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<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=blue face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:blue'>I owned a Celestron CG5 for a few years
and it was good for visual astronomy. It sounded like a coffee grinder but the
4-star alignment 2 east and 2 west was good. If you decide to take the plunge
and try imaging you will need a sturdier mount is needed in my opinion.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=blue face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:blue'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=blue face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:blue'>You might want to look at the Sky Watcher
EQ6 or the Orion Atlas. Both are sturdy mounts, great value and will last a
long time. <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=blue face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:blue'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=blue face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:blue'>Rick<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=blue face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:blue'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
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<p class=MsoNormal><b><font size=2 face=Tahoma><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Tahoma;font-weight:bold'>From:</span></font></b><font size=2
face=Tahoma><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Tahoma'>
astronomers-bounces@hamiltonrasc.ca
[mailto:astronomers-bounces@hamiltonrasc.ca] <b><span style='font-weight:bold'>On
Behalf Of </span></b>David MacMillan<br>
<b><span style='font-weight:bold'>Sent:</span></b> Sunday, June 17, 2012 6:38
PM<br>
<b><span style='font-weight:bold'>To:</span></b> astronomers@hamiltonrasc.ca<br>
<b><span style='font-weight:bold'>Subject:</span></b> RASC <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place
w:st="on">Hamilton</st1:place></st1:City> Pondering Celestron CG5 Mount - Any
Tips / Suggestions ?</span></font><o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
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<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 color=black face=Calibri><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Calibri;color:black'>I purchased my
Stellarvue 110ED refractor with that company’s heavy duty surveyor trip
and M2 alt-az mount. This setup is quite portable, however unless you
know the skies like the back of your hand (or better !!) it presents some
challenges in some circumstances:<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
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<ul type=disc>
<li class=MsoNormal style='color:black;mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:
auto;mso-list:l1 level1 lfo1'><font size=3 color=black face=Calibri><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Calibri'>at recent Binbrook
Conservation Area cub-scout event, I was going “nudge-nudge”
about every 2nd or 3rd little person to make sure all got a reasonably centred
view of the moon (used a 24mm / 68 degree AFOV eyepiece on this F7 OTA) <o:p></o:p></span></font></li>
<li class=MsoNormal style='color:black;mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:
auto;mso-list:l1 level1 lfo1'><font size=3 color=black face=Calibri><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Calibri'>I had a “Galileo
moment” that night, seeing my first Messier object, but all credit
due to Gary Colwell and his rather impressive Takahashi set-up !!<o:p></o:p></span></font></li>
</ul>
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<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 color=black face=Calibri><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Calibri;color:black'>In order to provide
go-to / equatorial tracking for my OTA, Stellarvue recommends two of
Celestron’s mounts: CG5 or CGEM. There are substantial differences
between these mounts:<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
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<li class=MsoNormal style='color:black;mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:
auto;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo2'><font size=3 color=black face=Calibri><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Calibri'>CG5 - more portable / cheaper
<o:p></o:p></span></font></li>
<li class=MsoNormal style='color:black;mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:
auto;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo2'><font size=3 color=black face=Calibri><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Calibri'>CGEM - much heavier &
more stable / handles more payload / better tracking / ~ double the cost
of a CG5<o:p></o:p></span></font></li>
</ul>
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<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 color=black face=Calibri><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Calibri;color:black'>If you look at reviews
on both of these mounts, you’ll find the good, the bad and the
ugly. From what I can piece together, quality control for the CG5 might
be a bit more hit / miss, and you might need to do some serious tune up to what
comes “out of the box”.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
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<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 color=black face=Calibri><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Calibri;color:black'> <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
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<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 color=black face=Calibri><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Calibri;color:black'>I should add that
I’m not yet into astrophotography (but never say never!!) and would be
doing observing only for the next 2 – 3 years.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
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<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 color=black face=Calibri><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Calibri;color:black'> <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
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<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 color=black face=Calibri><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Calibri;color:black'>Thoughts ??<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
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<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 color=black face=Calibri><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Calibri;color:black'> <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
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<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 color=black face=Calibri><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Calibri;color:black'>-David MacMillan<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
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<p class=MsoNormal><st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on"><font size=3
color=black face=Calibri><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Calibri;
color:black'>Milton</span></font></st1:place></st1:City><font color=black
face=Calibri><span style='font-family:Calibri;color:black'><o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
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<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 color=black face=Calibri><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Calibri;color:black'> <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
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