1696 replies to this topic

[Dennis53121]

I have a black tube C8 ser #873982 and I am not sure but I believe it was manufactured 1989 or 1990.

Dennis

[Masvingo]

Thanks Dennis, it's good to have another data point later on in the 8xxxxx series, I'll put it in the next revision of the register.

James

[Thomas Parr]

824523 On my pebbled orange tube.

[Masvingo]

Thanks Thomas, I will add your 'scope to the next revision of the register. If you get a chance it would be nice to know the date on the two drive motors in the base - usually shown as a numeric month and two year digits somewhere on the motor.

James

[SteveNH]

Hi James,

Here is my orange C8 for your list, serial no. 807390, from the early 80's(?). Very good optics. The motors seem to be dated 11/79.

Steve

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[Michael2]

G'day James

My Orange Tube C8 is Serial Number 800773 and the one Motor date that I can see is 9-78 (September 1978).
I purchased it second hand in about 1980.
It now has a new lease of life on an Ioptron Mini Tower MK2.
Really nice optics!
Keep up the good work on the Registry

Michael

Australia.

[Masvingo]

G'day Michael

Thanks for your serial number and the motor date - it's good to have a motor date for one of the early 8xxxxx series C8s although there's always the caveat about not knowing how long the motors sat around in stock. However, going by the numbers to hand it looks like the 8xxxxx series came in in 1979 which would make yours an early 1979 model I guess.

Thanks also for your kind words about the registry.

Enjoy the Southern skies, I grew up in Africa and still miss Crux and Omega Centauri and Scorpio!

James

[SteveNH]

Hello again, James - I hope you didn't miss my entry (with the photos), just above Michael's from Australia - just checkin'!

Steve

[Masvingo]

Steve, my apologies, I don't know how I missed that when I checked the thread this morning! Doesn't say much for my observational skills. Thanks for the prompt, it's great to have another early 8xxxxx one with motor dates. I've seen reports which suggest production got up to around 5,000 per year and your motor dates would be consistent with this (given the unknown of how long they sat on a shelf before being used) and the start of the 8xxxxx series in 1979 as your serial number would then point to a production date roughly around mid 1980.

Thanks again and my apologies for the oversight.

James

[Masvingo]

Hi again Steve

I was just adding your details to the list and I see that desertrefugee's C8 is very close, with a serial of 807397 but with motors dated 2/80.

James

[SteveNH]

Hey James, I'm just grateful that someone is willing to go through this laborious task just so we can all enjoy the outcome - like the close serial numbers we come across, and other interesting patterns we discover, which are all just awesome. Thanks again!

Steve

[Falcon-]

May as well add my Orage tube C8 to the list.

There are a bunch of pictures of it in this thread here (starting about half way down), including a shot of the first page of the manual where the serial number is noted as "173857" next to a "1977".

My particular C8 is pre secondary-holder-label and yet does not have a serial number label on the base. I do not know if this was a transition between the locations of the S/N or if the label on the base was simply lost by a previous owner. In any case I have no reason to doubt the number writen in the manual.

There is also this partially eligible etching on the back of the OTA but I have a feeling that was added sometime *after* celestron sold it... :shurg:

Edit: Realized the etched number may be the original owner's driver's license so in the interests of privacy I have removed the image and replaced it with the front page of the manual instead.

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[Masvingo]

Thanks Falcon.

My guess is that the previous owner lost or removed the serial number tag that should be on the base. The serial number in the manual is consistent with the 1977 date as it gives a production period of the 1st quarter of 1977.

I'ld agree with your thoughts on the etching on the cell, maybe the previous owner's initials, can't make out what is before the number on the bottom row though.

From the pictures on the other thread it looks like you got an excellent find with all the accessories, I wish something like that would follow me home!

James

[Masvingo]

Hi all

I've added all the recent submissions (7 in total from this thread) plus a couple of SN's from the CN classifieds and 4 from Ebay ads to the register.

As before, because of the file size limits I've only shown the top part of the list in the attached image but there is a link to the full register below:

Celestron C8 Registry

My very grateful thanks to all the contributors

James

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[SteveNH]

Thank you James, for this meticulously detailed chart - I can finally get a good idea of the manufacture date of my model. I wanted to point out a typo for my orange tube 807390 listing, where I think you meant to type 11/79, not 11/90, as the motor date.

Steve

[Masvingo]

Apologies again, Steve, yes, finger trouble on my part, I've now corrected the register. Thanks for spotting that.

I'm pleased to have got so many numbers for the register, the more numbers the easier it is to spot the patterns and to try and tie down dates when changes happened.

James

[Michael2]

Sean, I wonder if that engraving is BCDL, standing for British Columbia Drivers licence and then the licence number. May be the previous owner's method of ID in case of theft.

Michael
Australia.

[Falcon-]

Michael: You are likely right! Thanks for pointing out the blindingly obvious. With that in mind it does appear to be the correct length for a drivers license.

Hmp. I actually did google BCDL and saw BC Drivers License in the results but did not clue in. Though I think the original owner is no longer around I have edited my earlier post to swap the image out.

[Blake Andrews]

Hi All,

Ok, I'll contribute my two C8's...

Super C8 Plus (Very Early Model)
- Original Owner
- Serial Number = 824733
- Purchased in the Summer of 1983 from the Science and Education Center, Wichita, KS
- Starbright Coatings on both the primary and secondary
- All Black with Byers Drive – Black Faceplate with Clear Window
- Ribbed Real Cell
- Side Numbered Setting Circles (as found on earlier scopes)

Celestar 8 Deluxe
- Serial Number = 916277
- Original Purchase Date/Location Unknown (2nd Owner)
- Starbright Coatings
- Fastar Secondary

Hope this info helps. As I understand it, my Super C8 Plus was one of the first Super C8 Plus scopes.

Cheers!
Blake

[Joe Cepleur]

...the previous owner lost or removed the serial number tag that should be on the base.

I had hoped my thread about preserving serial number plates from trashed bases would go viral, but it has received hardly any response.

Is begging allowed on the forums? Please look at it? Please? PLEASE? PLEASE?

[Masvingo]

Hi Blake,

Thanks for the details on your two scopes, always good to get a bit more data.

James

[J. Barnes]

I'd like to submit my Super C8 Plus: 835893
Drive motor stamp: 8505
Owners manual (inside cover): First Edition July 1985

Thanks,
John

[Masvingo]

Thanks for your details John, it's great to get an 8xxxxx with motor dates, and supported by the handbook.
That gives a good date point in that 835xxx numbers can't be earlier than July 1985.

James

[DouglasR]

Hello everyone, this my first post , so I hope I'm doing this right. I wanted to add my orange tube C8. The number on the secondary cover is 816370, and the ac motors are stamped 10-80. I'm not sure of the purchase date, but I'm guessing maybe fall of 82 by the chart you are putting together. By the way it has the un-adjustable tripod if that helps. I have been reading the great forums for awhile and wanted to jump in.
Thanks, Doug

[Joe Cepleur]

Welcome, DouglasR! A fine first post. Your "non-adjustable" tripod will also help date the scope. Only the early C8s have them. The legs are not permanently bent into their shapes, but are made of spring steel and held under tremendous tension. When the bottoms of the legs are then tensioned together, this ultra-light, pretensioned tripod becomes incredibly stiff and resistant to vibrations. The unfortunate, but understandable, bias toward adjustable height pushed them from the market.

Anyway, eventually if not already, it should be possible to determine at what serial number the transition to the heavier style of modern tripod occurred.