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Old 12-10-2007, 12:26 AM
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g__day (Matthew)
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Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Sydney
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I used a CG5 carrying a 9.25" SCT and a heavy Megrez piggybacked on top. It took 17 Kgs of weights to counterbalance it. On a permanent peir in a sheltered astro-lab it could perform (auto-guided astro-imaging) - but I felt it was right at the limits of its capability.

With the longer tube of the 10" Newtonian you would have more angular momentum on gotos to handle, and if it where exposed to the wind it would be hard to manage. I wouldn't think it would be rigid enough. In a sheltered spot you might just get by.

The mount is really the heart of any imaging system. I reckon a good rule of thumb is 50% of budget for the mount, 25% OTAs and 25% CCDs and focusers.

In its price bracket the CG5 is great value. The mount that would really handle all you want well is probably the Vixen Sphinx SXD - which new is around $2,800 - but there was a second hand one in the forums for $2,200 http://www.iceinspace.com.au/forum/s...ad.php?t=23576 - which is a brilliant buy!

You need not only carrying capacity, but pointing, periodic error handling, auto-guiding capability and brilliant tracking. It's alot easier to achieve that in spades in the $2,500 - $3,000 band, below this there are too many compromises once your skill get past its first 1-2 year of experience in my opinion.
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