Best Mount for Kids

[SnakeyJ]

I brought my 6 year old a cheap Celestron AM 114EQ from Ebay. Height wise it looks perfect with the legs retracted on the CG2, but he's quite tall at around 126cm+. Although the views are quite respectable and he really enjoys comming out to see the moon/jupiter, I think the EQ mount was a poor choice being too fiddly and couterintuitive for him to start finding his own way around. Though if he can get the hang of the eq mount tracking objects will be much easier.

Should I send him to bed earlier, tough it out and teach him to work the EQ, look out for a cheap alt/az (AZ3 or equivalent), or sell on and find a 4-6 inch Dob?

Might seem obvious/silly question, but physically getting down to sight/line things up is a real pain in the neck/back.

[sologuitarist61]

You need an Alt/Az mount - have a look at the Skywatcher AZ4 a bit pricey for kid at £179 (from ourt sponsor) but you may be able to pick one up a lot cheaper second-hand

[IanL]

Extend the legs and buy him a box to stand on?

[ismangil]

I went for AZ GOTO. My 9 yr old can operate the handset just fine. And we do the alignment together.

With the tripod at its shortest, height wise it's fine, and more stable anyway.

[SnakeyJ]

I checked the AZ4 on FLO's site, this looks like the same tripod as the EQ5 so probably a little too heavy and I think he'll need Ian's box - the AZ goto could be a good call, but I don't want to go to OTT price wise. Think I'll have to put a little bit aside and see what comes up.

[sologuitarist61]

I checked the AZ4 on FLO's site, this looks like the same tripod as the EQ5 so probably a little too heavy and I think he'll need Ian's box - the AZ goto could be a good call, but I don't want to go to OTT price wise. Think I'll have to put a little bit aside and see what comes up.

There is also a version (cheaper I believe) with aluminium legs.

[Moonshane]

with many EQ mounts you can effectively convert them to an alt az format by pointing the polar axis at 90 degrees (as though you live at the north pole). I did this a while back with an EQ mount

I am dobs only now though which is another alt az mount. personally I feel alt az s much better for visual.

try and replicate what I did with your own mount. |'d wager it will be a lot more enjoyable to use.

[dephelis]

I'd just persevere with the EQ. My 6 year old can't set up my EQ mount, but he has learnt how to operate it over the last year or so and can quite happily slew to objects he wants to look at.

[SnakeyJ]

with many EQ mounts you can effectively convert them to an alt az format by pointing the polar axis at 90 degrees (as though you live at the north pole). I did this a while back with an EQ mount

<snip>

try and replicate what I did with your own mount. |'d wager it will be a lot more enjoyable to use.

Great tip moonshane - will definitely give this a try as soon as the murk clears down here

[SnakeyJ]

Thanks Dephelis - more good advice, I'm certain if I can keep the interest going he'll soon start to pick it up - but don't want him getting frustrated and turned off by struggling to find and track things. I think I probably need to leave my gear in and concentrate on helping him find his was around. Maybe even a nice warm field trip to the local planetarium.

Jake