Telescope Reviews: CG5-ASGT with dual dovetail mount GOTO alignment?

· 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: 1

fuzzystuff4ever
member

Reged: 11/26/12

Loc: Micco, FL

CG5-ASGT with dual dovetail mount GOTO alignment?
#5557246 - 12/06/12 10:38 AM

I have an ADM dual dovetail mount I use on my CG5 for public solar observing events (Lunt 60mm on one side, SV66 with WL filter on the other). I've never tried the GO-TO alignment since it's not needed for this purpose. Is it possible to align it at night by "tricking" it by starting out 90deg. off where the dec alignment arrows are? Thanks.

Brian

Post Extras:

mclewis1
Thread Killer

Reged: 02/25/06

Loc: New Brunswick, Canada

Re: CG5-ASGT with dual dovetail mount GOTO alignment? new

[Re: fuzzystuff4ever]
#5557280 - 12/06/12 10:56 AM

Brian,

Yes, if you are using relatively up to date firmware (v4.15 or later) in the hand controller you have a function called OTA Orientation. This allows you to tell the mount which direction the original saddle in oriented (pointed east or west instead of north) when the scope starts it's initial alignment.

Once you set the OTA Orientation correctly your mount will function just as it did originally. You can ignore the original position of the index marks. Starting from a consistent location is a more important technique for good accurate initial alignments.

Edited by mclewis1 (12/06/12 11:07 AM)

Post Extras:

fuzzystuff4ever
member

Reged: 11/26/12

Loc: Micco, FL

Re: CG5-ASGT with dual dovetail mount GOTO alignment? new

[Re: mclewis1]
#5557495 - 12/06/12 12:54 PM

Mark;

Wow, thanks for the info! I had no idea they had come up with this solution; will have to check my firmware version when I get home (and try and find the dratted cable to connect it with...).

Brian

Post Extras:

DaveJ
Pooh-Bah

Reged: 01/07/05

Loc: NE Ohio

Re: CG5-ASGT with dual dovetail mount GOTO alignment? new

[Re: fuzzystuff4ever]
#5557574 - 12/06/12 01:43 PM

Quote:

Wow, thanks for the info! I had no idea they had come up with this solution; will have to check my firmware version when I get home (and try and find the dratted cable to connect it with...)

While you certainly *can* use the "OTA Orientation" setup in the Utilities menu, it's really not necessary. When you turn on the mount and it says to align the arrows, instead just point the OTAs in the usual orientation. Since the mount has no switches, it has no idea where it's pointing. I've used both techniques with my CGEM DX and they both work exactly the same. Now, since the CGE has switches, it *does* know where it's pointing and I must use the "OTA Orientation" method when I set up two OTAs on a side-by-side rail.

Post Extras:

Phil Wheeler
Carpal Tunnel

Reged: 12/31/05

Loc: 3 miles WNW of Celestron

Re: CG5-ASGT with dual dovetail mount GOTO alignment? new

[Re: DaveJ]
#5558174 - 12/06/12 07:52 PM

Re "it has no idea where it's pointing": I've used mounts with that characteristic, too

Post Extras:

Pages: 1

Extra information

7 registered and 42 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: 406

Jump to

CN Forums

Home

Cloudy Nights LLC
Cloudy Nights Sponsor: Astronomics