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
mellowgeorge
member
Reged: 12/08/11
|
equatorial mounts and accuracy of setting circles
#5474095 - 10/16/12 09:46 PM
|
Edit
|
Reply
|
Quote |
Quick Reply
|
|
|
My GOTO Alt-Az mount has had electronic issues.
I am now considering going to a German equatorial mount for my 90mm f/11 refractor.
I was eyeing Celestron's CG4 mount mostly for visual observing, maybe some CCD webcam imaging of binary stars and the moon, planets.
I have no view of polaris from my backyard, which is where 90% of my observing will be done. I like the GOTO aspect of my Alt-Az for finding Messier objects.
Will the setting circles bring me close enough to these fuzzies?
How critical is perfect polar alignment?
I have no direct view of polaris from my backyard, where most of my observing will be done.
I appreciate any input. Thanks!
|
Jim Curry
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 10/29/07
Loc: STL
|
Re: equatorial mounts and accuracy of setting circles
[Re: mellowgeorge]
#5474162 - 10/16/12 10:56 PM
|
|
Edit
|
Reply
|
Quote |
Quick Reply
|
|
|
A 90 f/11 will probably be pushing that mount. I have a 4" f/12 on a CG5 and it's at it's limit for settling down after focusing. If it's a very light tube you might get away with it but it's the length that's a killer.
Jim
|
Jon Isaacs
Postmaster
Reged: 06/16/04
Loc: San Diego and Boulevard, CA
|
Re: equatorial mounts and accuracy of setting circles
[Re: Jim Curry]
#5474377 - 10/17/12 01:52 AM
|
|
Edit
|
Reply
|
Quote |
Quick Reply
|
|
|
Quote:
A 90 f/11 will probably be pushing that mount. I have a 4" f/12 on a CG5 and it's at it's limit for settling down after focusing. If it's a very light tube you might get away with it but it's the length that's a killer.
Jim
Which CG-5 do you have? The CG-5 with the 2 inch SS legs ought to handle a 4 inch F/12 refractor reasonably well, the do put C-11s on them. The modern CG-4 with the 1.75 inch SS legs handles a 120mm F/8.3 reasonably well, it ought to handle a 90mm with the same focal length...
As far as using the setting circles to find targets, they are not that accurate but they can get you close.
Jon
|
Jim Curry
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 10/29/07
Loc: STL
|
Re: equatorial mounts and accuracy of setting circles
[Re: Jon Isaacs]
#5474524 - 10/17/12 06:19 AM
|
|
Edit
|
Reply
|
Quote |
Quick Reply
|
|
|
I have the 2" SS legs. Like I said, it works but it's pushing it.
Jim
|
rmollise
Postmaster
Reged: 07/06/07
|
Re: equatorial mounts and accuracy of setting circles
[Re: Jim Curry]
#5474584 - 10/17/12 07:38 AM
|
|
Edit
|
Reply
|
Quote |
Quick Reply
|
|
|
The small circles of this mount will get you in the general vicinity of the target if you are decently polar aligned, but that is it.
|
mellowgeorge
member
Reged: 12/08/11
|
Re: equatorial mounts and accuracy of setting circles
[Re: rmollise]
#5475073 - 10/17/12 01:15 PM
|
|
Edit
|
Reply
|
Quote |
Quick Reply
|
|
|
OK, thanks for the input re: the Celestron CG4.
Is the Orion Skyview Pro eq. mount that much better than the CG4? The price difference is substantial though the specs are somewhat close.
There must be a quality difference between the two. Is that true?
Getting an object within 1-2 FOVs of a low-power eyepiece is perfectly fine. Is that a reasonable expectation with the mount's setting circles?
|
rmollise
Postmaster
Reged: 07/06/07
|
Re: equatorial mounts and accuracy of setting circles
[Re: mellowgeorge]
#5475121 - 10/17/12 01:37 PM
|
|
Edit
|
Reply
|
Quote |
Quick Reply
|
|
|
All these GEMs have setting circles that are just too small to be of much use. I can routinely get a field or two away from a target with analog setting circles, but i am talking about the substantially larger circles on a fork mount SCT. Which does NOT mean the circles on these mounts are of no use. In concert with a good 50mm finder they make locating quicker than with "just the finder." For the best accuracy, the better the polar alignment, the better. Don't think you can just eyeball Polaris and get very close to your targets.
|
|
17 registered and 32 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: 491
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Previous
Index
Next
Threaded
