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Old 01-12-2019, 07:37 PM
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mental4astro (Alexander)
kids+wife+scopes=happyman

mental4astro is offline
 
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: sydney, australia
Posts: 4,979
Hi Finski,

That particular scope is quite an old model from Celestron. Not just the mount, but the scope is no spring chicken either.

I am assuming that you are looking at this scope as being second hand. If this is the case, you would want to make sure that the mount and handset actually works properly, that it can be aligned, its Goto capability is accurate and it tracks smoothly without jitters. Check that the battery compartment is nice and clean without broken down batteries in it or having been in it. This is just the mount.

As for the scope, the primary and secondary mirrors are clean, not covered in dust (a little dust is fine, but not obviously foggy with dust and dirt), and NO SIGN of fungus grows on the optics of either the scope or eyepieces. Fungus looks like little cotton ball-like spots on the glass surfaces. This stuff is bad news not only for the scope in question, but you don't want that gear anywhere near your clean optics at home as the fungus spores will spread to your other gear.

You may want a tracking scope, which can be very convenient, but don't get carried away just by an attractive looking price. The price could be very attractive, but that is an old scope by electronic standards with no real way of getting anything repaired.

Alex.
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