Anybody use a cat on a manual alt/az mount?

[rowan46]

as a portage astronomer using an 80mm f6 scope I miss getting a decent look at planets and faint fuzzies and figure that I could probably manage to carry a c6 ota. How are they to use on an alt az manual mount. Having the narrow fov makes them more difficult tracking manually but how much more? Is it an exercise in futility? or is it something that comes quite naturally with practice? I always thought I would get a c5 again but from what I read that extra inch makes a lot of difference.

[michael.h.f.wilkinson]

I have but my C8 on my alt-az mount

It definitely works, but I prefer to star-hop equatorially

[E621Keith]

My C925 and Skytee. It works, but the FOV is narrow so you will need a good finder scope.

I think SCT are works better on Alt-Az mount than Newt or refractor of the same aperture. Mostly because they have a short tube, so they are less likely to hit the base or the tripod legs.

I also prefer equatorial mount, but Alt-Az is quicker to set up. Consider an Alt-Az mount with slow motion control. It makes tracking much easier.

[rowan46]

My C925 and Skytee. It works, but the FOV is narrow so you will need a good finder scope.

I think SCT are works better on Alt-Az mount than Newt or refractor of the same aperture. Mostly because they have a short tube, so they are less likely to hit the base or the tripod legs.

I also prefer equatorial mount, but Alt-Az is quicker to set up. Consider an Alt-Az mount with slow motion control. It makes tracking much easier.

Fprgot to mention my mount doesn't have slo/mo

[michael.h.f.wilkinson]

Fprgot to mention my mount doesn't have slo/mo

Neither does mine

[emadmoussa]

My cat won't sit still on the mount...keeps purring :D

I'll stick around though.

[rowan46]

My cat won't sit still on the mount...keeps purring :D

I'll stick around though.

No don't. Go and get your coat

[Stu]

I tried the mak on my giro II but the tripod wasn't up to that sort of weight, too wobbly. I've got the EQ6 tripod now which should sort it out but haven't tried it yet.

As mentioned, because of the narrow fov, a decent finder will be a great help.

None of this sounds particularly portable though! How about a mini giro on a lightweight but sturdy tripod?

Stu

[rowan46]

My mount will take 7kg and my tripod will take 25kg the whole lot at the moment weighs 5kg which is fairly easy to carry

[Stu]

Sounds good then. What kit is it?

[rowan46]

http://www.teleskop-...-bis-100mm.html on a cullman titan

http://www.speedgrap...od/22950_p.html I got the tripod 2nd hand from somebody who used to use a 6" apo on it

[Stu]

Looks nice kit. Tripod is not cheap!

I'm looking for something able to take a bit more weight than my Berlebach 2022, but still be nice and portable.

Stu

[rowan46]

Looks nice kit. Tripod is not cheap!

I'm looking for something able to take a bit more weight than my Berlebach 2022, but still be nice and portable.

Stu

The tripods can be picked up 2nd user on german ebay there's usually a couple around but will still cost around the £200 mark

[John]

I had a Celestron C5 on an AZ-3 a while back. It worked surprisingly well

[michael.h.f.wilkinson]

That Ethos(?) EP seems to outclass the C5

[rowan46]

I had a nexstar5 and loved the portability of the ota but although I could see some of the globular clusters it never really got much resolution except under very dark skies. Hoping the c6 will show me better views in real life not just theoretically

[rowan46]

That Ethos(?) EP seems to outclass the C5

I wouldn't say that the c5 is a remarkably classy and underrated scope. it does sort of overwhelm it a bit though

[John]

I've owned 3 C5's over the years. They are a bit on the small side for the SCT design but are versatile and very portable. I found their performance was about the same as an ED102 refractor, possibly a little better on DSO's.

I believe NASA uses them on board the ISS.

I put the Ethos 13 in the diagonal for a joke really. Mark at Beaufort posted a pic of a PST with a 13mm Ethos on board once - that really did look an odd couple but apparently the Ethos worked very well

[rowan46]

Has anyone used a c5 and c6? The ability to carry this some distance is important to me so is the upgrade in actual performance worth 2x the weight? never looked through a c6

[faulksy]

I had a Celestron C5 on an AZ-3 a while back. It worked surprisingly well

which end did you look through :grin:

[Mark at Beaufort]

I use a 180 Mak Cass on the original dual Skytee mount with a Skywatcher 1.75" metal tripod. Had some great views of Saturm with over 300x mag with no problem moving the scope to keep the planet in view.

Mark

[Dunkster]

I've used my C6 on my mini porta which is pushing it weight wise! Keeping the tripod low and using the slow motion controls gently made it usable. I'd rather have it than no scope. I didn't really go to really high power, but on something a little more sturdy it should be no problem. The key is a good finder.

With regards to light grasp... the bigger the better. From my old light polluted suburb I had used a 127 Mak, a C6 and a C8 and the C6 would resolve a number of stars of M13, the C8 resolved a whole lot more. Obviously, the results from a dark site would be much different.

With regards to planetary, I'd hazard a guess that the seeing would play as much a part of deciding what you see as the aperture, at least between the C5 and C6.

[Stargazer_00]

I've often been really tempted to get a s/h C8 and put it on my AZ4. Can't shake this feeling that it might be really good and I know others have done it so it does work.

the issue for me is that I'd probably have to get some tube rings for the OTA as the dovetail is mounted in the wrong place for an AZ4.

[E621Keith]

I've often been really tempted to get a s/h C8 and put it on my AZ4. Can't shake this feeling that it might be really good and I know others have done it so it does work.

the issue for me is that I'd probably have to get some tube rings for the OTA as the dovetail is mounted in the wrong place for an AZ4.

I think C8 has holes for finder drilled on both sides. You just need to move the finder shoe from one side to the other and Bob's your uncle. you don't need new tube rings

[Dunkster]

Keith beat me to it, but the C8 is sold for both Alt/Az and EQ mounting, so there are opposing holes for dovetail and multiple holes for a finder in suitable locations for either way of mounting.