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Celestron Advanced VX with 9.25 SCT-not first light...yet

baggywrinkle

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baggywrinkle

baggywrinkle

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Picked up my Advanced VX 9.25 SCT today (via Astronomia) and once I got back to my rental unboxed and set it up to ensure I knew what I was doing in daylight.

It comes in two big boxes plus and extra box for the second counter weight. One box for the OTA and optical accessories and the other box for the GEM and controls.

All the items in  the assembly  are doubled packed in heavy duty packing ad bubble wrap. Keep the packing, do not ditch it as you might need it later for transporting if you do not have other suitable boxes.

The tripod is in 2''steel tubing and is substantial. If fact the whole way to describe this mount is substantial and well though through.

The equatorial head is easily attached to the tripod, it has a decent altitude scale but I also used a digital inclinometer.

I particularly liked the electrical power connection; rather than being a push fit (like my old 6SE) this is a screwed connection and Celestron have provided a generous 6m of cable!.

The locking screws on the legs, plus the knobs for adjusting altitude and azimuth have good sized end allowing proper tightening with the hand, no need to apply a mole grip!

With the legs fully extended I estimated that the eye piece when inserted would be about 150cm above the ground, this allows for comfortable viewing (I am 185cm tall)  and of course the overall height can be reduced for less tall folk. 

I did mount the 9.25 OTA by myself but I made sure  I had a good grip on the OTA.

It comes supplied with a 6x30 straight through finder which I will change to a 9x50 RACI.

I have yet to do a first light but I am looking forward to it.

When I moved t back into the garage I did remove the counterweights , without those and the OTA it is not too heavy.

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Feral Rabbit

Feral Rabbit

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Hi baggywrinkle,

I picked up my AVX 8 EdgeHD from Astronomia on Saturday 12th and was given, by mistake a set of 9.25's counterweights. It wasn't until I got home that I realised they weren't for me and I returned them Monday 14th in the morning. Decided to walk the 4 miles into town. I can honestly say they were very, heavy. I think they may have been yours as Adele was pleased to see them back and said that a customer was collecting that day.

Glad to see you are happy with your new purchase. I sure am with mine and am now awaiting some clear skies to use it.

Regards

Martin

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baggywrinkle

baggywrinkle

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Hi baggywrinkle,

I picked up my AVX 8 EdgeHD from Astronomia on Saturday 12th and was given, by mistake a set of 9.25's counterweights. It wasn't until I got home that I realised they weren't for me and I returned them Monday 14th in the morning. Decided to walk the 4 miles into town. I can honestly say they were very, heavy. I think they may have been yours as Adele was pleased to see them back and said that a customer was collecting that day.

Glad to see you are happy with your new purchase. I sure am with mine and am now awaiting some clear skies to use it.

Regards

Martin

I too am waiting for clear evenings and longer nights.  Not used to these long summer evenings.

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Kirscovitch

Kirscovitch

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I think you will like the VX. The ASPA is nice to work with and the whole setup is very much portable. At the end of a session I can pick up the whole works and move it to the garage with no problem. Then on the next clear night I tear it down and re-setup.

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Blazar

Blazar

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Love my Edge 800 and AVX. As previously said the ASPA is really promising & I got some good 60 second unguided shots. Best advice is to do at least two ASPA routines. The 800 does come with a 9x50 straight through. That 9.25 looks a beast!

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baggywrinkle

baggywrinkle

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Tried 1st light last night up at Seething but the cloud rolled in...

I have a dew-shield on order plus a RACI 9x50 finder to replace the existing one. Not sure why but Celestron are great on the main stuff but poor on the accessories supplied with their kit such as finders. I get they need to make profits...

Also on order is a feather touch 10:1 focuser to replace the existing one so I have better control of the focus.

The inclinometer was one I bought in Australia when I was living there. Although it is a digital display it has 2 decimal resolution so it can be set very near latitude.

It could use a spirit level built into the bas but I have a bulls eye one I use for levelling.

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PeterCPC

PeterCPC

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As well as starsense I have added a 9x50 finderscope and a red dot finder - seems a bit over the top but I find the RDF very useful and I have an illuminated reticule in the 9x50 for precise alignment.

Peter

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  • 4 weeks later...
baggywrinkle

baggywrinkle

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I have now added a Feathertouch 10:1 focuser, 9x50 RACI with illuminated cross heairs and wating for me when I get back after this trip to the Baltic States is a 2nd hand (but boxed as new) Celestron Starsense.

As I was so please with the AVX I sold off my old SW EQ5 Pro Synscan to finance the mods I made.

I did not need two beefy EQ mounts. I can use the 9.25 for Lunar and planetary and my ED80 for DSO AP.

Now all I want is some clear skies while I amk in the UK and not travelling.

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kingboya

kingboya

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I have to say that the Baader skysurfer V is a great red dot finder. Once setup, alignment for both deep sky and planetary is a breeze. Shown here on the left on my C11 with the celestron 9x50 on the right. :Dpygerehu.jpg

Sent from my GT-N7100 using Tapatalk 2

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PeterCPC

PeterCPC

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I have now added a Feathertouch 10:1 focuser, 9x50 RACI with illuminated cross heairs and wating for me when I get back after this trip to the Baltic States is a 2nd hand (but boxed as new) Celestron Starsense.

As I was so please with the AVX I sold off my old SW EQ5 Pro Synscan to finance the mods I made.

I did not need two beefy EQ mounts. I can use the 9.25 for Lunar and planetary and my ED80 for DSO AP.

Now all I want is some clear skies while I amk in the UK and not travelling.

Your set up sounds similar to mine. I recently added a counterweight to the front of the Vixen as it was all getting a bit rear heavy with camera etc attached. The AVX will take a payload of 30lb plus counterweights I am informed and I am now up to 27lbs. I also use a Baader click lock instead of the visual back which is great for 2" accessories.

Peter

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baggywrinkle

baggywrinkle

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Just back from a week of business in the Baltics and waiting for me was my StarSense. It is in brand new condition, boxed with the original packaging. I paid £195 on Astromart for it so somewhat cheeaper than the full priced versions...now I need a clear night.......

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