Vixen v Celestron

[GyCx]

If you had the choice of the Vixen 8 inch or the Celestron 8 inch SCT which would you choose?

[Peter Drew]

I think the optics both come from the same source. If there is a difference I would favour the Celestron as current models seem to have consistent high quality.

[michael.h.f.wilkinson]

Vixen do not make SCTs, last time I looked. The Vixen VC200L is a different design, quite a bit more expensive than the C8, It has several advantages. First up, it is a bit faster, allowing a larger FOV. It is also coma-free, and has no corrector plate (no dew shield needed, faster cool down). Having said that, the C8 is a very good scope (mine has lasted me 17.5 years already). The price here in the Netherlands is between that of a C9.25 and C11 OTA, and given the choice I would go for the larger aperture. The VMC200L can be had for about the same money as a C8 OTA from Teleskop-Service, I have seen. In that case, it does make sense (note that this is a bare OTA, no finder, flip mirror, or EP included).

Vixen makes excellent scopes, as does Celestron

[E621Keith]

Celestron makes C8 SCT and C8 EdgeHD. Both scope has a Schmidt corrector in the front

Vixen makes VMC200L and VC200L.

C8EdgeHD and VC200L are flatfield astrograph, although only the Vixen have dedicated reducer. C8 EdgeHD doesn't have a reducer at all.

C8 is a conventional SCT while VMC200L is an unconventional Maksutov with a sub aperture corrector. Optically, both are said to be very similar.

Assuming you are looking for a SCT type scope:

VMC200L - open tube allows quicker cooling and more resistant to dew

C8 - Front full aperture corrector supports the secondary mirror, so there is no spider vane to generate diffraction spikes.

[NGC 1502]

Good advice above. Only problem with the Vixens is if the open front allows the optics to get grubby enough to need cleaning, you have a serious stripdown to sort it. The Celestron (and others) SCT corrector keeps the mirrors clean, and the corrector plate is simple to clean, no stripdown needed.

But the Vixens are excellent scopes.

Regards, Ed.

[LukeSkywatcher]

About 16 months ago i was facing a decision............whether to buy the Vixen VMC200L or not. Emailing the retailer, i was soon convinced that it just was not the right scope for the price (about 1.5K) and it came on a Porta II mount (so no Go-To).

After asking around here on SGL...............Micheal (from the Netherlands), pointed me in the direction of the Celestron 8" SCT.

Ive never looked back since.

The 8" SCT cost me 1650 euros here in Ireland. So not much different to the Vixen. The Vixen has 4 large spider vanes and a central obstruction...................which worried me. The 8" SCT only has a central obstruction.

p.s.~~~I LOVE Vixen EP's.