[SOLD] Celestron 14" SCT (Hyperstar compatible) as used by Brian Cox!

[xthestreams (Paul)]

Asking $3500 ex-Melbourne. Hoping to move it quickly as I am getting yelled at for clogging up the spare room (why have it if not for spare things....?)

Prefer NOT to ship as I don't have the original packaging. Happy to offer up more photos etc to those interested.

Despite being the an earlier version of the C14, this model is Hyperstar ready (removable secondary) and has wonderful optics (clean mirror and corrector plates).

In addition to the extra dovetail I've added up top, it comes with the standard Celestron finder scope and 32mm 2" eyepiece and star diagonals as well as a Meade 6.3 reducer I no longer require but that will help get the scope down to a faster F/ratio (from f11!).

The keen eyed will also notice a cut-out panel in the side of the OTA tube, which was professionally added by the University that was it's previous owner. The (flocked) cut out provides access to the baffle onto which the Software Bisque primary mirror locking collar can be fixed (the black tube in the side on photo). For those of you interested in astro photography and concerned about mirror flop, this is how you beat it (sadly no longer made by SB). You will of course need a Crayford focuser as the SCT focuser is then locked , but I am also selling my Optic 2" TCF auto-focuser if you're interested.

The mirror lock can be removed (and has been recently), so the scope can then be focused using the standard SCT twisty thing that makes no sense to anyone but still we use them! ;-)

This is one of those "I don't want to but something has to go before it's me" moments, so a bit of a closet clean out - and yes, while it was living in Coonabarranbran Mr Cox peered up through the skies using it during the shooting of the ABC's Star Gazing (I wish I was able to share a photo but I can't find any).

It is a wonderful piece of equipment, certainly not the untamable beast we're all lead to believe and - aside from really benefitting from two people to get it onto a mount - a big baby.

So as much as I'd love to keep it, it's time to go.