Absolute Beginner With Confusing “Stuff”.

[Mikel56]

……compromise with a goto for the Swift and manual for the heavy Celestron.

[Mikel56]

Definitely not a typo !  Not eBay ! not Private either ! And I didn’t know how valuable the items were until I started googling. 
 

and I thought the mounts would be cheaper ! 

[dweller25]

20 minutes ago, Mikel56 said:

……compromise with a goto for the Swift and manual for the heavy Celestron.

Perhaps start with the manual so you can learn with it and then decide what you want to do next ?

Also download “Stellarium” - it’s very good astronomy software that will help you get around the night sky

[bosun21]

I couldn’t believe it when I saw the price you got them for, I think I may even had shed a tear😂. The fact that the 9.25” is unused is a win on top of the win you already got. If you don’t know your way around the sky then you will have trouble finding targets with the 9.25” due to its long focal length.  The 9.25” is an excellent scope and deserves a quality mount to allow it to shine. Good luck with your new hobby.

Edited August 3, 2023 by bosun21

[ScouseSpaceCadet]

26 minutes ago, Mikel56 said:

……compromise with a goto for the Swift and manual for the heavy Celestron.

https://www.firstlightoptics.com/computerised-goto-astronomy-mounts/ioptron-az-mount-pro.html

 

Watch this review of  the c9.25 before committing to anything. Ed offers wise words near the end:

To be honest if you have bitten off a bit more than you can chew, don't want to fork out a fortune for mounts then, sell the lot and with the £1200 or so profit, buy a £400 8" dobsonian, red light torch and a book.

 

Edited August 3, 2023 by ScouseSpaceCadet

[Franklin]

Bingo!

[Mikel56]

Just watched the video, thanks for that. Seems that I have quite a good 9.25 Celestron but unfortunately minus a stand. I’m going to keep it at this stage. My feeling is to go for the SkyTee along with some downloaded software as David suggested. Hopefully beginning with the Swift and the other bits and pieces I might get a hint as to how to navigate the night sky. The moon is usually there I suppose. I note the SkyTee can take up to 10kgs. (X2) Maybe not the best for the Celestron 9.25 but could give me a feel for the possibilities of the 9.25, that’s from the perspective of a newcomer. With both telescopes on the SkyTee, not the best I accept, and a red dot finder (got one in the box and it works !) plus the software, I could have the 9.25 pointing more or less towards a desired location. If positive then I’ll have to spend the dosh ! That’s the plan.

Thanks to you all for your input, it is appreciated,

Mike

ps Any idea what unit is at the bottom of the picture ? There’s an internal lense.

[Mandy D]

@Mikel56 I have the Skytee 2 mount and I understood it to be capable of 15 kg per side. It handles my Skywatcher 200P quite nicely for lunar photography. The thing in your photo looks like it might be a Barlow lens, which is used for increasing the magnification of eyepieces, usually x2, but can be less than this or more. Don't bother with it when you first start, as you'll have enough to handle.

[Cosmic Geoff]

Have you looked on FLO or other sites, to see what kind of mount is bundled with Celestron's C925 when sold with a mount? You will see that they are all GoTo mounts. Celestron don't offer a non-GoTo or manual alternative.  See also the CPC925 which is integrated with a fork mount.

I have the same tripod that's used for the CPC925. It's quite a heavy item and very rigid.

I fitted a second dovetail bar on the OTA of my C8 SCT to mount accessories and to give something to hold on to while mounting the scope.

[Mr Spock]

That's quite a haul for the cash - I wish I was that fortunate!

Don't skimp on the mount. I had my C9.25 on an EQ6, but, the HEQ5 will work just as well. What you will gain is a highly capable and powerful instrument.
You have more than enough eyepieces and accessories in that bundle to get going.

[Mikel56]

Thanks Mandy. I was wrong, 15kg in the specification.

I had a look Geoff and they are all Goto. Ouch. To begin with I’m going to use the SkyTee with the Swift. I have a lot to learn. Maybe try the 9.25 on the SkyTee as an interim step but don’t expect great results, operator results ! I’ll then have to decide how to mount the 9.25.

Thanks,M

[Mikel56]

Michael, I’m learning I need to spend the dosh for the mount ! The HEQ5 seems reasonable cost wise.

Edited August 4, 2023 by Mikel56

[dweller25]

2 minutes ago, Mikel56 said:

Thanks Mandy. I was wrong, 15kg in the specification.

I had a look Geoff and they are all Goto. Ouch. To begin with I’m going to use the SkyTee with the Swift. I have a lot to learn. Maybe try the 9.25 on the SkyTee as an interim step but don’t expect great results, operator results ! I’ll then have to decide how to mount the 9.25.

Thanks,M

I think you may be surprised by the results you get from the C9.25 on the Skytee - in a good way.

Also you are just in time for the planet season to start - Saturn first then Jupiter.

Make no mistake both scopes are excellent and I can even predict the first word you will say when you see Saturn 🙂

[dweller25]

One major difference between the Swift and the C9.25…..

The C9.25 will need at least 90 minutes to reach ambient temperature when you take it outside, the Swift will be good to go within 15 minutes.

[Naughty Neal]

Though the skytee is manual using flexi controls the movements are quite smooth so for visual should be  upto the job .  If sketching then might be lacking a little .   

For AP you will need go to but that is another ball game and very deep pockets.

[Mikel56]

Good to hear that on the SkyTee I’ll get a visual surprise ! 
I’ve been through the eyepieces, ten in total in the box all measuring 11/4 “. All of them “work” with the Swift apart from the two on the left, 3.2 and 6. As I don’t have the stand yet it was just a test pointing through the window at a bunch of trees. The 32s and 19 were perfect to my eyes. The 3.2 and the 6 may have been too powerful for the Swift or maybe just not as good quality as the three on the right ? All I saw was grey with the 3.2 and the 6. I fitted them all directly to the 11/4 female fitting on the telescope. 

[Astronomist]

C9.25 for £151!  

congratulations on an absolute bargain.

the 3.2mm eyepiece is really to much magnification for long focus scopes like your f13 swift, not surprising that it doesn't give a good view. the 6mm is about the maximum power  you can expect to use in reasonably good seeing. those are two great scopes you have there!

clear skies

[Albir phil]

Yeahs the silver Lenses are camera they could be Carl Zeiss Jenna from east Berlin. I had one some years ago they are very high quality lenses. Look on the front of the lens the make will be there.By the way you got a bargain well done👏

 

[Mikel56]

The lenses have written on the side “MADE IN USSR”. Not sure what the item is on the right, probably photography.

[Mr Spock]

They are cine lenses.

[dweller25]

An interesting assortment of lenses

Edited August 4, 2023 by dweller25

[wulfrun]

51 minutes ago, Mikel56 said:

The lenses have written on the side “MADE IN USSR”. Not sure what the item is on the right, probably photography.

As I said above, (russian) rangefinder camera lenses, Jupiter 11, that one shown is made in 1974. The item on the right is known as a turret finder and it's a copy of the Zeiss one. You put it in the cold-shoe of your rangefinder camera and it gives you "frames" for 28, 35, 50, 85 and 135mm lenses. Russian rangefinders don't have these, natively, within the camera.

EDIT:  I have a collection of russian rangefinders, lenses & accessories, including same as shown in the photos.

EDIT 2: there's also a Mir-1 28mm f/2.8 shown in one of the photos. That's actually a film SLR lens for Zenit etc.

Edited August 4, 2023 by wulfrun

[wulfrun]

5 minutes ago, Mr Spock said:

They are cine lenses.

Rangefinder lenses, not cine. Nice guess though.

[wulfrun]

As proof...my Zorki, sporting a Jupiter 11 and turret-finder:

 

[Astronomist]

21 hours ago, Mikel56 said:

 Any idea what unit is at the bottom of the picture ? There’s an internal lense.

possibly an atmospheric dispersion corrector?