Selling/trade my celestron 8” on advanced vx for big dobsonian

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Hello fellow Astro-heads!

I have had yet another conversation with someone who has a dobsonian and is looking to move to the SCT world. I know this is a transition for a lot of folks who played with a big dob for years and enjoyed the large aperture, but began using it less and less because of the investment in time to set it up each night and the challenge of portability. So, they begin looking for quality SCTs.

I’d love to facilitate that transition. I have a like-new Celestron advanced vx 8” SCT. It’s in original packaging boxes. Also, I have several accessories for it (eyepiece/filter set, focal reducer, dew shield, and etc.)

I’m looking for a 20” or larger dob for use primarily with the club I founded in Central NJ and to do outreach with schools. 
I would be willing to contribute some funds in addition to the aforementioned SCT in order to make a trade. Ideally, of course, you are a person who is looking for your big scope to be loved and appreciated—as it will provide the startling views to inspire a whole generation of new astronomers. And you’re happy to get my like-new SCT to grab and go out any night you feel like, without having to wheel out or assemble your beloved monsterly-sized scope. Perhaps your back has been telling you for a while to go this route, or perhaps it’s the elbow room in the garage, or overall downsizing that has been coming to call, or your significant other is ready to travel and you love the idea of cruising with just a telescope that fits in two boxes in the trunk rather than towing a trailer, or you want to do some astrophotography with an SCT you can set up anywhere you like to catch things like the ISS as it transits the moon or sun (with proper filter), or you have been thinking about how you want to enshrine a legacy of passion for this astronomy experience that we all love so much—and it tickles you to think your scope will be the instrument of zeal that takes the breath away from a kid who goes on to study astrophysics and figures out once and for all one of the universe’s mysterious questions that we all have prattled on about with our fellow stargazers under dark skies late into an observing night (and in the pursuit of said astrophysical endeavors that young Carl Sagan will of course provide us with a dozen more wonderful questions to contemplate)... 

As for Argo Navis, or GoTo drives, or other details, I really only request well-functioning digital setting circles, but can forgo it all for good optics and a physically sound telescope assembly. My goal here is quality light-gathering aperture to bring the universe to the eyes of my newer astronomers while I tantalize them with the wild details of what we observe. You know that there is no substitute for the experience of seeing celestial targets live, with your own eyes. I remember my first experience with Saturn, and later with Jupiter and Mars, and the list goes on. Those moments imprint, and I want to capitalize on that while I facilitate the intellectual adventures of astronomy. 

So, if there is something you would like to talk about related to your beloved big dob, please send me a message.

I’m happy to share photos of my telescope and answer any questions.