My new Celestron CPC 8" with XLT has arrived.

It is quite a step up from my Celestar 8 with the old controls, as you could imagine. The ability to select slew rates alone is a marvel not to mention its goto capability.

The first night out was a fiasco because of my bumbling. I attempted to install Bob's Nobs to make collimation easier but they weren't the right size. By the time I reinstalled the original screws, I had the collimation so far off I couldn't even focus on a tree 1000 yards away. It took almost 2 hours to get a decent star collimation due to clouds blowing through but even then it wasn't exactly right. So, I played with the goto and saw more Messier objects in 3 hours than I had seen in my observing carreer to date.

My second night out, I worked on the collimation more and got it much closer. I wound up using the laptop and the DSI to just look around and see what I could see. Got some multilayer shots of Jupiter and M-3 but no where near as nice as others I have seen. Stayed up until the fog and the moon drove me inside.

I will try to give a more detailed review of the CPC 8" when I get more accostomed to it and can give more details on its operation.

That is, if it ever stops raining.

Fred

ps: See, Mike Holloway, I told you the rain was my fault! New DSI, new CPC 8, 2 focal reducers, I have to be the one to blame! FH

I knew it wasn't my fault! Ha!!!

I've only read the most basic things about these new CPC Celestron's. After hearing you describe how easily it found object after object after object for you at tonight's meeting, I'm really interested in seeing t someday.

Anyway, I can't afford to pay attention right now much less pay for any new toys (beyond the few new books I've gotten lately, that is) so I'm not to blame for the clouds.

Keep them images coming in Fred. I'll be trying to match you on some in the next few days. Stand by..........

HAHA I remember when I bought my 8" a couple months ago, the moon was out and bright for about a week.

Bob- don't you wish Cetus would be that easy to align?

Actually, Jon, CETUS isn't that much harder to align. Once it is aligned it'll hit a couple hundred objects a night if I wanted to do so, but I'm wanting to operate OUR DSI and get to where I can post our own pics.

Gimme a few days.........