AZ or EQ mount for astrophotography?

[Radscanner]

I've had a very warm welcome here as a noobie. Here are some questions about mounts and I'd be ever so grateful for advice about. I'm torn between a Skywatcher 150p or 200p newtonian with EQ mount as against another type with an Alt/Az mount for the following reasons:

EQ Mount

========

* Concerns about awkwardness of align/red dot scope access when the main scope is at odd angles after setting polar north.

* Are the EQ3 or EQ5 mounts sturdy enough to avoid vibration or shake once aligned and tracking?

* HEQ5 mount very expensive if that's needed.

* Would cheaper plain dual motors track as well as goto once accurate alignment is complete, and are they reliable?

AZ Mount

========

Is there an equivalent reflector scope (150 or 200 with lowish f number) that I can run on a good AZ and still track for photos? If so:

* Does a AZ mount with wedge/latitude adjuster achieve the same tracking as an EQ, and if so where can I buy one?

* Cannot find any reflector scope of equivalent aperture to an EQ mounted 150 or 200 that has EZ mount. They seem to stop at 130 mm unless I go for SchmitK types which I don't want.

* Does an AZ mounted scope with goto move seemlessly or is it a kind of jerky across/up/down movement that shows on multiple frames?

* How do I avoid star streaking due to mount not properly following right ascension, or is there a way to align to pole to stop that happening (see above!).

Thanks so much for enlightened answers anyone can offer!

[Raga]

Hi rad. Welcome to SGL.

I am getting into AP at the moment and from what I could gather the heq5 is the basic entry level mount for AP. That's not to say that you can't image with an eq3 and some people here do and produce some great images. however if you save and buy the heq5 then it would be ALOT longer before you upgrade your mount (if ever).

it goes on the weight the mount can take (payload). They have to take the weight of the OTA (optical tube assembly) then the finder scope, the guide scope, the camera you will be imaging with etc etc. you can decrease the payload by not doing guided imaging and lots of ppl do manual guiding imagary however the images you produce from guiding can collect a lot more data by having a lot longer exposure times. ( 2min exposure max from manual vs 20+ min subs with guided imaging )

eq mounts also track by moving on two individual axis. Alt/az doesn't so the mounts used for imaging are the equatorial ones.

Hope this answers some of your questions.

Clear skies my friend.

Stephen

[Radscanner]

Hi rad. Welcome to SGL.

I am getting into AP at the moment and from what I could gather the heq5 is the basic entry level mount for AP. That's not to say that you can't image with an eq3 and some people here do and produce some great images. however if you save and buy the heq5 then it would be ALOT longer before you upgrade your mount (if ever).

it goes on the weight the mount can take (payload). They have to take the weight of the OTA (optical tube assembly) then the finder scope, the guide scope, the camera you will be imaging with etc etc. you can decrease the payload by not doing guided imaging and lots of ppl do manual guiding imagary however the images you produce from guiding can collect a lot more data by having a lot longer exposure times. ( 2min exposure max from manual vs 20+ min subs with guided imaging )

eq mounts also track by moving on two individual axis. Alt/az doesn't so the mounts used for imaging are the equatorial ones.

Hope this answers some of your questions.

Clear skies my friend.

Stephen

Thanks for that Stephen. I'm a little confused about needing the guide scope. Am I right to guess that this is needed for Deep Sky Objects like Nebulae which cannot be tracked, so I need an "extra" guide scope to track a nearby bright object as a guide for the tracking mount, or is there another reason I have missed?

[russ.will]

I've been down this route.

Imaging is about mount first, scope second. If you really get into imaging, then you'll need a guided solution. The HEQ5 supports all of the freeware solutions.

Buy an HEQ5 Syntrek/Pro Synscan, end of.

Russell

[foundaplanet]

I've had a very warm welcome here as a noobie. Here are some questions about mounts and I'd be ever so grateful for advice about. I'm torn between a Skywatcher 150p or 200p newtonian with EQ mount as against another type with an Alt/Az mount for the following reasons:

EQ Mount

========

* Concerns about awkwardness of align/red dot scope access when the main scope is at odd angles after setting polar north.

* Are the EQ3 or EQ5 mounts sturdy enough to avoid vibration or shake once aligned and tracking?

* HEQ5 mount very expensive if that's needed.

* Would cheaper plain dual motors track as well as goto once accurate alignment is complete, and are they reliable?

AZ Mount

========

Is there an equivalent reflector scope (150 or 200 with lowish f number) that I can run on a good AZ and still track for photos? If so:

* Does a AZ mount with wedge/latitude adjuster achieve the same tracking as an EQ, and if so where can I buy one?

* Cannot find any reflector scope of equivalent aperture to an EQ mounted 150 or 200 that has EZ mount. They seem to stop at 130 mm unless I go for SchmitK types which I don't want.

* Does an AZ mounted scope with goto move seemlessly or is it a kind of jerky across/up/down movement that shows on multiple frames?

* How do I avoid star streaking due to mount not properly following right ascension, or is there a way to align to pole to stop that happening (see above!).

Thanks so much for enlightened answers anyone can offer!

For all the enlightenment you need on astrophotography and its requirements you will need to read this.. It is a serious pastime.

[Radscanner]

For all the enlightenment you need on astrophotography and its requirements you will need to read this.. It is a serious pastime.

Yes I'm gathering that quite quickly! Book is on order already

[markswift]

I would suggest a HEQ5 Pro used if you can find one...

[johnrt]

OK, firstly what do you want to image? DSO's or solar system (planets moon etc) If it's DSO's then you will need an equatorial mount, if planetary then alt/az will do.

[Radscanner]

OK, firstly what do you want to image? DSO's or solar system (planets moon etc) If it's DSO's then you will need an equatorial mount, if planetary then alt/az will do.

Thanks for all replies. I'm more interested in DSOs so it's the EQ mount I think.

[Capricorn]

Equitorial mount, HEQ5 or bigger, need dual motors and a polar scope as minimum.

Forget anything else if you want to do it seriously or half seriously.

Just the mount and motors will allow 20-30 second exposures if you align it accurately, if you want better then a guide scope and camera but that needs the Synscan goto option for the guide scope+camera to supply feedback. So maybe consider the full system when making your purchase.

Somewhere you need to add in a scope and camera.

As already pointed out, astrophotography is expensive.

[swag72]

The mount suggestion of an HEQ5 as a minimum is spot on in my opinion. Considering a scope, the other often recommended starter scope is an ED80 refractor. So much more plug and play than anything else and places little strain on your mount. My understanding with the scope you mention in the opening post is that the slightest bit of wind and they act rather like a sail. For those scope's I'm sure people who have used them will recommend even an NEQ6 for the stability alone.

[Robny]

I went through this not long ago, I was recommend the HEQ5 from many people as a minimum and that's what I went for, I have never looked back.

[twelly27]

Hi everyone, I recently got my first telescope for Christmas 2012 it's a Skymax 127 SynScan AZ GOTO Telescope (http://www.rothervalleyoptics.co.uk/skymax-127-synscan-az-goto-telescope_d3193.html) that's the link, I've got into astrophotography aswell I have the t ring for the camera it's just learning the correct exposure times and ISO settings I have had good success with the moon.

The main problem is I can't for the life of me seem to get the tracking to work, the past few times I've used my scope I've heard small slewing changes coming from it I'm sure that was the tracking, without the tracking I won't be able to get pictures I'd like to atm I can't get much closer to the moon without the picture being blurred, I also understand I may need an EQ mount for deep sky objects, can anyone help? Point out the steps to use the tracking and maybe also point me in the direction of an EQ mount, I am however keen to keep with the AZ mount I have for along as possible or until I've properly learned how to take pictures so I can then move onto orions nebula and other stuff, any help would be nice, a post or a pm just to point me in the right direction

Thanks

Chris

[kirkster501]

+1 regarding HEQ5. Cracking mount, light and accurate. I sold mine and regret it now. It was nicer than my NEQ6.

[Aenima]

Hi everyone, I recently got my first telescope for Christmas 2012 it's a Skymax 127 SynScan AZ GOTO Telescope (http://www.rotherval...cope_d3193.html) that's the link, I've got into astrophotography aswell I have the t ring for the camera it's just learning the correct exposure times and ISO settings I have had good success with the moon.

The main problem is I can't for the life of me seem to get the tracking to work, the past few times I've used my scope I've heard small slewing changes coming from it I'm sure that was the tracking, without the tracking I won't be able to get pictures I'd like to atm I can't get much closer to the moon without the picture being blurred, I also understand I may need an EQ mount for deep sky objects, can anyone help? Point out the steps to use the tracking and maybe also point me in the direction of an EQ mount, I am however keen to keep with the AZ mount I have for along as possible or until I've properly learned how to take pictures so I can then move onto orions nebula and other stuff, any help would be nice, a post or a pm just to point me in the right direction

Thanks

Chris

When it comes to goto mounts, both EQ and AZ, there are different requirements from the motors. Chris, I do know your having difficulty with the goto - and its unclear just how much the mount might be functioning normally or not.

But the EQ uses the polar alignment to track objects very accurately for long periods and/or exposures, and the AZ goto 'should' track things in the way that the goto is able to find objects wherever it is, and is driven by motors, but its movement and accuracy is not meant for holding objects still enough to take long exposures - but as far as I know, in theory the AZ goto's should be able to keep an object in view - like a planet - at least long enough to observe and even get webcam footage. Being able to locate it, at all times, when the handset is input with the right time,date,position etc. means it can also 'follow' it, is that correct?

I forgot using my AZ goto, and weather wont let me test it quickly, so i'm actually rather stuck for an answer.

Any AZ users able to verify it?

Thanks

Regards

Aenima

[RobAro]

Hi All,

An new to this forum (joined 20 mins ago in fact!) and am looking to upgrade from my EQ3-2 mount to an HEQ5 PRO Synscan. However, one thing I cant seem to find is any info on power supply. When you take your mounts "into the field" how on earth go you power them? Do you have to make sure your car is close by and run power from it, or do you also have to carry a battery?

I have had lots of fun over the past year using my SW 150P on the EQ3-2 observing the planets and am beginning to dabble with AP so the HEQ5 PRO Synscan seems like a natural next step, but what else do I need to buy to power it?

Cheers,

Rob.

[Obi Wan Ken00bi]

Don't buy too much stuff at once I'd say. If you start with AP, won't a guidescope be an overkill and just add to the allready steep learning curve? Getting to know your new mount, algining it and finding out, the basics of AP will keep you busy for the moment

[brantuk]

Hi RobAro and welcome to SGL

To power in the field most folks use a powerpack with 12V output most commonly. You can get them quite cheap at your local Maplins or from their website. Here's the one I use: http://www.maplin.co...le-power-224871

But there are many different types including branded models costing a lot more. Alternatively you can use the EHU on most campsites with a transformer - again available at Maplins. HEQ5 is a smashing mount that will serve you well - good choice.

If you post your questions in the "Welcome Section" or create your own post in the Beginners area you'll get more replies. Hth