Celestron C6-S

[spike87]

Hi all, after 6 months of reviewing what seems like almost every telescope ever built I am nearly ready to purchase my first "real" scope. For the past few weeks I've had my heart set on the Skyliner 200P Dob, however after reading a few things on this site I'm not so sure. The main thing putting me off is that astrophotography is not great with a dobsonian. I do eventually want to start taking photos of what I see. Also it seems quite big and heavy and I would like something more portable.

Then I saw another thread about the Celestron C6-S which is massively reduced in a clearance sale at the minute which is very tempting. The mount looks so strong which has got to help with photography. The only thing putting me off this scope is that I read a lot of people have problems with dew collecting inside. Is this true?

So after looking through First Light Optics (where I will be purchasing from) I found the Skywatcher Skymax 127 SupaTrack which also looks very tempting. I've seen some photos of the Moon from other users which look stunning.

There's so many choices!

[scotastro]

There is so much choice it is hard to know what to do.

The 200mm Dob would be a great visual all rounder but as you say not great for photography except for the Moon. I assume that the same scope on an a driven equatorial mount is outside your budget.

With Maks and SCTs dew collects on the front corrector plate not inside - provided you cover the visual back before bringing the scope inside.

The mak127 is a great planetary scope but the supatrak mount will not allow for long exposures.

Mike

[spike87]

Am I right in thinking that the C6-S is not motorised? Does this mean objects in the sky will be just as difficult to find/track as with a dob?

[Jarndyce]

Yes, the CG-5 mount is manual.

However, once it is accurately polar aligned, you can maually track stars by just adjusting RA.

I haven't used a dob, so I can't compare the two.

However, motors are available for the CG-5, both dual and single axis. These can be purchased for around £60 at the moment. In fact I've just bought one.

You can even add full goto control, but this is a lot more expensive.

[Sarah]

The C6S is a very nice scope and it is at a great price. The dual axis motor drive is easy enough to fit. And the CG5 mount seems very sturdy for a 6" SCT. A dew shield and dew heater tape will help with keeping dew off the front corrector plate. We've not had much of a problem with dew at the moment, but have had a problem with frost on our other scopes. The dew heater tape has kept the frost off the C6S.

Sarah

[adamsp123]

If you are considering photography I would also consider the C80ED on the CG5 mount.

It is a lovely little scope and being a ED refractor it give high contrast views and should be good for AP.

On the CG5 mount it is rock steady as well.

I have seen excellent views through mine and although not as much light gathering as a 6" SCT is has other benefits. Have a word with the guys at FLO.

[spike87]

Thank you very much for the replies. I think I'm gonna go for it and get the C6S. The price is very good at the moment. What is this telescope like with regards to astrophotography? Nothing too serious, just the Moon and maybe the odd planet if I ever feel like it!

Also after reading a few more posts I'm wondering how difficult the mount is to use. Never used a mount like this before, is it easy once you know how? It looks so strong and well built!

[TheThing]

With any scope you can take great afocal pictures of the moon and, with some success, snaps of the other planets. I don't have experience of that particular mount, but you should be able to get to grips with it very easily. Just ask here or as FLO if you buy it from them.

As with all new equipment, you should set it up in the light first (day or inside) and familiarise yourself with it, before taking it out in the dark. The more you play, the better you'll get!

[adamsp123]

Give FLO a call have a talk but I would strongly advise you to buy soon before all the heavy price rises hit the new stock, the old stock is I believe going fast!

[Jarndyce]

Hi Spike

Like many, I've been through exactly the same dilemma as you. Which first scope to buy?

I'm with adam on this. Give Steve a call at FLO.

I ordered my C6-S on Thursday and it arrived the next day.

Still in boxes on the floor at the moment. For the money, it all looks very well put together. The CG-5 mount is large, robust and heavy. I also ordered T-rings so that I can fit my Nikon DSLR straight onto the back of the OTA and have a dabble with imaging - but there's a lot to learn.

I've bought a dewshield (the 6SE one fits as it's the same OTA) but not dew tapes. These seem rather expensive for what they are, so I may make my own if I need them.

Just about to go and put it all together. Looks straightforward. I'm sure the motor instructions will make sense when I've got the mount assembled.

Hoping for clear nights...

[ian_d]

I've had my C6-S for about a year now and it is terrific. The CG-5 mount is more than adequate and have had some great views. Highly recommended!

[spike87]

Is the dew problem a big problem with these telescopes and is dew prevention a must? I've heard that people even use hairdryers!

I have a Nikon D70 that I would love to hook up to the telescope, even if it's just for pictures of the Moon. Would a simple T-Ring for the D70 be sufficient?

[John]

Is the dew problem a big problem with these telescopes and is dew prevention a must? I've heard that people even use hairdryers!

In a word - yes !. Because of the glass element right at the front of the scope Mak and Schmidt Cassegrains do collect the dew rather readily. You do need either a dew shield or a heated dew prevention strip (or both when the dew is really bad) otherwise your observing sessions can be cut short.

John

[spike87]

Right I will have to sort that out then. Dew wouldn't actually damage the telescope itself would it?

[John]

Dew wouldn't actually damage the telescope itself would it?

No - it clears quite quickly when the optics warm up (hence the use of hairdryers !). It does rather spoil the views though !. If you do get dewed up do resist the temptation to wipe the optics - let it evaporate naturally.

John

[spike87]

Oh the choices! I really like the look of the 6" Skywatcher Newtonian Reflectors which are considerably cheaper than the C6-S. I'm looking at some websites that offer an 8" reflector cheaper than the 6" C6. The Skywatcher Explorers 150P/200P also come with a direct SLR connection so I would be able to fit my Nikon D70 onto them. But something just keeps telling me the C6 must be better because of the price is was at!

With regards to the C6, are you paying extra there for the portablility of it?

[John]

With regards to the C6, are you paying extra there for the portablility of it?

The Schmidt-Cassegrain optical system is more complex to produce than a newtonian system - that's what you are paying for.

You can get a 10 inch dobsonian for around the same price of the C8-S.

John

[Whippy]

With regards to the C6, are you paying extra there for the portablility of it?

Sort of. Catadioptric scopes like SCT's and Maksutovs include both mirrors and lenses in their design and are more difficult therefore, more expensive to manufacture. Newtonians are basically two mirrors in a tube and are much cheaper to make which is reflected in the price. The big upside to SCT's is that the light path is 'folded' up inside the scope so it produces a scope that's much more compact than a Newtonian of the same aperture so it makes it more portable.

IMO, unless you have real issues with storage space, the size and bulk of 6" & 8" reflectors isn't too much of an issue. You can fit both of them into a medium size car should you want to travel with it and most people should be able to set either of them up on their own without too much hassle. From a portability point of view, SCT's make more sense above 8".

Tony..

[beetlejuice]

I got my C6-S in November from FLO. It's perfect as a grab-and-go scope - quick to set up and cools faster than a larger scope. In fact it's getting more use than my C9.25! At f/10 it's a good compromise between widefield (when used with a f/6.3 reducer) and the longer focal lengths for lunar and planetary. To be fair it's a jack of all trades. If you want large aperture, shortish focal length for widefield buy a Dob. If you are more interested in planetary get a Mak. If you want something that's reasonable for both, get a SCT.

[spike87]

Such a difficult decision. I'm undecided between the C6-S, Skywatcher Explorer 150P or Skywatcher Explorer 200P. I've completely ruled out a Dob now so it's between those three. Space/Portability isn't an issue at present. I think the Skywatchers are best suited to my needs but the price of the C6-S is so tempting. I keep thinking surely the optics of the C6 must be better than the Skywatchers purely because of the price difference!

[John]

If it's any consolation Celestron is owned by Synta who also make the Skywatcher scopes. These scopes may well all come from the same factory. All 3 scopes have a good optical reputation - it just depends which suits your needs and your budget best.

If you went for the C6-S you get the best mount and a scope which is probably "overmounted" ie: the mount is sturdier than the scope really needs - which old hands always say is an ideal combination

John

[Jarndyce]

Decisions, decisions...

From my limited knowledge, I don't think you can go wrong with any of those scopes.

I'm thrilled with my C6-S, but despite being compact, on the mount it is heavy - at the limit of what can be carried assembled, mainly because it's awkward to get a grip of.

That said, it' fantastic value. Bear in mind that although it's more complex optically (SCT), it doesn't contain any electronics, so you're just paying for optics and mount.

I really would recommend giving FLO a call. Their prices are unmatched and you would have to trek to the Andromeda galaxy to find a more friendly and helpful bloke than Steve. (no, I don't work for them...)

I spoke to him yesterday, and he mentioned that there are going to be a lot of people kicking themselves when the last C6-S is sold at this price, and they've missed out....