GEM Concerns

[sesquiflat]

Hello all, I'm worried that I've put a lot of money into something that might not work. Is it possible to take good looking photos of the night sky while only using a right ascension drive? My mount did not come with a declination drive, or a go to controller. Here is a link to my scope and mount's specs, http://www.celestron.com/browse-shop/astronomy/telescopes/astromaster-114eq-telescope

[baggywrinkle]

You will be able to photograph but if you want high detailed DSO shots then this is not going to work.

This is a basic scope really for visual work, once on a target then you set the RA drive going and it will track but you would have to make minor corrections as the RA drive will have some errors as it is a simple geared motor drive.

[Dave In Vermont]

It would work - but for video-astrophotography for short-exposures. As a visual scope, it would be fine. But not for AP of long-exposure.

I'd suggest doing more research to find a more capable and accurate mount to handle precise tracking. If you want to do serious AP. If it's any solace, astronomy gear retains about 70% of it's original cost on the re-sale market.

Clear Skies,

Dave

[ronin]

You are unlikely to get great images, you should get some, and M42 + M45 come to mind.

The mount should only drive in RA in any case so as you have an RA motor you have that bit.

The problem is that I doubt the RA motor is exactly accurate, and from what I can see there is no facility to accurately polar align the mount itself.

The other problem is the design of the scope, it is a 1000mm focal length but the tube is 457mm. This means the design is a Bird-Jones, this means they put a "barlow lens" in the focuser to double the effective focal length. Adding one in does not help[ and they tend to put a cheap barlow in as well.

I would say your best option is to get a webcam and go image Jupiter and later in 2015 Saturn. Get a 90 second video and select the best and stack in Registax or similar.