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I have had the 8se for 1 week. In that time I've got through (hundreds!) of AA batteries which kept losing alignment when getting drained. Boy those batteries dont last long. I didn't imagine they could be the problem and thought I was doing something wrong. But now, using lipoly batteries the 8se is performing flawlessly and my alignment and tracking issues are sorted. The scope came with an 1 1/4" visual back and the eyepiece kit that includes 6 eye pieces, a 2x Barlow and various filters.
The following is a list of accessories I would like to add or swop out.
I have a 2" Meade 5000 diagonal but I cant see that it's going to be compatible with the 8se threads on the back of the scope. I've read 2" eyepieces wont be of much benefit but the coatings on the Meade are better than the standard diagonal supplied.
The standard red dot finder isnt up to much but have read a telrad is much easier. Thoughts?
I want to mount my Canon DSLR 70d on the scope but am confused as to which T adapter and mounting to use as there appear to be different conflicting thread applications depending on camera model.
I also have a Hyperion 10mm Modular Eyepiece with an 1 1/4" adaptor. Would the 2" diagonal enhance this eyepiece with a 2" adaptor?
Thankyou for reading this far and I look forward to any advice or thoughts on alternative accessories I should consider.
Some type of power supply, I run mine with the AC adapter.
There are many rechargable power supplies available.
Others here could make some recommendations.
I have even seen some the size of a pack of cigarettes
Clear Skies,
-Jeff
Member; ASTRA-NJ
Orion 80ED
Celestron C5, 6SE, Celestar 8
Vixen Porta Mount ll
Coronado PST
A big box of Plossls
Little box of filters
Welcome to the forum and congrats on the new scope Rick! You have a nice scope there.
I believe your scope came with Celestron prism 1.25" diagonal. This is not bad as far as starter kits goes, I would suggest to use it with 1.25" EPs for now.
The only benefit of 2" EP is wider views at lower powers. From my experience with 8" SCT I discovered that 2" EPs are nice perk, but most of my observing sessions are carried solely with 1.25" EPs.
If you eventually decide to go 2", you may buy 2" visual back which would accommodate your Meade diagonal. I like clciklock version from Baader, but there are other designs also available.
The must have accessories at this point are dew shield (you can make your own from black 3-5mm crafting foam), observing chair, and power source. If rechargeable batteries work for you, use them by all means. But there are many other options from car jump starters to smart phone power banks.
I find red dot finder cheap but effective, I have them on all my scopes. What you want to add is RACI finder in addition to the red dot. 8x50 or 9x50 RACI will give magnified 5 deg wide field of view to assist with scope alignment and finding targets.
I wasn't too happy with the diagonal on the 6SE - replaced it with a William Optics dielectric model which is indeed much better. The red dot finder of the 6SE was hell to work with. The dealer gave me a replacement which quickly broke. I finally settled for a 8x50 RACI (fov 5.4°. RACI stands for Right Angle, Correct Image). The new shoe for the RACI turned out to be a good fit for the telescope.
Later I discovered that a 6x30 RACI works better still because it has a 7.5° field of view. I have this SkyWatcher model.
The 25mm eyepiece that came with the 6SE isn't bad. I'm not a fan of kits, so any other eyepieces I bought separately, selecting for desirable properties and compatibility with my budget.
7x50 Helios Apollo ✶ 8x42 Bresser Everest ✶ 73mm f/5.9 WO APO ✶ 4" f/5 TeleVue Genesis ✶ 6" f/10 Celestron 6SE ✶ 0.63x reducer ✶ 1.8, 2, 2.5 and 3x Barlows ✶ eyepieces from 4.5 to 34mm
I'm hugely grateful for all your replies. Thanks Pikaia, Bigzmey and Ruud. Your detailed replies are most informative; top accessory seems to be the dew shield!
With Jupiter and Saturn finally making an appearance tonight I can shift my gaze from the moon for a change.
Thanks once again for taking the time to help out a complete novice. I'm sure you have better things to do than help an old fool like me. Expect more inane questions in the coming days and weeks!
One other thought on eyepieces; has anyone invested in a decent quality Zoom eyepiece? I appreciate you could fall foul of a "jack of all trades master of none" going down this route, but if you have a reccomendation I would be interested.
Thanks again
Hello Rick,
Welcome to the Forums!
You have a great telescope!
You can put the Hyperion in a two inch diagonal without adapter. The lowest end of the eyepiece is 1,25 inch, the middle part is made for 2 inch-use. You don't have to unscrew the lower end in order to use it in a 2" opening.
Some years ago the Hyperions were advertised for f 25mm use, when the bottom end unscrewed. In that case you remove the Smyth-lens, with a bad image as a result.
Far better results can be reached by adding the modular rings, it increases the distance between the Smyth lens and the rest of the eyepiece-lenses, with shorter focal distances as a result. This works okay.
I have both a Telrad and a Red-dot. Both work okay. It is more a matter of taste, although I like the smallest one for its compactness. Be sure to cover up both devices when not in use. They dew up rather easily.
Diagonals: differences in coatings do not lead to better images, at least not visible to the human eye. For example, you will not notice a difference in 10% reflectivity. The overall flatness and accuracy of the optical plane are of greater importance. Celestron and Meade score more or less equal in this respect. Only the most excellent diagonals (they come with a price) score higher.
Many thanks John for the detailed information. I could be accused of trying to run before I can walk and I realise I have an awful lot to learn. The help you and others have already offered has given me a better chance of making fewer mistakes!
Rick2057 wrote: ↑Mon Jun 01, 2020 6:18 pm
Many thanks Jeff.
Any thoughts on the 2" diagonal or telrad finder?
I'm personally not a big believer in 2" EPs in an SCT. Others might be, but I like using a Focal Reducer instead
It's like a reverse Barlow
In fact I usually keep my Focal Reducer in there all the time. It basically converts your f10 scope to something like an f6.33 giving you a wider field with your current EPs it also flattens the field curvature
Many thanks for the link, I'll have a look. I am unable to get a full view of the Moon with my largest 32mm plossol, so that would be very useful. I assume a two inch diagonal and and equivalent two inch eyepiececwould achieve this, but at greater cost. Should a reducer, and for that matter a Barlow, be fitted before the diagonal? Or does it not matter.
Rick2057 wrote: ↑Tue Jun 02, 2020 9:44 pm
Many thanks for the link, I'll have a look. I am unable to get a full view of the Moon with my largest 32mm plossol, so that would be very useful. I assume a two inch diagonal and and equivalent two inch eyepiececwould achieve this, but at greater cost. Should a reducer, and for that matter a Barlow, be fitted before the diagonal? Or does it not matter.
Unfortunately you can't have your cake and eat it too.
The FR/C does not play well 2 inch EPs. I don't recall the math behind it though.
IMHO, the 2" stuff just adds weight to the scope and LENGTH, so it can interfere with the mount, but get this, it adds to the focal length of the scope.
Clear Skies,
-Jeff
Member; ASTRA-NJ
Orion 80ED
Celestron C5, 6SE, Celestar 8
Vixen Porta Mount ll
Coronado PST
A big box of Plossls
Little box of filters
Rick2057 wrote: ↑Tue Jun 02, 2020 9:44 pm
Many thanks for the link, I'll have a look. I am unable to get a full view of the Moon with my largest 32mm plossol, so that would be very useful. I assume a two inch diagonal and and equivalent two inch eyepiececwould achieve this, but at greater cost. Should a reducer, and for that matter a Barlow, be fitted before the diagonal? Or does it not matter.
Unfortunately you can't have your cake and eat it too.
The FR/C does not play well 2 inch EPs. I don't recall the math behind it though.
IMHO, the 2" stuff just adds weight to the scope and LENGTH, so it can interfere with the mount, but get this, it adds to the focal length of the scope.
Due to specifics of folded optic design 2" EPs and focal reducer don't play well with each other in 8" SCT. You could still do it but you will get severe vignetting and light loss. Even though I have the reducer at the end I prefer native F10, so I have a few 2" EPs in 27-55mm range for wider views. Most of my sessions however is done with 1.25" EPs. If you don't want to invest in 2" EP/diagonal, using reducer with 1.25" is quite practical to.
Regarding attaching a camera, you will be limited to taking short exposures / video of the Moon and planets. The alt-az mount simply does not permit the long exposures you would need for the faint fuzzy stuff.
Attaching the camera requires two parts: a T-ring and a T-adapter. The T-ring is camera-brand-specific, so you would get one for a Canon. The threads on the T-ring are compatible with any T-adapter. You might find a T-ring that calls itself "T2". That uses the same threads, so there is no compatibility issue. The T-adapter you need is called a "universal" adapter. Avoid "zero-profile", "low-profile", or "eyepiece projection" adapters.
DSO AP:Orion 200mm f/4 Newtonian Astrograph; ATIK 383L+; EFW2 filter wheel; Astrodon Ha,Oiii,LRGB filters; KWIQ/QHY5 guide scope; Planetary AP:Celestron C-11; ZWO ASI120MC; Portable: Celestron C-8 on HEQ5 pro; C-90 on wedge; 20x80 binos; Etc: Canon 350D; Various EPs, etc. Obs: 8' Exploradome; iOptron CEM60 (pier); Helena Observatory (H2O)Astrobin
Your continued contributions are much appreciated. Thanks for not over complicating your replies; a novice such as myself could get tied up in knots!
Finding myself on tiptoe or crouching down over a couple of hours with an aching back has taught me to plan ahead a bit better when setting the height of the tripod. That observing seat looks perfect for the job Refractordude. Your explanations of the unnecessary use of 2" equipment makes sense Yiem and Bigzmey. Thanks Kathy for your explanation and advice on the T mount and adaptors. I'm aware of the limitations of the alt az mount and how astrophotography has to be limited to relatively short exposures. I have read that an aftermarket equatorial mount is not as practical as a dedicated GEM system.
Following the help and advice I have received so far, the new 6x30 scope and T mount arrived today. The scope came without a mounting wedge, but just having a look through the eyepiece tonight it looks like it's going to be far easier than the red dot finder at zero magnification. I found that to be hard to line up at even the lowest intensity setting whereas the scope finder obviously provides magnification but also a crosshair in the eyepiece. The T mount assembly I purchased was cheap and has some radial movement in the "locked" position. It'll do for now but may upgrade it soon. A Baader Universal Quick Release Finderscope Base and dew shield are on their way, so please accept my gratitude for all your help.
If this post is considered to be straying off topic then maybe an admin could move it to a more appropriate place. Given I'm building up a few accessories as a newcomer to astronomy and specifically the Celestron Nexstar 8se, I thought it may help someone in a similar position to myself within this topic heading.
Many thanks and stay safe.