Celestron C-102

Anyone using a Celestron C-102 refractor? Do you
have it on their equatorial mount? If so, how do you like
it? I'm thinking of picking one up for solar work.

Thanks in advance.

-Gary

Gary wrote:
Anyone using a Celestron C-102 refractor? Do you
have it on their equatorial mount? If so, how do you like
it? I'm thinking of picking one up for solar work.

I've got one - mounted on Celestron's CG-4 Equatorial. It does what I
ask without too much hassle, the optics are excellent for the price, and
the price was reasonable ($400 total.) I think mine was a bargain - I
often haul it out for a few minutes of gazing in lieu of the C/G-11,
which is real work to setup.

I even successfully took a few images (digital cam, lunar) with it,
although the G-11 mount is definitely preferable for imaging if that's
the way you are leaning. I believe the current c-102 retail mount is
improved; I don't know any details.

Gary wrote in message ...
Anyone using a Celestron C-102 refractor? Do you
have it on their equatorial mount? If so, how do you like
it? I'm thinking of picking one up for solar work.

Thanks in advance.

I've had the C-102 OTA for years. I like it. As you migh expect, you
do get a blue-tinged result when you look at bright objects [moon,
planets, etc], but it's not that noticeable [at least not after a
while; it's sort of like "white noise"]. Also, if you're using
filters to increase contrast, the blue is irrelevant. No false color
problem on deep sky objects. Probably won't be a problem with the
sun, either.

I had used the telescope for years with the mount and tripod from my
3-inch Edmund's Scientific refractor. When the motor drive on that
mount gave out, I bought the Celestron CG-4 mount on ebay for about
$200. Then, about a month later, Meade went and offered their
refurbished LXD-55 mounts for $242 and I couldn't resist. So the CG-4
mount got very little use, and now gathers dust.

Problem with the CG-4 mount is that at higher magnifications [say,
around 150 or up], the jiggling after each adjustment with the slow
motion controls gets annoying. With a clock drive, that problem would
be obviated. But you'd still have the jiggling after each attempt to
improve the focus of an object. I think the Edumund's Scientific
mount was more stable. But it didn't have slow motion controls, and
once the motor drive died, well, that was that.

At lower magnifications, the field of view with the C-102 is wide
enough that the jiggling is not a problem.

So I'd suggest if you get the CG-4 mount, splurge on the clock drive.

Todd