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**DONOTDELETE**
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At full price I wouldn't even touch this scope but since Costco is selling them for $160 with coupon next week I thought I'd scope it out. I have read a few things on the net about the 114gt, including the yahoo groups, and I'm not expecting stellar viewing but wanted to know what you guys thought of this scope and if it's even worth the $160?
I currently use a pair of 11x80 binos on a homemade binomount. I'd use the 114gt mainly on the planets, messier objects and double stars with my 8 year old son.
TIA!
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jrcrilly
Refractor wienie again
Reged: 04/30/03
Posts: 22479
Loc: NE Ohio
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I had one of those. It's not junk. They made a compromise to get a short tube with a normal focal ratio by using a fast mirror and adding a "relay lens" inside to stretch it to F8. It's not the only telescope Celestron's done that with - they made an 8" the same way a few years ago. It's not quite as good as an optimal 114mm F8 reflector - and the relay lens makes collimation a little tricky - but it'll show plenty of objects the binoculars won't. The new model that's replacing it doesn't have the same trick in it, but there's a heckuva price difference.
The mount and drive base are arguably worth the price alone.
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John C
Urban Observatory
Tele Vue Pronto
A&M/Astreya 76mm F/6 APO
TMB/LOMO 80mm F/7.5 APO
Tak FSQ-106N F/5 APO
Meade 152ED F/9 "APO"
152mm F/10 achromat
Tak CN-212 8" F/12 classical Cass/ F/4 Newt
Teeter 20" F/3.8 truss Newt w/ServoCat
LXD750, EM-200, CI-700
ST-10XME
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**DONOTDELETE**
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Thanks for the input. I'll probably get this scope and get my moneys worth out of it and then some then move up to the next step and rediscover everything all over again some day.
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Anonymous
Unregistered
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I'm buying one for the mount. At $160 you can't go wrong and Costco has about the best return policy in the business. There are brackets available from Alpine Astro that will allow you to attach a different tube and have a semi-custom Goto setup. I figure I'll try the 114 tube and make my own judgement as to how good it is and replace it if I don't care for the optics.
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**DONOTDELETE**
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Please does anyone know any dealers who will ship a 114GT to the UK for anywhere near Costco's price? Here this scope costs $500 - $800. Even the goto handset, which i believe is the same as the Nx4's, alone costs more than $200.
Thanks for any help.
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Anonymous
Unregistered
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I decided to return mine. I just didn't like the noise of the motors. I think I'll stick to the old-fashioned way of stargazing.
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**DONOTDELETE**
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I saw a huge stack of them at my costco. My old meade has a crack in the lens (oops)  , so I needed a new one anyway.
$159.99 -- they cant be making much profit off that! Kinda rediculous how some eyepieces themselves cost more. 
So far, with just the 10mm EP provided, the SPC is very bright, and faint color variations are discernable. Ive never had an automated scope, so obviously the sidereal tracking is really nice. Much better then constantly turning knobs. The bargain price allowed me to invest in the celestron accessory kit (yet another bargain--$95, regular $600 or something rediculous).
Edited by Pie in the Sky (08/29/03 03:33 AM)
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