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[Chicago Astronomer - Astro Joe]

First Raw Test of the C11 Riding on top of the New CG-5 Go-To Mount

13 June 2013

The C11 Beast has proven to be a great scope, delivering views of the cosmos to thousands of fans over the years. I especially enjoy my solo one-on-one time with the scope - whenever I can get me some open sky locales....which is rare.

The mount it rides on, the Ci700, Celestron's answer to the Losmandy mount, does a wonderful job carrying all the weight I ask it to. C11, 102mm tracking scope, 9x50 finder scope 50mm aux. scope, laser guide, Extended dew shield etc... Tracks well, but is not a go-to and I spend more time star hopping to objects...and not all that quick. I have always desired a go-to mount for the C11, but a beefy mount, rated to carry bunches of weight is heavy on the pockets and out of the Chicago Astronomer's budget for now.

I have been having a blast with the new CG-5 mount that I got over the winter. Using the 10 lb C102 Refractor and the C5 SCT, I have captured great solar activity and the mount has shown me several DSOs, accurately and quickly. My intention though...was to see if I can load the heavy C11 on top of this mount. Many Astronomers before me are strongly adamant that this mount cannot carry such a tube...and at the very least, offer a very shaky platform - a useless combo. But, some others have paired this combo successfully without any problems, dismissing the doubters and prudes.

I like to dismiss the prudes too - and often, so I gave the C11/CG-5 combo a test shake out run this sunny and very windy day....with incredible success!

Leveling the tripod and snugging the accessory tray, I slip the OTA onto the ADM replacement Dual dovetail saddle, I tighten down the full length rail via two knobs...

Solid.

I check for wobble and looseness, but nothing unusual.

I had placed two 12 lbs weights on the stock Counter Weight shaft, unsure if this would be enough. (I got me a 6" extension shaft that screws on the end of the stock one ...which really, did not know if I would need it. Counted on simple physics months ago for this day...and a good thing I did.) ...but it was apparent that I had run out of shaft.

Even with the two weights on the shaft, I was not getting proper balance, as it was still tube side bias heavy. Screwing in the extension shaft provided better balance, but not enough. Slipping a five pound weight, (which is not adapted to fit this shaft), cured this - making the counter weights at 29 pounds - the same weight as the OTA dry. But, I will need to attach the dual speed focuser, diagonal, 2" inch eyepieces, 9x50 finder scope...and the laser. Gonna need more weight... #drool#

In the Chicago Astronomer warehouse of goodies is another 12 lb weight that fits this shaft and bingo...

...we got perfect balance!

The bottom weight rests near the 9 ball and the others want to be about 3 inches apart up...

I totally loosen the clutches again and I push and nudge the scope around here and there...

..and the scope stays where I leave it, without tilting, leaning or spinning around in any axis and stable on both east and west sides of the mount.

Excellent!

I listen for some stress/binding while I manually move it about, but hear nothing - and the action is smooth. But I wonder how it will behave under power and motorized slewing. Will the motors complain or what? I return the mount back to it's home position and go through the set-up procedures on the Hand Controller for crude alignment. I hit the slew to the Sun command and it moves...

The motors purr away and make no different sounds than while carrying the much lighter 102mm refractor. I stay close to the OTA....just in case, but no need. Keeping the tripod legs short and maintaining a near perfect balance, the CG-5 slews the load without complaint. Even at an almost horizontal angle, the balance was good enough as to relieve the motors from fighting against the weight to a large degree. Using the hand controller, I nudge the OTA around, and the mount responds smartly and without slop.

How does it track?....'cause that's very important as well. I center the Sun's disk in a 26mm 2" eyepiece and leave it...

I return about five minutes later, keeping an eye, nose and ear on the whole assembly the whole time. We had the solar disk still well in the FOV and tracking well.

I'm impressed... and without proper polar-like alignment.

Now, of course the C11 should be riding on top something more beefier and substantial, but Celestron sold this duo as a package deal, meeting the minimal requirements for visual observation. Will it work for imaging?

Dunno.

Again, many Astronomer prudes nay say it is possible and call such an endeavour foolhardy. Perhaps, but this first shake out test performed without a hitch..and in very windy conditions. I did not observe any excessive shake that any other mount would dampen.

Whilst testing out this combo, a gentleman stopped by and asked what I was doing. Explaining that I'm Astro Joe and stuff, he remained with me for a bit and enjoyed observing the Sun throught the much better suited 102mm refractor...

He is a Dentist in the area and was pleased to discuss astronomy, equipment and related stuff like I tend to do. He has a house in Florida and has welcomed me to watch launches from the Cape and enjoy his palm tree filled property and wide open skies. Very generous and hope to take him up on his offer one day. He will attend a Chicago Astronomer session soon.

Back to the test....

More testing and shake-outs are in order, but I think that the combo will work nicely together if careful and diligent with the balance, level and take the time to make sure to use the anti-vibration pads. The 6" extension shaft is a necessity here and perhaps an additional tray near the bottom of the tripod is in order to help stiffen things up a bit. Some have constructed/bought one and seemed to help things.

But, I'm satisfied so far...

Yay.... #Yay#

[Paulie pchris00]

I definitely concur that more testing and shaking out are in order, but it's encouraging to see that the CG5 handled the C11 well in the initial shakeout.

Not to be a prude or anything, but I would be very careful the first time you take this combination public. Testing in a controlled environment is much different than having a crowd on hand, where a delicate balance could be thrown instantly out of whack by an unsuspecting enthusiast. If the CG5 can handle the C11 for a public session, by all means, go for it, but don't rush it.

[Chicago Astronomer - Astro Joe]

Paulie...

The CG-5 will not be the normally public Mount.

It will still be the Ci700...more robust, takes a beating and it's just the brighter objects anyway that we target for our fans and visitors...no need for a go-to. This is a more selfish mount combo...to explore at leisure - with fellow astro buds, target the faint fuzzies and attempt to do some imaging with the set-up. Certainly for a dark sky setting...(Conway/Dunes/camping...).

I may use it on a Chicago Astronomer Public Star Party, but perhaps to pick out a Supernova or incoming comet...but it won't see a lot of hard use.

[-=CROMAN=-]

I dunno Joe. I'd be more worried about the people bumping into the tripod while the beast is pointing up with it's weight hanging off to the side. Perhaps you need to mod some airbags around it?

[Chicago Astronomer - Astro Joe]

Night time test of the C11/CG-5 Combo

13 June 2013

This shakeout session was not as good as the daytime test of the combo duo of the C11 and CG-5 mount.

I called C.A. Steve to come out and bring his new wooden leg mount while I test the equipment at night and see if it worked at bringing in the fuzzies.

Steve's alt/az mount is a nice light birchwood and he got it for a blemished steal...

Slapping on his 4" refractor, we enjoyed lunar and Saturian views...but the air was rather turbulent this windy day/evening. It was still rather windy as I assembled the C11 and it got chilly. But, I considered it a good test of temperament of scope and operator....both were on the edge.

I balanced and somewhat level it. The parking lot asphalt looks level...but it ain't. And, the air was murky, making spotting Polaris not as easy as usual. Both of us had a tough time spotting it. But eventually I got it and used the the empty polar scope bay to view the north star.

But...the scope did not want to slew properly to the alignment stars...missing the targets most of the night. Restarting the alignment procedures several times did nothing to solve the problem. Odd...considering that last weekend we were bringing in star clusters by the hand full with no problems. I used the Ipad mini to slew the scope, which it did, but did nothing to solve the problem.

Hmmmm

Steve left at about 10:00 pm, but I wanted to stay and work this out. Kidding, I mentioned to Steve that he had some bad mojo, causing this hangup with the CG-5. But, as soon as he was on his way out, it started to behave and found it's alignment stars. (What really happened was that somehow, the hand controller got biased to the "East". Correcting that to the west, it was bringing in the fuzzies into the FOV.

Maria came by with her dog Ichi to join in...

Again, using the iPad mini, it was working....finally!!

But, Steve was on-site by the time I arrived...and set-up under a parking lot lamp...which blotted out the sky to the north and west....damn! Tried to view M13, but the glare just poured into the OTA and I saw nothing but street light.

But, the mount was now working properly and I blame operator error...

Evaluation:

The mount worked as it should when operated properly. The OTA was steady and well balanced - with only the stronger breezes causing some tube shake. Earlier, I had the legs to the low down position, but here - for comfort - I raised them half way up....and it was still stable and solid. It did not feel wobbly nor fragile, as if it was gonna topple over. I still hover over the mount for safetys sake, not yet totally confident...but I think that will pass.

The motors did not strain, chatter or bind - nor make any funny odd noises or burning smells. The gear housing did not get warm , as the Sky-fi wireless control module did...which is normal. They performed without complaint with Dec & R.A. axis rotating and positioning - sometimes taking the "Long way" to the target...but ok.

The Multi-purpose power pack performed beautifully. I had not charged my batteries for the Camera earlier and I was not sure they would hold out for this session. So, on the way to the site, I charged the batteries via the A/C charger I use at home, but plugged into the unit. I also ran the mount on it, which provided plenty of juice. With last weeks four hour session, todays earlier test and this session...I was only down to 60% of max charge and with an onboard voltage of 12.1...down from 13v when fully charged.

The Hard shell case carrying the CG-5 worked well out in the field. Everything I needed, (save for two counter weights), was in the case and at the ready.

(See link for details:
astronomer.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=mounts&action=display&thread=4323 )

It was just as easy to pack away at the end of the session and toss it into the back of the van. The two 12 lb weight will pose a problem though. I do not wish to pack all three weights in the case...as it would add 36 lbs to the overall poundage. My vertebrae agrees.

I'll come up with something.

I am disappointed that I did not get it up and running quickly early in the session, but these are the shake-outs and things will get better. I really like the iPad wireless control of the mount - leaving the clunky 1990s technology of the Handset behind.

This will not be a public session mount, but saved for personal and private Chicago Astronomer sessions. I think it will deliver great performance in dragging in those faint fuzzies for the crew and an important tool in the Chicago Astronomer arsenal.

[mojocvh]

Hanging all out there Joe, glad it's worked out.

Got to the missing slews and all that was going through my mind was POWER SUPPLIES! but you aced it in the usual Chicago Astronomer way

Aye, glad that the Beast and CG5 seems to be shaping up fine.

Pity we cant get the the same range of modification opportunities here in the UK.

But that's another thread

all the best

Andy.

[Chicago Astronomer - Astro Joe]

Thanks Andy...

I really like this powerpack, as it already has proved it's worth in charging my camera batteries enroute to the test site. I enjoy the option of plugging in other A/C devices or charging the iPad/Tablet with the USB port.

Other than human error here...the combo behaved well together. Reading other Astronomer's account of doing the same, I expected some horrid gelatin-like shaking mount - swaying like a wheat in a breeze. But this is not the case.

Not a perfect combo, but it works and performs satisfactorily.