[ATMoB-discuss] Whot Happn'd

[E.Talmadge Mentall]

Hi Fred,

The NexStar 5 and the NexStar 8 use the same mount, and it looks as if
the new NexStar 6 does also. I have the original NexStar 5, and the mount
is made with heavy castings. It's stable enough for my visual work, but I
don't do astro photography with it, so I can't comment on that. S&T  had
a Test Report article on the NexStar 5 and the 8 a few years ago. 

Celestron has always been stingy with the size of its finders. The
original orange C5 had that abominable 5x24mm finder and used .965
eyepieces. I changed the finder to a 6x30mm, and had a friend ream the
eyepiece holder out to use 1 1/4-inch eyepieces. I liked it much better. 

I didn't care for the red-dot finder on my NexStar 5 so I got rid of it,
and mounted a Meade 8x50mm finder in its place. The same friend drilled a
couple of mounting holes to allow me to install the new finder mounting
base. Once again, I like it much better.

Tal


> I would also like to get some feedback on Celestron's "NexStar 8I.  
> My curiosity stems around the mount stability.