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NEQ-6 or HEQ-5

Naemeth

By Naemeth
in Discussions - Mounts

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Naemeth

Naemeth

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I'm planning on starting AP, both Deep Sky with my ED80 (and ST80 guide scope) and Planetary with my incoming Mak OMC200. My question is, should I be looking at a HEQ-5 or NEQ-6? The way I see it is that the HEQ-5 will support both the OTAs I will be using, and the NEQ-6 might just be over-mounting and over-spending ;). I never intend to mount my 250PX on an equatorial mount by the way, and I'm not planning on getting any larger imaging OTAs, so, what would you do?

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Uplooker

Uplooker

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If you have the money I would go for the NEQ6. Just because it has a greater load capacity and is therefore more stable. Not sure, but I think the NEQ6 is helped by the fact it has thicker (2 inch?) tripod legs. I would personally go fot eh Syn trek as it has all the same internals as the Syncsan, so you can then use EQMOD to give you the GoTo capability - with the addition of a cable - and save yourself around £100 :grin: well i suppose £60 once you spend the £40 on the cable

Ian

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Naemeth

Naemeth

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If you have the money I would go for the NEQ6. Just because it has a greater load capacity and is therefore more stable. Not sure, but I think the NEQ6 is helped by the fact it has thicker (2 inch?) tripod legs. I would personally go fot eh Syn trek as it has all the same internals as the Syncsan, so you can then use EQMOD to give you the GoTo capability - with the addition of a cable - and save yourself around £100 :grin: well i suppose £60 once you spend the £40 on the cable

Ian

That's the thing. Money is fairly tight, in a way that means I'd have to wait until end of February to afford a 2nd hand HEQ-5 Synscan, and end of March for the NEQ-6.

Maybe, one day, I'll be done with astro spending for a while :rolleyes:. That'd be great 

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Luke

Luke

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If you tend to add new gear (! :grin: ) maybe the higher load capacity on the NEQ6 may come in handy in future?

Sarah and I are sticking with a HEQ5 instead of an NEQ6, for the lighter weight. For imaging I was finding that the longer focal length scopes take more taming, so I'm retreating to shorter focal length, lighter scopes, and we no longer need the higher load capacity of the NEQ6. Sarah can more easily move the HEQ5, and I find it more comfy to shift than the NEQ6.

We found the 2 inch legs on the NEQ6 a bit more stable than the HEQ5's 1.75 inch legs. Also, when compacted (legs shortened but accessory tray still attached), the NEQ6 legs had a slightly smaller footprint and lower height - handy when storage space is tight. :smiley:

We have since given the HEQ5 Vixen Hal 130 legs, which are surprisingly sturdy for their light weight. :laugh: They also can fold up fully/partly without having to unscrew anything, handy for squeezing the mount through tight spaces.

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Naemeth

Naemeth

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If you tend to add new gear (! :grin: ) maybe the higher load capacity on the NEQ6 may come in handy in future?

Sarah and I are sticking with a HEQ5 instead of an NEQ6, for the lighter weight. For imaging I was finding that the longer focal length scopes take more taming, so I'm retreating to shorter focal length, lighter scopes, and we no longer need the higher load capacity of the NEQ6. Sarah can more easily move the HEQ5, and I find it more comfy to shift than the NEQ6.

We found the 2 inch legs on the NEQ6 a bit more stable than the HEQ5's 1.75 inch legs. Also, when compacted, the NEQ6 legs had a slightly smaller footprint and lower height - handy when storage space is tight. :smiley:

We have since given the HEQ5 Vixen Hal 130 legs, which are surprisingly sturdy for their light weight. :laugh: They also can fold up fully/partly without having to unscrew anything, handy for squeezing the mount through tight spaces.

If I add more gear my room is going to look even more like a separate storeroom for FLO :D.

My main concern is the Mak, I know the ED80 won't stress the HEQ-5, but perhaps the 9kg-ish of the Mak plus all the imaging gear might?

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nmoushon

nmoushon

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I'd vote for the HEQ5 also. Once you get the Mak and put it on and feel as if the mount is struggling a bit with you can also take off the ST80 and switch to a 9x50 finderguider. I've gotten 15min exposures with mine when combined with my ED80 and I wasn't even trying to get long subs. Thats what I was able to get "straigh out of the box" so to say. I've also read several forums that suggest that you get just as good guiding results from a ST80 as you would a 9x50 finderguider. The only plus to the ST80 is you will have a bit more options for stars to pick from because of the extra 30mm of aperture. I see this as only a plus if you are in pretty heavy LP areas. I use to live in the middle of the red area on the LP maps and I never had a problem getting a guide star with my 9x50. Well untill the object started venture to much to the West but that was where the large city that was only 5miles away. So I would stop imaging near that point anyways.

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Naemeth

Naemeth

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I think the Mak is about 8kg, so will be fine with finder guider and planetary camera. I don't think I'll try DS photography with it though, 4 metres of focal length and F/20 is hardly nice on the beginner :Envy:

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nmoushon

nmoushon

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I think the Mak is about 8kg, so will be fine with finder guider and planetary camera. I don't think I'll try DS photography with it though, 4 metres of focal length and F/20 is hardly nice on the beginner :Envy:

LOL I didn't realize what the FL of the Mak was or that you intended to use for plantery. Yes you are right. Good luck trying to guide at 4m of FL with a finder guider.

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Naemeth

Naemeth

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LOL I didn't realize what the FL of the Mak was or that you intended to use for plantery. Yes you are right. Good luck trying to guide at 4m of FL with a finder guider.

Yeah, not going to happen :rolleyes:. Maybe, just maybe with a Mesu.

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perfrej

perfrej

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Not ever... ASA, 10Micron, Mesu, Paramount - don't matter.

As for guiding, I have found that a finder-guider works very well. I have used it successfully on an NEQ6 with 1.3m focal length. But you have to use really advanced guiding software; metaguide or PHD (I prefer the latter).

The question of HEQ5 versus NEQ6 is easily answered in my world; NEQ6. It is a totally awesome mount at a ridiculously low price. Needs tweaking, though, and preferably a belt mod.

/per

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