Deep Sky Photography with EQ-5 mount

[Ant-33]

Folks, I have to say, you guys are awesome! You've all been so helpful with your responses. I think, honestly, without SGL I'd still be in the dark ages probably literally.

Thanks for sharing your experience and wisdom with me.

SGL Rocks And so do all of you kind folks.

[Dave_D]

It's true though about what people say though... the mount is probably the most important piece of equipment. Although I've had some good results so far, tonight was a total farce because of the wind. A quick look at the collection of lights and I'll end up deleating 70% - 80% of my lights because of wind and the overload on the mount. I'm just hoping that with a lot of people getting EQ8's, there'll be a few EQ6's for sale (hopefully not involving me selling a kidney or two to afford one)

[lensman57]

Hi, A.G. I guess I'll find out whether the FL is suitable, so I'll see what I can achieve with it. I confess, at the moment I didn't have a coma corrector on my shopping list, but now you come to mention it, once I'm getting good enough results to see the coma I'll probably want one I hadn't thought about the possibility of it making the scope faster, but that's a good point - I think f/5 is a pretty good starting point, but the faster the better up to a point.

The 80 ED looks a nice scope, and would be perfect on this mount, so maybe one day... I've already asked my wife for gear for this Christmas, so maybe next year

The question of the mount aside, I tink that the ED 80 and the 200p  compliment each other.

A.G

[ronin]

Give it a go and see what comes out.

The "problem" with AP is there is no real end point, easy to spend £15,000 on equipment. Someone around me has a nice used mount for AP up for sale, it is £4,300 and makes an EQ6 look lightweight.

So give what you have a go and you will get used to the capture and processing and also should gain more idea of what you may wish to change, if anything.

[RobertI]

I have a non-goto CG5 (same as an EQ5) and a I am able to take un-guided exposures of more than 5 minutes with my WO 66mm f5 refractor and alignment with just the polar scope. The mount is very capable if you keep the weight of the scope down. If you find it hard to get good results with the 200P on the EQ5 then a lightweight refractor would guarantee the good results without too much effort.

[Dave_D]

I have a non-goto CG5 (same as an EQ5) and a I am able to take un-guided exposures of more than 5 minutes with my WO 66mm f5 refractor and alignment with just the polar scope. The mount is very capable if you keep the weight of the scope down. If you find it hard to get good results with the 200P on the EQ5 then a lightweight refractor would guarantee the good results without too much effort.

True that... this is what a moderate breeze does to my 10" f4.8 on a vixen GP

could almost pass it off as the remenants of ISON 

[Ant-33]

It's true though about what people say though... the mount is probably the most important piece of equipment. Although I've had some good results so far, tonight was a total farce because of the wind. A quick look at the collection of lights and I'll end up deleating 70% - 80% of my lights because of wind and the overload on the mount. I'm just hoping that with a lot of people getting EQ8's, there'll be a few EQ6's for sale (hopefully not involving me selling a kidney or two to afford one)

Sorry to hear about your trouble with wind    I'm pretty well sheltered here, and so far haven't had too much problem with the EQ-5 in that respet. I think that's luck, though. Perhaps I'm more of a wimp about when I go out observing as well.

[Ant-33]

The question of the mount aside, I tink that the ED 80 and the 200p  compliment each other.

A.G

Good point. I really like the look of the ED 80.

[Ant-33]

Give it a go and see what comes out.

The "problem" with AP is there is no real end point, easy to spend £15,000 on equipment. Someone around me has a nice used mount for AP up for sale, it is £4,300 and makes an EQ6 look lightweight.

So give what you have a go and you will get used to the capture and processing and also should gain more idea of what you may wish to change, if anything.

It's true - whatever I look at doing to upgrade just seems like the thin end of a very big upgrade wedge. In some sense, though, the challenge of working on a particularly tight budget is rather enjoyable. I'm sure it wouldn't be boring to be able to easily spend 15 grand, but It's certainly a lot of fun to do it on a budget.

[sidelight]

It's true - whatever I look at doing to upgrade just seems like the thin end of a very big upgrade wedge. In some sense, though, the challenge of working on a particularly tight budget is rather enjoyable. I'm sure it wouldn't be boring to be able to easily spend 15 grand, but It's certainly a lot of fun to do it on a budget.

Upgrade?  I've still got a list as long as my arm of things I really can't do this hobby without and yet I go out whenever its clear and just get on with not doing it ;-)