suitable ota upgrade for skyprodigy 70 mount

[coppernob]

Hi there,

the celestron website suggests that the skyprodigy mount can take 8lbs of ota via a standard dovetail. i have bid on a skyprodigy 70 on ebay which is a major upgrade for me even with the small aperture. but would the mount be able to take another ota like a skywatcher explorer 130pds or even 150pds?

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[LukeSkywatcher]

I really cant say,but i seriously doubt it.

[baggywrinkle]

I would not do that. The mount would be on its limts. Some one mentioned in another thread that you should work at 60% of the rated load for the working load.

[LukeSkywatcher]

I would not do that. The mount would be on its limts. Some one mentioned in another thread that you should work at 60% of the rated load for the working load.

I agree. I have a Celestron 8se and the mount/tripod is rock solid. Looking at the prodigy................the mount/tripod looks flimsier..........like the 4se.

I really cant tell, but thats my impression.

[rowan46]

the c6 is the largest apparture it will take the 130p is the biggest scope it can take. Rest assured if they could have put one of their bigger scopes on they would have It may also take the 130pds seeing as it is shorter than the 130p.

[coppernob]

I agree. I have a Celestron 8se and the mount/tripod is rock solid. Looking at the prodigy................the mount/tripod looks flimsier..........like the 4se.

I really cant tell, but thats my impression.

[coppernob]

So are you guys saying its ok to put anything smaller than the 6 inch sct that is on the Skyprodigy 6. I had in mind a 114 newtonian or even a skymax 127

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[rowan46]

If you are putting a short scope on it will take up to a c6 but probably not a skymax 150 as they are heavier. You can buy the prodigy with a celestron 130 reflector on it so I would guess it will take the 130p but would probably be better with the 130 pds as its shorter. almost certainly the 150p will be too big

[astrosathya]

Id say the Skyprodigy can take the C5 or the Mak127 at best. The C6 on the Skyprodigy does not look like a good idea because the tripod is the same as supplied with the 127Mak.

[coppernob]

thanks guys will think on it for a while

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[rowan46]

it's supplied with a c6 http://www.firstlightoptics.com/celestron-skyprodigy/celestron-skyprodigy-6.html

or a 130p http://www.firstlightoptics.com/celestron-skyprodigy/celestron-skyprodigy-130.html

[LukeSkywatcher]

Your plan is to buy the Prodigy 70 and put a bigger/heavier scope on the mount to be able to use the technology of the prodigy 70?

Will that even work?.

[coppernob]

I have managed to get a nearly new skyprodigy for £200 and it works a treat. Much more reliable goto than the etx80 I was using. I have come across threads in the web where people have been putting other ota's on these mounts with some sucess. Even the celestron web knowledgebase state that it is possible. With what everyone is saying I will be holding back for now but might buy a 2nd hand 127MAK Ota or 114 newtonian or even a 5 inch sct.

http://www.celestron.com/c3/support3/index.php?_m=knowledgebase&_a=viewarticle&kbarticleid=2482

http://www.cloudynights.com/ubbthreads/showflat.php/Cat/0/Number/5664281/page/3/view/collapsed/sb/5/o/all/fpart/3/vc/1

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[wcstarguy]

I have the SP70 and have used my Orion 120st, Bushnell Ares 5 (130mm ref. flextube, same as Heritage 130p flex) and a Celestron C90 mak on the mount with success. However, I did some modification....I replaced the factory legs with a set of wooden legs (purchased from Hands On Optics here in the US) considerably increasing the stability of the mount. You will need to either add tube rings to your scopes or remove the plastic shroud which is made to fit the 70mm OTA, I have done this (only three bolts) and it does not seem to decrease the stability or holding power of the vixen style clamp in any way. I am planning to use the mount as a small video astronomy set up with an Orion Starblast 4.5 Imaging OTA and my Samsung SCB-2000 (modified) video camera for "near live" video. I haven't purchased the Starblast yet but I think the mount will work a treat with this setup, the OTA only weighs about 4lbs (1.8 Kg). Would like to get a C6 down the road but with my Orion XT8i and the other mentioned scopes may have to sell a couple of them. wc

[coppernob]

So adding tube rings to a non native ota will give enough clearance from the SP70 plastic mount shroud?

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[wcstarguy]

Yes, they work with my scopes listed with the one exception, I can't say that it will work with any and all optical tubes but it works fine with my Orion 120st f/5, my Celestron C90 mak and an Orion GoScope 80 travel scope. I could not get rings to fit properly under the tubes (rings were too thick to fit under the tubes) to allow proper functioning (collapse) of the Ares 5 (Heritage 130 flex tube) so I just removed the plastic shield with no apparent consequences. The large altitude gear is more open to the air without the shroud but as I keep the mount covered when not being used I don't see this as a problem. Here is a link to some couple of month old threads in another Astro forum user group from myself a couple of others about our SkyProdigy mounts: http://tinyurl.com/SkyProdigy-thread wc

[coppernob]

Hi guys

here is my new 127 Mak OTA on the SP mount. It seems to be working well.

I did have to remove the plastic cowling but that was very easy

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[LukeSkywatcher]

I have managed to get a nearly new skyprodigy for £200 and it works a treat. Much more reliable goto than the etx80 I was using. I have come across threads in the web where people have been putting other ota's on these mounts with some sucess. Even the celestron web knowledgebase state that it is possible. With what everyone is saying I will be holding back for now but might buy a 2nd hand 127MAK Ota or 114 newtonian or even a 5 inch sct.

http://www.celestron...barticleid=2482

http://www.cloudynig...ll/fpart/3/vc/1

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Second-hand Prodigy's are already going for £200?. That doesnt really surprise me. The Celestron SkyScout pretty much did the same soon after it was released.

[wcstarguy]

Looks good copper, glad to hear it is working well for you. I found my SP70, new, for about $229 on sale over this side of the pond a few months ago. I just checked and a couple of web sites here are still selling them for about $350 but others have them for double that price or more...seems odd. Mine is working well and other than wanting to finish my video astro set up (waiting on funds still) and possibly getting a C6 for it and my other mount (AT Voyager alt-az) down the road I'm very satisfied with the SkyProdigy. wc