Differences between AZ GOTO and SynScan GOTO?

[Stargazer Jack]

Hi,

I have been looking at mounts recently and have come across these two.

First Light Optics - Skywatcher AZ GOTO mount

First Light Optics - Skywatcher HEQ5 PRO Synscan

I was wondering what are the main differences because it must be a lot different as the price is around £500 difference I plan on doing only planetary imaging at first however I may upgrade my tube so I can do DSO imaging.

[Cunhaval]

An alt-az goto tracks, not by following a star in a perfectly smooth arc (as an equatorial goto does), but by going a little right, then a little up, repeatedly.

So, if you were to plot the alt-az track over the smooth arc of the star in the night sky, the track would look like a jagged curve, quite like a saw's edge.

This type of tracking produces what is called "field rotation", especially over longer exposures, and makes an alt-az a very poor choice for DSO imaging.

It is, though useable for planetary imaging (especially with your SPC880), to a degree, because planets are bright, compared to DSOs (aka faint fuzzies), so you will get away with shorter exposures. Nonetheless I would have to say that, if imaging is your ambition, you will need an EQ mount, such as the HEQ5.

[LukeSkywatcher]

If DSO imaging is what you plan then forget the AZ Go-To (for the reasons above). You really need an EQ mount as it follows objects perfectly in both ALT and AZ (up/down/left/right) motion as the earth rotates.

[Stargazer Jack]

That explains perfectly. Thank you for the help