"GoldfishPanda" wrote in message
...
Which 8 inch scope is better? The Nexstar 8i or the Celestron C8S-GT - 8"
SCT on CG-5GT Mount

The scopes are identical. ;-)


It seems the Nextstar only has a red dot finder type scope. Its a tiny bit
more portable since it doesn't have the weights that an EQ mount has.

The Nexstar 8i is more than just a bit more portable. By comparison, the
CG-5 is a large mount. I suggest you see these in person to judge (if you
haven't).

After using a wedge mounted SCT for quite some time, I lust after the CG-5
or better for imaging with my optically good C8 OTA. I also see no reason to
get GoTo for visual use, unless its to get tracking with an altazimuth
mount.

I'd go for the 8i, unless I expected to do long exposure astro-imaging.

-Stephen