One axis against the turning sky — once it is aligned · review
Celestron's CG-4: a manual German equatorial mount with slow-motion controls and ball bearings on both axes, a 20 lb payload, 7 lb and 4 lb counterweights and a stainless steel tripod with 1.75 in legs.
The CG-4 listing gives five numbers: a 20 lb (9.07 kg) payload, a 12.5 lb (5.66 kg) mount weight, a 33 to 47 inch height range, 1.75-inch legs and two counterweights of 7 and 4 lb. Many mount listings give none. Payload beside mount weight is exactly what a buyer needs to judge both what it carries and what it takes to carry it.
There is no motor. Slow-motion knobs on both axes, over ball bearings, make the fine corrections. Once the polar axis points north, one knob keeps a planet in the field.
Pre-assembled stainless steel, 1.75-inch legs, with a center brace and accessory tray. Thick legs are what stop a long tube shaking after every touch.
A 7 lb and a 4 lb weight are included. Together or separately they balance tubes from a light refractor to a 20 lb load.
No polar scope is mentioned, so polar alignment is done by sighting along the axis. No motor option is described.
On November 7, 2026, Amazon.com listed it at about $420 from a third-party seller.
Figures as Keepa reported them on the day this page was last updated. Stock and pricing shift without warning.
Prices quoted in this text were read on November 7, 2026. The live price is at the top of the page.
Same aisle, closest price — what the same spend else shows.
| Payload rating | 20 lb (9.07 kg), stated |
|---|---|
| Periodic error | Not published by the maker · manual mount |
| Drive | None: manual slow-motion controls on both axes · ball bearings in both axes, stated |
| Control | Manual slow-motion knobs on right ascension and declination |
| Polar alignment provision | Not published by the maker. |
| Counterweight supply | 7 lb and 4 lb counterweights, stated |
| Tripod | Pre-assembled stainless steel tripod, 1.75 in (4.4 cm) legs · 33 to 47 in (83.8 to 119.3 cm) height · center brace with accessory tray |
| Heaviest single piece | 12.5 lb (5.66 kg) mount weight, stated |
| Supplied optics | None: this is a mount and tripod |
| Amazon reference | B0033GD9CO |
| EAN | 0050234915090 |
Celestron rates it for 20 lb (9.07 kg) of optical equipment, which includes most 6-inch Newtonians, 4-inch refractors and 6-inch Schmidt-Cassegrain tubes with a diagonal and eyepiece.
A German equatorial balances the tube against weights on the opposite side. A 4 lb and a 7 lb weight give three combinations (4, 7, 11 lb), so both light and heavy tubes can balance.
The listing does not describe a motor option. As sold, the slow-motion knobs track by hand, which for visual use is enough.
This model is listed on Amazon.com, at ≈ $420 at the last reading. Listed is not the same as in stock: availability changes daily, and the buy box shows the live price.
Details checked on November 7, 2026.
A tube of up to 20 lb, followed by hand on a tripod that does not shake
Specifications: the manufacturer sheet for telescopes and observing optics and the matching Amazon product page. Prices and availability: Keepa. Every figure on this page names its source.
GoTo equatorial · belt-driven clutched worm gears · polar sight hole through the RA axis · ExploreStars app · eight CPUs claimed
Explore Scientific's iEXOS-100-2: a GoTo equatorial mount and tripod with clutched dual-axis worm gears on belt-driven stepper motors, the PMC-Eight controller, the ExploreStars app and a polar sight hole.
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Omegon's N 114/900 EQ-1: a 114/900 Newtonian on an EQ-1 equatorial mount with fine adjustment on both axes, a 1.25 in focuser, a finder with crosshairs and 25 mm and 10 mm eyepieces.
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60 mm (2.36 in) lens · 900 mm (35.4 in) focal length · f/15 · alt-azimuth mount · 2.5 kg (5.5 lb) complete
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Best for: The Moon, double stars and the bright planets from a balcony or a yard, with nothing to align
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