Cliffy Biro

On 06/07/2022 at 11:03, SthBohemia said:

Simply replying because nobody else did 🙂 One of my scopes is on a similar setup. Advise? None other than read the manual carefully when setting up the SW mount! Over time you will figure out what accessories you require. Eyepieces, filters etc etc, most of which depend upon personal preferences and what you wish to actually observe/photograph with the scope.

Rgds Rob.

Hi @SthBohemia. Definitely anticipating a steep learning curve as this will be the first powered mount I've owned, and first EQ style. My aim is to start with lunar viewing to get a feel for the equipment. I've been looking at the Baader Hyperion Zoom as a starter, then figure out single eyepieces as I go. I'll be fully visual to start with.

On 06/07/2022 at 11:28, DaveL59 said:

Hi and welcome to the forum. 

Sounds like a nice setup you're starting with and should give good service. As said above, before getting caught up in buying lots of eyepieces its worth getting a feel for what comes with the scope and decide whether a good zoom might be easier than a big set of individual ones.

A couple things on the mount, you'll need a suitable power source >2A capable and do be careful of making the right connections, both power and the other cables too. It'd be worth installing the app for the mount as that will give you the location/date/time data you need to enter and in the correct format. Saves the frustration of forgetting its US date format then wondering why it slews to the wrong places etc 🙂 

 

Thank you for the welcome and the advice @DaveL59. Totally agree on the zoom, I've actually been looking at the Baader Hyperion Zoom to get started. Noted on the cables and power 👍

7 hours ago, Carbon Brush said:

I think the advice given above is all valid. It will work out of the box - given a 12V supply😄
It should be a nice package.

I would add that you should try the goto in a comfortable daylight place first.
Get used to the searching for calibration stars, weird date format entry, etc.
Far better to learn in daylight.

If you have any star chart software on a separate computer/tablet/phone, that is good enough to see if the scope looks to be going to the right place.

If, on your first night, goto seems to go somewhere else, forget it. Stick to manual positioning and enjoy the views.
There is a lot of daylight and many cloudy nights to learn about the mount/electronics.

HTH, David.

Thanks @Carbon Brush, great advice and 100% agree about starting in daylight. Looking forward to spending time getting to know the equipment. Fully expecting a lot of days and evenings working things out! I've been Ising Sky Safari for a few years so pretty familiar with that and I'm interested in hooking it up to the mount in future for goto.

On 07/07/2022 at 12:23, AstroMuni said:

Worth bearing in mind that the 120ED is quite heavy and HEQ5 Pro may not be suited if you want to get into AP at a later point in time. Just a HEADS UP

Thanks for the advice @AstroMuni. I'm thinking HEQ5 as it's the best at the top of my budget at the moment, so what I expect to happen is exactly what you said - I'll likely need a smaller second scope dedicated to AP later. From research it seems refractors in the 70–80 range are admired for photography, and those should work well with the HEQ5 without too many weight and guiding issues?

On 07/07/2022 at 14:33, Clarkey said:

It is towards the top end but I think it should be ok. The ED120 is about 5.5kg and the HEQ5 is probably ok up to 10kg or so. Providing the other kit is not too excessive I don't see it struggling.

Having said that I would say a shorter FL may be a better starting choice of AP. Maybe start with your initial choice and consider buying a small refractor at a later date for imaging.

Hi @Clarkey, completely agree. I'll be using the SW120ED for visual work and I think I'll have to look into something smaller for AP once the savings have built up again!

Good morning everyone! So after much deliberation (and saving) I'm close to pulling the trigger on a SW 120ED scope and quite likely a SW HEQ5 Pro mount. This will be my first 'proper' setup after dabbling in my teens with smaller scopes, and in more recent years with a tripod and moderately priced binoculars. I'll be purely visual initially and this will also be my first go-to/tracking mount which I'm looking forward to discovering and learning. I would like to try out photography in the future using this setup, but for now I'll just be purchasing for visual use to study the sky and spend time observing.

So, my question; do current owners have any tips or advice for this setup, and as a relative beginner is there anything I need to consider purchasing initially?

Budget for this setup is close to my top end already, but I'm okay to stretch for items which are considered 'must-haves' when getting started with viewing.

Skies here are classed as Bortle 4. Will be taking occasional trips to Bottle 3 and dark skies sites.

Thanks so much for any advice!

Hello, I have been lurking in the background for the last few months, reading the great posts from many very knowledgable members, I’m now after some personal equipment advice and thought it was time I asked the pros!

I’ve been interested in the stargazing for a long time and have been enjoying casual scanning with tripod mounted binoculars for the past year. Up until now, due to work commitments, I’ve been unable to dedicate much time to my interest. However, I recently changed jobs and now have a lot more free time and the opportunity to really get started.

I’m in Yorkshire, fairly rural and not too much light pollution. I’ll be setup primarily from the garden but I’m only five minutes drive from remote moorland for any local out-of-home viewing. My aim initially is visual viewing and studying with a good quality scope. I worked as a photographer a long time ago so further down the line I’d like to try AP and add a second scope specifically for imaging. I’m thinking long term overall but would like to jump in with a solid core setup I can add to over time. My budget can be up to £2,500.

After much research I’m considering the Sky Watcher AZ-EQ5 or AZ-EQ6 mount - both these seem highly regarded and adaptable to future needs, I believe the EQ6 may be better considering future imaging use? For the OTA I’ve been looking at the Celestron 9.25? It seems to deliver well for planets and lunar but I would welcome personal recommendations of other ideal scopes within budget. I’ve also briefly looked into accessories such as the Baader Hyperion Zoom Eyepiece and William Optics / Baader diagonals but one area I need to know more about is eyepieces.

Thanks for your time, I’d really welcome advice from you all on what I should consider for my aims and budget.

Cheers 🙂