair enough mate, no point in spending more that you have to! As you say you're in no rush, the stars will still be there....

[Stormwatch]

Fair enough mate, no point in spending more that you have to! As you say you're in no rush, the stars will still be there....

That's it, I still have my 102 SLT and my bins! Besides, the skies are too light just now, so I can wait a while before taking the plunge.

[Stormwatch]

I'd have to agree with Tony on the noise from the CG5. I sometimes have to duck down whilst in the garden out of embarrassment. If I need to set it up I late I set it to auto track and manually slew it rather than go through the set up procedure. During set up it slews at max speed and I don't think there is any way of altering that.

I just really took in what you're saying here. Are you suggesting you can manually slew the C8-N to a star/planet then once you find it set the scope to autotrack it? You don't need to go through the whole alignment procedure?

[Stormwatch]

To be perfectly honest, thinking about this rationally, the noise from the scope shouldn't be too much of a problem. The neighbours are going to have to deal with me playing AC/DC, Iron Maiden, Jethro Tull and various death metal albums at extreme volume . Plus of course my guitars which go to 11.

So a bit of a buzzing noise shouldn't be too much of a problem.

[philsail1]

Wow! what a difficult choice "Stormwatch" has to make - especially about the noise issue. I can't believe a telescope can be this noisy!

I can only speak for the "Skywatcher Explorer 200" - and I have found this very, very quiet when in operation and slewing at its fastest speed of x16. For size, here is a picture (and I'm the silly Welshman who cut !/2" of the legs to suit my 5' 7 1/2").

Regards,

Philsail1

[James]

I can only speak for the "Skywatcher Explorer 200" - and I have found this very, very quiet when in operation and slewing at its fastest speed of x16.

The CG5 is virtually silent when slewing at 16x speed (16x sidereal?). When slewing at its full speed of 3^o per second then the sound becomes distinctly industrial strength...

Love the pic...

[SteveL]

Celestron Orange EQ mount... nice

[maroon bells]

I just really took in what you're saying here. Are you suggesting you can manually slew the C8-N to a star/planet then once you find it set the scope to autotrack it? You don't need to go through the whole alignment procedure?

Yes, what I tend to do if it's too late to go through full setup is point the mount towards Polaris then set the mount to track for the northern hemisphere. Obviously this then means finding objects manually. Once found the mount will track the object to a useable degree, as long as you can find it!

When the CG5 is tracking an object it's very quiet, even quieter than the HEQ6 which gives out a weird whiny dentist drill type noise.

[philsail1]

Hey! what's with the "weird, whiny, dentists drill noise" Maroonbells? My HEQ5 doesn't do this. I grant you my 36" ultra short tube Dob (made in Tmbuktoo" and pictured below) on the MK1 altazimuth mount with the single axis drive (which you can see at the back) and fitted wheels for portability - does make a bit of a noise!!.

Regards,

Philsail1

[Whippy]

Phil, he's talking about the EQ6 making that noise, which personally, I love... 16x is buttons, speed wise!

[philsail1]

Thanks "Whiplash." Apologies "Moonbells!" Yes, and I agree that x16 is sooooooo slooooooow. It's a good spped for centering stuff quickly with low power eyepieces though. (I don't need to do this with my "lightbucket" dob (pictured above!))

Regards,

Philsail1

[maroon bells]

Phil, he's talking about the EQ6 making that noise, which personally, I love... 16x is buttons, speed wise!

I think I did mean the EQ6, iwas looking at Grant's new one at SGL3.

[Whippy]

Typo Matt? I think it only makes that noise anyway when it's slewing to a new object. Tracking, it's silent.

[Grant]

When the EQ6 Pro is tracking it does make a very high pitched noise, at the star party some people could hear it, some couldn't, I can hear it but find it reassuring, it means its working

[Whippy]

Purely out of curiosity Grant, but now you've the 'big boy' on your EQ6, does it make any difference to the noise when it's slewing?

[Grant]

I would say its marginally louder when its tracking, the slew noise is the same. The tracking noise is just slightly more noticeable but the difference is negligible..

[maroon bells]

Typo Matt? I think it only makes that noise anyway when it's slewing to a new object. Tracking, it's silent.

I though I could hear it when it was tracking but then I may be mistaken or have bat genes.

[Whippy]

What worries me is that some people couldn't hear it. I could and I spent best part of 10 years defeaning myself doing music! I know I'm going to get tinnitus by the time I'm 50...

[maroon bells]

That's exactly what I thought as my hearing isn't brilliant!