Celestron CG-10

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Brand and Model:	Celestron CG-10
Price ($USD):	discontinued
Type:	Schmidt-Cassegrain
Attributes:	Go-To PEC
Aperture:	254mm (10")
f Ratio:	f/13.5
Focal Length:	3429mm
Finder:	8x40
Electric Power:	110v
Mount:	Fork EQ
Tripod:	5' pier
Weight (lbs):	65 lbs.
Dimensions (w/h/d):	22"x15"x12"
Description:	The first color style (blue&white) Celestron, short-armed fork with heavy sand castings from the 1960s. Large Dec setting circles, heavy duty worm gear RA drive superior to all but the latest PEC worm drives. Optional piggy-back 4 inch SCT guide scope with microscrew offsets. Excellent primary mirror focus mechanism. Standard eyepieces of the day (Kellner and Plossl), optional orthoscopic and Erfle. See January 2000 issue of Sky & Telescope for example scope.

Vote Highlights

Celestron CG-10

Owned a C10s for 2 years. Heavy scope, decent optics though the corrector was a bit rough. Unlike the newer SCT's, both the primary and secondary mirrors could be collimated.

Overall Rating: 6
Weight: 1 (Unreliable Vote)
Date: 02/15/2001 05:58:44 pm PST
By: Anonymous (xxx.xxx.201.208)
Link to this vote: http://www.excelsis.com/1.0/displayvote.php?voteid=41055

Reply Replies: 0

Celestron CG-10

This is a fine telescope I inherited 21 years ago from the original owner. I saw one other C-10 about 30 years ago. These are heavy-duty professional observatory quality mountings, with excellent worm drives. Mine is extensively modified, with electric DEC drive, lighted circles, 16x70 finder, stubby large aluminum pipe pier and wedge, photo shutter at back plate, extensive photographic adapters, filters, and miscellaneous accessories.
If the inner temperature is equalized, the mirrors/corrector perform fine. Star test shows good diffraction rings above 500x. I have seen the satellites of Jupiter as little ping-pong balls at 600x. I had to have the corrector recoated some years ago. Collimation is very delicate and difficult. The drive tracks very smoothly, and the custom pipe pier is very stable. The short forks cut vibrations. This scope is a bear to set up, but a pleasure to use.
It is too bad Celestron later cut costs with thinner, longer fork castings, spur gear drives, and mass-produced optics. They have attempted to go back to this early level of quality in recent years, and are slowly getting there again.
If you can find one in good condition on the used market, it is a worthwhile investment. The models that converted to a f/2 Schmidt camera (the C-10S) are very rare and sought after. I have seen a convertable 8 once, but it had the lesser quality mounting.

Overall Rating: 7
Weight: 1 (Unreliable Vote)
Date: 02/11/2001 05:05:59 pm PST
By: Anonymous (xxx.xxx.129.185)
Link to this vote: http://www.excelsis.com/1.0/displayvote.php?voteid=41054

Reply Replies: 0

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