C8 Orange tube ID question

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Alpena67
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C8 Orange tube ID question

#1

Post by Alpena67 »


I just ran across a Celestron C8 Orange tube with all the original components as well as a couple extras in mint condition. I bought it on the spot as I haven’t seen one this clean and organized in awhile. I bought if from a younger fella who said he got it when his uncle passed on(uncle was the original owner). The serial number is 289097. The best I can figure from what I researched is this scope was made around 1975/76. Hoping maybe someone here may know a little more; appreciate any comments or suggestions. I took it out already and am just amazed at how nice this scope operates. Clear sharp images, buttery smooth focuser; minimal vibration with the original “locked triangle” tripod. Absolutely pleased with this purchase.
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3EACC244-135C-49D0-A010-DA07B36092F8.jpeg
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Last edited by Alpena67 on Sun May 03, 2020 4:29 pm, edited 1 time in total.
My Optical Obsession:
Jason 313 60mm Equatorial refractor
Sears 4454 80mm Equatorial refractor
Sears 6339 76mm Equatorial refractor
Celestron VX6 152mm Equatorial refractor
Celestron C90 “Orange tube” spotting scope
Celestron C5 "Orange tube" Schmidt-Cassegrain
Celestron C8 “Orange tube” Schmidt-Cassegrain
Celestron C11 “Orange tube” Schmidt-Cassegrain
Criterion/Bausch&Lomb 4000
Criterion Dynamax 8 Schmidt-Cassegrain
Meade 8” 2080 Schmidt-Cassegrain
Meade 10” 2120 Schmidt-Cassegrain
Meade 12” LX90 Schmidt-Cassegrain
Jason 35mm 7-15X Binoculars; Celestron 25x100mm Binoculars; Nikon D7200 digital camera
Alpena67
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Re: C8 Orange tube ID question

#2

Post by Alpena67 »


Here are a few of the accessories; all the cables are present as well as the OE eyepieces. Even a dew shield purchased around the same time from what I could tell by the original box it was still in.
5E05D9EE-1D73-43BF-AD46-594D42D49E1F.jpeg
6A7EB796-AB99-4DB9-B54E-241759A040FB.jpeg
8BAD4F0F-182A-4E8B-90FB-35508CAF5599.jpeg
E32A58A5-9EB4-40D9-B444-0DAD10FB85D8.jpeg
4D4C3165-E34F-4DDA-9838-EC963AC19B6F.jpeg
My Optical Obsession:
Jason 313 60mm Equatorial refractor
Sears 4454 80mm Equatorial refractor
Sears 6339 76mm Equatorial refractor
Celestron VX6 152mm Equatorial refractor
Celestron C90 “Orange tube” spotting scope
Celestron C5 "Orange tube" Schmidt-Cassegrain
Celestron C8 “Orange tube” Schmidt-Cassegrain
Celestron C11 “Orange tube” Schmidt-Cassegrain
Criterion/Bausch&Lomb 4000
Criterion Dynamax 8 Schmidt-Cassegrain
Meade 8” 2080 Schmidt-Cassegrain
Meade 10” 2120 Schmidt-Cassegrain
Meade 12” LX90 Schmidt-Cassegrain
Jason 35mm 7-15X Binoculars; Celestron 25x100mm Binoculars; Nikon D7200 digital camera
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Re: C8 Orange tube ID question

#3

Post by The Happy Parrot »


That's a real beauty. Good find Alpena67.
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Re: C8 Orange tube ID question

#4

Post by Lady Fraktor »


Congratulations on the fine vintage C8!

If you have not read it before here is a review by Ed Ting: https://www.scopereviews.com/C8History.html
I believe Company 7 used to have quite a bit of information on these telescopes as well.
See Far Sticks: Antares Elita 103/1575, AOM FLT 105/1000, Bresser BV 127/1200, Nočný stopár 152/1200, Vyrobené doma 70/700, Stellarvue NHNG DX 80/552, TAL RS100/1000, Vixen SD115s/885
EQ: TAL MT-1, Vixen SXP, AXJ, AXD
Az/Alt: AYO Digi II/ Argo Navis, Stellarvue M2C/ Argo Navis
Tripods: Berlebach Planet (2), Uni 28 Astro, Report 372, TAL factory maple, Vixen ASG-CB90, Vixen AXD-TR102
Diagonals: Astro-Physics, Baader Amici, Baader Herschel, iStar Blue, Stellarvue DX, Takahashi prism, TAL, Vixen flip mirror
Eyepieces: Antares to Zeiss
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Re: C8 Orange tube ID question

#5

Post by Ylem »


Oh how sweet :)

I only find used baby stuff around here :(
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Alpena67
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Re: C8 Orange tube ID question

#6

Post by Alpena67 »


Lady Fraktor wrote: Sun May 03, 2020 10:09 pm Congratulations on the fine vintage C8!

If you have not read it before here is a review by Ed Ting: https://www.scopereviews.com/C8History.html
I believe Company 7 used to have quite a bit of information on these telescopes as well.
I hadn’t got to that one; it had some info I hadn’t seen yet. Thanks for the link! I did find out this; the paint on the optical tube of this scope is smooth; I read that Celestron changed to a textured(pebble style) finish in the mid-70’s. So my scope was made after the tri-color C8’s(1970-72, maybe 73) but before 76/77(time the orange finish changed). The serial number seems to support this also. I’m going to see if the motors have a date on them when I go back. I am still amazed at how meticulous the original owner was. Everything was so neat and well packaged it almost appeared unused. Also; I was going through sone old boxes of magazines I have and found a Celestron brochure I mailed in for back in 1978. I will post some pics as soon as I can. I didn’t think I still had it. Thanks all for the comments and suggestions!
My Optical Obsession:
Jason 313 60mm Equatorial refractor
Sears 4454 80mm Equatorial refractor
Sears 6339 76mm Equatorial refractor
Celestron VX6 152mm Equatorial refractor
Celestron C90 “Orange tube” spotting scope
Celestron C5 "Orange tube" Schmidt-Cassegrain
Celestron C8 “Orange tube” Schmidt-Cassegrain
Celestron C11 “Orange tube” Schmidt-Cassegrain
Criterion/Bausch&Lomb 4000
Criterion Dynamax 8 Schmidt-Cassegrain
Meade 8” 2080 Schmidt-Cassegrain
Meade 10” 2120 Schmidt-Cassegrain
Meade 12” LX90 Schmidt-Cassegrain
Jason 35mm 7-15X Binoculars; Celestron 25x100mm Binoculars; Nikon D7200 digital camera
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Re: C8 Orange tube ID question

#7

Post by Lady Fraktor »


Check postings from Rod Mollise as well, he is a long term user of the Celestron SCTs and is a wealth of information about them.
https://uncle-rods.blogspot.com/
See Far Sticks: Antares Elita 103/1575, AOM FLT 105/1000, Bresser BV 127/1200, Nočný stopár 152/1200, Vyrobené doma 70/700, Stellarvue NHNG DX 80/552, TAL RS100/1000, Vixen SD115s/885
EQ: TAL MT-1, Vixen SXP, AXJ, AXD
Az/Alt: AYO Digi II/ Argo Navis, Stellarvue M2C/ Argo Navis
Tripods: Berlebach Planet (2), Uni 28 Astro, Report 372, TAL factory maple, Vixen ASG-CB90, Vixen AXD-TR102
Diagonals: Astro-Physics, Baader Amici, Baader Herschel, iStar Blue, Stellarvue DX, Takahashi prism, TAL, Vixen flip mirror
Eyepieces: Antares to Zeiss
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Alpena67
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Re: C8 Orange tube ID question

#8

Post by Alpena67 »


Thanks for that link. I have Rod’s SCT book and he is a wealth of knowledge from reading some of his articles and insights.
My Optical Obsession:
Jason 313 60mm Equatorial refractor
Sears 4454 80mm Equatorial refractor
Sears 6339 76mm Equatorial refractor
Celestron VX6 152mm Equatorial refractor
Celestron C90 “Orange tube” spotting scope
Celestron C5 "Orange tube" Schmidt-Cassegrain
Celestron C8 “Orange tube” Schmidt-Cassegrain
Celestron C11 “Orange tube” Schmidt-Cassegrain
Criterion/Bausch&Lomb 4000
Criterion Dynamax 8 Schmidt-Cassegrain
Meade 8” 2080 Schmidt-Cassegrain
Meade 10” 2120 Schmidt-Cassegrain
Meade 12” LX90 Schmidt-Cassegrain
Jason 35mm 7-15X Binoculars; Celestron 25x100mm Binoculars; Nikon D7200 digital camera
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Re: C8 Orange tube ID question

#9

Post by FerrariMX5 »


Alpena67 wrote: Sun May 03, 2020 11:23 pm
Lady Fraktor wrote: Sun May 03, 2020 10:09 pm Congratulations on the fine vintage C8!

If you have not read it before here is a review by Ed Ting: https://www.scopereviews.com/C8History.html
I believe Company 7 used to have quite a bit of information on these telescopes as well.
I was going through sone old boxes of magazines I have and found a Celestron brochure I mailed in for back in 1978. I will post some pics as soon as I can. I didn’t think I still had it. Thanks all for the comments and suggestions!
Would love to see the brochure they sent you!
I know you will enjoy your C8.

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Re: C8 Orange tube ID question

#10

Post by pakarinen »


I bought mine around 1980 or so; SN 807736. Not sure that helps.
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Re: C8 Orange tube ID question

#11

Post by Alpena67 »


I have been AWOL from the forum for a bit......finally got it figured it out; made mid 1977. I have done some observing with it and really love it; viewed the moon, Venus, M13, M81, M82 to name a few. It’s easy to see why these old Celestrons are still popular. In fact, loved this one so much I just picked up a 1981 vintage orange tube C11 in beautiful condition with all the original components as well as extras from the original owner. Excited to get this one out. Still have to post my 1978 vintage Celestron brochure. Coming soon!
My Optical Obsession:
Jason 313 60mm Equatorial refractor
Sears 4454 80mm Equatorial refractor
Sears 6339 76mm Equatorial refractor
Celestron VX6 152mm Equatorial refractor
Celestron C90 “Orange tube” spotting scope
Celestron C5 "Orange tube" Schmidt-Cassegrain
Celestron C8 “Orange tube” Schmidt-Cassegrain
Celestron C11 “Orange tube” Schmidt-Cassegrain
Criterion/Bausch&Lomb 4000
Criterion Dynamax 8 Schmidt-Cassegrain
Meade 8” 2080 Schmidt-Cassegrain
Meade 10” 2120 Schmidt-Cassegrain
Meade 12” LX90 Schmidt-Cassegrain
Jason 35mm 7-15X Binoculars; Celestron 25x100mm Binoculars; Nikon D7200 digital camera
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Re: C8 Orange tube ID question

#12

Post by JoshKnight »


There is a registry of Celestron C8 serial numbers over on Cloudy Nights

https://www.cloudynights.com/topic/4027 ... ry/page-46

They would like all the info you posted. Your telescope is not in the registry ... I just looked ...

http://www.summers1.co.uk/images/C8serialnumber.jpg

It is a jpeg file ... you have to zoom in to see that S/N 289097 is bracketed by S/N 288277 and S/N 391057 ... it is the "old" serial number scheme and the first and last digits indicate that S/N 289097 was made in 2nd quarter 1977 as you have figured out.
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