Astro74

2 hours ago, barkingsteve said:

If the heq5 is too expensive for you, then i really do not have a mount suggestion. The mount is the most important part of the system as i am sure everyone will tell you here. It may be worth waiting for the smaller brother to the AM5 from ZWO ( announced a few days ago ) but this will probably cost 1k+ It will be a harmonic drive and guessing a payload of around 10kg's and probably weigh around 3kg's. Of course this is speculation but this may be a perfect portable platform for EAA and ap. In the mean time you can stick with your current plans until the 'itch' for longer exposures becomes too great  ( what camera do you have or considering ? )

 

Edit: AM3 ( new ZWO mount )  Weighs 4kg's and a payload of 8kg's without counterweights.

Hi I have a zwo224 camera I’ll be using with no plan to upgrade it for now 👍🏼 I’ve opted for the Azi GTI mount was on a steel tripod as the set up - it’ll be fine for my needs 👍🏼

But not a go to which is what I’m after - go to is essential so it’s more likely I’ll stick with the azi GTI tbh and just upgrade the tripod next year 👍🏼

8 hours ago, Dazzyt66 said:

+1 for the EQ advice. I have a HEQ5 permanently setup outside for a couple of years now and it’s great. I use Ekos on a RPI and did polar alignment through that - took about 15mins and now I just check it before I start in case the tripod has moved (due to me knocking it) between sessions… so most of my ‘observing’ is done from the kitchen 😊

Unfortunately the heq5 is too expensive for me to consider and I want something portable- I’m considering an SAGTI 

16 hours ago, barkingsteve said:

If you have any inkling that you may do longer exposures  ( 30 secs + ) down the road, you will be better off getting an eq mount now. I started out with an alt/az when i first decided to do EAA and wished i never bothered as it only took a few sessions before i wanted longer exposures.

Don't be deterred about polar aligning, with modern equipment it is easier than you probably think  That is what scared me off originally but with ipolar and now asiair it literally takes a few minutes ( as long as your mount is fairly level and pointing roughly north ) and with the new harmonic mounts you don't even have to worry about counterweights and balancing.

 

Any mount suggestions? 

11 hours ago, Surreydocker said:

I used an AZ GTI with a 100mm refractor for EEA and it was perfectly adequate. There is no need for an EQ mount for EEA where your subs are short. If you ever felt the need, you can convert an AZ GTI into an EQ mount with a wedge. 

Yes this was my thought also but I was ponding if an EQ would be a better buy - perhaps not ! Although I am tempted by azi GTI mount as it’s a cheap option with a sw st102 included 

Thanks I’m just wondering if an EQ mount would be a better long term investment although I agree the azi is a fun system to use 

I’m considering buying a new AZI GTI or even GTE for m EAA rig pairing it with the SW ST102 ( m OTA of choice for EAA) has anyone else used this mount and would to recommend it for EAA ? 

I’m not too hot on the complexity of an EQ mount and would rather avoid having to polar align if possible but if general opinion is an EQ mount is a better investment I’m open to it - any recommendations?

Goodness me! I never intended any of this it was just my opinion, no one has to agree to it , perhaps I will remove this most and contact the admin 

3 hours ago, 900SL said:

It's a tough crowd here tonight  😂

Unbelievable tbh - I think there’s some incredibly rude people in here , so disrespectful and disgusting tbh as if I would spot anything without Robs permission- how dare they suggest that 

6 hours ago, Stuart1971 said:

Probably best to wait until there is some valuable resources on the channel before it is mentioned….👍🏻

Hard to define what valuable to one person or not ? I think perhaps just ignoring the negatives would be best 

😂

7 hours ago, Beardy30 said:

Well I apologise for wasting your time 

11 minutes ago, Beardy30 said:

It’s ok Jim I’ll step in 👍🏼 I think the point is that it was a post to be helpful perhaps however the point has been missed as perhaps not the arena for it maybe ? Robert is a local legend in our Neville if the woods and is a much respected astronomer who has decided to launch an on line resource which hopefully as time goes on will be a good watch for enthusiasts, I for one learnt everything I know locally from Robert over the last 10 years or so and he’s extremely knowledgable. 

Thanks 😊- content will be added to with live stargazing sessions and Astro live photography sessions 

1 hour ago, Shimrod said:

Are you sure? All I see a handful of very short timelapse videos and nothing educational at all.

New content will be added over time only launched today 👍🏼 

Lancashire local astronomer and scientist Robert Ince has launched his own You Tube channel - it’s an invaluable resource for beginners and the more experienced 

https://www.youtube.com/@StargazerRobUK

52 minutes ago, Beardy30 said:

I would say the mount is the most important but yea I agree stability is important- try it and see, you may find it’s ok for now 

Thanks - I’ll try it first as I do t intend on touching it once in session other than to use the hand controls 👍🏼 as a more long term investment I could always look to a steel tripod in the future thanks 😊 

Thank u - however AP needs and EAA are different so I’m wondering if it would be such an issue for EAA ? 

47 minutes ago, bosun21 said:

Definitely more stable with the 1.75” steel tripod. You can also fit a wedge to get EQ tracking.

Hi I now it’s will be more stable but is it necessarily required is my question or is the azi fine as it is - I’ve no plan to fit a wedge for AP so not in it tbh for that purpose Alt Az will be fine on the gti for EAA but appreciate the suggestion all the same 

Good evening 

would anyone know if the azi gti tripod is stable and strong enough for EAA use or whether a steel tripod is worth the extra spend to stabilise it (if needed) 

im intending to use it for the startravel 102 with a zwo224 camera which is within its payload capacity- however I e heard it’s a poor tripod ? What’s general opinion on this ? 
 

thanks 

Hello there - the key here is what your 12 year wants to get out of the hobby and what his targets would be, different scopes for different targets …the budget will be perhaps need reviews as £100 is pushing it slightly in terms of what your options are. Does he want to use a camera for example and take some basic images ? Is there something in partner wants to get out of the hobby all good questions to ask before you buy 

1 hour ago, Jonathan_Shields said:

I have been getting into EEA with a 6 inch goto dob and have found that alt-az is fine for 8 second exposures and have heard about people getting 15 secs with no trailing on alt-az. You will get some field rotation effects at the edges but for observing an object as opposed to astrophotography its not an issue to me. If you do want to save an image they are easily croppable.

That said obviously equatorial "mode" gives you the flexibility of longer exposures.

Hi yes I won’t be using eq mode for now and I will definitely be saving the images I take - thank u 

4 minutes ago, Cosmic Geoff said:

The 120 will have a larger image scale, which might or might not translate into slightly more resolution depending on its chromatic aberration, and the quality of seeing, especially nearer the horizon.  For the typical EAA target, resolution won't be a priority.

If high resolution is really a priority for you, you will need a much bigger aperture, an apochromatic, mirror or catadrioptic scope, and a better mount, in short a whole rabbit hole of expense. 

No it’ll be fine I’m sure Cheers for all your help 

Do you mean it won’t show more detail than the 102?

I think I’ve answered my own question in settling for the 102 as my thoughts are that as the apature for an achro increases the false colour will be more obvious 

17 hours ago, Cosmic Geoff said:

I was tempted to suggest the Startravel 102, which is what I use for EAA, but I thought you were intent on buying a much more expensive ED scope.  I also use the ASI224MC with it.