Changing EQ2 mount for a Skywatcher Synscan AZ Goto mount.

[Eddie-g4ppb]

First of all may I say "Hi" to all on the forum. I'm retired and "on a budget" as far as astronomy is concerned. I've had my Skywatcher Explorer-130P with the EQ2 mount with RA drive for about a year and, to be honest, I find setting-up the mount to be a long fiddly process. It takes the fun out of observing for me, especially on a cold winter's night!

I'm thinking of saving up and buying the Skywatcher Synscan AZ Goto mount and, to that end, I've been reading all the reviews etc. here and on other sites. I haven't got transport so all my observing is in my small rear garden, so I do have access to mains power and power supplies from my other, (expensive!), hobby of Amateur Radio.

My question is this; I understand that the 'scope tube is connected to the Goto mount by a "dovetail bar," rather than the rings that I use at the moment. I can't find any references anywhere about the physical fitting of the bar to the tube. How is this achieved? How do you know where to position it on the tube as far as balance is concerned?

Also, I read on this forum a post from somebody asking about fitting a handle to his tube to aid in assembly. It was stated that this isn't a good idea because it can distort the tube/mirror. Doesn't using a dovetail bar fitting, apparently at right angles to the ground, have the same effect?

If that is the case, in the illustrations of the mount that I've seen, the eyepiece is horizontally opposite the mount/tube connection, what effect on the tube/mirror would using a DSLR camera in the focusser have?

Or, more than likely, have I got totally the wrong idea about this method of mounting the 'scope to this Goto mount?

Please help to cool down my fevered brain!

Thanks in advance,

Eddie-g4ppb

[Cornelius Varley]

Hello and welcome. You only need to purchase a suitable dovetail bar to allow you to attach your telescope to the AZ GOTO. Your existing rings will bolt to the dovetail and then you can adjust the telescope in the rings to bring the focuser to a convenient position. There will be no need to attach the dovetail directly to the telescope.

Peter

[Eddie-g4ppb]

Hi Peter,

Thanks for your prompt reply. I did wonder about that, it's just that the illustrations in the vendors' websites all use the same greyed-out reflector with no rings apparent. Using the rings would, of course enable the DSLR to be mounted on there with it's own lenses.

It's a simple, obvious answer to my question. As a newby, of course, I hesitated to mention the rings, in case that was a foolish answer.

I remember my first day at Grammar School, many years ago. The maths teacher was trying to establish what levels of knowledge the various feeder primary schools had imparted to this class of nervous 11 year olds. "What different types of angles do you know?" he asked. Hands went up and answers such as "Acute," "Obtuse," and "Right Angle," were proudly given. My primary school had never broached geometry but, "Here's my chance to impress," I thought. "Left Angle," I blurted out. Sad and embarassed looks followed.

I learned my lesson then. If you don't know, ASK!

Thanks again, Peter.

Eddie-g4ppb