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Old 02-09-2013, 01:56 PM
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Camelopardalis (Dunk)
Drifting from the pole

Camelopardalis is offline
 
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: Brisbane
Posts: 5,479
Steve - neither the CPC 800 or LX90 are light, but everyone has their own definition of that. The CPC models have handles on the main unit and it is supposed to be pretty ergonomic to carry, but the CPC 800 is still 20kg plus the tripod (which is separate) and given you mention a dodgy back, it'd really be something to see and try before you buy.

If you're decided on an SCT, then a C8 on a suitable equatorial mount might work well for visual as the mount would break down into smaller chunks and the ota weight is less than 6kg. An equatorial mount would be better for astrophotography too. The long focal length of the SCT might make it extra tricky though for fainter stuff, but should do a good job of planetary. Celestron's new Advanced VX mount gets decent reviews from the US, but for the relatively lightweight C8 tube there are a lot on the market that should do a good job, depending on your pocket depth and preferences.

Have you considered a smaller Dob for visual? An 8 inch would be quite a bit lighter than the 10.
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