Celestron 9.25

[MikeP]

Brinders,

I'll vouch for what Martin says - I'm 58 past my best and only 5'7". I leave my EQ6 Pro on the tripod ("folded") and carry it out as one. It is more awkward than heavy.

Mike

[dweller25]

Can I add my two pennies worth about the C9.25 and mounts - I have a C9.25 on a HEQ5 and it's just ok for visual - I am a planetary observer so am always at 200-250 power.

I have a bad back so went for the lighter HEQ5 over the EQ6.

Now with the benefit of hindsight I would have bought the EQ6 as the HEQ5 is really easy to move - even with a dodgy back.

The C9.25 is a bit of a beast in terms of cooling down and collimation must be accurate - if you do all this you will be rewarded with some great views.

[Brinders]

Can I add my two pennies worth about the C9.25 and mounts - I have a C9.25 on a HEQ5 and it's just ok for visual - I am a planetary observer so am always at 200-250 power.

I have a bad back so went for the lighter HEQ5 over the EQ6.

Now with the benefit of hindsight I would have bought the EQ6 as the HEQ5 is really easy to move - even with a dodgy back.

The C9.25 is a bit of a beast in terms of cooling down and collimation must be accurate - if you do all this you will be rewarded with some great views.

Thanks for the input guys. Dweller 25 are you sure the HEQ5 is the same as the HEQ5 Pro - I was under the impression that they are two different animals (as are the EQ6 and EQ6 Pro, I think). The pro mounts use the same tripods (but with white painted metalwork rather than black)as the non-pro mounts but have rather more substantial heads. That is why Skywatcher produce both the EQ5 with the Skyscan GOTO computer (which sells at a similar price and looks very much like Celestron's CG-5 GOTO mount) and the HEQ5 Pro which has a more substantial mount.

I still haven't rule out the HEQ5 Pro as it will allow me to buy a dew heater and maybe a crayford focuser for the same money as the 9.25 OTA on the EQ6. Still pondering. Watch this space...

[dweller25]

My understanding is that the PRO HEQ5 and EQ6 models have superior motors and GOTO functionality over the non pro versions.

Load bearing of the HEQ5 and HEQ5 pro is the same.

Therefore a HEQ5 pro is not more stable than a HEQ5.

To get more stability over a HEQ5/PRO you would have to buy the EQ6 or EQ6 pro.

Best regards.

[Brinders]

Thanks for clearing that up for me, the offer at Rother Valley Optics for the C9.25 XLT on the EQ6 Pro is looking the likely way to go. I'll contact them after Christmas to ensure that have stock at the price on their web site and then I'll see if Steve at FLO is able to better or at least equal. He's put himself out at his busiest time of year to answer my queries so I think he deserves first chance to make the sale.

[iancandler]

HEQ5 Pro is quieter when slewing than the notoriously noisy Celestron CG5

I must be one of the luckiest CG5 owners as mines as quiet as a church mouse..

[Brinders]

HEQ5 Pro is quieter when slewing than the notoriously noisy Celestron CG5

I must be one of the luckiest CG5 owners as mines as quiet as a church mouse..

That's what I've read both in the forums and in the Sky at Night at night test when slewing from one object to another. However, I don't have personal experience so I wouldn't know for sure - it's just what I've read. In any case more than one person has praised the mount - but even those who are pleased with it seem to think that the 9.25 OTA is probably about its limit. Having said that a guy in Australia, who has written in this forum before now, has one loaded up to the hilt with imaging gear and has produced some wonderful results.

[The Warthog]

HEQ5 Pro is quieter when slewing than the notoriously noisy Celestron CG5

I must be one of the luckiest CG5 owners as mines as quiet as a church mouse..

You're not exactly overloading it with either of those scopes, though, are you Ian? I wonder if that's the difference. Maybe it's noisier when it's hauling an 8" Newt around.

[dweller25]

Thanks for clearing that up for me, the offer at Rother Valley Optics for the C9.25 XLT on the EQ6 Pro is looking the likely way to go. I'll contact them after Christmas to ensure that have stock at the price on their web site and then I'll see if Steve at FLO is able to better or at least equal. He's put himself out at his busiest time of year to answer my queries so I think he deserves first chance to make the sale.

That will be a great system - you will definitely need a heated dew shield or your scope will be useless after 20-30 mins.

[Brinders]

Thanks for clearing that up for me, the offer at Rother Valley Optics for the C9.25 XLT on the EQ6 Pro is looking the likely way to go. I'll contact them after Christmas to ensure that have stock at the price on their web site and then I'll see if Steve at FLO is able to better or at least equal. He's put himself out at his busiest time of year to answer my queries so I think he deserves first chance to make the sale.

That will be a great system - you will definitely need a heated dew shield or your scope will be useless after 20-30 mins.

A regular dew shield will have to do for now with maybe a hairdryer on standby!

[cygnusx1]

HEQ5 Pro is quieter when slewing than the notoriously noisy Celestron CG5

I must be one of the luckiest CG5 owners as mines as quiet as a church mouse..

You're not exactly overloading it with either of those scopes, though, are you Ian? I wonder if that's the difference. Maybe it's noisier when it's hauling an 8" Newt around.

Mine was as noisy as a cattery - it's a well established fact that the cg-5 gt is a noisy mount when slewing at top speed.

Perhaps Ian just got v lucky....

[Brinders]

Well after all that, the offer at Rother Valley Optics for the C9.25 on a Skywatcher EQ6 Pro was some kind of error on their part - just my luck

This is what Adam Khatib Sales Adviser at Rother Valley had to say about the offer when I asked if they had one in stock:-

"Yes, we have one left. There was a slight problem with the pricing for them kits. The actual price is £2120.00. This was the actual pricing in the Special Package Deals section but had not been changed in the Celestron Telescopes section. This has been rectified now."

Now I do have a legal background, but it's in property law. My limited knowledge of contract law tells me that until I actually complete the contract (i.e. commit myself to purchase) then there is no binding contract which means that I cannot get Rother Valley to commit to selling me that package at the price advertised on their web site prior to them amending it (unless anyone out there knows otherwise). That being so, I'll have to go with the HEQ5 Pro mount as there is no way I can afford £2120.

So it's back to Steve at FLO for the OTA and (unless Steve is willing to meet their price) Pulsar Optical for the HEQ5 Pro mount.

[Brinders]

Well chaps, the deed is done. Sorry, but there was no way I could afford the EQ6 Pro mount, so I've ordered the Celestron C9.25 OTA from Steve at FLO, and the HEQ5 Pro mount from Pulsar-Optical. Also, if I do want to go out to a dark site the HEQ5 Pro is going to be more managable.

'Phoned both FLO and Pulsar Optical to check stock but only got Steve's answer 'phone so I ordered through FLO's web site quoting the SGL discount code (which worked) and I'm hoping that it is still the case that FLO have the OTA in stock. From the answer 'phone message it will be January 2nd before Steve's back from the holidays before he can action my order, but since I've waited so long to afford it a few more days doesn't matter.

Sorry Steve, I ordered the Mount from Pulsar-Optical after I 'phoned them to confirm it was in stock at the price quoted on their web site. The offer was too good to resist and they promise it will be here by next Friday. I did try to contact you first but to no avail, and I thought it was unlikely that you would be able to beat their price so I placed the order with them. No doubt I'll be ordering more from FLO in the future though.

Got a Crayford style SCT microfocuser on the way from the States, Celestron Dew Shield and a nice Badder Hyperion 5mm ordered from David Hinds and all within budget (just).

So I'll let you know how first light goes after the whole ensemble arrives.

Now a Williams Optics 2" Carbon Fiber Diagonal looks tempting (back pay due in February) and maybe a focal reducer. The list goes on, where will it stop? No doubt FLO will be hearing from me and my debit card again, eventually...

[FLO]

Thank-you for your order Brinders, your C9.25 should arrive next Thu/Fri.

[Brinders]

Cheers Steve

[dweller25]

Hello Brinders,

Congrats on the purchase, that is a fine scope/mount combination.

The 5mm eyepiece will give you a magnification of x470 at F10 which is very high for our British skies. I tend to stick to around x260 (9mm eyepiece) most of the time. If you plan to use the scope at F6.3 the 5mm will give magnification of x296 which on nights of good seeing will give a great view.

Collimation and cool down are very important with this scope - I fitted Bob's knobs which I got direct from the USA and they made collimation easy.

Cool down takes around 2 hours if you keep the scope indoors.

Best of luck

[Brinders]

Thanks for the advice, I don't think I was thinking clearly when making my order - all that retail therapy had gone my head. I've asked Hinds to change the order for the 8mm version which will give a more reasonable magnification of x293 and as the lens splits into two I'll have the equivalent of 21.8 mm by removing the first group of lenses.

Sincere thanks again, I could have ended up with a near useless eyepiece. Thanks for reading my post - phew.

I'll let you know how I get along.

[Brinders]

Just to let you know guys. I got the Celestron C9.25 from Steve at FLO and in the end after a long an meaningful discussion with the family treasurer (she who must be obeyed) went for the EQ6 Pro mount. Not had a chance for first light yet but I've played around with the mount which arrived in pristine condition from Pulsar-Optical on Friday (and so much cheaper than elsewhere) and have fitted the altitude repalcement knobs from Astrodevelopments (which arrived Saturday morning) as a precaution. They are worth every penny and something similar should be fitted by Skywatcher as standard for the little extra they cost (I noticed the orignal altitude bolt had begun to bend after adjusting the mount to my latitude). If you get or have an EQ6 - get those bolts.

Noticed the OTA was delivered direct from the importers, D Hinds, rather than FLO even though my order was with Steve at FLO, and arrived Thursday along with the dew shield, 8mm Hyperion and Hyperion T2 adapter and Sky Scout red dot finder that I had ordered directy from Hinds.

Got the Williams Optics carbon fibre diaelectric 2" diaganol delivered from the Wide-Screen Centre Saturday too. All is looking good.

Had to say I was a little dismayed to find the Celestron orange dovetail bar was marked and pitted in some places along its entire lenght as though the OTA had already been mounted elsewhere before its arrival and the Celestron Sky Level-1 CD ROM referred to in the contents label attached to the box was missing. I've raised these points by e-mail with Steve and I'm waiting for a response.

Anyway, took the whole ensemble out this afternoon while the sun shone to look at it in good daylight and to align the finder scope and play with the mount. It was my first chance to inspect both mount and OTA in daylight. Mount is perfect (and BIG!!!) but I was little further disappointed with the OTA to find a couple of dust specs (small but there) on the inside of the corrector plate of the OTA. I won't be returning the OTA to FLO; not not worth it for a couple of tiny dust specs (and I'm sure they won't impact on the 'scopes performance) and the dovetail bar was bound to get marked and pitted in time with use anyway, it' just its a new 'scope and any marks should have been made by me!

If you think I'm being fussy, its just the money I've spent is a very large sum for me and has been financed by some of the money left to me by my late father who unfortunatley passed away in July at age 80. My Dad helped me to get interested in astronomy over 40 years ago when he bought me a tiny Tasco refrator one Christmas. As a fireman he would work shifts and I often found him looking at the moon and planets with that telescope through the living room window on dark winter mornings before he set off for work. I think he would have been truly amazed with my latest aquisition particularly the computerised mount. I see this new telescope as something of a memorial to him.

Anyway, on a more positive note, I took the scope outside to align the finderscope and become familar with the mount. As I say that mount is BIG and beefy, but after half an hour with the instruction book and playing with the hand control I feel I've become familiar with it enough to have a go in the dark. Also, when I first assembled the mount and scope on Saturday in my lounge I felt a little intimidated by its weight and the sheer size of it with the OTA attached. But this afternoon's session has boosted by confidence. Unfortunately, clouds soon began to gather and I had to take the whole lot back in before the inevitable rain. As soon as I can get first light I'll let you know how I get on, but (apart from the gripes I have mentioned above) I have a positive feeling about this scope and I think it will serve me well.

Thank-you to you all for your excellent and knowledgeable advice and patience when I was trying to decide on the 'scope and mount. Particular thanks to Dweller 25. I have to say this is an excellent forum and one to which I'm proud to belong. You'll be hearing further from me again as I get to use my new telescope - and that's a promise. Cheers all!

[Whippy]

Nice one, that's a quality setup you've bought . I think you'll find that most astro kit dealers don't actually have larger items actually in their own storage simply because of the amount of space it would take up, not to mention the outlay to buy 6 C9.25's would be a bit cost prohibitive too! I'm curious that you didn't mention that your EQ6 didn't come straight from the importers as most items that OVL import come straight from them as well.

I certainly don't think you're being fussy considering the amount of money you've spent, I'd be a touch concerned about the markings on the dovetail as well! I'm sure Steve will sort you out.

Anyways, good luck to you sir and hope you enjoy your new kit.

Tony..

[Brinders]

Hi Whiplash,

OVL may be the original importer, but from the telephone conversation my wife had with Pulsar-Optical (she -'phoned to ask to upgrade the order to the EQ6 while I was at work) and from the invoice inside the Tripod box, it did come from Pulsar-Optical themselves so they clearly carry stock.

Anyway, can't wait to get using i!

[FLO]

Hi Brinders, your C9.25 ota was indeed dispatched direct to you from DHinds (the UK importer of Celestron products). The practise of drop-shipping large/expensive items is common-place as it saves time, storage, space and money. It would have been a simple matter to have had it sent to FLO, then to you, but it would then have suffered two lots of transit and been delayed by 2-3 days.

I am concerned to hear that the software disk was missing (will arrange that one be dispatched in the morning) and that the dovetail was marked. I feel sure the marks are innocent (perhaps from mounting the tube for testing) but I will look into it for you.

That's quite an outfit you have put together, I will read your posts with interest

[dweller25]

Hello Brinders,

That is a great system you have setup.

Hope you get some clear nights soon

Maybe you could have a good look at Mars sometime ? I would like to compare your views with mine.

D25

[Brinders]

Thanks for your response Steve, I quite understand why you would arrange for stock to be sent direct from the importers - it makes both economic and practical sense. As I say the dovetail is bound to get marked with use anyway, but I would be grateful for an explanation as to why it was delivered marked as I described. As you say, it may be down to testing; it will be interresting to hear what D. Hinds have to say. I note your comment about dispatching the software disc and look forward to receiving the same.

Hi again Dweller 25, yes Mars will definitely be may first target. So far with my TAL 150P it has proved to be disappointing due (I suspect) to poor seeing conditions. I've been collimation that scope to the nth degree to get more detail, but there has only been hints of detail from time to time. I know others on this site have had better luck with web cam images etc. I can't wait to see what definition is like with the Celestron. I want to have a go at taking some images too with both my DSLR (Samsung GX10) and the integrated video camera I got for Christmas. I'll let you know how I get on as soon as the weather clears. I remember some years ago with another Tasco retractor I used to have (not my first one I refer to above but a larger one with, I think, about 3 maybe 4 inches objective) seeing far more detail when it was high up in the western sky.

I've taken this week off work to become familiar with my new scope but the weather forecasts are not good - typical! I'll probably end up doing some decorating (got to keep in with the wife).

Thanks again all for your help I think this thread has come to its final conclusion. I'll post more elsewhere in the Equipment Zone as I use my Celestron.

Brinders

[FLO]

Had to say I was a little dismayed to find the Celestron orange dovetail bar was marked and pitted in some places along its entire lenght as though the OTA had already been mounted elsewhere before its arrival and the Celestron Sky Level-1 CD ROM referred to in the contents label attached to the box was missing.

Have made some enquiries: The marks on the dovetail are a bit of a mystery, you say they run the full length of the bar, could they be machining marks? Your C9.25 will most likely have been dispatched as an unopened box from the factory so it should be clear on arrival that it is new. Sometimes Dhinds will randomly open/check SCT’s for QC reasons (they would not mount the telescope) so I cannot guarantee that it has not been opened (Celestron use brown reinforced tape, DHinds use either clear plastic or tape marked 'fragile'). If they had mistakenly dispatched a return - highly unlikely - then it would be obvious on arrival from the condition of the packaging alone.

The CD ROM is not normally included with OTA’s, only telescopes. I don’t know why the label suggests that it is, it is a mistake at Celestron. I have however arranged that one be dispatched as a courtesy.

Hope that helps.

[Brinders]

Thanks Steve, the box was sealed over with clear tape - brown tape underneath which had obviously been previously opened and resealed with the clear tape. As I think I've said previously, the rest of the packaging (i.e. instruction manual, pack for the finger bolts for the finderscope etc) were still sealed and did not show any signs of having been opened. The dovetail bar marks do not look like machining marks. They are on one side only - the same side that bolts onto the mount. They look just like the new marks inevitably made by me now I have mounted and remounted the telescope a couple of times. The OTA looks fine, although I've yet to actually use it (other than for aligning the finderscope in daylight. I think now I've begun to use it we can forget about the condition of the dovetail bar - just that I expected it to look new.

I only mentioned the CD-ROM because it is listed on the box as part of the contents. I wasn't really expecting one anyway being the tube assembly only and wouldn't have queried it if the contents label hadn't mentioned it. Thanks anyway Steve for dispatching one as a courtesy - it is very much appreciated.

Assuring you of my continued custom,

Brinders