Motor Drive for EQ2

[Stargazer 2013]

Evening

I have a Skywatcher 130p scope and now want a motor for it. I think I would need a synscan to type what I want to see so  the motor moves to what I want to see,is that correct? something like this?

http://www.opticalvision.co.uk/astronomical_accessories/motor_drives_and_goto_upgrades

Could someone point me to the right item? Also what is the point of having a motor with no synscan? what does the motor do without it?

Thanks chaps

[Stargazer 2013]

Sky-Watcher Explorer 130-P

[ronin]

I think that for the EQ2 you can only fit a single RA motor that is battery driven.

It will in effect only track and that is if the mount is well aligned.

Motors alone are there simply to make life easier.

Without one you would have to locate an objected and watch it disappear out of view or play with the twiddly bits trying to keep it in view.

With motors you still have to find whatever but then it will hopefully stay in view long enough for you to get bored and go start again on something else. Or let someone else take a look, as in: I have found Saturn, take a look at this. When the other person takes a look it is still there. Works well in actual fact.

If you want Synscan then a bigger mount is required and I (personally) am not sure putting a goto on an EQ3-2 is really worth the money outlay. Simply the cost of the goto seems high for the nature of the mount.

[Cornelius Varley]

There is no synscan upgrade for the eq2 mount. You could, however, buy a synscan az goto mount for about £210.

[Stargazer 2013]

I see,so motors move really slowly to keep up with the stars that are moving?

[JamesF]

I see,so motors move really slowly to keep up with the stars that are moving?

The lower-end EQ mounts tend to have motors that turn the axes (and most importantly turn the RA axis at sidereal rate), but don't do anything such as GOTO and won't track something unless you have good polar alignment (which is a bit of an effort with the EQ2 because it has no polar scope).

A suitably capable and stubborn person could probably turn an EQ2 into a "GO somewhere near" mount for around £100, but it's never going to be great.  Replacing it would probably be the easiest option, especially if you can find a suitable mount second hand.

And just for the record, remember it's the Earth that's rotating, not the stars that are moving (visibly)  The motors track the stars by turning the mount to counteract the rotation of the Earth.

James

[Stargazer 2013]

The lower-end EQ mounts tend to have motors that turn the axes (and most importantly turn the RA axis at sidereal rate), but don't do anything such as GOTO and won't track something unless you have good polar alignment (which is a bit of an effort with the EQ2 because it has no polar scope).

A suitably capable and stubborn person could probably turn an EQ2 into a "GO somewhere near" mount for around £100, but it's never going to be great.  Replacing it would probably be the easiest option, especially if you can find a suitable mount second hand.

And just for the record, remember it's the Earth that's rotating, not the stars that are moving (visibly)  The motors track the stars by turning the mount to counteract the rotation of the Earth.

James

And just for the record, remember it's the Earth that's rotating, not the stars that are moving (visibly)  The motors track the stars by turning the mount to counteract the rotation of the Earth.

Yes I knew that lol..It's my way of saying it