Advice on motor for 250px flextube

[Philk_80]

Hi

Getting bit bored of having to constantly shift my DOB around in order to see anything for more than 30 seconds. I'm looking to get some kind of motor fitted but unsure if this is even possible?

Does anyone have any experience of this or advice? I was looking to sell up last month but thought this would possibly keep the fires burning as it were?

[mister_wavey]

can't vouch for them, but this is the simplest solution: http://www.equatorial-platforms-uk.co.uk/ 

But ask yourself if it's really the nudging that you're bored of. Your sig suggests you have yet to find many of the Messiers. Why not challenge yourself to closing out that list a handful at a time? Then Caldwell, then Herschel 400 etc.

For me much of the fun is in the hunt, but I've learned that's not true for everyone. Compared to that, the dob shifting is done without thinking.

[ronin]

There used to be a bolt on kit but I think it disappeared some years back.

Doubt that you can in realistic terms do the required modification yourself.

Adding one motor will not help greatly as the mount is Alt.Az.

An object in the East is basically going up, in the West it is going Down and in the South going horizontal. In the North they are going round and round. An Alt/Az needs to have some idea of where it is pointing then determine the amount and direction of Alt and Az to apply.

So I think you would still end up having to nudge the dobsonian to some extent even if a bit less.

For a 250 you would need an EQ6 at least and likely bigger, if you were to put it on an equitorial mount.

Not sure about the equitorial platforms.

[Paul73]

I spent the first three months of 250 Dob ownership trying to work out how to turn a fully manual scope into a tracking model. However, you do get used to the nudging over time. I barely give it a thought now.

Paul

[niallk]

Hi,

I got a platform from TS a couple of years ago, but rarely use it - nudging is second nature. The platform needs a bit of alignment... I usually don't take the time to do it.

For finding stuff, Sky Safari app and a Telrad works for me.

http://www.teleskop-express.de/shop/product_info.php/info/p5419_Dobsonian-EQ-platform-for-Dobson-Teleskopes-to-60kg---45--to-55--latitude.html

It works...

-Niall.