Telescope Reviews: Celestron VX mount

· Get a Cloudy Nights T-Shirt

· Submit a Review / Article

Click here if you are having trouble logging into the forums

Privacy Policy | Please read our Terms of Service | Signup and Troubleshooting FAQ | Problems? PM a Red or a Green Gu… uh, User

You are not logged in. [Login]

Entrance · Main Index · Search · New user · Who's Online
FAQ · Calendar

Equipment Discussions >> Mounts

Pages: << 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | >> (show all)

Ray Gralak
Vendor (PEMPro)

Reged: 04/19/08

Re: Celestron VX mount [Re: cn register 5]
#5647622 - 01/28/13 09:06 AM

Quote:

Just so you know, the AVX has a 144 tooth gear so the worm period is 598.362 seconds.

PECTool handles this with no problem, PEMPro may need a bit of juggling to set the right period. I've let Ray know so.

Chris

The latest build of PEMPro V2 (Build 131) now supports the AVX. Anyone who wants to try it just use the Check for Updates feature in PEMPro's help menu.

-Ray

Post Extras:

zawijava
scholastic sledgehammer

Reged: 10/06/07

Loc: Wells, Maine 04090

Re: Celestron VX mount [Re: bunyon]
#5647810 - 01/28/13 10:59 AM

I can say this Paul, I contacted Celestron Tech Support on Jan 14th 2013 and asked for clarification regarding the VX Dec Axis design, bearings or no bearings(?). After 4-5 days of no response I sent a followup email that got their attention. Their response: "Thank you for contacting Celestron Technical Services. I am sorry that it is taking a little longer than anticipated for a response. I have sent an email out to our engineering staff regarding your inquiry. We have not been given the full details of this product yet, so I am waiting on a response from our engineering team. Thank you for your patience." That was on Jan 18th....still nothing

I'm not that impressed at this point

Quote:

The image is nice. The main question I have is whether or not the declination axis on the vx has less (or no) stiction/backlash trouble relative to the cg5. Those of you with the mount, can you comment on that?

Post Extras:

bunyon
Carpal Tunnel

Reged: 10/23/10

Loc: Winston-Salem, NC

Re: Celestron VX mount [Re: zawijava]
#5647850 - 01/28/13 11:15 AM

Well, I don't really care if it has bearings, no bearings or little magical leprechauns inside it. I just want to know if it moves better in Dec than the CG5.

I really like the CG5 and have had a lot of (for me) success with it. The ONLY thing I don't like about it is the Declination axis. It moves terribly and is essentially useless in guiding. By polar aligning carefully, I can avoid needing to guide in Dec. I would be interested in changing mounts if, and only if, I get the same performance in all other areas but can turn my PhD guiding Declination axis back on.

I am surprised you aren't getting faster feedback from them.

Post Extras:

zawijava
scholastic sledgehammer

Reged: 10/06/07

Loc: Wells, Maine 04090

Re: Celestron VX mount [Re: bunyon]
#5647972 - 01/28/13 12:06 PM

FWIW I sent another email to Celestron Tech Support a sort while ago, it prompted an almost immediate response:

Hello Tim,

I am just as disappointed as you are. Unfortunately, it also looks like the new mounts also do not have bearings in the DEC axis. Again a apologize for such a long delay.

Best regards,

[name removed]

Celestron Technical Services Representative

Quote:

Well, I don't really care if it has bearings, no bearings or little magical leprechauns inside it. I just want to know if it moves better in Dec than the CG5. I am surprised you aren't getting faster feedback from them.

Post Extras:

cn register 5
sage

Reged: 12/26/12

Re: Celestron VX mount [Re: zawijava]
#5648559 - 01/28/13 03:58 PM

I posted an image of a PHD graph on this thread. It's back a bit, about page 5 I think. It shows a consistent PEC error with a variation of a fraction of a pixel. I'm able to get nice images with round stars, I posted an image of M33 a bit back. I've never managed to get such good guiding with so little effort.

I think that Celestron have delivered what they say they have; improved Ra and Dec guiding with better motors, gearboxes and drive software.

Chris

Post Extras:

bunyon
Carpal Tunnel

Reged: 10/23/10

Loc: Winston-Salem, NC

Re: Celestron VX mount [Re: cn register 5]
#5648594 - 01/28/13 04:11 PM

Chris, I missed the graph, thanks.

Did you find that that was consistent over time? Generally, I found that with the CG5 it would be cool in Dec for a few minutes and then swing wildly off and not come back. You haven't observed that with the VX?

Post Extras:

dr.who
sage

Reged: 01/05/12

Re: Celestron VX mount [Re: bunyon]
#5648706 - 01/28/13 04:57 PM

Do keep in mind folks that Celestron (and others) are still dealing with the after Christmas n00b support process so they are pretty swamped. This is from a couple of people at their HQ when I drove over to deal with a problem with my C11 about 2 weeks ago. So phone's get answered first then emails. Call them if you want to talk to them ASAP.

Post Extras:

cn register 5
sage

Reged: 12/26/12

Re: Celestron VX mount [Re: bunyon]
#5648708 - 01/28/13 04:58 PM

It continued until it got cloudy or I got bored or had to pack up, over an hour in some cases.

The weather has been appalling in the UK and it's been a struggle getting any imaging time at all.

The bottom line is that this is the easiest and most successful guiding set up I've had.

Chris

Post Extras:

bunyon
Carpal Tunnel

Reged: 10/23/10

Loc: Winston-Salem, NC

Re: Celestron VX mount [Re: cn register 5]
#5648716 - 01/28/13 05:01 PM

That's great to hear! Thanks. I never had the Dec axis on the CG5 guide for more than 10 minutes or so - and that is with polar alignment that, after the Dec guiding was switched off, allowed 2 minute exposures. Definitely wouldn't have gone an hour.

Post Extras:

EManT2200
member

Reged: 04/22/12

Loc: Maryland

Re: Celestron VX mount [Re: bunyon]
#5649017 - 01/28/13 07:22 PM

Does anyone know if the AVX is designed to accept a polar scope, perhaps a CG-5 polar scope ?

Post Extras:

nebultick
member

Reged: 10/09/12

Re: Celestron VX mount [Re: EManT2200]
#5649157 - 01/28/13 08:14 PM

I was just wondering the same thing, I have a vixen sp polar scope would it fit. I want a goto system that will work for AP that's cheap this seems like it could fit the bill.

Post Extras:

rmollise
Postmaster

Reged: 07/06/07

Re: Celestron VX mount [Re: nebultick]
#5649169 - 01/28/13 08:20 PM

Why mess with a polar scope when you've got AllStar?

Post Extras:

bunyon
Carpal Tunnel

Reged: 10/23/10

Loc: Winston-Salem, NC

Re: Celestron VX mount [Re: rmollise]
#5649226 - 01/28/13 08:46 PM

A polar scope is easier and faster. And, in my hands, as accurate. Neither preclude a drift alignment. Is it supposed to?

Post Extras:

David Pavlich
Transmographied

Reged: 05/18/05

Loc: Mandeville, LA USA

Re: Celestron VX mount [Re: bunyon]
#5649361 - 01/28/13 10:11 PM

Quote:

A polar scope is easier and faster. And, in my hands, as accurate. Neither preclude a drift alignment. Is it supposed to?

My experience is that if you do a couple of iterations of the All Star alignment routine, you don't need to do a drift alignment. It works very well.

David

Post Extras:

rmollise
Postmaster

Reged: 07/06/07

Re: Celestron VX mount [Re: bunyon]
#5649758 - 01/29/13 06:52 AM

Quote:

A polar scope is easier and faster. And, in my hands, as accurate. Neither preclude a drift alignment. Is it supposed to?

Not my experience. My experience is that the AllStar is considerably more accurate than the polar scope--in anyone's hands.

And you don't have to scrunch down and get close and personal with a polar scope.

If the VX polar scope/housing are improved from the CG5, it could be OK, but my guess is AllStar will still be more accurate and easier.

Edited by rmollise (01/29/13 06:54 AM)

Post Extras:

bunyon
Carpal Tunnel

Reged: 10/23/10

Loc: Winston-Salem, NC

Re: Celestron VX mount [Re: rmollise]
#5649765 - 01/29/13 07:01 AM

I suppose I should re-engage efforts to get AS to work. I tried it a number of times over the first few weeks I had the mount and while it wasn't terrible, it wasn't great. I suppose balanced against 25+ years of polar aligning an SP through a polar scope, a few weeks isn't much time.

Post Extras:

Stew57
Carpal Tunnel

Reged: 05/03/09

Loc: Silsbee Texas

Re: Celestron VX mount [Re: bunyon]
#5649864 - 01/29/13 08:47 AM

An ASPA is only as good as your initial alignment. Don't skimp there.

Post Extras:

bunyon
Carpal Tunnel

Reged: 10/23/10

Loc: Winston-Salem, NC

Re: Celestron VX mount [Re: Stew57]
#5649872 - 01/29/13 08:53 AM

This is off-topic at this point, I think, but my experience was, I'd do a polar alignment with the polar scope and be very close. I'd then do an ASPA and be a little closer or a little further, depending. Either way, I inevitably had to do a drift alignment. I figure that if I can get as close with the scope, that is, for me, a couple of minutes, maybe less, then do the drift align. The only thing the ASPA did was take up some time between scope and drift.

I can get close enough with the scope alone to do 2-3 minute subs at 400mm with no drift in Dec. I only do a drift align if I image at 1200mm.

I completely agree that if one can do an ASPA and not then do a drift alignment that that would be a huge benefit. I'll spend a moonlit night soon trying to figure out where I'm going wrong with the ASPA.

Sorry for the thread hijack.

Edited by bunyon (01/29/13 08:55 AM)

Post Extras:

ghataa
professor emeritus

Reged: 06/20/11

Loc: Central, NJ

Re: Celestron VX mount [Re: bunyon]
#5649941 - 01/29/13 09:56 AM

The ASPA is simply awesome. Depending on where I set up on my property I don't always have a view of Polaris. With the ASPA, light pollution becomes more limiting for me than my CG5 subs.

It's worth time getting it to work!

Best,

George

Post Extras:

orlyandico
Carpal Tunnel

Reged: 08/10/09

Loc: Singapore

Re: Celestron VX mount [Re: ghataa]
#5649946 - 01/29/13 09:58 AM

agreed. aspa is the killer feature of nexstar, along with the multiple star pointing model.

me, i don't get to see polaris at all - i'm at 1.37 degrees north latitude. so aspa is pretty much mandatory, and better than guess-timating with a compass and level, and then doing a lengthy drift align (which is what i do with my other mounts).

Post Extras:

Pages: << 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | >> (show all)

Extra information

19 registered and 41 anonymous users are browsing this forum.

Moderator: Bowmoreman, bilgebay, iceblaze

Print Thread

Forum Permissions
      You cannot start new topics
      You cannot reply to topics
      HTML is disabled
      UBBCode is enabled

Thread views: 41415

Jump to

CN Forums

Home

Cloudy Nights LLC
Cloudy Nights Sponsor: Astronomics