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Skywatcher EQ5 options


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Hi,

I am looking to replce the Eq5 Mount and Tripod that came with my Skywatcher 200p.

Would apprefciate other members feedback on options considering.

I am looking at either

HEq5 Pro Synscan Goto

EQ6 Syntrek

NEQ6 Pro

I appreciate price increase as mount goes up but would like few suggestions on other expierience.

I intend to get into Astro Photography Planets and Nebulas with DSLR or poss CCD but really unsure about CCD so may start with DSLR.

Would I be better off with the EQ6 and a Guide scope? or invest in the heavier NEQ6 Pro, but the misses amy kill me :)

I believe for longer exposer I will need a Guidescope?

I have a Laptop just for the Astro work, so can set up the scope with EQMod to control but also like the idae of the GOTO hand control, any advice be appreciated on this.

I have one other question which sound really like I know nothing, a little knowledge is a dangerous thing :) When photographing Nebula do the colours show up through the scope or is this only seen when processing on software?

Getting hooked on this and enjoying every clear sky I can.

Skywatcher 200p , Canon 550EOS , Laptop. Baader Hyperion lens x 2

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The first thing to do should be to invest less than £20 in this book: http://www.firstligh...e-richards.html (Usual Disclaimer). This will tell you what to do if you are interested in Astrophotography as well as what not to do! - thus saving you money in the long run.

Personally I would suggest a NEQ6 PRO if your budget will allow - it may seem expensive but it will make you fully "future-proof". A DSLR is an exellent way to start out in Astrophotography and you can nanage without a guide scope to start off (take lots of short - 30 sec or 60sec - "subs" and stack them to get your final image) and then get a guide scope and camera a little later. Your Canon camera will work well to get you started. EQMOD is exellent and has far more functionality than the handset. I would still go for the NEQ6 as you get a dual mount (it takes the larger dovetails as well as the thinner Skywatcher ones) and a longer counterweight bar.

As for colour - your eye sees in "real time" and in the darkness it only operates in monochrome (there isn't enough light for our eyes to make a colour image). However the camera is able to collect light over a longer period and collects in all wavelengths (ie in colour) all the time the shutter is open.

Welcome to the world of the empty wallet :grin: .

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Sono - I've just done the exact same mount upgrade from an EQ5 used with my SW 200p. It's taken me about 6 months to work through all the options and decide what to go for.

I opted for the Sky Watcher AZ-EQ6 mount. I decided if I was going for a chunky GOTO mount I might as well get the best I can afford .... and frankly I just felt mechanically and design wise the AZ had it over the NEQ6, albeit at the rather higher price. I also doubt I'm ever going to need to upgrade again so I might as well go for it.

I also do deep sky imaging and, despite some success with my EQ5, I had come to the view that a better mount with the option to guide was the way to go.

I've gone for a finder guider using the 9x50 SW guider with a QHY camera. The whole package bought from Modern Astronomy.

So far I've been very pleased with what I've bought. I've been fortunate enough to get a few clear nights recently to test everything out. The mount is in a different league to the EQ5. It's great having GOTO. I've polar aligned and star aligned successfully.

Guiding has been slightly more difficult to get in top of. Last night though, despite intermittent cloud and gusty winds, I successfully set up guiding with PHD software and verified that guiding worked. I ran tests comparing up to 8 minute exposures both guided and unguided. I'm delighted with the result.

Now I just need some clear skies!

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I think you're under estimating the ability of the EQ5 mount.There's a few of us on here,especially Quatermass(Mark) with this set up who've took superb photos,take a look at Mark's blog:

http://astrocasto.blogspot.co.uk/

For less than £200 you could upgrade the EQ5 with Tom Carpenters' superb AstroEQ and a pair of decent belt driven stepper motors or use the skywatcher motors if you already have them,cutting the cost down to just £80(DIY kit) for the AstroEQ.This will give you a GOTO system using EQMOD/Cartes du Ciel for just £80!

I have the AstroEQ/EQ5 with the skywatcher motors(should really upgrade to the belt driven stepper motors but funds won't allow at this present time) .The slews are slow with the skywatcher motors at just X63 but can't complain as I can honestly say it's been a godsend having the GOTO system,especially at this price :)

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Granted it's on it's limit but you just have to look at the results that some people have had with the EQ5/200P combo,it doesn't make sense spending £500+ on a mount when you could spend a fraction of that ?

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