A little help with an old C5 please

[Zeffer]

No funds for new scope yet but I managed to buy an old black C5 off Ebay for £31! It's not perfect and is designed for photography being 750mm focal length.

I also have a TV plssol 20mm and there is the usual SCT screw thread on the back of the scope.

If I get hold of a 1.25inch visual back and a cheap diagonal would this be any good for anything?

It's cracking on the end of a camera but I haven't had enough scopes to know what this would be like looking into the black and I have minute amounts of money so don't want to waste any if this isn't going to work.

Any opinions appreciated,

Thanks!

[GordonCopestake]

You can get an SCT diagonal for £40 brand new from scopes n skies (2") and with your 20mm plossl you'll get some great views. 750mm is a fine focal length, although you might want to double check that as I thought all the SCT's were f/10?

[GazOC]

Meade made f6 10" models for AP, maybe Celestron made a similar C5.....

[GazOC]

If I get hold of a 1.25inch visual back and a cheap diagonal would this be any good for anything?

I don't see why not, if the focal length is correct (I'm sure it is!!) the central obstruction will be pretty big (>40%) so the it won't be much of a planetary scope but it should do a reasonable job on most other objects bearing in mind the scope is designed primarily as an astrograph rather than a visual tool.

[Cloudwatcher]

Oh!.... Sorry! I'm in the wrong room. I thought this was for Sinclair C5 owners!

[GazOC]

I just checked - Celestron brought these out in the 80's for AP. Interesting scope and a bargain for what you paid for it Zeffer!

[Whippy]

Oh!.... Sorry! I'm in the wrong room. I thought this was for Sinclair C5 owners!

Bah! I arrived too late for that gag...

[Zeffer]

Thanks for the replies. I thought it was a bargain and have used it with the D70 rather a lot.

It looks like I should give it a go - keep an eye out for a first light!