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Celestron brings out something new

by: Simon Tang

CGX

When buying a telescope the most important thing isn't the telescope itself but what you put it on. After many years of being dormant with no real new products, Celestron has dropped a bomb with 2 new mounts that has the astronomy comunity lit with interest. Some whom have just purchased the now older mount are already debating to return the mounts in favor of the newer versions.

So whats the big fuss? Is it really worth it?

So far, the CGEM II is an upgrade to the original CGEM with the difference of an improved motor, a saddle that accepts both Vixen and Losmandy style mounting plates and more importantly, the USB2.0 making this mount a step forward into the 21st Century. For years people have battled the RJ22 to Seriel (RS-232) connector using USB converters. Is it worth the upgrade? Since the price point (retail) differs by a few hundred dollars, it seems to make sense. For those who are thinking of returning, hold fast! The saddle upgrades and better knobs can be easily obtained from ADM as a user upgrade. In reality, you are really only paying more for the newer handset. Everything else on this mount has pretty much remained the same as intermediate mounts would go.

So what about the new CGX?

WOW! What a huge change. The original CGEM DX, which the CGX is replacing, was nothing more than a modified version of the CGEM with longer and thicker counter weight shaft. The tripod uses the more sturdy CGE Pro tripod. The CGX however is completely different. A huge upgrade on the motor with the belt system, a handle (I know!! A Handle... but boy does it make a difference), the complete redesign of the mount itself, in fact there are so many extra things it's a huge upgrade. Not to mention that it can hold 55lbs worth or stuff!

So what's the bottom line? Is it really worth it? The CGEM can be picked up from different places for around the $1200 mark as retailers are desperate to unload the last of there stock to make way for the newer one but personally, just for the USB upgrade it doesn't seem worth it as this mount isn't really for someone setting up an observatory. In terms of being mobile for star parties, it's a bit of a rock to carry around compared to the aging CG5 and AVX mount.

However, the CGX is a different story altogether. As far as consumer grade mounts go, this is a serious mount and is worth the effort. At 44lbs for the head alone, the handle makes up for it making it easier to move around. So if your wondering if its worth biting the bullet, i'd say the CGX is a go!

Lets hope that the rest of the industry follows suit and releases more new products.

After Thought:

A lot of times we buy things in the pursuit of seeing the stars but are often encountering issues where you would think items would come as standard and not accessories. The CGX does NOT have a polar scope and really does not need one. This does away with crouching polar position trying to find Polaris in the middle of the night. The All Star Polar alignment is an absolutely brilliant invention and makes life easy. Better yet, it's part of the mount and programmed into the hand controller. This doesn't mean you don't need to polar align, it just changes the way you do it making life easier.

You can read more about the CGEM II and the CGX at the Celestron website.

 

 

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