Quote:
Originally Posted by nearlycritical
Hi,
I have recently caught the astronomy bug and have been madly researching for many weeks the different types of scopes available, their advantages/disadvantages etc.
I have 95% decided an 8" SCT is the best for what I want, decent aperture, portability and the ability the ability to view planets and DSOs. I figure this type of scope will give me plenty to see for years to come and then I can see what comes next after that.
I am interested in the Celestron C8-SGT (XLT) and a 5GT mount with GOTO, this seems to be the best mix of value for money and good quality, many reviewers and forum members like this scope and its siblings.
I would like some advice on which accessories I should get to make the most of it, the package ships with a spotter scope and a 25mm eyepiece. I am thinking a 9mm and a 15mm eyepiece would be good to start out with - recommendations?. Also bobs knobs to help collimation, a 2x barlow and maybe some filters (lower priority).
Any tips from more seasoned forum members would be greatly appreciated  |
Hi
Welcome to IIS. While I can't lay claim to being "more seasoned", I have exactly the same setup as you and I find it excellent for both viewing and photography.
I strongly endorse Wayne's suggestion re dewshields and heaters - I still remember my first night when my viewing stopped at about 9.30pm because dew had formed on everything. I can recommend the heated dew shields from:
http://www.astrozap.com/pages/dew-heat.htm - scroll down and you will find one for an 8" Celestron SCT. The CG5 GT mount needs an external power supply supplying over 12v at at least 2 amps or it gets upset and stops slewing correctly.
By the time you add a dew controller, heater bands for eyepieces, heated dewshield to your mount, you will find you need a good power supply.
As regards eyepieces, I eventually went down the 2" road and am very satisfied - I use a 30mm, 20mm and a 2x barlow - gives a good range of magnifications with a wide field of view. I have other eyepieces, but tend to mostly use these ones.
The CG5 mount is strong enough to support up to 15kg on the OTA side which means you can add a guidescope later with no difficulties.
Cheers