What would you put on a NexStar 8SE Goto mount?

[jonathan]

As a mount for the 8SE I found it lacking, but I'm sure there must be an OTA that would go well on it. I've thought about an 80mm refractor or a 4" or 6" SCT / Mak. Any experience or preference? Something simple for quick 'Tonight's Highlights' goto tours etc. The limiting factor will be length, as I don't want to burn out the motors if it's going to hit the fork base near the zenith.

Just out of interest, is there an option on the 8SE Goto handset to limit what it will show in the tour based on telescope aperture or other limiting factors?

[rowan46]

For your first question I would say that the c6 ota is the best on that mount and to the second I don't think so

[michael.h.f.wilkinson]

A C6 seems sensible. It should have no problems with a short-tube refractor. The databases on these mounts do not as a rule take the scope size into account (a 34,000 DSO database for a 4" scope is, let us say, optimistic)

[jonathan]

Thank you for the advice, guys. Interesting... a C6 would probably fit well on the Omni CG-4 as well, wouldn't you say? Would the C6 be equivalent to a Skywatcher 150P reflector, for, say, Jupiter and Saturn?

[rowan46]

Thank you for the advice, guys. Interesting... a C6 would probably fit well on the Omni CG-4 as well, wouldn't you say? Would the C6 be equivalent to a Skywatcher 150P reflector, for, say, Jupiter and Saturn?

Given the same magnification about the same. As to the omni mount the biggest cat as a package is the c5 and although the c6n is offered as a package I tend to find many packages are undermounted when you look at the biggest scope package. the c6 is a little lighter than c6n

but it is probably pushing very close to the mounts limits and you really do need a stable mount for an sct

[jonathan]

Hmm. It would be an interesting comparison then - 150P vs C6 on an Omni CG-4. Is the C6 really that much heavier than a 150P, taking into account the size too? The CG-4 is my 'medium' mount, the one I use for my solar scope and when my muscles ache at the thought of getting the NEQ6 out, just trying to figure out a way to use the CG-4 and the 8SE mount (which no longer bears the weight of my upgraded 8SE OTA).

[rowan46]

the c6 is actually about 400g lighter than the 150p but as you know that mount is at the limit with a 150p but the narrow field of view tends to magnify mount vibrations its an optical illusion I guess but it seems to be so. Having said that try it if you already have the mount what is there to lose. It has just occurred to me that the decreased length of the c6 ota may put less torque on the mount thus making it perform better

[jonathan]

I've found the 150P works well on the CG-4, there is a tiny amount of vibration when focusing but it's very short-lived. Sounds like the C6 should be OK too, maybe not perfect but we shall see. It would be nice if I could compact my scope and mount collection, the 150P while compact enough stood upright, is still large enough to be in the way and not in a nice neat box.