EQ2 with RA motor...

[tingting44]

Hi guys i was thinking about getting a dovetail plate to attatch to my  AZ GOTO mount to try and increase my DSO subs as cheap as possible, but now im thinking about getting the EQ2 with the RA motor, no scope will be going on there its simply for my DSLR for DSO widefield shooting really, just wondering will this setup be much of an improvement? will this setup give me much more exposure time for DSO tho as ive been reading it tracks in sidereal for planets?

any help and info would be lovely

all the best

Martin

edit, one thing that is not clear is does the EQ2 come with a polar scope for aligning? if not surely you cant just point the mount in the general area of polaris to align? (also add will need to align with no telescope)

[bigbox]

Hi ya Martin, the EQ2 doesn't have the facility for a polar scope. for that you'd need at least the EQ3-2....

regards Ady

[tingting44]

that sucks a bit doesnt it Ady so you just have to guess then when you think polaris will be centered? or no way of adding a polar scope...

[NGC 1502]

that sucks a bit doesnt it Ady so you just have to guess then when you think polaris will be centered? or no way of adding a polar scope...

If you are a DIY sort, there will be a way to fit a polarscope to an EQ2.

But by the time you buy an EQ2, then a polarscope, plus the hassle of working out brackets etc to secure it accurately, maybe a larger mount intended for a polarscope is your best route.

For visual a casual polar alignment is good enough, not so for imaging.

Regards, Ed.

[tingting44]

Thanks Ed, the person selling the EQ2 mount said i can easily get 15 min subs with out precise polar alignment, do you think he is telling the truth as it seem quite long without even having a polar scope?

think im leaning towards getting an EQ3-2 now....

[JamesF]

It is possible to polar align without a polar scope, but it's a bit of a fag if you're going to need to do it every time you go out.

I think you'd be lucky to get 15 second subs without pretty good polar alignment unless you were imaging at a very short focal length.

James

[tingting44]

ill be imaging at 18mm focal length, the guy im buying the EQ3-2 (dual motor) off thinks i will get around 30 min subs without trailing

Edit, scrap that he has sold the mount to someone else the ***** grhhhh lol, guess im still on the look out for an EQ3-2 mount

[JamesF]

ill be imaging at 18mm focal length, the guy im buying the EQ3-2 (dual motor) off thinks i will get around 30 min subs without trailing

Edit, scrap that he has sold the mount to someone else the ***** grhhhh lol, guess im still on the look out for an EQ3-2 mount

I've done four minutes unguided at 200mm with my EQ3-2.  I'm not sure you'd want to do exposures as long as 30 minutes, but it may well be possible at 18mm.

James

[Alien 13]

Im not sure on the limits for an EQ3-2 but i can happily push mine to 2 mins at 400mm focal length which is more than enough fo me due to light polution.

The EQ2 or any mount can be aligned without a polarscope using the drift align method but it is time consuming and a bit of a faff if you only want to image with a camera and lens.

Alan

[NGC 1502]

Thanks Ed, the person selling the EQ2 mount said i can easily get 15 min subs with out precise polar alignment, do you think he is telling the truth as it seem quite long without even having a polar scope?

think im leaning towards getting an EQ3-2 now....

Dunno the answer to that one mate as I don't do imaging 

But I see that's irrelevant if the EQ2 has gone to someone else.   I think I'd go for larger mount, I'm told by clubmates that overmounting is good for imaging........undermounting adds to your problems.

All the best in your decisions, Ed.

[tingting44]

Thanks guys for all the comments, think i will just have to wait till another EQ3-2 pops up as i cant afford to go higher up in the range, the EQ3-2 will easily hold my DSLR which will be good enough for now, and if i dont need to expose for as long as 30 mins james that a bonus