17 replies to this topic

[coffey]

Hi.  I have an old Celestron that was my late husband's.  I cannot locate any paperwork - how do I find the model and what it is possibly worth? There are no children to leave it to and I was thinking about selling it.

 

Thanks in advance!

[Sheremy01]

Can you post a picture? If it is a refractor maybe look on the bottom by the focuser and if it is a SCT look around corrector plate.

[m0bius]

Posting a photo here can be challenging for new folks, please don't get discouraged.

 

Do you know what year it might've been purchased, roughly?

What color the telescope's tube may be? Orange, black, grey, etc. This is helpful detail.

 

If the telescope tube is short and fat, the info you seek should be written on the front around the lens (have to take off the lens cover to see it).

If the telescope is long and skinny, the info will be on a badge or sticker near the skinny end...

 

Any info regarding Focal Length (FL) or Diameter (DIA) will help us help you.

[coffey]

I tried dropping a pic of the telescope and a pic of the inside of the lens cover and got an error "you are not allowed to use that image extension on this community" Could be operator error though!   And to be honest, I don't know when he would have purchased it.  It was probably 20 years ago +.
 
It is a short and fat telescope tube.  The inside of the lens cover has the number 74082 on it.

 

I don't know anything about it - so I wouldn't know where to look for FL or DIA.  Sorry!!

 

I hope what I gave will help!

[Sheremy01]

Ok that gives us a little bit of info. What color is the tube? On the front if you take the dust cover off is there a round black piece in the middle of the glass? If so it is an sct. Also when you take the dust cover off on the front. Does it have any numbers or word around the border of the glass? I am attaching a picture of an older celestron c8. Does it resemble anything like this?

Attached Thumbnails

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Edited by Sheremy01, 25 July 2024 - 11:22 PM.

[tturtle]

It’s short and fat so it’s a scmidt Cassegrain type which is referred to as an SCT.  There should be a lot of numbers on the front where you removed the lens cover. If you can provide those numbers we will know the size (5”,6”,8”, etc).  Also is the telescope on a stand or tripod of some kind?

[coffey]

The tube is black.  There is a round black piece in the middle - that's where I see the 74082, but nothing on the glass itself.

 

 

Does that help at all?

 

And it is on a tripod.

 

Edited by coffey, 25 July 2024 - 11:38 PM.

[coffey]

 

This is the inside

[Sheremy01]

It looks like a 2000s celestron c5. Maybe some else can confirm or correct me.

[coffey]

I think he may have bought some extra items that he added on.  I'll look in storage and see if I might have the boxes.

 

Thank you so much!!!

[Sheremy01]

You are welcome. I’m pretty positive it’s a C5. They are used as spotting scopes mostly, but can be used from astronomy as well. With it having a gray tube I think it would be around early 2000s, but I’m not too sure on that. I know most of the recent ones have been black tubes.

[CHASLX200]

Looks like a early 2000's made OTA.  Optics vary from mush bombs to super sharp.

[deepwoods1]

Looks like what was called the G5. “G” for German Equatorial. Mounts were very light weight. 

[m0bius]

Here are a few comps from recent Ebay sales. These might be helpful in setting a price range for you item:

 

celestron telescope c5 on german equatorial mount starbright coatings  - $305 + shipping

 

Vintage Celestron C5 Schmidt-Cassegrain Telescope EX - $225 + shipping

 

I find that telescope prices vary quite a lot depending on where one lives and/or if you are willing to ship.

Personally, I would love to see my gear go to some happy kiddo with a love for science... "even at pennies on the dollar".

Edited by m0bius, 26 July 2024 - 10:19 AM.

[B 26354]

For me, trying to sell that scope would be more time-consuming hassle than it'd be worth... especially if it had to be shipped. I'd look around for a middle-school with a decent science department, and donate it to them. Middle-schools are often under-funded when it comes to science equipment. I recently found one locally that actually has an active astronomy club.

 

[Kasmos]

You are welcome. I’m pretty positive it’s a C5. They are used as spotting scopes mostly, but can be used from astronomy as well. With it having a gray tube I think it would be around early 2000s, but I’m not too sure on that. I know most of the recent ones have been black tubes.

Completely incorrect. C5s were primarily made for astronomy. 

 

But yes this particular one is probably from the early 2000s. Some time around 1999 Celestron started putting them on that small Synta (Chinese clone of a Towa equartorial mount), which isn't the greatest selling point. And called it a G5. Uncle Rod's SCT Guide says it looks wobbly, but performs pretty well. In my opinion this makes most of it's value, only for the Optical Tube Assembly.

 

There's one on AstroMart, but it's very overpriced.

The thing that I find confusing, it's serial number is much lower

 

https://www.astromar...scope-and-mount

 

Also, in my opinion donating a telescope to a school usually ends up being a disaster. Unless they are looking for a telescope, nobody at the school knows how to use and take care of them.

Edited by Kasmos, 26 July 2024 - 03:13 PM.

[Sheremy01]

My mistake. I thought I had read at one time they were spotting scopes.

[B 26354]

Also, in my opinion donating a telescope to a school usually ends up being a disaster. Unless they are looking for a telescope, nobody at the school knows how to use and take care of them.

Which is why I suggested finding one with a decent science department... and in the case of donating a telescope, is why I mentioned that I'd recently found one locally that actually has an active astronomy club... and talked with the person who runs it.

 

I've donated quite a number of things to middle-schools... but always and only after extensive telephone and in-person communications with faculty members who are able to convince me that what I donate can and will actually be put to use. It would never occur to me to just blindly assume that what I donate would automatically be used.