cg-5 goto celestron mount

[durr]

Does anyone have any experience with this mount and if so how do you rate it? I am seriously interested in buying this mount from first light optics they seem fairly priced but I am unsure about spending £425 for this item. Would this be compatable with a celestron nexstar 8SE? Thanks in advance.Steve

[Whippy]

Welcome to SGL Steve .

The Nextstar 8SE is a mount and telescope setup and the CG5GT is a mount on it's own. If you're planning on buying the CG5GT, do you have a scope to go on it?

Tony..

[gary1968]

I have one of these mounts, got it last Novemeber. I think it is great, very easy to align and very accurate in goto's. Also tracking is pretty good for basic astro imaging, I got it with the C8 Newt on it. I also have a 6" Mak that I put on it. It is very sturdy with the 2" steel legs.

It is quite noisy on fast slew speed though, read it described as a 'coffe grinder' . But that doesn't bother me, I dont think it is that much louder than my SLT was. Slower slewing speed and tracking it is almost silent.

One of that guys in the wee group I observe with, Dogfish, has a Celestron 8" SCT on one of these mounts and I have not heard him with any complaints, I'm sure he'll be along with a coment on this.....

So, is it a good mount, I think so...... Is it worth the money, again I think so........

But you get what you pay for and there are better more expensive mounts out there. It really depends on what you inend to do with it and how much you want to spend.

For visual and basic imaging work I think it is a good mount and excellent value for money.

Hope that helps,

Gary

[durr]

Hello Tony , yes I have the OTA of the 8SE and was looking for something to help with astrophotography. Gary thanks for the info that you kindly put in there. Cheers mate. I did read where people had problems with the grease in the head bearings,but then some one told me that was in the older models and the newer ones are much easier to move. Steve

[gary1968]

I'm not sure that tey have improved the grease in the head bearings, I think it is still the sticky gooo that the have always used. A full description on mount strip down and regrease can be found here...................

http://www.deepskyeye.com/common/index.php?mh=11

I have not attempted this yet as I have not had any trouble with the mount as yet. But, it doesn't look overly difficult to do so maybe in the future once the 2 year warranty runs out...............

Gary

[durr]

Thanks Gary have saved that in favourites. My other toy is a CBF1000. Steve

[Whippy]

Hello Tony , yes I have the OTA of the 8SE and was looking for something to help with astrophotography. Gary thanks for the info that you kindly put in there. Cheers mate. I did read where people had problems with the grease in the head bearings,but then some one told me that was in the older models and the newer ones are much easier to move. Steve

If you're looking to get into astrophotography, I would recommend you spend a bit more and look at either the HEQ5 or EQ6 mounts. Much more sturdy and better build quality. I had a CG5GT which I sold because I wanted to take the imaging route.

Tony..

[cygnusx1]

Hello Tony , yes I have the OTA of the 8SE and was looking for something to help with astrophotography. Gary thanks for the info that you kindly put in there. Cheers mate. I did read where people had problems with the grease in the head bearings,but then some one told me that was in the older models and the newer ones are much easier to move. Steve

If you're looking to get into astrophotography, I would recommend you spend a bit more and look at either the HEQ5 or EQ6 mounts. Much more sturdy and better build quality. I had a CG5GT which I sold because I wanted to take the imaging route.

Tony..

Agreed

[durr]

Many thanks to everybody for their advice, which is now quietly being digested. I must admit this is a very good forum with lots of good sound advice. I will now be slowly going through the site bit by bit and learning in the process. Steve :sunny: