7of 9
member
Reged: 07/20/08
Posts: 60
Loc: Valley Forge, PA USA
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Hello all!
In my previous post I asked about the Celestron NexStar 8 SE 8”. A few of you touched on the aligning of the scope. Just how hard, cumbersome or challenging is it?
Thanks!
Rachel
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Seven of Nine,
Tertiary Adjunct of Unimatrix Zero-One
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Rachel
NexStar 8 SE SCT
It is said, Master to his student;
Walk the path side by side to share
the destinies until the path goes
separate ways...
-----
My Latitude: 40 06 00N
Longitude: 07 52 64W
Want to know where are you? check it out here;
http://www.lat-long.com/
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Fred1
scholastic sledgehammer
Reged: 09/19/07
Posts: 767
Loc: Garnet Valley, Pennsylvania
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As with all things that have a computer in them, there is a learning curve. I had mine up and running properly by the 3rd time out. The trick is to FOLLOW THE INSTRUCTIONS. I found, as have many others, that using the Auto Two Star alignment is easiest and best. On a 1 to 10 scale with 10 being "impossible to align" and 1 being "turn it on and begin GoTos immediately", I rate it as a 5 initially. With a little practice, it quickly becomes a 2.5.
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Fred
Celestron 8" SCT w/Starizona Feathertouch Microfocuser and Orion 9x50 RACI FinderScope;
Stellarvue Nighthawk Aplanat w/Orion 6x30 RACI Finderscope
Vixen Sphinx SXD/Hal 130
Celestron CG5-ASGT
Stellarvue M1/Surveyor Tripod
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Bob Griffiths
Post Laureate
Reged: 10/10/05
Posts: 4119
Loc: Frederick Maryland
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Seriously like Fred said once you get the hang of it aligning should taker all of 3 minutes IF you go slow...
and just want your Goto's to be somewhere in the FOV
5 -6 minutes if you want dead center goto's The learning curve is not that hard nor is it very long ..read the sticky in this forum under alignment tips etc...
BTW...my 11 year old granddaughter owns an 8SE
and she can align it as easy as I can mine... but then again I taught her...LOL
Bob G.
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CPC1100
Nexstar 8i + GPS & Rays Brackets
Denk S1 power switch
Orion 100 mm Refractor
Meade LXD 55 ...AR-5 127 mm Refractor
Exploradome Observatory S.I.E. (Smiling Irish Eyes)
39*21'03" N
77*28'12" W
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Bob Griffiths
Post Laureate
Reged: 10/10/05
Posts: 4119
Loc: Frederick Maryland
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Sorry Rachel .
The alignment tips are in the Nexstar forum not here...
Bob G
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CPC1100
Nexstar 8i + GPS & Rays Brackets
Denk S1 power switch
Orion 100 mm Refractor
Meade LXD 55 ...AR-5 127 mm Refractor
Exploradome Observatory S.I.E. (Smiling Irish Eyes)
39*21'03" N
77*28'12" W
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mosheriffic
super member
Reged: 03/31/08
Posts: 151
Loc: Marysville, Wa.USA
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Fret not! One of hallmarks of this scope/mount combo is its ease of set up and use! 
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Ron
"seeing is believing"
Celestron Nexstar 8SE
Orion 120st
astroview mount
Orion starshoot solar system color imager II
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Member Everett Astronomical Society
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Edited by mosheriffic (07/27/08 12:41 AM)
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7of 9
member
Reged: 07/20/08
Posts: 60
Loc: Valley Forge, PA USA
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Hi people!
Thanks for the advice, much appreciated 
ave a great day.
Rachel
--------------------
Seven of Nine,
Tertiary Adjunct of Unimatrix Zero-One
----------------
Rachel
NexStar 8 SE SCT
It is said, Master to his student;
Walk the path side by side to share
the destinies until the path goes
separate ways...
-----
My Latitude: 40 06 00N
Longitude: 07 52 64W
Want to know where are you? check it out here;
http://www.lat-long.com/
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hdt
super member
Reged: 11/10/07
Posts: 100
Loc: N35°10' W106°32'
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Quote:
Hello all!
In my previous post I asked about the Celestron NexStar 8 SE 8”. A few of you touched on the aligning of the scope. Just how hard, cumbersome or challenging is it?
Thanks!
Rachel
Hello, Rachel 0.7777 (7/9, I'll quit now, I promise).
Learning to set it up is a bit cumbersome. You've got to be systematic about it. I personally find that "1x magnification" finder to be painful to my neck. But if you take notes, you'll learn to align in 2 evenings.
Thereafter, assuming no evening thunderstorms, your viewing will be: (1) Remember to bring equipment out so it can get to temperature (longest time; around 1 hr); (2) attach mount to tripod; scope to fork mount (1-3 minutes); (3) power cord to external battery pack; velcro (< 1 minute); (4) attach finder, diagonal, eyepieces, etc. (< 1 minute); (5) Don't forget to remove the front 8" dustcap (don't ask how I know that one!), (6) power up, set up correct time and location on hand controller, point to first star (1-5 minutes), point to second star (1 minute or so) (7) "goto" the first star, to confirm you did things correctly (less than 1 minute) (8) spend hours "goto"ing various nifty objects, and saying to yourself "ooohhhh"
You're good to go.
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a-l-e-x
sage
Reged: 12/25/07
Posts: 480
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BTW, on point (5), is the notch on the side of the ota near the corrector supposed to be lined up when youre placing the dustcap back on? I think it provides some kind of "lock" so the cap wont fall off?
I dont like the dustcap-- it seems kind of fragile and I have difficulty removing it and then replacing it and lining it back up with the notch (Im always afraid the cap will scratch the corrector), so Ive ordered a dewcap from astrozap modded by Joe to replace the original dustcap.
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We love our precious Harmony, our sweetest Destiny and our darling Sonya Marie !!!
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**************************************************
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Bob Griffiths
Post Laureate
Reged: 10/10/05
Posts: 4119
Loc: Frederick Maryland
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Quote:
BTW, on point (5), is the notch on the side of the ota near the corrector supposed to be lined up when youre placing the dustcap back on? I think it provides some kind of "lock" so the cap wont fall off?
I dont like the dustcap-- it seems kind of fragile and I have difficulty removing it and then replacing it and lining it back up with the notch (Im always afraid the cap will scratch the corrector), so Ive ordered a dewcap from astrozap modded by Joe to replace the original dustcap.
A piece of white Electrical tape on the top of the OTA and a matching one on the dustcap makes replacing it in the dark easy...just line up the tap marks put the cap oni and twist
Bob G
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CPC1100
Nexstar 8i + GPS & Rays Brackets
Denk S1 power switch
Orion 100 mm Refractor
Meade LXD 55 ...AR-5 127 mm Refractor
Exploradome Observatory S.I.E. (Smiling Irish Eyes)
39*21'03" N
77*28'12" W
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Fred1
scholastic sledgehammer
Reged: 09/19/07
Posts: 767
Loc: Garnet Valley, Pennsylvania
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I forgot to mention that my alignments became so much easier, and faster, after I replaced the red-dot finder with a 9x50 Right Angle Corrct Image finderscope.
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Fred
Celestron 8" SCT w/Starizona Feathertouch Microfocuser and Orion 9x50 RACI FinderScope;
Stellarvue Nighthawk Aplanat w/Orion 6x30 RACI Finderscope
Vixen Sphinx SXD/Hal 130
Celestron CG5-ASGT
Stellarvue M1/Surveyor Tripod
Edited by Fred1 (07/27/08 06:02 PM)
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coopman
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 04/23/06
Posts: 1201
Loc: South Louisiana
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How difficult was it to install that RACI finder on the Nexstar? Thanks.
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Regards,
Clay
"The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands." Psalms 19:1
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Fred1
scholastic sledgehammer
Reged: 09/19/07
Posts: 767
Loc: Garnet Valley, Pennsylvania
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Quote:
How difficult was it to install that RACI finder on the Nexstar? Thanks.
It took about 3-5 minutes. The stock base screws off. The RACI base screws on with the same screws and the RACI slips in and locks down. This is what you need.
http://www.skiesunlimited.net/index.php?ProductID=646&CategoryID=140
http://www.skiesunlimited.net/index.php?ProductID=1002&CategoryID=140
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Fred
Celestron 8" SCT w/Starizona Feathertouch Microfocuser and Orion 9x50 RACI FinderScope;
Stellarvue Nighthawk Aplanat w/Orion 6x30 RACI Finderscope
Vixen Sphinx SXD/Hal 130
Celestron CG5-ASGT
Stellarvue M1/Surveyor Tripod
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a-l-e-x
sage
Reged: 12/25/07
Posts: 480
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I'd use a 6x30 RACI-- the 9x50 seems a bit too bulky for the SE mount-- lighter is better, in this case.
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**************************************************
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We love our precious Harmony, our sweetest Destiny and our darling Sonya Marie !!!
--------------------------------------------------
**************************************************
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Fred1
scholastic sledgehammer
Reged: 09/19/07
Posts: 767
Loc: Garnet Valley, Pennsylvania
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I didn't find the 7 ounce difference to be an issue. I have both. I did find that the extra light absorbtion of the 9x50 makes finding objects easier for my aging eyes.
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Fred
Celestron 8" SCT w/Starizona Feathertouch Microfocuser and Orion 9x50 RACI FinderScope;
Stellarvue Nighthawk Aplanat w/Orion 6x30 RACI Finderscope
Vixen Sphinx SXD/Hal 130
Celestron CG5-ASGT
Stellarvue M1/Surveyor Tripod
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coutleef
scholastic sledgehammer
Reged: 02/21/08
Posts: 806
Loc: Montreal and St-Donat, Québec,...
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I agree with that statement. Never had any problem with my alignments because of weigth when my SV finder is on the scope. I have accessories that are much heavier than the finder.
Francois
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François
Nexstar 8 SE
50mm StellarVue finderscope, Astronomik UHC-E and Orion OIII filters
WO Swan 40mm; TV Pan 22mm; TV Nagler 9T6, 12T4, 17T4; TV Plossl 11mm and 15mm.
WO 2" dielectric diagonal retrofitted with Denk Power Switch (and now reach the zenith with the shorty adapter).
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Fred1
scholastic sledgehammer
Reged: 09/19/07
Posts: 767
Loc: Garnet Valley, Pennsylvania
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Agreed. The maximum load for the SE mount is in the area of 19 to 21 lbs. There are other threads on that. When I had my SE mount I regularly used it with the 8"SCT, Astrozap Dewshield, 9x50 RACI, Orion Filter Wheel, TV Binos, a pair of TV 24mm Pans, Dewbuster Controller, and Dew-Not heater strips. About 19.3 lbs. It did fine but when I switched to the CG5ASGT GEM, it became much more stable.
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Fred
Celestron 8" SCT w/Starizona Feathertouch Microfocuser and Orion 9x50 RACI FinderScope;
Stellarvue Nighthawk Aplanat w/Orion 6x30 RACI Finderscope
Vixen Sphinx SXD/Hal 130
Celestron CG5-ASGT
Stellarvue M1/Surveyor Tripod
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InterStellarGuy
super member
Reged: 06/25/08
Posts: 113
Loc: Nebraska
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19-21? http://www.celestron.com/c2/product.php?CatID=13&ProdID=416
according to this the Nexstar 8SE telescope weights 24 lbs while the tripod and mount weigh 9.
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--------------
Celestron C8
Celestron Nexstar 6SE
Celestron First Scope 114
Celestron Nexstar 60
Celestron accessory kit
Celestron UHC 1.25 filter
Celestron UV/IR cut off filter
Celestron NexImage
Meade DSI Pro
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Fred1
scholastic sledgehammer
Reged: 09/19/07
Posts: 767
Loc: Garnet Valley, Pennsylvania
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The stock weight of the 8SE (OTA/mount/tripod) is 34 lbs. The OTA is 12 lbs. 13 with the feathertouch focuser I installed with 2" visual back.
The SE one-armed mount's weight handling capacity is about 19-21 lbs. That leaves about another 7-8 pounds over the stock weight that the mount/tripod assembly can handle.
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Fred
Celestron 8" SCT w/Starizona Feathertouch Microfocuser and Orion 9x50 RACI FinderScope;
Stellarvue Nighthawk Aplanat w/Orion 6x30 RACI Finderscope
Vixen Sphinx SXD/Hal 130
Celestron CG5-ASGT
Stellarvue M1/Surveyor Tripod
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7of 9
member
Reged: 07/20/08
Posts: 60
Loc: Valley Forge, PA USA
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ROFL Thanks again for the great input!
Fred1 you crack me up, you started on all that "Astrozap Dewshield, RACI, Orion Filter Wheel, TV Binos, a pair of TV Pans, Dewbuster Controller, and Dew-Not heater strips. when I switched to the CG5ASGT GEM" and I got lost in the translation. Isn't that a movie?
Ok guys thanks so much, it is greatly appreciated.
I need to get back to the Astrometrics Lab.
Rachel
--------------------
Seven of Nine,
Tertiary Adjunct of Unimatrix Zero-One
----------------
Rachel
NexStar 8 SE SCT
It is said, Master to his student;
Walk the path side by side to share
the destinies until the path goes
separate ways...
-----
My Latitude: 40 06 00N
Longitude: 07 52 64W
Want to know where are you? check it out here;
http://www.lat-long.com/
|
Fred1
scholastic sledgehammer
Reged: 09/19/07
Posts: 767
Loc: Garnet Valley, Pennsylvania
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Quote:
I got lost in the translation.
Rachel
You'll learn the lingo. Just as I did. I started in this hobby 11 months ago.
--------------------
Fred
Celestron 8" SCT w/Starizona Feathertouch Microfocuser and Orion 9x50 RACI FinderScope;
Stellarvue Nighthawk Aplanat w/Orion 6x30 RACI Finderscope
Vixen Sphinx SXD/Hal 130
Celestron CG5-ASGT
Stellarvue M1/Surveyor Tripod
|
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