Dave1

I have used a Helios EQ 3-2 before but on a Berlebach Uni 28 tripod, so it will be interesting to see how it compares to this 1.75" steel tripod. Well these planetary geared motors apparently have only a small amount backlash in them. And somebody has already done this exact set up before that I am replicating. So I know it can work. I have a George Cushing Onstep MiniPCBv2 with TMC 5160 and Teensy 4.0. I also have a Astro Gadget EQPower.

So guys the only remaining telescope I have is my Skylight 60mm F16.7. I haven't had a mount for this telescope for about a year. So recently I decided something has to be done about this. So I went back through my photo's and decided the EQ3-2 was a very good match for the Skywatcher 60mm. So I found one complete with matching tripod and accessories secondhand for a fair price. The mount and tripod turned up today. So I want a GoTo mount, I realised that I have most of the components to make a GoTo mount here. I have two EQ GoTo mount control boxes. With that said I only really need motors to drive the mount, mounts to mount the motors, and an battery pack, to power it all. The motors that are mostly used with EQ 3-2 class mount is typically NEMA 14 or NEMA 17. Most people will use belts to drive the mount from the motors. There is another option though, planetary gearbox directly coupled to the EQ 3-2 worm drive. So I research all the options. I selected the option which provided the best tracking resolution. The tracking resolution with the set-up intend to implement is estimated to be right ascension 0.17 and declination 0.34. The motors I'm going to use are NEMA 14 with 19:1 planetary gearbox. The mounts for the motors will hopefully be 3D printed. I can get the correct couplers 5mm->6mm.

I thought if I added a hoover the added suction would help hold the tripod down

Well Fedex dropped this off to me earlier. I've finally got a mount I can use my 60mm refractor on. And start my project of making it GoTo.

Cheers Dweller, I was under the impression that there was issue with collimation and lens tilt in the first examples, I am reading through John's old thread now. Did they sort the lens tilt issue? I'd be looking at used. Will sit nicely on my Fullerscopes MKIV mount!

Hello guys, Quick question, is there a way to tell visibly the difference between one of the early problematic Skywatcher Evostar ED150 Pro's? Like John had on test, and one of the later Skywatcher ED150's, which sorted the issues? Thanks David

One mount that I failed to mention yesterday, if slow motion controls are important to you, is the Losmandy AZ8 Losmandy AZ8 Alt Az Heavy Duty Mount - Rother Valley Optics Ltd

I've had a Altair Sabre II, it was a very good mount and would handle a 102mm F7 very well. I used to use an heavy brass 102mm F15 on it, but because of the length of the telescope the Altair was pushed, but still had very quick dampening time on the vibrations about 3 seconds. Quite a few members here have had the Ercole and sing its praises. Here's one review Tele Optic Giro Ercole Review | Alpha Lyrae (alpha-lyrae.co.uk)

There is plenty of choice in the Alt/AZ mount range. It all depends on your budget. You have Tele-Optic Giro mounts, Rowan AZ100, Altair Sabre II, APM AzMaxLoad, TeleVue Gibraltar, AOKswiss range.

I have yet to use the Pentax 6mm Ortho in action. I only have a 60mm telescope at the minute. Which with an 6mm eyepiece will give an exit pupil of 0.36mm. Will have to give it ago, image will probably be to dim.

Well I wouldn't mind trying an ED doublet 4", 5", or 6" between F11-F15. And the observatory to go with them. I already have the mount, to mount them on! I do dream after certain lines of eyepieces. Pentax SMC Ortho line, ZAO I and ZAO II. The Pentax SMC are rated up there with the ZAO II. I do have a Pentax 6mm Ortho but its there normal none SMC version...Still suppose to be an excellent eyepiece.

Very nice telescope!

I've used my Skylight 60mm on a Helios Sky Scan 2001 before, was very study. I only sold it because I went off of EQ mounts. The only reason I am getting back into EQ mounts is because as someone that predominantly observes planets, an EQ mount makes the most sense. I probably will eliminate the dovetail bar and mount the telescope rings directly to the mount, thus eliminating what can be another source of vibration. Usually when people blame mounts it is in fact the tripod. If the tripod is no good, I will mount the EQ3-2 on my Fullerscopes pedestal.

Update on this, ordered an secondhand Helios Sky Scan 2001 EQ3-2 mount including tripod. Only has manual slow motion controls currently. But I have two Onstep style GoTo control boxes. All I need to order are NEMA17 stepper motors and brackets for the motors to convert this mount to GoTo. I will create a separate thread for when I start the project.

Skywatcher Explorer 150PL beginners kit. This exact kit Sky-watcher Explorer 150PL EQ3-2 | First Light Optics. That telescope gave me some of the best views of Jupiter to this day. Been a refractorholic ever since, contemplate going back to a Newtonian or trying an Maksutov again.

Well over the years I've owned a Topic 80mm F15( Towa 339 ), Vixen 80mm F15, Skylight 102mm F15, and still own a Skylight 60mm F16.7. Heres an old photo of my Skylight 60mm F16.7.

If you are saying the EQ3-2 Synscan is adequate. Do you think the Skywatcher AZ GTI WiFi mount will be up to it? As they both have a weight capacity of 5kg? I'm looking for the lightest weight GoTo mount possible.

Hi guys, I haven't been able to practice astronomy for awhile as life has got in the way, and lack of equipment. The only telescope I have left is my Skylight 60mm F16.7. I'm looking for a mount and tripod with GoTo as it will be used for double stars and planets. Telescope weights 3.6KG and is 1 meter long. Dave

I am still the proud custodian of one of Richards creations. Skylight 60mm F16.7. My niece who is 4 years old, is starting to take a natural interest in the night sky. So I am to get a mount sorted my Skylight to introduce her into astronomy.

Small telescopes can be a joy to use. There was a period where I had the choice of three telescopes, but my goto telescope was my Skylight 60mm F16.7. The background is just black velvet, and stars really do look like pin pricks of light. I've managed to get some quite amazing details on both Jupiter and Saturn, given the small aperture.

What AZ mount do you have? (edit, just read the bit where you state which three AZ mounts you have, ignore the question ) My Altair Sabre 2 as delivered to me had bad stiction on the AZ axis. The solution was to take it apart, clean what very little grease there was off And I regreased liberally with Halfords Bikehut Teflon Grease. Never had a problem again. These mounts really are quite simple, don't be afraid to get stuck in, if you are competent with tools. Dave

I think where the confusion comes is the mix up between angular airy disc size and linear airy disc size. Like in the link John posted. If you compare the linear airy disc size of F7.5 to a telescope of F15. The F15 linear airy disc size will be double the size airy disc. That's according to Sedgwick. But don't ask me to do the math! David

I've read a few different websites on this subject. That has to be one of the best well written easy to understand explanations I've ever read. Great share John, thumbs up from me. 👍 From my understanding. Comparing like for like aperture, at the same magnification the slower telescope has a bigger airy disc. Which is definitely an advantage for planetary viewing. David

If you click on this link https://stargazerslounge.com/topic/341473-takahashi-starbase-80/?do=findComment&comment=3832402 you can see all the tests that have been done by Wellenform, which is who APM Markus Ludes in Germany use to test there telescopes. And Wolfi at Wellenform really knows his optics. This test was done on behalf of the French astronomers. It has a Foucault test, Diffraction test, Wellenform report technical conclusion, Strehl ratio achieved in specific light rays F, E, D, C. Going off of the tests the French had done by Wellenform, these are not cheap entry level optics, they are high quality optics made in the best time honoured Japanese tradition. David

It means to draw/sketch to paper what you can see at the eyepiece. Can be just a normal HB pencil, charcoal pencils, or colour pencils. Easier to start of basic though. You tend to see more details on the disc as you sketch. Sketch doesn't have to be fancy. The below is an example when the seeing was very good, even though Jupiter was below 30 degrees. Note north and south are up the written in the wrong places. That was drawn using a 80mm F15 telescope. In this photo of the sketch you can see north temperate belt, north equatorial belt, festoons coming off the north temperate belt, dark concentrations in the north temperate belt, south equatorial belt, with a dark belt within the south equatorial belt, south temperate belt, and if you look closely two white belts toward the south pole ( remember north and south are marked wrong ) David