Mount dilemma!

[pkent365]

Hi All, I currently have an old but superb condition celestron c8 sct on a Vixen Super Polaris mount which I now need to upgrade. My budget is £500 to £700. I have narrowed it down to the CG5, EQ5 and HEQ5. My hopes are to continue with visual work but to start dabbling in the dark art of AP. I have no desire to produce magazine quality shots or spend hours pointing at just one object each night. I would be happy to capture solar system stuff and some of the better known DSO. I really need to keep the price as near to the lower end of my budget as poss but I also don't want to sacrifice too much quality and limit future options completely. Any advice greatly appreciated.

Thanks all,

Peter

[JohnC]

The super polaris should cover you well for the requirements mentioned...If you do change then go for the HEQ5.

[pkent365]

Thanks for the reply John. Problem I have with the Polaris is it is motorless so I can't track and I can't get the parts anymore :-(

[JohnC]

Ah i see. The HEQ5 is a great mount and will serve you well. I assume that you are talking about the newer white versions.

These have much better motors than the older black versions.

Best regards

John

[pkent365]

Yes it was the new ones, checked youtube and you can hear how much quiter the motors are compared to some of the others! Shame they are the top end of my budget, would you definitely avoid the cg5? Just thinking price.

[Earl]

You could look out for a second hand EQ6.

[JohnC]

I do not have experience of the CG5 i am afraid.

I have heard that they are quite good but all comments usually point in the direction of the HEQ5.

[rowan46]

If you are handy with a few tools this may be cheaper http://www.altairastro.com/product.php?productid=16458&cat=0&page=1 the mount you have tracks better than the eq5 and cg5 although the heq5 is much better than all of them or maybe this may be enough for you

http://www.optcorp.com/product.aspx?pid=209-16654

[r3i]

You could look out for a second hand EQ6.

Was just about to suggest that myself! They come up for sale regularly on UK Astro Buy/Sell . One went up for sale in August for £600. They're built like a tank so as long as it's a relatively recent example from a reliable seller there should be no worries about getting a secondhand one.

[nmoushon]

If your really trying to keep to budget down then i would suggest going second hand. There are several good site you can good good equipment from. I would look for the HEQ5 as first choice. With you saying you want to mostly do visual with some dabbling in AP the thats the best mount. You could go with an EQ6 but you really dont need to. The HEQ5 will also cover you for future upgrades as well. Both for visual and AP purposes. the EQ5 would be the bare minimum I would not go with the CG-5.

[pkent365]

Thanks all, sadly my tool skills are a tad poor and I'd probably end up wrecking everything...lol! Thanks for the links though. Must admit I was leaning in the heq5 direction, hearing everyones opinion confirms that. Will have a look 2nd hand too. Thanks everyone