Mount for Evostar 120

[DRT]

I have purchased a second-hand SkyWatcher Evostar 120 OTA and need to buy a mount for it.

I have absolutely no knowledge or experience of mounts for refractors and the depth of my knowledge of Polar Alignment is a vague notion that it must have something to do with pointing something at Polaris. I would appreciate the advice of the collective here please to avoid buying the wrong thing.

I will be using the Evostar for wide field observing. I do not intend branching out into AP other than using my iPhone to take snaps of the Moon.

Ideally I would like something with Goto and tracking as my knowledge of the sky is very limited and I have my 12" Dob if I want to do some star hopping or learning how to find my way around.

I will probably buy second hand so if you have an idea of the price of a used version of any mounts you suggest that would be really helpful.

Thanks

Derek

[ronin]

The EQ5 will hold the Evo120, the scope is not small but although an HEQ5 would be better there is the additional weight etc of the HEQ5.

If you did go to AP then the HEQ5 is preferable but the Evo 120 is not really the scope for AP.

You will need to balance it as that front lens is a fair chunk.

Really it is a case of the EQ5 should do it, the HEQ5 is certainly able.

If any grab and go aspect is intended then the EQ5 is a lot easier - it is smaller.

Alternatives I am not sure, the iOptron EQ mounts are good but also cost more then the Skywatcher.

One aspect is that the HEQ5 has upgrade options like a belt drive conversion, there is one for the EQ5 but the problem with that is you lose the gearing ratios so the goto is redundant.

When polar aligning remember that you are aligning the mount, not the scope.

[DaniAstro]

EQ5 will fit for visual with vibration. If more weight and money are not a problem than HEQ5 is the smarter choice. A mount in the middle of both is the new Bresser Exos-2 Goto that is better LXD-75 with larger LCD display and new ball-bearing. If you intend to use it in the future for astrophoto than it's better to get more stable mount.

[Bizibilder]

EQ5 would be fine - I use one for my own Evostar 120mm.  I also use it when taking DSLR shots of the Sun.  I have dual axis motors which are very useful - they also eliminate the vibration you can't avoid when trying to manually track.  Goto is an expensive option - a Telrad or regular finder should be enough to find your way around the sky.

[DRT]

Thanks, guys.

Interesting comparison between the Bresser and the HEQ5. Both seem to have all the toys and a decent payload capability but the Bresser is £250 cheaper, and the same price as the more basic EQ5.

[Bizibilder]

The Bresser goto is around the same as the EQ5 goto - it looks as if they are clones from the website pictures I have seen.

[MartinB]

I often use my ED120 with an old Vixen Super Polaris.  It manages fine although there is a little vibration it has the advantage of being very easy to lug out into the garden.  The nearest equivalent is an EQ3.  An EQ5 will be more than enough.  The bigger you go the more solid things become but the less you will feel like hauling it all out on a marginal night when you see a brief gap in the clouds.

[Grotemobile]

How about the Celestron CG-5.There is

always s/hand ones coming up someware.

This is my 4" refractor on one.Solid as a

rock.

Steve.

[Jim Steele]

I use a CG5 (older style with manual tracking) with my Tal100RS fine, so I cant immagine you'll have problems with the CG5 as reccomended above. I think either CG5 or EQ5 should suit.

Ben

[Luke]

Derek, I am going to suggest looking into using an alt-az manual mount instead rather than goto.

I use my Giro III with Vixen legs with my 100mm refractor. A 120 should be fine too though I don't know for sure whether you would need to counterbalance it.

The reason why I suggest this is that with your refractor you of course will have a lot less aperture than your dob. Do you really need goto? It will take a little longer to set up. Do you risk thinking, you'll put the dob out instead in the long run, because it's a bit simpler and has much more aperture?

And if you are intending to do widefield with the refractor, then it should be a little easier to find wide targets than narrow targets.

And you are already learning the sky with the dob anyhow.

That's just what I would be thinking, you may be completely different, but I hope that somehow helps and have a lot of fun with your frac!

[DRT]

Thanks, Luke, that's a whole new perspective for me to think about. It would presumably also involve a lot less money!

[Stu]

Good suggestion from Luke.

I've tried a number of giro mounts, a Mini Giro, Giro II, Ercole and just lately a Giro-WR. They all have their benefits, and the same basic advantages. I've found that the main thing to get right with them is the tripod, they are very stable in themselves, but do wobble if your tripod legs aren't up to the job. I use an EQ6 tripod with mine, the stainless steel 2" legged jobby and it is rock solid.

The other thing is balance. Make sure you have the counterweight bar and weight, and the motion will be much smoother. You may want to consider a half pillar to make the zenith easier unless you sit to observe.

Mine is very quick to setup, and Luke is right, better to have something that doesn't put you off using it. I love my vixen, but it has to be a special night to want to set it all up on the goto!! Learning the sky isn't that hard :-)

[John]

If you can do without tracking / GOTO and alt-azimuth is OK then a Giro type mount or a Skytee II will do the job well. I've tried an Evostar 120 on an AZ-4, in case you are considering it, and it's too much for that mount.

On equatorials, the CG5 is more solid than a standard EQ5 because of the 2" steel tubed legs and, importantly for a long tubed refractor, quite a bit taller !. I've used an Evostar 150mm F/8 on a driven CG5 and it was fine for visual observing.

The ED120 is a little easier to mount than the Evostar 120 as it's a little shorter and lighter. I tried an Evostar 120 on an EQ3-2 and the mount was barely adequate even with the 1.75" steel legged tripod option in play.

[nightfisher]

I would also suggest some thing like a giro, with practise you would be able to do some basic lunar imaging with this type of mount, also i agree the AZ4 would struggle with a 120 f8.9 frac

[DRT]

I was presented with the chance of an unused, still in the box EQ5 so couldn't resist...

I might still buy an AZ mount just to compare the two.

Is there an AZ mount that would fit on the EQ's tripod?

[Bizibilder]

Once you are used to it, the EQ mount is far easier to use - mainly because you can track objects using only one slow motion.  If you want it for "land" use just set the Polar axis horizontal and you have an alt-az mount!!

[Jim Steele]

Is there an AZ mount that would fit on the EQ's tripod?

A Giro or skytee 2 should work as an AZ option. Sure they are others

[Moonshane]

Hi Derek

I 'hate' using scopes where the eyepiece position leaves me with backache after a session.

My preference for a long frac is a giro with a tall pillar and I recently put one together

[Moonshane]

http://stargazerslounge.com/topic/221674-now-i-can-start-to-use-my-frac/#entry2383949

[DRT]

Looks great, Shane.

I've not managed to get the 120 & EQ5 out yet but even just playing around with it I can see there will be some interesting eyepiece positions!

I have a great chair which really helps when I need to get down low with my CPC so it will hopefully help with the frac too.

Mrs T tells me there is some garden andscaping to be done next year so perhaps I will sneak a pillar into the design

[DRT]

Derek, I am going to suggest looking into using an alt-az manual mount instead

I should have taken this advice

After a few weeks of faffing around with an EQ5 and a last night a CG-4 and having to bend my body into shapes I would  not have thought feasible I have decided to sell both and buy an AZ4 for my C6 SCT and 150 Newt and also sell the 120 Evo on the basis that Fracs just aren't doing it for me.

Suggested alternatives to the AZ4 would be welcome

[John]

......Suggested alternatives to the AZ4 would be welcome

The AZ-4 would do fine with either the C6 SCT or the 6" F/5 newt. Alternatives could include a Skytee II or a Giro-type mount such as the Altair Sabre.