Stu1smartcookie

Hi , i Know the post says EQ setup but have you updated the firmware or are you still using the stock firmware . The stock is exclusively for AZ Alt mode whereas the updated firmware can be used in either EQ or Alt Az ... just remember if you use the updated firmware , place your scope on the Right hand side of the mount . ... Just thought i would check . Sorry if it was an obvious question

Great setup

+1 for the powertank

When i read this i got "free time " envy . .lol

It might not be expensive but it’s a great accessory, and will get bags of use .

Hi Chris , the Az5 is a great mount … I think it’s the same on all Az5’s that you have to tighten the lock screws down to let the slow motion controls work .. that part does seem a bit excessive. Bit a great mount … I’ve just replied to your message .

Brilliant , thank you ... i am jumping the gun as i believe i can clean the mirrors .. but its good to know .

As someone who likes the idea of imaging but loves the idea of actually observing i would think there are an awful lot of like minded people . The lockdowns actually allowed our hobby to thrive and many people did indeed take up astrophotography . I will always maintain that actually seeing a fuzzy patch of light in an eyepiece remains one of the most rewarding things i have experienced . I like taking shots of the moon etc... its a great side order for the main course of visual astronomy . I have been banging on about seeing stuff in small scopes for ages and this weekend i will be getting what is , for me , a huge upgrade in visual astronomy ... a 12" revelation Dob ( thank you @smashing) . I suppose in a way visual astronomy is "old fashioned " compared to looking at full colour images that dedicated photographers have spent hours , night after night capturing data . But , be that as it may , spending hours actually at the eyepiece and teasing detail with your own eyes is priceless .

Hi everyone ... i'm sorry i am late to this party , but i am about to go back to a Dob. I have secured a 12" revelation (GSO) which i am collecting on Saturday Happy Days ... The scope in question is quite old but the exterior is in very good condition , according to the photos and brief videos supplied to me. The mirrors though really do need cleaning . I am not worried about cleaning them as ive picked up many tips on how to do this from you guys on here , i am just a bit worried that even after cleaning they wont come up well. If all is lost , is there a way of getting them re-coated ? I am jumping the gun a bit here and i am hoping that they will be fine . Take a look at the photo . The scope has been stored in a garage for many years .

Having preached on and on about using small scopes and not missing my dob , last night i bought a 12" dob off another SGL member .. it was a fantastic opportunity that i didnt want to miss ... so , next saturday i will be the owner of said scope which will compliment my st120 on a manual mount ... just one thing ... im not sure where i will be sleeping when the wife sees the size of it lol I think you are right to keep the dob as i have too many mistakes to remember about selling on scopes and regretting it Stu

Absolutely agree ... i know its meant to be an easy target but when i found the ring nebula ( M57) by co-ordinates rather than a goto i felt great . I had actually seen this target already using goto , but the thrill of finding it later the same week manually was brilliant .

I agree about not missing a dob ... i have had a few of thewm and whilst they are great under dark skies they are not under skies of say bortle 5+ ( imo) ... i bought a widefield achromat and plan on getting a manual az mount . Easy to set up , easy to transport , easy to use ! No messing with polar alignment . Having had a Nexstar mount i found it underwhelming as it wasn't able to be used manually ( i know it wasn't designed for it ) cos sometimes you just want to swing a scope around , without worrying about powering the mount . The star discovery or the az gti would be my choices for powered alt az mounts .

Good advice , John

Ok , thanks guys for your recommendation of the SkyTee Please forgive me but I want to play devils advocate here. John you pointed out three reasons which are pretty important why NOT to go for the SkyTee… lol . What is wrong with the materials and.. not having accurate machining ?? .. ( picture in my head of a disgruntled employee on a Friday afternoon not bothering to set the machine up right ) lol

As i sell timber for a profession , What type of hardwood do you think that mount is made from , John

The "blurb" that comes with the AZ5 says the carrying capacity can be increased up to 9kgs if a sturdy tripod is used ( i am thinking eq5 standard ) ... i am wondering if its the same for an AZ4 ... Maybe i should get a sky-tee .. they seem to be one of the most robust alt az mounts available .

Hi John , I generally only use small scopes ... i have an ST120 FL600 so i suppose thats the heaviest ... when i had my AZ5 on a steel tripod i actually used a 200p !!! ( although not for long as it wobbled more than an excited Jelly )

Thanks @vlaiv ... is there any real difference in the payload ? .. i do like the degree markings on the AZ4 if im honest ..,. and it does get a really good write up in reviews . I found the SM movement good in the AZ5 and the fact that you could either use the cables or the small knobs . I have read that although the AZ4 doesnt " do" slow motion cables , the mount itself is really smooth and easy to fine control . I guess both these mounts do their job really well and its just a matter of choice of which one to go for . I suppose i am looking towards the AZ4 as i haven't used one before ... not the most scientific reasoning lol

So , I am looking for an alt az manual mount … no fuss , no worry .. just put the mount down and stick a scope on it ! I’ve used an AZ5 before and moved it onto someone but I’m keen to either get another one or an AZ4 … I will be using a steel tripod rather than an aluminium one . The question is , is there any advantages that one has over the other . I think the payloads when using a steel tripod are similar . Any thoughts welcome . Stu

So , thanks to all of you for commenting… I really do love my ST120 … but I also know it has limitations . It’s up for sale on here but I am hooked on its portability . And it’s large aperture ( for a frac) means it gathers a fair amount of light . And scanning the night sky is where it thrives of course . it’s strange that the orange comes through when viewing Antares .

I will try that , John … when the sky clears again in about a week 😕

Yes , my 70/700 bresser F10 picks up the colour very well ….. but it is weird that both my mate and I have the same anomaly with the ST120 , especially as I see colour in other stars

Hi all , I have a skywatcher st120 .. it’s a fine scope and has let me see many dso’s but I was looking at stars the other night and of course there was some CA visible on the brighter ones .. ie Vega . I also viewed Antares which was a lovely pale orange . Then I switched to doubles and looked at Albeiro and it’s companion .. but , there was no colour on either star . I have a very cheap refractor that I also used and it showed distinct yellow and blue colours of the stars ! My friend also has the same scope St120 and has exactly the same experience.. question to you guys is … why can we not see these stars in colour ?

Opening a can of worms here !!!. If as you write , people want to buy and use telescopes to view saturns rings and jupiter ie things that can be magnified enough to show detail , why haven't we all bought 16" dobsonians, after all if you want the best , surely a large telescope is the only way to go ????.. No , binos have their place .. they are great at scanning the sky .. getting used to where targets are located and , as Skyhog wrote , they were a fantastic tool for viewing neowise . So , perhaps, after all that 4" scope isn't worth the money ? After all it won't show views that you get from a light bucket . At that rate we will all just be looking at mags with glossy photos taken by hubble. As for Binos just showing "points of light" ... if anyone out there has any desire to see stars other than just points of light , then they will be sorely disappointed . I've basically played devils advocat to your points above ... to be honest i have no desire to own a pair of binos ... i like the idea of scopes . But , most people know what they will see when using Binos ... a 50mm or 70mm objective with , say a 10 x magnification . lol , you certainly did go "against the grain " but all points of view have their worth and if anything this stimulates the discussion , and lets face it anytime we can talk about astronomy is time well spent . Stu

So yesterday I WAS the postman as I collected my Star Discovery mount from @Cirrus… ( Thanks Paul ) … First use last night brought me M57 for the very first time , using my celestron 102 Mak . Also Saturn was a great sight . All in all a great first night