Skywatcher Alt/AZ Goto - first impressions

[gooseholla]

Well I got my new mount today. It is far too cloudy to do anything with, but here are some first impressions.

1. Immediately you notice the tripod isn't that great. Quite lightweight and flimsy. Seems okay for my Vixen VMC110L, but we'll see what vibration is like. Also, the mount isn't that tall. When viewing high up objects, my eyepiece is quite low down, which means quite a bend down for me!!

2. The noise - the motor noise is going to get quite annoying on a silent night viewing in the back garden.

3. The cable - if you're not careful it can start wrapping around the tripod. No power cable included - not that great in this day and age! Battery pack only taking 8x AA = expensive!

4. Computer connection - in this day and age they really should offer a USB cable as standard. Laptops don't have serial ports and most computers don't.

5. Easy to set up. Though manual could be better at telling you what is what and what to do.

All round, a good mount for simple GOTO/tracking function for a small grab and go type scope. Is light enough to move easily, and packs away fast.

Not bad for £189.

[gooseholla]

Took it out tonight - setup was a breeze and quick using Alderbaran and Pollux. Objects when using the go to were a little off centre, but every object was in the field of view in a 20mm piece. That might be due to my longtitude being slightly wrong and not able to centre them perfectly in scope. But it is a really good setup for the money. Can't wait to get the powertank and go out in the dark somewhere!

[gooseholla]

I can confirm that the USB to serial adapter that maplins sell - at the moment for £9.99 - works. Mount recognised and controlable via Stellarium.

[Nibor]

Gooseholla,

I am considering buying one of these GOTO AZ mounts - how are you finding it after a month of use? - any comments would be appreciated!!

It is to be used for short tube 80mm refractor and Mak 127.

Many thanks

Robin

[Donkeiller]

I have had this mount for just over a year.

When I got it its was very shaky.

Tightened up all joints, lowered centre brace and put a 12V 17AH battery on for both power source and ballast and the setup is MUCH better. Gotos also seem more accurate- typically get them in a 12mm EP.

PS don't extend the legs by more than 20cms either.

[Nibor]

Well - I bit the bullet and my GOTO tripod arrived yesterday afternoon!!

I spent a happy 3 hours or so reading the manual and trying the different options to get a feel for what is on offer.

I found the balance point of my 80mm Opticstar AR80S short tube refractor and mounted it in readiness for the mounts first light. - I also used a mains powered adapter.

The sky was cloudless but a nearly full moon and poor seeing had to be contended with.

My plan was to two star align and get to know the Synscan system by testing it on the "old favourites" I had found previously.

I did take the advice of tightening the legs and used a stack of old magazines to add weight to the tripod tray to limit vibrations.

I must say that I was impressed with the mount - alignment was successful first time (and also on a second practice run through) - every object I tried it on was in the E/P (17X Mag TFOV approx 2.4 degrees - Celestron 8-24mm zoom) and most were spot on in the centre.

With the red dot finder as a guide I checked the objects it located with my binos, where possible, and also verified them using "Illustrated Guide to Astonomical Wonders" and "Pocket Sky Atlas"!!

I think for around the £200 mark the Skywatcher AZ GOTO represents tremendous value and I think I will get a lot of pleasure from it.

Why did I get it??

1. I live in a suburban area and I found that the light pollution was worse than I had thought when I started in astronomy a year ago. For example Cancer and Coma Berenices are to all intents and purposes invisible. I am hoping that the GOTO will help me locate some of the brighter celestial objects.
   
2. I plan to take the scope with me when caravanning in dark skies areas and I would like to make the most of them.
   
3. When skies are cloudy with clear patches I am hoping that the GOTO will help me maximise the use of any clear sky windows.
   

I currently intend to keep my EQ mount and 127 Mak for planetary and double stars and practice the star hopping when the mood takes me.

My belief is that to some extent the GOTO will be rather like having a more experienced astronomer by my side to help point me in the right direction – I know that in the past on many occasions I have been trying to find objects in the completely wrong area of the sky!!

- I will still want to read up on what I am looking at, understand its location in the sky and reflect on the wonder!!

Once I have become more familiar with the Synscan I hope to connect it to my netbook possibly using Stellarium.

Anyway – so far so good – I will now be following GOTO posts with even more interest!!

[Cjg]

Have the same mount with my 102 short tube refractor. Works very well when powered by the mains or duracells, with nimh, the first alignment is fine and okay if just tracking, but much less accurate for the second or third targets.

Has been down to -7.5 and still worked flawlessly, sadly the eyepiece and lens dewed / froze over that evening (and I'd had enought too).

It's great in areas with streetlights as without a Goto there are things I'd struggle to find.

Bestof luck with yours and clear skies - sadly chucking it down here in Norfolk this evening.

[Cunhaval]

Fair reviews there of a sometimes (IMV), unfairly maligned mount. It's all a question of what you want the mount to do, and like most things in life, how much you are prepared to pay.

OK, it's not suitable for serious imaging (especially DSO) - but NO Alt-Az mount is - though it is fine for DSLR lunar and/or webcam work. There are excellent images to be seen here on SGL.

Its 1.75" steel tripod is not as steady as the 2" version to be found on an NEQ-6. Fine - so don't extend the legs fully, and weigh it down with a small sandbag on the ep tray, or suspend a bag of rocks (old photographer's trick!) from the tripod. The old aluminium-legged version (now confined, I think, to the second-hand market) is less desirable.

Don't overload it with the OTA - stick to small to medium maks, scts, short tube 'fracs or small newts. Consider tube length as much as weight - so avoid long tubes like a Tal 100rs, or a SW 150PL (though I've used a short tube 150 SW newt on mine with no problems at all).

The GoTo database is indeed more than a little optimistic - half of the stuff in that database would require a tube at least twice the size of anything you could conceivably put on the mount to see - but surely better too much than too little?

The point I'm making is that for the money, and if you want GoTo capability, this mount is unbeatable. Look at the alternatives - EQ3-2Pro is more than twice the price, HEQ-5 four times, and NEQ-6 more than five times the price. Admittedly, the latter two in particular may well be all the mount you will EVER need, especially if you get into serious imaging, but if all you want is a decent mount, with GoTo, which is reasonably portable, and most importantly, won't break the bank, this is the one! Just read the posts on this forum about setting it up, take your time, and you will have a capable mount (with some limitations - they ALL do!)

Of course, if you can live without powered tracking and GoTo, an even better buy would be the similar-looking and priced, but sturdier, AZ-4, but that's a whole different story.

OK, Skywatcher, pm me for my address, so you can put the cheque in the post! :D