HELP!!! Mounting Problems - C100ED

[Kef9]

Hi Guys

Ive just got my new telescope today which is a Celestron C100ED refractor complete with CG5 mount . Set it all up and then when it comes to put the telescope on the mount Im perplexed. Im either really stupid or a piece of kit that I need is missing.

Anyway the telescope comes with a tube holder with 3 metal strips on the bottom (dovetail?). The middle one is thick and has 3 screwholes while the outer 2 create a trapeziodal shape. The telescope also came with another piece of trapezoidal metal which fits to the mount perfectly when screwed into the head. Anyway the problem im having is regarding this piece of metal. Is this supposed to be screwed into the bottom of the telecope tube holder? I hope this makes sense but there are no further screws. I put the telescope directly on the mount using the tube holder fixing but it definitely did not seem right.

I hope this makes sense. Please help, the sky is clear outside and I wanted to do some viewing!!!!

[Cornelius Varley]

I think you will find that if you remove the three metal strips from the tube clamp the other dovetail will fit in their place on the clamp.

Peter

[Kef9]

Hi & thanks for responding.

You cant remove them because they are part of the tube clamp.

[jgs001]

The clamshell fitting (assuming it's the same as the C80ED) clamps around the tube. The outer pair of bars are the dovetail and should clamp onto the saddle (top) of the CG5 mount. I must confess though, I don't use my clamshell for mounting, I use a medium skywatcher dovetail and tube rings, and keep the clamshell for when using the C80ED as a 600mm telephoto lens.

[FLO]

The Celestron C80ED and C100ED are supplied with a clam-shell (alternative to tube-rings) that incorporates a dovetail. The mount has been supplied with a regular dovetail. Remove the regular dovetail then slide the telescope's clamshell into the mounts saddle.

That should do it

Edit: Ah, John must have posted while I typed

[jgs001]

[Kef9]

Yep this is what I thought but it doesnt seem very sturdy. There are no holes or relief in the clam shell dovetail for tightening screws into so when you do tighten it makes dents into the metal. Surely this is not right or is it? Are these 2 screws tightened onto a piece of metal with no relief mean't to hold the telescope in place?

You probably already know this but there are 2 screws in the head of the CG5 - One big perpendicular one and a smaller one at 45 degrees. These fit into the other trapezoidal metal perfectly so you can't move it.

[Steve]

The large clamping screw does simply screw into the side of the dovetail (or clam-shell). I know it looks crude and it does mark the dovetail but that is quite normal and effective. Most owners of C80 and C100 scopes eventualy ditch the clam-shell and fit regular tube-rings and a dovetail.

HTH

[GazOC]

You probably already know this but there are 2 screws in the head of the CG5 - One big perpendicular one and a smaller one at 45 degrees. These fit into the other trapezoidal metal perfectly so you can't move it.

When setting up tighten the big screw up first, then tighten the smaller screw. When you are taking the scope off the mount untighten the small screw first and then the big screw second.

[Kef9]

Hi Guys

Just did a bit more playing around and I think Ive got it. It seems quite secure now although I am still a bit skeptical to be honest. I just wanted to make sure it was right as I am new to all of this. I didn't want the telescope falling to its doom LOL.

Thanks guys.

[Kef9]

WHHHHOOOO BABY!!!

First night of astronomy. Its brilliant! There are so many more stars!!

Just been looking at mars although its rather small as I only have 45x mag at the moment because I haven't bought any other eyepieces yet.

Thanks for all your help guys!!!

[John]

WHHHHOOOO BABY!!!

First night of astronomy. Its brilliant! There are so many more stars!!

Just been looking at mars although its rather small as I only have 45x mag at the moment because I haven't bought any other eyepieces yet.

Thanks for all your help guys!!!

Congratulations on your new scope !.

Mars is really small now (around 8 seconds of an arc) so it needs loads of magnification to see any surface features.

Try Saturn - that should really impress !.

By the way, don't worry about the mounting system, it does work as long as you tighten the screws up as Gaz posted above. I have a 6" F/8 refractor mounted that way - it weighs 3x as much as yours