Motor Dives for my Telescope

[Wedge]

Hi,

I am thinking about buying a motor drive for my Celestron CG-4 Mount.

I have seen this:

http://www.celestron.uk.com/catalogues/view_item.asp?ItemID=33014&CatalogueID=272&CategoryID=3874

and have a few questions

1) Are they easy to install? How do you do it?

2) What exactly can they do? I know that they track the stars, but what else?

3) how accurately would I need to polar align my scope to use them well?

4) How long do the batteries last for?

I am going to stay at a friends house, in the USA in a few weeks time. I have seen them on Amazon US for $90. Would it be worth it to order some to his house, for the savings? Are the ones supplid in the US the same as the UK ones?

many Thanks

Remy.

[barkis]

Hi. Remy,

Adding drives to your scope is always a good upgrade. The first immediate benefit is being able to view an object for long periods without having to put your hands on the telescope. You will be able to move the scope in both declination and Right ascension, and at a slew speed too I would think. The is probably a selector switch to increase the drive speed from normal sidereal rate to 2x up to maybe 32 x.

These speeds will only occur when you select the rate then press the buttons. Selecting a 2x speed will probably allow you to guide the scope for imaging, but this would require you to have a guide scope attached, and an illuminated reticule.

I am basing my comments on the drives I fitted to my Astro5 mount, and the hand controller has the functions I have mentioned. I should imagine yours may be very similar If you do buy them, you will find they are quite easy to fit, especially if they have been produced for you particular model of telescope.

You will get help and advice from us here anyway. If you are not sure about a procedure, just ask.

Ron.

[AndrewLincs]

Hi Remy

I have recently fitted an RA drive to my scope.

It certainly makes viewing objects easier, as they stay in the field of view.

I don't bother with polar alignment for visual obs, but I do aim north and that

seems good enough to hold object for an hour or so.

And at the price your talking about it seems a bargain!

Regards

Andrew

[thumbless]

I am a newbie and take all i say with a pinch of salt.

http://stargazerslounge.com/index.php/topic,22827.0.html

Depends if you want to track stars and planets which i wanted to do then there is dabbling in photography.

The Celestron/Skywatcher motors have been termed coffee grinders and noisy that they may annoy the neighbours, never heard of them so i am going by what i have been told.

As in my post Astronomonica motors were recommended, then i was told if you want to pay a little more then go for full Goto.

http://www.firstlightoptics.com/products.php?cat=46&pg=1

Then i was told if i was paying that then i would be better upgrading the mount.

http://www.firstlightoptics.com/products.php?cat=46&pg=1

Celestron/Skywatcher are manufactured by synta who are a chinese company and have been told that Skywatcher/Celestron parts are interchangeable.

As for the synscan goto i can get it on a eq5/CG5 but i do not know if you could get it for a CG4 so somebody out there may be able to help.

As i said you need to think what you want to do as you may want to upgrade later, also depends on how much you have to spend.

As it is snowing in Scotland at the moment and i have cloudy nights i am sitting on my hands at the moment and see what happens later on.

Hope this helps.

Davey.