Calling all Celestron C5 / 6 / 8 scope owners (with an SE mount)/ mak 127

[garethmob]

Hello guys

wondering if some one could help,   im now currently satisfied with my AP rig (short of getting a guide camera lol) and as the scopes now been used i would like another.  obviously i would fund it from everything else + a few other things lying around but i was wondering if people can give me some thoughts on the

C5,

 SE6,  

SE8  

as well as the SW 127 mak.

in all honestly i know i can get best bang for my buck on getting a dob,  but iv tried a dob and i even though i really love them i keep coming down the eyepeice issue where i need really decent eyepieces and i keep nearly buying one only stopping when i remember its just a small pot of glass

so id like a scope that i dont need to collimate.   is small and compact,    i can mount on either a SW synscan mount as i already own one (so the C5 or the 127) or get the SE series mount.   im thinking of 6" to be a nice size as the scopes seem to be reasonably prices on the S/H market. 

what id like to see.    well clusters,  a few basic nebulas, maybe a galaxy or two, but not hundrads as i know these kinds of scopes arnt great for that purpose.

and the planets,   jupitor, saturn, venus (when you can see it of course) going to the others neptune, uranus etc.   (again i know a dobs better)  

also id like a nice forgiving scope that dosent need eyepeices that nearly cost as much as the whole scope did

so please guys tell me which is the better option if you own the scopes listed give me your views(objects seen images taken etc) and more importantly are you glad you got the scope

thanks guys

Gaz

[Peter Drew]

I'm very pleased with my 8SE, it does most things well and the whole rig is portable over short distances. 

[rowan46]

this is definitely a subjective call as it it seems that c5's are quite variable in their quality. I used to have one that was mounted on an old Nexstar which most people who looked through it (me included) said had lovely optics. I have read reviews where somebody said it was the worst scope they ever looked through.  Having said that my c5 was nice and it was certainly better than any 127 mak I ever looked through. I would get a c6 or a second hand c8 which will certainly fit on any eq5 or above sized mount.

[garethmob]

thanks guys!    

@peter,  what objects are you able to view in the se8?

[garethmob]

also what is the difference between http://www.firstlightoptics.com/se-series/celestron-nexstar-6se.html and   http://www.firstlightoptics.com/optical-tube-assemblies/celestron-c6-xlt-optical-tube-assembly.htm

as well as http://www.firstlightoptics.com/se-series/celestron-nexstar-5se.html and    http://www.firstlightoptics.com/optical-tube-assemblies/celestron-c5-spotter-spotting-scope.html

to me they look the same

[rowan46]

the c5 and c6 ota's are the same as the ota's on the nexstar se series. The c5 spotter comes with an optical finder scope whilst the nexstar 5  has an rdf

[garethmob]

ahhhhh i see thanks rowan.   so it boils down to if i want it in burnt orange or black lol

[Peter Drew]

Gaz. My 8SE is in Tenerife so comparisons with similar telescopes in the UK might be a bit unfair. It's given me the best lunar and planetary images I've had with any 8" aperture, on a par with my 16" SCT in the UK and DSOs are surprisingly good even from an urban location. The steadyness of the mount is it's weak point and needs gentle handling, a compromise you have to endure for portability.    

[Sandraj]

I have only used my new 8SE a few times but already it shows me great views, obviously I have only had a chance to see a few Messier objects so far but they were lovely, my husband brought me home some bits used for sound proofing thingumajigs to use as vibration pads and they work a treat with one under each leg. `i am as pleaded as punch with the scope.

[Cjg]

Have a 5SE purchased two years ago in a FLO sale. Love it, great views and portable. At high power ( using a 6mm Skywatcher ultra wide eyepiece ) the views of a Saturn and Jupiter have been superb, if the seeing is not so good, then a 13 mm gives great views - tracking is accurate, so the object usually stays in the eyepiece for a good while. If I had my time again, maybe I'd have gone for the 6", previous scope was a 10" Dob, the views of DSO's were much better, as you'd expect, but it filled my little car. Maybe someone at an Astro Soc / star camp will have one you can look through?

[lennylovit]

Gaz you can have my SW127 for a few weeks and see how you get on with it 

Lenny

[garethmob]

Hello guys

thanks for the advice!     NEARLY came back with a C8 on an advanced GT mount but sadly it was sold  FLO have advised the biggest i can go on my synscan is a C5.... not sure if i want one that small as its to replace all my visual stuff.  as i do really want the SE mount instead of the synscan,  just so i have the slightly better goto interface

thanks for the offer lenny, althrough im not sure if a mak is for me,  everywhere iv read seems to say maks are better for planets and the moon, where the SCT can let you go for other things as well due to the slightly lower focal point.... althrough im probally wrong lol its been one of them weeks where i really could do with a week off to recuperate

thanks guys!   if you have a list of objects you have seen with the scopes if you dont mind posting them so i can see roughly how far each one can go.

[Sandraj]

AS mentioned earlier, I have not had my 8SE long, 8 days in fact, its been very cloudy out, first night was only the moon, next night Saturn, Mars, M81, M82 and M13, last night the Dumbbell and Ring nebula, all very nice, clear and crisp. Sadly it started to rain and I had to come in.