First light with ZEQ25GT-M31

[kalasinman]

I know it doesn't compare with others efforts here, but I'm thrilled. Never had a mount of any kind before. Way out of balance due to supplied CW way too heavy, so no CW. I made one today, should help. Set up was very easy for novice. 10 x 2min subs, 10 dark, 20 bias, 20 flat. 400mm Tokina @f/8 ISO 400, un-modded Nikon D5100. Temp about 25C.

[VigdisVZ]

Excellent first try. What mount?

[ollypenrice]

Good first go. Any way you could cool the camera? That temperature is a pain for DSLRs. Even just a simple cool box or physio gel packs from the freezer.

Olly

[ronin]

Mount I presume as in the title: iOptron ZEQ25GT

Was it unguided?

[Chris]

Great first shot, please tell us more about this mount?

Edit, oh yes it's that new z shaped ioptron which keeps the centre of gravity down the centre of the mount, very neat!

Chris

[ronin]

Got to be honest the way that things are named and designated then knowing what ZEQ25GT actually is could be a problem, a few will have looked at the iOptron mounts and recognised the naming convention they use. Equally it could be a new 2.5 litre car aimed at long comfortable drives.  :grin:

[kalasinman]

Thanks for the kind words. @Olly, yes I have the gel packs and desiccant, bag all cut and ready, just waiting for some digital fridge thermometers I ordered.

@Ronin, yes unguided. What should I call it? If I said "first light with an EQ5" no prob, right?

With no counterweight I could hear it bouncing off the wrong side of the mesh. Properly balanced now, or at least close. :-)

[ronin]

I know what the mount is and who makes it, looking at getting one myself.

Oddly the iOptron mounts are not mentioned a great deal here. Slowly making inroads to astronomy but slowly. Equally here posts are often about problems, so if a mount works well there is not a lot mentioned about them. We are a strange place.

Many are used to EQ3,5,6,8, etc and nothing else, when ZEQ25GT gets into a title I can see a few people wondering what it is. Also here a fair percentage might expect that when you said First light with ZEQ25GT it refered to the scope not the mount.

I asked about "unguided" as the 2 minute exposures appear be at the limit, and I wondered if it was therefore unguided or not.

Nice mount it would seem, and the 25lb load capacity is nice.

May think of increasing the budget.

Does it take long to set it up?

[davedownsouth]

This is the mount I have and it is very good .  I would agree that two minutes is about the maximum exposure, and when I say this it means that if I take ten, two minutes shots, five of these will have perfectly round stars, and the other five will show some evidence of oval stars.  The only issue I have with the mount (and it is a big issue) is I can not get autoguiding set-up, so I am limited to two minutes exposures .

NB.  Set-up is very quick and polar aligning is simplicity itself with the iOptron App

[kalasinman]

@ Ronin, I have noticed that especially in the UK the Z isn't mentioned much. I purposefully titled that way hoping for confusion leading to investigation and discovery ;-). Set-up? Well there is none less experienced than me. I carry the whole kit inside together and back out again, no marks. I do use the polar scope and the Polaris position guide from the hand controller, then a one star align. Less than 5 minutes, I'd guess. That puts the targets in the viewfinder.

@Dave, sorry I don't have guiding, but have followed your posts. From what I've read elsewhere, ST4 seems to be less troublesome than pulse guiding.

This was my first attempt and I just went by others exposures. There a a fair number of reports of 5+ minute unguided exposures, but I assume with it close to a kilo camera heavy due to no CW and my first attempt at any set-up that my 2 minutes are good.

I have 2 places to set-up, my balcony, which is quick and easy, but blocked to the NE through SE, or a 3rd floor roof for which I have to pack the kit up a ladder, but has 360 degree clear sight. I think I'll get a better align from the clear site when I feel more confident.--Jack

[Leveye]

Great first effort your on your way! Of course most of the noise will be removed with more exposures then some bias and dark frames. Post processing will take care the color noise and blotchiness .

The  iOptron ZEQ25GT  has been the best investment i have ever made in this craft and has helped me achieve pictures i had only dreamed of at the time. This design is referred to as a CEM (Chinese equatorial mount). The big brother to it is out now. The CEM60. It only takes me 10 minutes to set up. It's quite portable and the standard issued tripod is great. There is also a 2' upgrade for it. 

Using the Z mount even unguided enabled me to capture comet ISON in the field and to be published in last February's ASTRONOMY magazine.I made the coverpage of the article. A dream!

Having owned this mount for over 2 years now I have had absolutely zero issues autoguiding with this mount. I can get 10 minute exposures quite easily.My only issue was the polarscope needing to be taken apart and cleaned and then re- collimated which was not that hard to do. There is a man on the east coast here in the states (V5Astro) that makes some amazing custom machined upgrades like leveling feet and a polarscope collar. Also oversized tension knobs for when the temps fall and you have gloves on.

If anyone has any questions regarding this mount feel free to message me.

[StuartJPP]

That is a great first effort.

The ZEQ25GT is the mount I am looking into...I like its mount to load ratio.

[sidelight]

Thats a great first effort!

Cheers

Ross

[kalasinman]

For those few considering this as a mount for a DSLR with no scope, the supplied CW is way too heavy. I believe at time of order the 2Kg CW  # 3006-05 would be perfect.--Jack

[Leveye]

For those few considering this as a mount for a DSLR with no scope, the supplied CW is way too heavy. I believe at time of order the 2Kg CW  # 3006-05 would be perfect.--Jack

The counterweight bar just by itself or with the optional extension bar acts as a counterweight with lesser rigs like that. I have no issues at all balancing just a DSLR and a camera lens.

[Pete Presland]

got to be happy with that image for a start, a little noisy maybe but well done!

[kalasinman]

@bunnygod1, I'm thrilled! Actually the first image. I know I made a real mess out of the processing, way over stretched. Nothing replaces more photons. I was checking and later discovered the usual villains: poor PA, balance, and cone error. Hopefully I'll learn.--Jack

[Oily]

 The only issue I have with the mount (and it is a big issue) is I can not get autoguiding set-up, so I am limited to two minutes exposures .

But that isn't down to the mount itself,just the camera you've bought?

I managed 20min subs with mine whilst practicing guiding using my AR80S/finder scope/QHY5L-II.

[davedownsouth]

But that isn't down to the mount itself,just the camera you've bought?

Not sure this is correct, as the computer will just not connect to the mount; nothing to do with the guide camera at the moment, that is the next step 

[Oily]

I got my lappy connected to the mount with no problem,the problem comes about when you try to use other programs at the same time that use the same ASCOM driver like AstroTortilla and CdC etc