Hi Eardrum73. I've read various bits and pieces on the net saying the 9.25 is better than the 11 and there's also reports that say it's a complete myth and the 11 is better! I got a C11 a couple of months ago but I've never looked through a 9.25 so I can't say one way or another. Another thing I've read is that the secondary mirror obstruction in the 9.25 is a smaller % compared to the 11, this is wrong according to the papers that came with my OTA. It's a 13% obstruction area for the 9.25 compared to 12% with the 11, close enough to being the same %. The light gathering power of the 9.25 is 1127x unaided eye, the 11 is 1593x. The 11 should be a better scope but there's probably not a lot of difference. I wouldn't worry about the Chinese takeover of Celestron. I doubt whether they have changed any of their production and quality control techniques. If you want the cheapest price around for Celestron gear your best bet would be Andrews Communications, thats where I got mine from. It's probably cheaper than the rebadged Orion versions. Good luck with your decision.
