1693 replies to this topic

[GalaxyPiper]

Here's a better diagram for the hand box with better pictures.

 

https://www.cloudyni...ller-schematic/

[GeoDude1975]

I would like to add my C8 to the registry.  I have very little information about this scope as it was given to me when the owner was moving into an assisted living home.  I was asked if I wanted a telescope and I (of course) said sure!  I never expected it to be an 8" SCT.  To say I was pleasantly surprised would be an understatement.  

 

It's an oddball because the serial number says it should be a orange tube, but you can see it is a white tube.  I was told that the previous owner bought this scope in the mid 1990s.  Other than that, I know very little about it. 

 

It has the original blue foot locker case, wedge and tripod.  The tracker is 120v, and works well, but I think it needs cleaned up and regreased.  It does need a good cleaning, which scares me, but I'll work up the nerve and watch Youtube videos a hundred times. 

 

 

[PhilPatrón]

I recently procured another C8. An SP-C8 with Starbright coatings from 1986, SN: 848976.

 

Yes, this one is from the “dreaded” Halley’s Comet era, but I got it outside and collimated and the optics are incredible! Indistinguishable from my Celestar 8 Deluxe. The view of the Orion Nebula was gorgeous and bright at 67x with the 30mm Silvertop Plössl. The seeing was excellent and the trapezium was sharp even at 200x with a Parks 10mm Plössl and at 400x with a 2x Barlow. A look at Venus, Saturn, Jupiter, and Mars yielded very clean, bright, and sharp images at high powers. The Super Polaris mount handles the scope very well even at higher powers, although there is a little shake when focusing. I bought this from a very nice guy who was the original owner and he kept it in practically brand new shape. Only the typical scuffs on the wooden legs and spike feet from use and transport.

 

Being that the temperature was -4F that night, it was a short session, but at that temperature no dew formed on the corrector (even without the shield) until it was brought back inside.

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Edited by PhilPatrón, 21 January 2025 - 12:24 PM.

[PNWjohn]

I purchased my C8 from Orion Telescopes in Cupertino CA in January 1989.

 

Adding my Serial # 

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Edited by PNWjohn, 19 February 2025 - 12:47 PM.

[ian.fitzp]

Hi

 

I inherited a Celestron C8 and after a bit of research think it's a Powerstar4, circa late 80's.

Serial number is #842643.

 

Probably bought in USA as it has a sticker on it 'Aries Optics, Palouse, WA.

The pulse motor wasn't driving but after a bit of degreasing seems to be going again for now. If you have any ideas,send me a pm.

[GalaxyPiper]

Hi

 

I inherited a Celestron C8 and after a bit of research think it's a Powerstar4, circa late 80's.

Serial number is #842643.

 

Probably bought in USA as it has a sticker on it 'Aries Optics, Palouse, WA.

The pulse motor wasn't driving but after a bit of degreasing seems to be going again for now. If you have any ideas,send me a pm.

A "Pulse Motor" is just another name for stepper motor. These are being used more and more because they are easier to control than a servo motor, and provides better accuracy.

 

However, they don't have a lot of torque. So as you have noticed as the grease had thickened up from age, the motor could not overcome the resistance of said grease. 

It basicly sat there and vibrated.

 

A lot of Chinese grease does this, harden over time, and basicly wants to turn into wax like stiffness.

Since these were starting to be made in China, they started to use cheap grease.

 

Servo motors would just power through or heat up and burn out.

In the industry, the higher end manufactures are starting to use Hybrid Servo/Stepper type motors.

 

But like everything else, you will pay for that because they are more expensive. 

They can be found in your Paramounts, Astrophsics, Software Bisque and high end IOptron mounts are starting to use these.

 

"PULSE motor" was the early term used for this type of motor. But the term "Stepper" more accurately describes the function and is used in the industry.

 

Good job cleaning that up.

Edited by GalaxyPiper, 23 February 2025 - 07:33 PM.

[Gary Esterly]

Picked up a "Super C9 Plus", optics appear to be in GREAT shape- serial number 826769, puts it around 85-86'?

[CHASLX200]

A c9 is a rare bird.

[clamchip]

A C14 is a magnificent telescope, just you wait and see!

 

Robert

[Kasmos]

Well, our clubs storage has been bought out. Including the C8's we had been hoarding.

 

As a 501©3, storage is just draining of the clubs money with no benefit to our members.

 

We are not in the position to do repairs, and broken telescopes serve no purpose to our members.

 

So we found a buyer, that can and will do all of that. It became a win-win for us.

 

I was able to rescue the clubs C-14 however, with my own donation to the club and have started to go though it and see what needs attention. It's an old Orange beast.

 

Serial number 458 on the mount.  Nothing about the telescope is light. Not the OTA, not the massive forks, not the wedge or the robust tripod. I had to remove the OTA from the trunk, before I could remove the trunk out of my car, and I removed the arms off of the base to keep from throwing my back out for where is was sitting in the front seat.

 

These old Orange C-14s are not outreach telescopes, or portable enough to take to star party's.

 

Yes, all the parts can be broken down if a person really wants to go out of their way to do so, but they really are meant to be left at home, and preferably on a pier.

 

The DEC motor is missing, and so I have one of those on order. And the cross hairs in the finder scope are gone, so those will need to be replaced. I had to buy a A/C cord for it and I'll have to make a two switch hand control for it. I'll also will need to find a knob for the DEC, it seems to be missing as well.

 

But over all, all the hardware is there, so that at least doesn't need to be hunted down.

 

This is a C8 forum, and the only excuse I have for posting this here is I found one black C8 screw knob in the trunk that does not go to this telescope.

 

I haven't had a chance to look through it yet, but our clubs President looked through it a couple of months ago and was quite impressed with the views. He had attached a "D" rail on it temporarily one time and took it to one outreach event.

 

Our City's Science museum once owned this telescope, and when they moved to a new location donated it to us, and it is now in my hands.

 

I don't concider myself as an owner, just a conservator that will have it for a little while, then hopefully be passed on to some else's hands at a later date.

 

Right now, it needs some TLC...

It belongs in the semi-fledgling C14 Registry. Perhaps posting it there will help that registry generate more entries.

 

https://www.cloudyni...n-c14-registry/

[GalaxyPiper]

It belongs in the semi-fledgling C14 Registry. Perhaps posting it there will help that registry generate more entries.

 

https://www.cloudyni...n-c14-registry/

I moved it to save space on this forum. Thank you for directing me to the right area.

 

Bryan

[jacobfw]

 

Been piecing this set up together from good deals I've found online. 

Serial Number for my C8 is #821454

 

Purchased the OTA a while back for $200.

AZ Mount and the tripod were $90 each.

 

Keeping my eye out for a good deal on either a EQ mount or one of the NexStar autoguide mounts.

Still working on getting some better quality eye pieces, but I'm happy with the quality of some of the value ones I've bought.

[Blilrat]

Picked up this C8 about a year ago from someone that used it for wildlife photography. SN811795.
 

Added Celestron starsense and then designed a 3D printed EP holder so I’d quit putting them on the wedge ledge where they would always get knocked off into the grass.

 

 

[joew94th]

I just bought this off of Marketplace. 

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[Thomas F]

Hi,

 

I bought my C8 #804075 in 07.1980 at Dr. Vehrenberg KG, Duesseldorf, Germany.

 

And here it is:

 

 

 

CS Thomas

[abe]

Picked up this C8 about a year ago from someone that used it for wildlife photography. SN811795.
 

Added Celestron starsense and then designed a 3D printed EP holder so I’d quit putting them on the wedge ledge where they would always get knocked off into the grass.

 

Hi.  I'm not sure where the best place to post this might be, but I'd be really interested to see how you added the StarSense adapter to your C8 fork mount.   This seems like a great combination of old and new.

[Thomas F]

There is an extra theme:

https://www.cloudyni...1#entry14020472

[Blilrat]

Hi.  I'm not sure where the best place to post this might be, but I'd be really interested to see how you added the StarSense adapter to your C8 fork mount.   This seems like a great combination of old and new.

It’s just some parts I found in my odds and ends box bolted into the existing declination ring bolt hole.  I’m working on a 3d printed version so it’s more easily removable.

[pierce]

you can get finder dovetails that mount on the existing screw holes on the sides of the SCT mirror cell, and then mount most any sort of finder with a vixen shoe, thats probably what I would do with a 'starsense'