LX photography with a CG5-GT

[iamzoso60]

I've not long been into LX photography and was wondering what exposure times I could realistically expect to get from the CG5-GT mount, when polar aligned.

[Carbon Brush]

A few (5?) is the best I have done with 200-500mm FL equivalent on the mount. That is with a light load on the mount. That is camera + lens, or short tube refractor. Not an 8" newt that the salesman says it will carry. As soon as you start add weight, the mount shows it's limitations.

[iamzoso60]

Its currently got a 9.25 Celestron SCT on it, but when my Canon 1100D (sometimes with a Barlow) is added, I must be near the capacity.

I've tried up to 90 secs and just starting to get a hint of star trails, but although I've Polar aligned, I haven't rebalanced when the camera is on. Would this make a difference do you think?

[Carbon Brush]

Defintely need to balance.

The CG5 (like the EQ5) is going to flex under load.

I use mine photographically under light load only.

The general wisdom on SGL seems to be that a 6" newt, probably 750mm FL is about all a CG5 will take photogrphically.

There are, I think, two options to improving.

A bigger mount, or guiding.

[iamzoso60]

I have been looking into guiding, as it is the cheaper option and the way our weather has been over the past 12 months, I don't really want to spend 6-7 hundred notes on something that I will only use a few times a month.

I'll give re balancing the scope a go first and see if it makes any difference. If I could get anything approaching 4-5 mins I would be happy.

[todd8137]

hi there i have the same scope,have you trained the pec ? its a pain in the butt ,but it does the job great, 1 min /1.20 s is about the most i can get ,get it as close as you can with the polar scope.

then do a two star align ,make sure you do the 3 calib stars it helps so much ,train the pec on your target ,or a star really close,are you use in a focal reducer i would ,keep at it

[Carbon Brush]

Something to consider on guiding.

Whatever guiding hardware you use can be transferred to another mount/scope when you change kit.

I tend to think of transferable kit as being less of a money pit than fixed kit.

you can always sell it on if you don't get on with.

Just my opinion though.