Return it.... Not sue BUT I do not see it leaving the factory in the
condition you state...BUT who knows what can happen between the
factory and the dealer and betweeeen the dealer and you...

BUT return it... refund? opr replacement? your choice..

I do own a 8i have for a l;oittle over 2 years BUT I picked it up
from the dealer saw it unwrapped..saw it checked out, saw it bench
tested optics checked etc...then re-boxed it and put int in my
truck...

Been a Great scope...and like you I purchased it because at 36-37
pounds "complete" on the tripod This 60+ year old fart can haul the
scope anyplace and set it up without any problems...

I'm lucky in that My dealer is fantastic...and is located only an hour
drive away...and they scheck out every scope before they deliver it to
the customer.

Send it back... !

Bob G..







On Sat, 21 Jan 2006 04:43:23 GMT, Paul Murphy
wrote:

About 5 years ago I bought a TV Pronto and I bought a TV 102 a couple of
years ago. In both cases the optics and the fit and finish were
absolutely perfect, which may have led me to be a bit more critical
about optical and mechanical fit and finish standards. I was looking for
a very, very portable 8in SCT and I thought the NexStar 8i XLT would be
perfect for me for use going up and down the stairs in my apartment (no
elevator).

Well it arrived and I can't decide if I should pack it up for a refund
or give it a chance. I've only had 3 clear nights since the end of
November, so I'm not sure how soon I can test it under the stars.

Here's the letter I sent Celestron support and I'm wondering if I'm
over-reacting and most SCTs ship in such a state or if I really got an
unreasonably bad example. How clean should I expect an SCT to be?

----------------------------------------------------------------------
"I bought the NexStar 8i for two main reasons...it's a very portable 8in
SCT and I thought Celestron took pride in their craftsmanship and
attention to detail given the "hand figuring" of the optics.
When I unpacked the telescope, it was literally covered in glass dust.
On the base it was as if someone poured half of a salt shaker out on it.
After cleaning that, I proceeded to check the optics with a flashlight.

1. There is a large grease or paint smear inside the baffle tube.
2. There is dust and small pieces of hair on the inside of the corrector
plate and on the mirror in addition to the moderate amount of dust on
the outside of the corrector plate.
3. There are multiple circular streaks and a horizontal streak where
someone rubbed the mirror with (I assume) a cloth. The mirror does not
appear to be scratched and I don't know how much performance will be
lost due to this utter lack of professionalism in letting the scope
leave your factory in such a condition.

How did this telescope make it out of your factory in such a condition
and what is your explanation for the total lack of quality control?
I await your response before I pack it up and send it back to
Astronomics for a full refund and move on to Meade."
--------------------------------------------------------------------

Any input would be appreciated. I fear that if I spend more money on an
LX90 I will lose out on the extreme portability and may end up with the
same fit and finish problems. Thanks!