Gemini G42

Hi All,

I've been knocking around CN for a while now and this is my first time posting here.

I've been getting back into astronomy now for the last couple of years, my main motivation being astrophotography. I've spent that time learning to appreciate the learning curve and only recently have I started to produce anything I feel happy with.

The one big lesson I have learned is the need for a seriously stable mount. Right now I'm using my WO110ED to image at 650mm mainly so my EQ6 Pro manages that quite nicely. However imaging with my C9.25 presents more of a challenge especially if I want to piggyback the two so I can guide. OAG guiding sometimes gets me out of that hole but it's time consuming and frustrating at best at larger focal lengths.

So this has all brought me to the point I'm at now which is I really want to get my hands on a serious mount. I know this is a relative term but let's put it this way, I don't have nor will I have 10K to blow on this

I bought a G11 that never worked properly, that's being returned this week - so I'm in the market for something and hope to be able to buy in the new year when I have a bit more cash saved up.

Basically I'm looking at the CGE Pro or a Gemini G42 (with Pulsar 2) right now. I've had a look at the CGE Pro (thanks David!) and it's a beautiful mount. Does anyone out there have any experience with the Gemini G42? If so, what were your impressions?

Hi and welcome to the boards
The Gemini G42 looks like a great mount.
I'm In The same boat as you with regards to
Upgrading.
I've settled on a C14 but mount I'm still not 100% on.

Michael has the G41 which is superb to look at and watch in operation plus image results speak volumes. Seen some mixed reviews on the G42(small matters) but on the whole I would pick it over the CGE.

Hi Hickey and welcome to the IFAS forum!

I have a Gemini G41 Observatory+ mount. I bought my mount about 2 years ago direct from Gemini in Hungary (Andras Dan is the main guy there). I bought it after reading a few reviews about it on the net. For example:
www.supernovae.be/review_g41.htm

The G42 is sold now but is not that different from the G41. It is a shade lighter with a similar capacity and the Pulsar2 controller is USB compatible. However, the G41 can easily be connected to a PC with a USB-Serial device. No major difference to be honest.
I know that Carl here bought a G42 but ended up returning it due to issues that arose.

Of the G41, there were two types, the G41 Observatory+ and the Field version. The Field version was lighter with a little less capacity and was aimed at more portable use. The Observatory+ is a bit heavier and ideally would be put in an observatory. However, it can be taken around if you so wish with a little more effort.

I find it a very good mount with smooth tracking. Here is an output from PEMPro showing the accuracy of the gear:

This is before the PEC is applied.
As you can see, this is very good and well up there with the AP mounts IMHO.

It can be easily controlled from a PC. I have used TheSky6 and Cartes du Ceil to control the mount with no problems.

If you are interested in taking a look at it, you are more than welcome to drop by my place in Monasterevin, Co. Kildare and see it for yourself in my dome.

At present I use a Meade 16" SCT on it during the winter for visual use and closer to the summer, I take that off and put up my 5.5" and 3" APOs for solar, lunar and a bit of astrophotography. Obviously, the G41 can't take all three scopes simultaneously and so it would be nice to upgrade to an AP1200 at some stage. Is this a bit of a luxury? Yes. However the 16" SCT is difficult to lift on and off the mount so it would make my life a bit easier and less risk of putting my back out! Other than needing the massive capacity of an AP1200, I would see no need to upgrade from a G41 Obs+. A C14 on it would be easy. The Meade SCTs are significatly heavier than their Celestron counterparts. So, at the moment, I am keeping my eyes out for an AP1200 mount on this side of the pond. If that happens, you'll see an advert for the G41 going up for sale here.

Michael.

Mike. Do you think it'd be a good idea to push the boat out from day One?
It seems that most serious astronomers end up going down this road
(of buying a scope or mount that's gonna need upgrading eventually)
It may seem like madness for a semi experienced am-astronomer to buy top end
Gear from almost the outset but if you keep upgrading surely
Your looseing money each time?
What u think?

In an ideal world, one would buy the top mount from day one. However, with the AP stuff, there can be waiting lists and then you have to pay import duties, shipping, fluctuating currency exchange rates etc. It can turn one off buying a mount like that with the high cost and hassle associated with it. The waiting lists are not as bad as they were a few years ago, but you might still have to wait a year or so for a new one. Before I bought the Gemini G41 Obs+, I checked out the AP1200 and the Paramount ME. However, with new prices incl shipping + taxes, they were costing about double that of the Gemini mount. Even now, I would only buy an AP1200 if I saw a good deal on one for sale second-hand. Otherwise, it would be cheaper to build a second observatory and put my other scopes on my EQ6 in there. It would also allow the flexibility of imaging on one platform while observing with the other. Of course the Lady of the Manor might have something to say. We had considered moving house at one stage and the plan was to have two observatories. However, times have changed a little since then...

Then there is a question of what you want to do with it and where you will use it. The AP1200 or the Paramount ME are not the easiest mounts to move around regularly. Big mounts will be best used in an observatory. Better to have an observatory with a smaller mount than no observatory with a big one IMHO. Setting up and dismantling that sort of gear is not easy. Once you have an observatory, the desire to move a big scope around just goes away. While you might gain a fraction of a magnitude by moving to a dark sky location for a night's observing session, the hassle of taking the scope and the mount off the pillar in the observatory just doesn't make it worthwhile for one night's observing IMHO.

Hope this helps.

Michael.