Celestron C9.25-Sgt Xlt Goto

[M4lcs67]

Currently I am thinking of upgrading to the above scope and was wondering if anybody has one and give a few pointers as to if it is any good or not? I know that I want another goto and this fits the bill in that department. Also it has a meaty tripod and gearing mechanism. Also I have seen astro pics that people have taken with a C9.25 and to me that seems to be a good apeture to go for before you start getting into 11", 14" territory where handling becomes an issue. I will probably sell my 127 SLT and put the money from that to help fund the new scope, but I haven't made any firm decisions yet

Thanks

[Mr Spock]

Highly recommended. I have no complaints about mine at all, though mine is on an EQ6.

Looks really good value for money at the current price

[M4lcs67]

Thanks Michael. Yeah. FLO have it at around £1360 I think. Don't know whether that includes any recent price increases? Steve at FLO posted a couple of months that Celestron were due to put the prices up back then. I assume therefore that this current price is accurate.

[Dunkster]

From memory, I reckon that's about a 100 notes less than at the beginning of the season when I first started dreaming

Might be worth considering a CPC too - they're considerably more pricey, but the setup time should be a lot less and the alignment the same as you do now with your 127.

[David JM]

I have one on back order, so I hope it is good! For a bit more than an 8" but a bit less than a 10" you seem to get the best of both worlds.

[todd8137]

I have this scope and mount its great easy to use I got the gps unit for mine,works lik. Gret get he poor scope but it's not needed bu makes life Edie he handset as. Great polar align function,for imaging ,with a focal/ flatner and dslr great deep sky images are great you will not regret getting this great cope nd mont

[ollypenrice]

I would hesitate to use a long focus SCT for imaging deep sky without a lot of careful thought but for visual use and lunar/planetary imaging it has to be a good bet.

Olly

[M4lcs67]

Cheers guys. I do think I need to see one in flesh first though. It can be near impossible trying to visualise something, so I will find someone somewhere who has one so I can check the weight of it as well. In anycase I don't think the weight will be an issue for me. I used to play the drums in various bands and carting my kit, especially the hardware wasn't much of a problem, and that was loading my car, driving to the gig, unloading, setting up, playing, dismantling it, loading the car back up, driving home and unloading the car back into the house again, whereas my scope will be taken into my garden and set up on the lawn. A total distance of about 30 feet. I think that will be more than manageable.

One other thing as well however. From the little bit of research I have done, this mount will be ok for short exposure astrophotography such as with a webcam, but for long exposures you need a different mount?

[M4lcs67]

Additionally I gather that this scope comes with a powercable? Is it compatable with a Maplin Powertank with a cigarette lighter connector? Also it is supplied with a standard finderscope. Are they much cop???? I use a Baader Skysurfer III with my 127 SLT and I have come to like the rdf's.

[Dunkster]

Finder scope on the C11 is OK (it's not RDF but does have a crosshair), I'm assuming it's the same as the C9.25, but I'm in the market for a RACI as the mount can point the scope in some "interesting" directions

[Viv]

I do think I need to see one in flesh first though. It can be near impossible trying to visualise something, so I will find someone somewhere who has one so I can check the weight of it as well.

Hi Malc,

I'm having the same decision / thoughts as you.

I'd want it for planetary imaging, but the weight could be an issue for me.

I went to the only shop around here, & saw the 8 (5.67kg), but the 9.25 is a huge leap (9.07kg !).

[Mr Spock]

I can pick up the 9.25 OTA with one finger (it has a handle on the bottom) so you won't have any weight problems.

With a focal reducer you get 1480mm fl. At that you'll need serious skills even with an EQ6 to get good tracking on DSOs. The C9.25 is made for planetary imaging however, and excels like no other

[Viv]

I can pick up the 9.25 OTA with one finger (it has a handle on the bottom) so you won't have any weight problems.

Thank you much, just what I wanted to hear .............

[Dunkster]

I went to the only shop around here, & saw the 8 (5.67kg), but the 9.25 is a huge leap (9.07kg !).

The difference between the C8 -> C9.25 is more than the difference between the C9.25 -> C11 at 12kg... I can also lift that up with one finger, but it hurts after a while

[M4lcs67]

Hey Viv, The tripod and mount are supposed to be rather chunky as well, but if that comes in a couple of pieces then I reckon it will be fine. Being a former truck driver as well I have been used to using brute force and heavy lifting on occasions. I am quietly confident that there will be no problem with this. I am only something of a lightweight but have gotten used to putting my back into it if needed. Granted I don't want to give myself a hernia and having only recoved from a stroke 3 years ago, I cannot go mad with the lifting as I don't want to put myself back into hospital again. The thought of spending that amount on a scope to have it sat in a corner collecting dust while I am in hospital while the lovely clear skies are outside would be too terrible to contemplate.

[Viv]

Thanks for that Malc (& for letting me jump into the thread).

I was having a chat with Tim this morning about the weight, so seems it could be ok to cope with.

Just think about what views / images it will give ......

You be careful though, very easy to over do it !

[M4lcs67]

Hey Viv,

Many thanks. Yeah. It is weird. I had a serious dose of insomnia this morning and was up at stupid o clock. On the net and having a scan through SGL and he said that he bumped into you high on a hill above Coventry looking at the Transit. Was it any good???? Wall to wall cloud and rain here in Halifax:-(

With regard to the C9.25, the main reason I was leaning toward it is due to the pics that other 9.25 owners have posted. Not that I am going to go down the astrophotography route to start with. I was mearly getting a barometre of what can be achieved with that size scope and I like what I see. More light grasp than an 8 and cheaper and lighter than a 11.

I have even tentatively got the wife on side as well which is no mean feat. Trying to get her around to my way of thinking was tricky and I had to broach the subject of cost very delicately. Worked in the end though. I checked and FLO have them in stock at the moment, but as it is technically off season there is no immidiate rush. In any case i'll have to put my 127 SLT up for sale to help to pay for the new scope. Or failling that I'll buy the new one and put the 127 SLT up for sale afterwards. At least I won't be scopeless then.

[SteveNickolls]

I have had my Celestron 9.25" SCT Go-To XLT for just over 6 years and can overall recommend them as a product. I use a right angled finderscope (an Antares one) in place of the smaller standard straight through type which saves on neck surgery and has an illuminated # reticule. I mostly use the 'scope for visual observations but have used a web cam, cctv and DSLR on occasion. I have had three problems (all with the mount) in all this time-

1. Firstly the power-in connector on the mount stopped making contact internally about 2 years ago-quickly remedied by some slight 'bending' of the outer connector within the power-in port to make connection with the lead. I have taped the power cable to prevent further movement at the power-in point. At the time I read that this was a common issue. I wouldn't know if the newer CG5 mount models have an improved power connection.

2. I found that the bubble level on the mount was 'out' giving a false level.

3. The RA and Dec stickers on the mount were slightly out-easily corrected.

I'm sure any set up will have some issues and the ones I have encountered have been easily resolved-I look at this as getting to grips with my mount.

If you do plump for a SCT I'm sure you will have many happy hours.

P.S. I have managed to move my set up from upstairs and into the garden albeit in three trips and incident free all this time.

Cheers,

Steve

[Viv]

Cheers Malc - we had a great spot, & really good to catch up with Tim. I've got a thread in imaging solar, was able to get a few, so really chuffed.

Up very early on a Sunday & straight to SGL !! You'll be yawning later

There are some great 9.25 reports / images - so i think it's the way to go. You should have no probs selling your current. Like you say not the time of year for rush (but that moon / Jupiter conjunction in July would be amazing).

Thanks for the info Steve I'd look at putting a telrad on it (if I can), I've got a spare base already, so shoud cure any future neck problems.

Really can't wait now !!

[M4lcs67]

I must admit I don't like the idea of a standard finderscope. Having been used to an rdf with my 127 SLT I am more inclined to get one to go with the C9.25. I have considered the Telrad and also The Baader Super Skysurfer V. The Telrad works at an angle if I am correct? But it is a bit of a beast. Then there is the question of mounting it. Where is a good place to position it on the ota?

[Dunkster]

I'm looking for a decent right angle correct image finder... preferably one that can be illuminated... but I'm sitting on the fence as usual Been drooling over the Stellarvue F50M, but it has telescope-like pricing

Malc, the beastly size of the C9.25 - it's almost as long as the C11, just not quite as wide - means there's plenty of room around the back cell of one of those babies for attaching a healthy finderscope whichever type you fancy

[M4lcs67]

Thanks for that, Dunk. I assume the Telrad is a right angled one??? With my 127 SLT I end up craning my neck into some impossible angles to see, so anything that eases my pain would be welcomed.

[Dunkster]

Not sure if the Telrad is right angled tbh, maybe just straight through but naturally wide FOV. Totally agree with the craning scenario, I always end up kneeling or squatting or whatever as I need to use my glasses for that, that's what got me wondering about the RACI... the FOV in the C11 is pretty narrow on the general scheme of things so I think it exacerbates the need for a versatile finder.

[Viv]

The Telrad is a straight through.

It depends how much you're going to use it ................ if regularly, then probably a right angled one could be best .....

[M4lcs67]

Can you recommend a suitable right angled rdf if one exsists, Viv???? Or perhaps I should try and have a go with the supplied standard finder scope when I get the thing? Give it the benefit of the doubt. Then if I still don't like it then I can do something about it afterwards!!