· 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 Previous   Index   Next   Threaded   Pages: 1 deezdrama Carpal Tunnel Reged: 03/29/05 Loc: Central Illinois celestron cg-5 or clone       #3073979 - 04/28/09 11:11 PM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   Need new mount for my 120ed and decided on a cg-5 type mount. Ive had one of the konus made cg-5 clones before and it was ok but tripod legs were a bit small.But I can buy one of these new for $180 and then buy a nice wooden tripod or 2" diameter legged tripod and have a decent cheapsettup with dual tracking motors. Or I could just go for the celestron goto cg-5. Never seen one or used one so dont know if they function any better than the clone cg-5 I had. Goto is not important but would be nice I guess to have. Do these perform better than the konus cg-5 clones? Can they handle more weight? And can they be laptop controlled? So I could have the clone setup for around $300 Or about double that and go with the celestron Suggesstions? Anyone have experience with both Post Extras:       deezdrama Carpal Tunnel Reged: 03/29/05 Loc: Central Illinois Re: celestron cg-5 or clone [Re: deezdrama]       #3073987 - 04/28/09 11:19 PM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   I also like the white skywatcher heq5 pro mounts but they dont seem to be sold in the usa Post Extras:       Joe Aguiar Carpal Tunnel Reged: 02/10/07 Loc: Toront,Ontario Re: celestron cg-5 or clone [Re: deezdrama]       #3073994 - 04/28/09 11:24 PM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   your cg5or eq5 mount is fine just get the 2" steel legs go to are not that great in the eq model (atleat to me its not) but to me tracking is a must. Joe Post Extras:       deezdrama Carpal Tunnel Reged: 03/29/05 Loc: Central Illinois Re: celestron cg-5 or clone [Re: Joe Aguiar]       #3074011 - 04/28/09 11:33 PM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   I forgot- can the cg5 asgt be used manually- doesit have slow mo knobs? Post Extras:       TomN professor emeritus Reged: 01/14/09 Loc: Washington State Re: celestron cg-5 or clone [Re: deezdrama]       #3074055 - 04/29/09 12:10 AM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   I too would like to know the answer to this question, I've been considering a CG-5 goto mount lately. Is it fairly quick to setup for goto? Post Extras:       HaleBopper professor emeritus Reged: 01/14/08 Loc: Land of Ice and Snow Re: celestron cg-5 or clone [Re: TomN]       #3074324 - 04/29/09 06:53 AM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   I have been using a CG5 for 2 years and have found it to be great value for the money spent. The gotos are great, the polar alignment works like a charm, and it is very easy to set up, move, and align. Post Extras:       Joe Aguiar Carpal Tunnel Reged: 02/10/07 Loc: Toront,Ontario Re: celestron cg-5 or clone [Re: HaleBopper]       #3074331 - 04/29/09 07:00 AM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   i had the asggt i before the lxd-75 but i dont think you can move them manually with slow motion controls as they dont have slip cluches on the dives but i sold the as-gt 2 years ago so i cant say 100% though. You can undo the clutches & swing the ota in both axis but thats not move them in micro movement like a hand controls. Joe Post Extras:       Al Canarelli Post Laureate Reged: 12/06/07 Loc: Central New Jersey Re: celestron cg-5 or clone [Re: Joe Aguiar]       #3074416 - 04/29/09 08:20 AM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   You can now buy a brand new Celestron CG5 ASGT for $525. I've never seen a lower price. http://www.telescopes.net/celestron/celestron.html Post Extras:       Luigi Postmaster Reged: 07/03/07 Loc: MA Re: celestron cg-5 or clone [Re: Al Canarelli]       #3074426 - 04/29/09 08:29 AM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   I use the CG5ASGT manually. It definitely has slo-mo, and fast-mo, and medium-mo, simply by using the arrow buttons on the hand controler. Loosen the clutches a bit. Push the scope to the vacinity of the object, then use the buttons. Pretty much the same as I did with my G11. IMO, the CG5 is superior to all its clones wrt to stability. The 2" tripod helps a lot. The go-to afficianados also claim it does superior go-tos. For $525, it's a no-brainer. Post Extras:       tim53 Postmaster Reged: 12/17/04 Loc: Highland Park, CA Re: celestron cg-5 or clone [Re: Luigi]       #3074540 - 04/29/09 09:40 AM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   Not to split hairs, but the cg5 is itself a clone of the excellent Vixen Super Polaris mount and its variants. -Tim. Post Extras:       Joe Aguiar Carpal Tunnel Reged: 02/10/07 Loc: Toront,Ontario Re: celestron cg-5 or clone [Re: tim53]       #3075845 - 04/29/09 08:48 PM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   yep tim is right However Luigi i think he meant by slow motion from what i understand is the manual hand slow motion controls for manual motion. I dont think he was saying can the the hand control box move in differnt speeds. Here is what i think he was asking in the link these kind of controls http://www.skywatchertelescope.net/swtinc/product.php?class1=3 Joe Edited by Joe Aguiar (04/29/09 08:49 PM) Post Extras:       Stevie G newbie Reged: 03/30/09 Re: celestron cg-5 or clone [Re: Joe Aguiar]       #3076420 - 04/30/09 04:31 AM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   What I wanna know is theCG5-GT adequate for astrophotography? Say, with a SV102ED or thereabouts? Post Extras:       HaleBopper professor emeritus Reged: 01/14/08 Loc: Land of Ice and Snow Re: celestron cg-5 or clone [Re: Stevie G]       #3076506 - 04/30/09 07:05 AM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   For entry level AP the CG5 is very capable. I'm not sure how it would work with the SV102ED, but I use an 8" SCT with an 80 mm Orion Short Tube piggy backed and an Orion SS autoguider. It has yielded pleasing results. If you want better than that for AP, then you'll have to pony up for a beefier mount like a CGEM or Atlas at a minimum IMO. Post Extras:       Luigi Postmaster Reged: 07/03/07 Loc: MA Re: celestron cg-5 or clone [Re: HaleBopper]       #3076522 - 04/30/09 07:27 AM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   The hand controller can move the mount in RA and Dec in 9 speeds ranging from full slew down to extremely fine movements. It's more convenient and versatile than my non-Gemini G11 was. Post Extras:       waassaabee Post Laureate Reged: 11/26/07 Loc: Central California Coast Re: celestron cg-5 or clone [Re: Luigi]       #3076815 - 04/30/09 11:23 AM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   The CG5 is a fantastic AP mount within it's limits. I ran almost 15 lbs. on mine and could get 10 minutes subs all night long. It's fairly light, easy to set up, AllStar alignment is phenomenal, and GoTo's are spot on! It will be hard for me to sell mine on it's return from Celestron, but I'm funding an AT8RC.... Post Extras:       Stevie G newbie Reged: 03/30/09 Re: celestron cg-5 or clone [Re: waassaabee]       #3077956 - 04/30/09 09:43 PM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   How much you gonna sell it for? If I buy the SV102D (possibly a SV110ED), I'll need something to put it on. When is your CG-5 coming back from Celestron? What was the reason it had to go there? (If ya don't mind my askin'.) Gotta sell my Hasselblad first. It's on AM, but nobody's buyin it so far. Next, I have to pay for my eye surgery. Then I'll be hot to trot. Couple weeks. Thanks. Stevie G Post Extras:       waassaabee Post Laureate Reged: 11/26/07 Loc: Central California Coast Re: celestron cg-5 or clone [Re: Stevie G]       #3078850 - 05/01/09 11:33 AM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   Stevie, I PM'd ya with the details. Post Extras:       Terrance professor emeritus Reged: 08/11/04 Loc: Near Portland Or. Re: celestron cg-5 or clone [Re: waassaabee]       #3079260 - 05/01/09 03:26 PM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   The CG-5 GoTo (GT) model does NOT have slo mo manual controls. If you unlock the clutches you can move it manually, but that is not slo-mo. If you get the goto version you will therefore really need to use it with power on using the hand controller, which will let you set the slew speed with a push of a button. I have a SV102ED, and have used it on a Orion SkyView Pro mount (Eq-4), which has tubular steel legs a little thinner than on the CG-5 (1.75" on the SVP and 2" on the CG-5) for visual only and it was fine. Should be better if anything on the CG-5. However I do visual only, and defer to others on its fitness for Astro Photography with a SV102ED. However the SV102ED is about 13 pounds with standard accessories so a CG-5 should do fine. (NOTE: A friend of mine once got a Celetron CG-5 that was not a goto and said it was defective and too shaky. These do exist, and they have slo mo manual controls unlike the goto model) Post Extras:       bebert sage Reged: 07/21/08 Loc: Louisiana Re: celestron cg-5 or clone [Re: Terrance]       #3086412 - 05/05/09 11:09 AM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   For the money and as was stated, within the limits, the CG5 is a great mount. I run it a bit heavy with a C8, guide scope and cameras but it functions well and I routinely get 6 - 10 minute exposures without issue. I bought mine used a few years ago and upgraded the firmware, etc. I recommend it - especially with a lighter scope. Post Extras:       Pages: 1 Previous   Index   Next   Threaded   Extra information 12 registered and 29 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: 797 Jump to *Announcements and News* -----   Cloudy Nights Announcements   Discussion of CN Articles, Reviews, and Reports   Celestial Events*General Astronomy* -----   Beginners Forum   General Observing and Astronomy   Outreach   Light Pollution*Equipment Discussions* -----   ATM, Optics and DIY Forum   Binoculars   Binoviewers   Cats & Casses   Classic Telescopes   Equipment   Eyepieces   Mounts   Observatories   Reflectors   Refractors    Video and Electronically Assisted Astronomy*Astrophotography and Sketching* -----   Beginning and Intermediate Imaging   Film Astrophotography   DSLR & Digital Camera Astro Imaging & Processing   CCD Imaging & Processing   Solar System Imaging & Processing   Sketching   Astro Imaging/Sketching Contest *Observing* -----   NEO   Planetary and Solar System Observing   Lunar Observing   Deep Sky Observing   Double Star Observing   Solar   Variable Star Observing and Radio Astronomy*Telescope Specific Forums* -----   Celestron NexStar    NexStar GPS / CPC Telescopes   Questar Forum   Meade ACF/RCX / LX / GPS    Meade ETX*Speciality Forums* -----   Arizona Science and Astronomy Expo   NEAF (Northeast Astronomy Forum) and NEAIC (Northeast Astro Imaging Conference)   AstroArt   Astronomy Clubs and Star Parties   Astronomy Software & Computers   AstroWebsites   Science! Astronomy & Space Exploration, and Others   Space Rocks   Stellar Media*Swap and Shop* -----   Shop and Swap Audio Components*CN Feedback and Vendor Announcements* -----   Vendor and Group Announcements*International Year of Astronomy 2009 - Forums are now closed.* -----   IYA Archive Info CN Forums Home

Cloudy Nights LLC Cloudy Nights Sponsor: Astronomics