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CG5-GT

Started by cliffy54 , Mar 06 2012 09:18 AM

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32 replies to this topic

#1 cliffy54

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Posted 06 March 2012 - 09:18 AM

Good morning, I'm fairly new to astronomy and I want to dabble a little bit in AP nothing extreme.

Today I'm going to buy a mount. I decided on the Celestron CG5-GT.

My question is what exactly would the optional GPS accessory (93963) do for me.

Thanks in advance.

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#2 mclewis1

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Posted 06 March 2012 - 09:28 AM

Very little.

If you manually put in your location using lat/long coordinates from a cell phone or Google Earth will get you just as accurate a setup.

The GPS will basically save you a little time when you do your initial alignments (less data to input). If you move around a lot to a variety of dark sites I could see the value, otherwise I'd save my money for other accessories that will provide better value to you (good power source, vibration suppression pads, etc.).

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#3 Arizona-Ken

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Posted 06 March 2012 - 09:37 AM

I often take my CG5-GT to a few different sites for observing.

My home town is in the data base in the controller, but the two dark sites I usually go to are not. I looked up their latitude and longitude on the internet and wrote them down in my observing log book. Viola! All done! Just enter them into the controller during set up time!

The CG5-GT is a great mount for the money.

Arizona Ken

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#4 RTLR 12

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Posted 06 March 2012 - 09:38 AM

The SkySync GPS is the current GPS module. The 93963 is the older version GPS and requires the addition of the 93965 Aux Port Accessory Kit in order to work on a CG-5GT. All versions of the older GPS and it's accessories have been discontinued by Celestron.

The only thing that the GPS module does is to enter your location and the date and time. Unless you are going to be moving your viewing location quite often by more than about 50 miles or more the GPS is not a good purchase for the money. Every time you use it it will take from 1 to 10 minutes to connect. (Average is 2 minutes)

Stan

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#5 Stew57

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Posted 06 March 2012 - 09:44 AM

The aux port kit is much more useful than the gps module. I bought the gps as part of a kit to get the port expander. I do leave the gps on but it takes a few minutes to get a lock. I usually am setting other stuff up while it is doing this. When I am not setting my mallincam up I usually have it off as the wait is annoying.

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#6 RTLR 12

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Posted 06 March 2012 - 10:09 AM

If you're only using the aux ports and not using the PC port this works...

http://www.monoprice...&seq=1&format=2

http://www.monoprice...&seq=1&format=2

http://search.digike...666215077951594

Total $4.66

Stan

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#7 cliffy54

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Posted 06 March 2012 - 10:19 AM

Thanks again to all of you.

I guess if the GPS is discontinued the point is moot, but you would have saved me $ that I can't afford to waste. I can easily enter that information. :fingerscrossed:

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#8 Stew57

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Posted 06 March 2012 - 10:21 AM

I am using the pc port without the handcontroller attached, the main reason I bought the expander. They do need to include a pc port or usb port as an update to the mounts.

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#9 cliffy54

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Posted 06 March 2012 - 11:52 AM

How about one more question.

How about the Polar Finder Scope?

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#10 mclewis1

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Posted 06 March 2012 - 12:49 PM

Cliff,

You're going to like this ... I'll save you some more money. Forget the polar scope and use the built in All Star polar alignment routine.

Rough alignment (sighting up the RA axis) is fine for most visual work. The ASPA routine gets you a better polar alignment suitable for imaging at shorter focal lengths (~500mm). If you need have a more accurate polar alignment for imaging at focal lengths say up over 1000mm then you can do a drift alignment on the mount.

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#11 rmollise

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Posted 06 March 2012 - 03:12 PM

Good morning, I'm fairly new to astronomy and I want to dabble a little bit in AP nothing extreme.

Today I'm going to buy a mount. I decided on the Celestron CG5-GT.

My question is what exactly would the optional GPS accessory (93963) do for me.

Thanks in advance.

Save you from having to type in time and date and re-enter latitude and longitude when you move to a new location. That is all.

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#12 cliffy54

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Posted 06 March 2012 - 03:38 PM

Well I just ordered the CG-5GT, that was all I ordered, it should be here on Monday.

I ordered it from OPT lowest price I could find plus free shipping. I was also gonna order the AC Adapter for $19.95 but they wanted $15. for shipping so I'll look elsewhere for that.

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#13 Gastrol

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Posted 06 March 2012 - 03:54 PM

Well I just ordered the CG-5GT, that was all I ordered, it should be here on Monday.

I ordered it from OPT lowest price I could find plus free shipping. I was also gonna order the AC Adapter for $19.95 but they wanted $15. for shipping so I'll look elsewhere for that.

They could have easily tossed that adapter into one of the accessory cavities of the CG-5 carton and not charge you for shipping. At least that's how another vendor did when they shipped my CG-5. I also didn't bother with the polar scope and the GPS.

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#14 Maverick199

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Posted 07 March 2012 - 01:24 PM

Nothing extreme but then some. The CG-5 is a decent but solid mount for AP. Add an autoguider and you may just pull off some stunning images. Without too enough to satiate your appetite.

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#15 sam81

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Posted 07 March 2012 - 07:07 PM

This is a good mount. I bought it last year and took these pictures with it:

Astrophotography Oct 2011

Astrophotography Nov 2011

I'm selling it now since I recently bought the CGEM, but I had good times with the CG-5. I don't think I fully unlocked its potential though.

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#16 acamacho

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Posted 07 March 2012 - 08:22 PM

I've been on the fence on getting this mount, and was wondering if it's worth getting the combo with the 6" Reflector? Currently it's not much more than the mount by itself. I'm a relative beginner, but have done some imaging before with a barndoor mount.

This is the combo I've been looking at:
http://www.optcorp.c...00-602-895-3280

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#17 germana1

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Posted 07 March 2012 - 08:30 PM

You can also get it from our sponsor .
http://www.astronomi...roduct_id/ASC8N
Ask about member discount.
Pete

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#18 oldstargazer

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Posted 07 March 2012 - 09:43 PM

I have a CG5-GT mount and use it for all my OTAs, even my big 10 inch dob can go on it. I got mine from Astronomics and if I don't get my 618 soon I will get the new model neximage from them just like I did my current model of neximage. I have taken pictures of up to 75 seconds at 2000 mm fl doing polar align by looking through the tube where the polar finder would go and then doing two star align and four cal stars. The cal stars really make the gotos spot on.

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#19 greju

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Posted 07 March 2012 - 09:46 PM

Might want to compare apples to apples. :grin:

http://www.astronomi...HDGEHK12/Page/1

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#20 cliffy54

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Posted 07 March 2012 - 09:56 PM

Very nice pics Sam. I would be very pleased if I could do that. I've got a ways to go yet so far all I got is the mount, Maybe the Imager or camera next.

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#21 MeadeSquared

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Posted 07 March 2012 - 11:18 PM

Congrats on getting into astrophotography. She's a demanding mistress, but totally worth it. The CG-5 GT is a great way to go. The GoTos are spot on, all star polar alignment is really handy, and it's not that expensive compared to the alternatives. The only issue I've come across is that the gears on both axis can become separated if the mount gets jolted a little. But it's really easy to remove the housing and reset them, and there's a ton of documentation online on this process.

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#22 cliffy54

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Posted 08 March 2012 - 06:41 AM

Thx for the info. I was kinda getting bored with visual viewing only,however I will still be doing some visual also.

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#23 cliffy54

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Posted 12 March 2012 - 02:37 PM

Well my new mount arrived. I was surprised at the weight of the box. The 1st thing out of the drivers mouth was it's very heavy.
The box had some kind of soot on it I had to wipe off and seemed a little damp like it was in a building that was on fire. The inside box was OK.
I'll try to post some pictures I've never done that.