AstroNebulee

No worries, you'll be looking for the eq mount then really the eq5 but is still heavy though, great choice though being ground floor, maybe a sw150p or 150pds on eq5 preferably will be a useful scope for you 👍

Or maybe this one https://www.firstlightoptics.com/sky-watcher-starquest/sky-watcher-starquest-102mc-f127-maksutov-cassegrain-telescope.html, I think you can put a Skymax 127 on it though not sure. On YouTube, Jenams astro reviews it here https://youtu.be/sDgSNs9anUE Plus I've seen examples of a Skymax 127 on a sw star adventurer mount and tripod.

The 200p on an eq5 mount maybe a little heavy to carry from your flat to your dark sites also. It also depends what you want to use your scope for, just visual of imaging. Would an alt az mount suit your needs and be more portable with a Skywatcher maksutov. I live in a first floor flat and had a sw explorer 150p eq3-2 and never got in down the stairs so recently sold it and bought an az gti mount to use with my sw Skymax 127 mak. Have a look at the more portable mounts and tripods possibly a sw az pronto or az5. https://www.firstlightoptics.com/sky-watcher-az5-deluxe/sky-watcher-skymax-127-az5-deluxe.html I also love the look of Skywatcher equipment and very reliable. Sorry I can't be more help. Clear skies

What were you looking at at the time, was the phone to close or far away from the eyepiece maybe?

I had a sw 150p (not pds) on eq3-2 mount and tripod with an RA motor and got some good images with my dslr, though never got it outside to properly polar align it, if I were you got a RA motor and see where you go from there, but I'm a newbie also but it did me well. These were taken through a window pane also, I'm all for pushing the limits on equipment to see what can be achieved.

What have you got?

Beautiful images with no eq Dave, something for me to aspire to with my Skymax 127 and az gti

Here is a reworked image of a lunar image I took on 26th November 2020, I have mange to get some of the natural colour of the moon through extra processing in PS and the other image is of the waning crescent moon from 10-1-21 with a little curves adjustment in PS.

Hi, thank you but I don't do Facebook, I'll keep following any az gti content on here though, clear skies

Love this summary and description, as a new az gti owner I'm following this thread with much interest, thank you for this. Clear skies

I have the Skymax 127 on an az gti mount, though the mount and tripod only arrived this week so not used it in anger yet due to lots of cloud formation, but looking at videos online and a rough try from my lounge the alignment process is quite simple, you can level the scope horizontally and pointing north then align with two stars and good to go. Via a wedge, counterweight bar and weights with a firmware upgrade the mount can be used in equatorial mode. The Skymax isn't really a 127 aperture it's more like a 119mm aperture but when I've used mine it has cracking views and so sharp on planets, double stars and also some dso are possible, I'm delighted with my Skymax 127 beautiful scope, just want the clouds to clear to try my setup out. Clear skies

I love what you've done with the image Nigella, did you alter the saturation to bring out the mineral colours.

They are great shots with your smartphone down the stock ep, the second one I especially like. You'll definitely excell with your new set up and achieve sdone great images, keep it up and look forward to seeing more. Clear skies

Nnice start, be good to see what results you get from first light with your dslr. Clear skies 🌌📷

This beautiful thing arrived from RVO by the nice dpd driver, I ordered it during clouds so hoping it'll have the reverse affect and bring on the clear nights now. Its a much more portable setup for me with my skymax 127 and can get everything down the 2 flights of stairs in one trip. It'll be so brilliant to finally get a scope outside as I haven't managed before with my previous set up, I'm looking forward to viewing the early phases of the moon and more westerly and northerly parts of the sky, once 'm outside. On the quick test of setting up in my lounge it certainly works well and a breeze to control via the synscan app on my phone. I'll eventually upgrade it with a wedge, counterweight bar and weights for the eq mode but happy to see what very basic astrophotography I can do with this and the no eq challenge thread. Clear skies. 🌌🔭📷

Hi On my skywatcher explorer 150p eq3-2 i have achieved ficus with my dslr by unscrewing the 1.25inch focuser which is around 1.5 inches long and then screwed my t ring to the draw tube on the scope then attach my dslr and achieved many good images.

Yes that's Cuiv the lazy geek

Yes I came across his videos test whilst searching about the sw az gti. He seems entertaining enough, it seems the az gti is quite a popular mount nowadays.

I've been looking in the Internet and seen plenty of people using the sw az gti with a wedge and counterweights for use in eq mode with the firmware update via sw website so there's another option again with this portable mount. Clear skies

Hi chaz I like that idea and seen on the Internet a star adventurer counterweight and bar could suffice or larger weights. How are you finding the sw az gti mount and tripod for you astronomy. Clear skies

Yes my f10 refractor is an old meade one that has a meade goto system that I was trying to fix, I got second hand a while ago 80mm aperture 800mm focal length so quite a long one

Thank you Kat, yes I'm selling my sw explorer 150p eq3-2 with motor and hoping to purchase the AZ gti mount and tripod as aftercwstching a lot of videos it is a very capable piece of kit and very portable and stable, plus as you've said I can buy dovetail and wedge accessories for mounting my dslr to it then look out for a refractor later in the year. Clear skies

I was thinking around 2 thirds but so roughly in the £250-280 price range for when I bought it for £433 then, thank you lockie.

I have lots of good things about the sw az gti mount also and seen on the astronomy and nature YouTube channel, when they were showcasing the mounts and tripod and they had a skymax 127 on it so I think I'm going to go with that mount. Like you say I could fit a small reflector like the 130pds on it. I'd like to sell my sw explorer 150p eq3-2 with ra motor to fund the mount and tripod when in stock, I bought it in July 2020 and never been outside to use what kind of price am I looking would you say for it, it's in great condition and boxed with manual and tools

Yes it is a weight issue with the sw az gti, like you I do have a zwo asi120mc-s planetary camera so I can use that to lighten the load so to speak. The eq6 Pro mount is a beautiful thing and a real shame you can't use it yet.