Celestron CGE Pro Computerized Mount

The Celestron CGE Pro Computerized Mount 91527 is a fully computerized mount with a database of over 40,000 celestial objects. The CGE Pro German Equatorial Mount has been completely redesign to offer numerous design advantages for the astrophotographer. The Celestron CGE Pro Mount features an Increased Payload Capacity, able to hold a 14" SCT telescope more securely as well as larger optical tubes up to a maximum instrument capacity of 90lbs (not including counterweights). The mount's All-Star Polar Alignment lets you choose any bright alignment star for a software assisted alignment of the mounts polar axis that will have you ready for imaging even if you can't see the North Star. No-Tool polar alignment and larger hand knobs help for easy Altitude and Azimuth adjustments. Improved gearing and motors provide faster slew speeds than ever before with a maximum slew rate of over 5°/per second. The CGE Pro Mount 's redesigned electronics deliver constant regulated power to the motors making them capable of driving the even when not perfectly balanced. This allows the CGE Pro to have the payload capacity of that of much larger (and expensive) mounts without sacrificing smooth tracking motion and pointing accuracy across the entire sky.

The Celestron CGE Pro Mount is also able to find, center and track celestial objects to the highest degree of accuracy. With just a standard hand control alignment, CGE Pro has the ability to center a star in your eyepiece or ccd chip to within 5 arc minutes. Using NexStar's advanced pointing features such as Calibration Stars, Sync and Precise GoTo, further improves the pointing accuracy to as low as 1 arc minute in the desired region of the sky. A larger .75" pitch diameter worm, precision made cut-steel gears in gearboxes, and seven slot skewed armature motors the CGE Pro delivers typical tracking performance of +-9 arc seconds, which can be further reduced with the mounts permanent periodic error correction (PPEC).

Celestron 's NexStar hand control has built-in mount modeling features essential for accurately placing small objects on the center of your ccd chip or high power eyepiece. Aligning on multiple Calibration Stars creates a mathematical model of the opto-mechanical inaccuracies inherent in all equatorial mounts. This model is stored within the hand control and is used to compensate for these inaccuracies thus improving your pointing precision each time you slew your telescope. Lastly, the CGE Pro Mount is also fully T-Point compatible for ultra precise pointing across the entire sky.

In addition to these improvements, the Celestron line of German Equatorial mounts has long been recognized for features preferred by visual observers and astrophotographer alike. Among them include:

Portability - Set up and transportation of the CGE Pro telescopes is made easy by separating the mount into smaller, easy-to-carry components. Unlike fork arm mounted telescopes, the CGE's optical tubes can be quickly removed from their mounts making even the CGE Pro1400 easily assembled in minutes.

Stability - Recognized for superior stability, German Equatorial mounts place the center of gravity directly over the tripod legs and can be easily polar aligned without the use of an optional equatorial wedge. This proven design reduces the "tuning fork" vibration that can be associated with undersized fork mounts. An improved Super HD Tripod supports the CGE Pro mount. This fully extendable tripod is made from the finest 2.75" stainless steel and can be raised to a height of 55". The tripod uses a dual leg support for maximum rigidity with an upper leg brace to provide an outward preload and a lower leg brace providing inward tension.

Balance - CGE Pro equatorial mounts can easily be balanced in both axes. Simply sliding the counterweight for Right Ascension and moving the optical tube along its dovetail mounting for Declination accomplish balancing the weight of camera equipment and other visual accessories. This means that no additional weight needs to be added to balance the telescope when additional accessories are added.

Clearance - CGE Pro mounts support their tubes at a single contact point allowing the tube to move freely around its polar axis without making contact with the telescope's mount. Software features allow the user to set the mounts slew limits to guaranty safe motion. This is particularly useful when adding photographic and CCD instruments that extend from the rear of the telescopes.

All CGE mounted Celestron Telescopes are compatible with the Celestron CN-16 GPS Accessory. Combine the GPS and built-in real time clock and these telescopes will keep track and remember their exact location and time without having to enter the information into the hand control.

Features of Celestron CGE Pro Computerized Mount 91527:

• Holds a maximum instrument capacity of 90 lbs
• +/-9 arc second tracking accuracy, which can be further reduced with PEC
• Permanent programmable periodic error correction (PEC) - corrects for periodic tracking errors inherent to all worm drives
• CGE PRO computerized Equatorial mount
• Heavy duty stainless steel tripod adjustable from 38 - 55"
• One 22 lbs counterweight
• Weighs 154 lbs
• Proven NexStar computer control technology
• 40,000 object database with over 100 user-definable objects and expanded information on over 200 objects
• New All-Star Polar Alignment routine for both Northern and Southern Hemispheres.
• Software Features include: Database Filter Limits, Hibernate, five alignment methods and user-defined slew limits.
• Flash upgradeable hand control software and motor control units for downloading product updates over the Internet
• Custom database lists of all the most famous deep-sky objects by name and catalog number; the most beautiful double, triple and quadruple stars; variable star; solar systems; objects and asterisms
• Double line, 16-character Liquid Crystal Display Hand Control with backlit LED buttons for easy operation of goto features
• 12VDC Servo Motors with integrated optical encoders
• Drive Motors - High quality motors with seven slot skewed armature to minimize magnetic cogging for quiet operation and long life. Precision made cut-steel gears in gearbox for Improve tracking precision.
• Bearing and Shaft - Main shafts are made from 1.57" diameter steel tubing with .40" wall thickness with two preloaded 2.68" O.D. tapered roller bearings on each axes
• Precision worm drive system - .75" pitch dia. precision made steel worm preloaded with two .87" OD ball bearings to minimize run-out (a source of periodic error). 255 tooth 6" pitch dia. precision made worm wheel with enveloping brass teeth
• Spring loaded DEC worm to minimize backlash and for easy guiding.
• 4 point RA and DEC clutch system for no-slip pointing precision
• Autoguide port, PC port and auxiliary ports located on the electronic pier for long exposure astrophotography
• One 4.72" O.D. thrust bearing and one 4.13" O.D. thrust bearing on each axes provide a large thrust surface for additional stability.
• Rugged 9-pin thread on motor cables
• Latitude range: 10° to 65° northern or southern hemispheres
• RS-232 communication port on hand control to control the telescope via a personal computer
• Includes NexRemote telescope control software, for advanced control of your telescope via computer
• GPS-compatible with optional CN16 GPS Accessory (93967)

Package Contents:

• Celestron CGE Pro Computerized Mount 91527
• Heavy duty stainless steel tripod
• 1 x 22 lbs counterweight
• NexRemote telescope control software