Mounting options on SW HEQ5 Pro.

[Devil20]

New to the hobby and nosing around I'm getting a bit confused regarding dovetail mounts or otherwise with various mounts. I was thinking at some point that I'll likely get a better scope than I have a the moment. I know I'm always going to want something that is reasonably transportable "scope-wise" so the payload of the mount won't need to be too demanding. Considering something like the HEQ5 Pro Skyscan mount as a potential upgrade and "keeper" what type of dovetail mounts of cheapo starter scopes will it be able to cope with. I've got a Celestron 130EQ Newtonian. Admittedly it seems peverse mounting an OTA of about £50 (once I discount it's bundled tripod out of the equation) on a £750 HEQ5 Pro but until I decide what upgrade I'm going to want then I'll still need to use my starter scope. Will it fit on a HEQ5 without modification? In fact now we're on the subject, how many different mounting systems are there on amateur scopes?

[Devil20]

Sorry about the typo in the title. Is there any way to edit your posts once you've hit the post button?

[Cornelius Varley]

The 130 uses the same size dovetail as used on the HEQ5 so that shouldn't be a problem. The are 2 types of dovetail in common use (maybe more)

1 the vixen/synta dovetail (like your)

2 the wider Losmandy /Celestron CGE dovetail used on bigger mounts.

[Cornelius Varley]

Sorry about the typo in the title. Is there any way to edit your posts once you've hit the post button?

I'll do that for you

[red dwalf]

All the skywatcher and celestron mounts take vixen mounting bars or the newer mount models do both, vixen and Losmandy, vixen mounts are narrower than the Losmandy and Losmandy usually used for bigger scopes to ade stability.

[Devil20]

So there's only 2 mounting systems then? That's good.

[Devil20]

Almost forgot...thanks Cornelious mod bloke.