Help!!

[Mystikal]

Hi All

Im just wondering, I am off to the states soon and I am going to buy a CG-5 Celestron GOTO mount. Can I put any scope on this mount? Im not to sure what Im doing. Im fairly new to the GOTO systems. It looks to me as if it is a normal EQ mount that could possibly handle reasonable size scopes.

Will it take the WO Zenithstars? Will it take a Nexstar OTA?

Any help would be much appreciated!!

[Mystikal]

like a Mak Cas Nextar OTA, NS8SE or something like that? Also, to add would it take an 8in newtonian?

Sorry for the stupid questions!!

[ballaratdragons]

See my comment following your post about the WO for sale.
http://www.iceinspace.com.au/forum/showthread.php?t=16234

[Mystikal]

Im after solar system. It is definately my main interest.
Im also leaning toward portability.
Would a Nexstar 4SE be ok portability wise on a light mount?
There is one on ebay im interested in bidding on (the OTA only)
Its 300 dollars (bidding starts at, with no goto mount or eyepieces, but I have a Nagler and a Televue Eyepiece also a Meade Ultra Wide 14). Would it be worth it?

I really like the look, size and build of the WO scopes. They are wonderfull, and colour free with the doublet lense. So portable!!

Dont know what to do.
DSO's aren't for me just yet I suppose. I want no goto as yet. I want to learn the old fashioned way.

THanks in advance for any help and advice. Gotta get some dinner, BRB.;)

[Astroman]

The Mak Cas would be good for Planets being an f12, not sure on their reputation though... But only a 100mm apature you are really only limited to looking at Mercury, Venus, Jupiter its 4 moons and Saturn in any detail, the other planets would be a little out of reach I think, Neptune and Uranus will only look like coloured stars.



Naglers are Televue eyepieces.....

You dont need GOTO to enjoy DSO's they are up there for everyone to enjoy, just because you have GOTO doesnt mean they are out of reach for everyone else that wants to start out like you do, without GOTO.

Good luck with your purchasing journey...

[Mystikal]

I guess it would be better to go for a 200mm DOB then. Damn Im confused. I like the portability of the smaller Mak Cas scopes, and getting big aperture in that style is really expensive. Oh well, Ill keep looking around, something may pop up on the website here and ill purchase it.

[Astroman]

Okay I will change my mind then hehehe....The 8" f6 scopes give great planetary views, it will serve you better in the long run and you can put them on a CG-5 or similar weight load mount in the future. and for under $500 its pretty good value. I have one although its a skywatcher and it is very nice to use.

[sheeny]

G'Day Mystikal,

The CG-5 should handle scopes up to about 8" - 9.25" in diameter. Celestron packages it with both their 8" Schmit Cassegrains and Newtonians. In fact I think they sell it with the C9.25 as well. So it should handle any smaller scopes as well.

If you main interest is planetary stuff, then the CG-5 will do the job fine. Your biggest dilemma will be what scope to put on it. I am very happy with my C8, the are a lot of people with C9.25s that do some excellent planetary work with those. I would consider both these scopes quite portable (but I would remove the OTA at least to transport!)

Al.

[ving]

hi mystikal :)

I have a 200mm dob and its great on planets. you even get plenty colour in the planets which you may or may not get will 100mm. you can also do what i did, mount the ota of the dob on an eq mount later... the cg5 could handle the 8" for visual work and pictures of planets pretty easy (not so great for astrophotography of DSOs). it all comes down to how much you want to spend i guess :)

[Mystikal]

id love a heavy goto mount
as Im going to the states soon I guess I could by it at a lower cost than hear
what suggestions do you all have for me
i can spend about 1000US

[ving]

eq6?
heq5 pro?

not an expert but that'd be my guess. :)

[Mystikal]

Ill look into it. Cheers