14 replies to this topic

[Pigman54]

I have just dusted off my Celestron SP-C6 as I haven't used it in many years.

Cannot find the manual and have not found a good PDF on the web.

Does anyone out there have a PDF of this manual they can send me until I find my original one?

 

Thanks in advanced to anyone that can help me out,

Paul

 

[jurdea]

My PDF is 5 MB, too large to upload.  Reduced PDF is still 3 MB.  If you can provide an email address, I can directly post it to you.

 

Jim

[apfever]

Hi Paul,

 

Wow, saw your entry and I just pulled and pictured all this less than a day ago for another CN'er, late yesterday. I might have the manual on pdf but my titles aren't all searchable and there are thousands of pictures. Some have names like " @&#*(^) ".   See if you can locate the booklet on the left as well. It is excellent for the mount and straight from the horse's mouth. I'll get you some list to go by for now as I already have all these pictures on the comp. I also have questions about your set up.

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[apfever]

Here's the factory list as per the manual.  I thought that might be handy. 

 

I have a bunch of added stuff from a few of these over the years, shelves of stuff.  None of this available, it is part of a collector set slightly loaded and now growing. 

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Edited by apfever, 04 June 2024 - 08:40 AM.

[apfever]

To Bill and Paul,

 

The original Celestron C6 was on a Polaris mount. It was soon moved to the Super Polaris and called the SP-C6.  The regular Polaris mount got reports of being at the top of it's capacity with the C6.

 

Those early C6 Polaris mounts were a heavier build, just a heads up. They had a much thicker latitude adjuster bracket, and heavier internal gearing that I think all early Polaris had. Later Polaris for most of the C4.5 have a much lighter RA gearing that is great for the C4.5 OTA, it's OK but not great for a full C6 and extra weights. The tripod legs for the C6 are also different than those for the C4.5. They are heavier duty sliders.

 

The very first C6 on Polaris had these type legs before going to the round tips. They are slightly heavier and not a perfect match to cross with the later sliders and round tips. I'd like to know if either of you have these legs. They are actually 'rare' but I wouldn't pump a bunch of $ into that. The reason I have these legs on the SP is that I was privy to the situation and I kept them from an early C6 Polaris set up. 

Also a picture of the two different RA gears in the Polaris mounts. 

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Edited by apfever, 04 June 2024 - 09:52 AM.

[upwinddan]

I have just dusted off my Celestron SP-C6 as I haven't used it in many years.

Cannot find the manual and have not found a good PDF on the web.

Does anyone out there have a PDF of this manual they can send me until I find my original one?

 

Thanks in advanced to anyone that can help me out,

Paul

I admire your SP C6 and I have been looking for one locally quite a while. Yours looks like a beauty. 

[telesonic]

Those early C6 Polaris mounts were a heavier build, just a heads up. They had a much thicker latitude adjuster bracket, and heavier internal gearing that I think all early Polaris had. Later Polaris for most of the C4.5 have a much lighter RA gearing that is great for the C4.5 OTA, it's OK but not great for a full C6 and extra weights. The tripod legs for the C6 are also different than those for the C4.5. They are heavier duty sliders.

 

 

I concur with that statement.

 

Having owned several Polaris mounts, I've ran into much the same as this. I've had two of those earlier ones with the gearing that is pictured on the left of your post. The other loaner I had, seemed to have the small gears. I don't have a Polaris now to check, my loaner is 8 hours away in the Idaho mountains at a dark site - but it seems correct to what I know - (which is not much, but enough.)

 

 

A buddy of mine has a C6/Polaris that he'd purchased in the late 1980's. I've always meant to ask if he'd sell me the OTA.... I don't need another Vixen mount  - since I have 2.5 SP's that I can use, and only a GP/DX would be an upgrade for me.

 

Extra Note For The Classic Scope Heads:

The sled focuser on these requires small jeweler type screwdrivers to adjust the tension, etc. Not too hard with patience, but parts for those sleds (also used on the Comet Catcher) are very rare.

 

Cheers,

T

[Pigman54]

To Bill and Paul,

 

The original Celestron C6 was on a Polaris mount. It was soon moved to the Super Polaris and called the SP-C6.  The regular Polaris mount got reports of being at the top of it's capacity with the C6.

 

Those early C6 Polaris mounts were a heavier build, just a heads up. They had a much thicker latitude adjuster bracket, and heavier internal gearing that I think all early Polaris had. Later Polaris for most of the C4.5 have a much lighter RA gearing that is great for the C4.5 OTA, it's OK but not great for a full C6 and extra weights. The tripod legs for the C6 are also different than those for the C4.5. They are heavier duty sliders.

 

The very first C6 on Polaris had these type legs before going to the round tips. They are slightly heavier and not a perfect match to cross with the later sliders and round tips. I'd like to know if either of you have these legs. They are actually 'rare' but I wouldn't pump a bunch of $ into that. The reason I have these legs on the SP is that I was privy to the situation and I kept them from an early C6 Polaris set up. 

Also a picture of the two different RA gears in the Polaris mounts. 

Attached is a picture of one of my legs 😀

I have the double weights as well

 

[Bill Griffith]

Apfever et al,

 

I was stopping by the local astronomy store; Oceanside Photo & Telescope to pick up a donation for San Diego Astronomy Association annual banquet in 1996 or 97. 

 

OPT was a pretty frequently visited hangout and OPT had a really good repour with amateurs in the area.   

 

Craig mentioned while picking up the donation  "Have I a deal for you"! 

 

A C-6 came in from Celestron with a super Polaris trashed.  The OTA is unscathed.  This is later model and doesn't have a sled focuser.

 

We settled on a price of 50.00 bucks for the OTA. 

 

This is far and away my most used scope. This system is a grab "n" go.

 

I push the envelope above 60 power per inch when skies allow. 

 

 

 

 

Bill

Edited by Bill Griffith, 10 June 2024 - 02:35 PM.

[Pigman54]

To apfever,

 

Not sure if you saw the picture of my SP-C6 leg as I am new to this group and not sure how to reply to posts.

Looking at the picture I sent of the bottom of my mount, what mount would you say it was?

I concur with that statement.

 

Having owned several Polaris mounts, I've ran into much the same as this. I've had two of those earlier ones with the gearing that is pictured on the left of your post. The other loaner I had, seemed to have the small gears. I don't have a Polaris now to check, my loaner is 8 hours away in the Idaho mountains at a dark site - but it seems correct to what I know - (which is not much, but enough.)

 

 

A buddy of mine has a C6/Polaris that he'd purchased in the late 1980's. I've always meant to ask if he'd sell me the OTA.... I don't need another Vixen mount  - since I have 2.5 SP's that I can use, and only a GP/DX would be an upgrade for me.

 

Extra Note For The Classic Scope Heads:

The sled focuser on these requires small jeweler type screwdrivers to adjust the tension, etc. Not too hard with patience, but parts for those sleds (also used on the Comet Catcher) are very rare.

 

Cheers,

T

 

[apfever]

To apfever,

 

Not sure if you saw the picture of my SP-C6 leg as I am new to this group and not sure how to reply to posts.

Looking at the picture I sent of the bottom of my mount, what mount would you say it was?

You have the round tip leg that came out after the flat faced one quickly stopped.  

The wide flat faced metal tip was only used on the C6 that was on the Polaris mount to start with, as far as I know.

The round tip like yours is on every other Celestron wood leg from the Polaris/Super Polaris series - as far as I know - and there are several styles of wood legs.

Tasco also used the Vixen Polaris mount for their 8V telescope. That had round tips made of plastic while all of Celestrons were metal. Those plastic tips on the Tascos were very heavy moldings and I never saw one break.  

 

White tips tend to be older, black tips tend to be newer. 

I can't judge a Super Polaris mount by the legs, or a Polaris. Most of the gearing and guts discussion above is about variations in the Polaris mount, not the SP. 

[Pigman54]

Hi Paul,

 

Wow, saw your entry and I just pulled and pictured all this less than a day ago for another CN'er, late yesterday. I might have the manual on pdf but my titles aren't all searchable and there are thousands of pictures. Some have names like " @&#*(^) ".   See if you can locate the booklet on the left as well. It is excellent for the mount and straight from the horse's mouth. I'll get you some list to go by for now as I already have all these pictures on the comp. I also have questions about your set up.

I recently got the mount manual from another member. I didn't nknow it existed after buying this scope over 30 years ago. I am looking for the white manual on the right in your picture.

[apfever]

I no longer have any of that. It has all been sent off.

[Billhodson2]

Haven't been here in a while, and the last time I had my scope out was the Venus transit.
I just dug my SP-C6 out of the garage. After disassembling to clean out a dead mouse, I've set it up to show my wife M-31 and Saturn.
I believe I have the manual someplace in the basement. If you need it still, I'll try to scan it for you.

[Pigman54]

I hope you were not going to show your wife the dead mouse.

M-31 and Saturn are a much better choice.😂

The 1st time I saw Saturn, 30+ years ago with my SP-C6, my mouth dropped as I let out a WOW.

 

If you could scan the Super Polaris C6 Instruction Manual would be awesome.

 

Thanks, in advanced.

Paul