Vintage Celestron Fork Mount

[Phil Hart]

Hi folks

I have an old Celestron C8 fork mount that I no longer use and don’t have room for anymore. I’ll accept any reasonable offer if you can pick it up in Melbourne (Hawthorn).

I acquired the mount second-hand in the mid-90’s but it might actually date to the late 80’s. It has a crude DEC motor which could use a little TLC but still works.

The mount runs on standard 9V batteries or has a 12V plug. It only has one socket for a hand controller but I have successfully used both Meade and SBIG auto-guiders with an RJ11 double adapter so that you can still use the hand controller at the same time.

The mount is complete with tripod legs and equatorial wedge with retrofitted polar axis alt-az adjustments. I used this mount with my Intes 6” Maksutov for many years and did a lot of piggyback photography with it. It would be a good (cheap) platform for widefield and telephoto imaging with or without a scope.

It looks exactly like this except that it has an extra plate built in with the polar axis alt-az adjustments:

http://www.cloudynights.com/classifieds/showproduct.php?product=8135&sort=&cat=all&page=1

Let me know if you’re interested.

Cheers
Phil Hart
0438 037 567
www.philhart.com/gallery/Astrophotography (http://www.philhart.com/gallery/Astrophotography)

[Bucky1379]

Hi Phil

I am very interested and live in Melbourne.

Can you give the distance between the fork legs or an indication of what size scope it would suit? I have a couple that could use a better mount.

Also can you give a ballpark figure of what you are looking at for it?

Thanks

Steve M

[Phil Hart]

Hi Steve (and others)

Thanks for the response.. I got a private reply from somebody I was helping with astrophotography at VicSouth last year so looks like it will be going their way. Will let you know if that falls through.

cheers
Phil.