Celestron CGX Equatorial Mount and Tripod

A Stable Platform: 55 lb Capacity and Low-Profile Head

The CGX was engineered from the ground up to provide superior stability for demanding imaging setups. The mount head itself weighs 44 lbs and features a lower, more compact profile than its predecessors, which lowers the center of gravity and reduces vibration. This design, combined with the heavy-duty tripod featuring 2" (50.8mm) diameter steel legs, allows the mount to confidently carry a 55 lb payload with minimal flexure, ensuring your optical tube remains steady during long exposures.

• Dual Dovetail Saddle: The CGX is equipped with both CG-5 (Vixen-style) and CGE (Losmandy D-style) saddle plates, eliminating the need for adapters and allowing you to mount virtually any telescope optical tube assembly out of the box.
• Heavy-Duty Tripod: The 19.2 lb tripod provides a solid base, with graduated markings on the lower leg sections to make leveling the mount faster and more repeatable in the field.

Imaging-Grade Tracking: DC Servo Motors and 4°/sec Slew Speed

At the core of the CGX are high-torque DC servo motors that deliver quiet, accurate tracking and slewing. These motors provide the responsiveness needed to find objects quickly with a max slew speed of 4° per second and the precision required to keep guide stars locked during multi-minute exposures. Built-in Periodic Error Correction (PPEC) allows you to train out the worm gear's periodic errors, resulting in smoother tracking and rounder stars in your images.

Internal cabling and optical home/limit sensors allow the mount to slew across the meridian without the risk of cable snags or crashing the telescope into the mount. This enables fully automated, unattended imaging sessions controlled remotely via the included CPWI software.

Field-Ready Design with 3°-65° Latitude Range

Celestron incorporated significant ergonomic improvements into the CGX to make setup, alignment, and transport easier. The mount features an extremely broad 3° - 65° latitude range, making it usable from equatorial to high-latitude locations. Polar alignment is simplified with large, easy-to-grip adjustment knobs and a built-in All-Star Polar Alignment routine that lets you align on any bright star, no polar scope needed.

• Improved Cable Management: Internal cabling for power and accessories prevents snags and tangles during operation. The mount provides two auxiliary ports and an autoguide port for connecting your imaging cameras and other devices.
• Integrated Handles: The 44 lb mount head is easier to carry and place on the tripod thanks to integrated handles, a welcome feature during setup and teardown on dark nights.

40,000+ Object Database with CPWI Telescope Control

The CGX includes the proven NexStar+ hand controller, giving you direct access to a database of over 40,000 celestial objects. For a more advanced experience, you can connect the mount to your PC via USB and use the included Celestron PWI (CPWI) Telescope Control Software. CPWI provides a modern planetarium interface for mount control, featuring PointXP mount modeling that dramatically improves pointing accuracy across the sky.

This comprehensive software suite also includes Celestron's Starry Night Special Edition software for exploring the night sky and the SkyPortal app for wireless control from your smartphone or tablet with the addition of the optional SkyPortal WiFi Module.

Celestron CGX vs. CGEM: A Modern Equatorial Backbone

The CGX directly replaces the venerable CGEM mount, which served as Celestron's workhorse for over eight years. While the CGEM was a capable platform, the CGX represents a complete redesign based on years of feedback and technological advancements. It is not an incremental update, but a new standard for mid-to-heavyweight equatorial mounts.

• Stability: The CGX's lower profile and improved industrial design provide a more rigid and stable platform at the same payload class.
• Drive System: The CGX incorporates a more advanced drive system with optical sensors for worry-free remote and automated operation, a key feature for modern imagers.
• Ergonomics: From the large adjustment knobs to better cable management and integrated handles, the CGX is physically easier to set up, align, and use in the field compared to the CGEM.