Eyepiece and telescope pairing

Will the Celestron C6 optical tube fit on the Vixen-class dovetail head (CG-5 / EQ5 class)?

Whether the Vixen-class dovetail head (CG-5 / EQ5 class) can carry the Celestron C6 optical tube tube steadily, from the published tube weight and mount payload.

Optical tube weight
10 lb
Mount rated payload
22 lb (the EQ5 / CG-5 class German equatorial, a common home for a 150 mm to 203 mm SCT tube)
Tube as share of payload
45%
Dovetail
Vixen-style, matching this mount head
Fits

Comfortable fit. The Celestron C6 optical tube tube weighs 10 lb, well inside the Vixen-class dovetail head (CG-5 / EQ5 class) rated payload of 22 lb, so the mount carries it with margin for a diagonal, finder and eyepiece.


A mount's rated payload is for the whole instrument, not just the bare tube. The Celestron C6 optical tube tube is 10 lb, which is 45% of the Vixen-class dovetail head (CG-5 / EQ5 class) 22 lb rating before you add a star diagonal, finder and eyepiece.

For steady high-magnification views many observers keep the real load below about 70% of the rated payload, because damping time grows quickly as a mount nears its limit. The eq5 / cg-5 class german equatorial, a common home for a 150 mm to 203 mm sct tube.