Looking to upgrade from NEQ6 Pro and dedicate it to my parents

[Chris]

Regarding the Avalon - I tried dual mounting side by side with my frac and my RC - Including the dual mounting bar (which is a monster) I reckon the weight came to about 20kgs. I found that while the guiding was fine, the goto accuracy was poor.

This was one indication of an overloaded mount and I didn't want to think about what stress I could have been placing on the innards of the mount. So took it off and there's just one scope on there now - Perfect!

I wouldn't ever say whether I think your setup would be fine or not - All I can comment on is the weight that my scope was taking and how it coped. If your weight is less, then perhaps your experience would be different........ It would be wrong of me to offer advise when I have no experience of your situation.

No you're right, an unfair question perhaps. I think I would be carrying less weight but I will take heed of your exerience with the Alavon with 20kg load when I'm making my choice.

Thanks

[perfrej]

I would stay with the 6 and spend some more time on it. PE is not an issue when they are properly adjusted and they guide just fine for any length sub in that state.

Moving up is difficult. For me, hating guiding like the plague, there is nothing worth the effort north of NEQ6 and south of a 10Micron. Lots of good mounts, yes, but if the NEQ6 can carry your load and guide well then there is no gain in upgrading just for the heck of it.

I do not trust the EQ8. The Avalons are wonderful mounts that perform extremely well, but again, if you have to guide that and your NEQ6 doesn't lose subs guiding, what's the point in upgrading?

A Paramount MyT may very well be capable of unguided imaging if properly PEC:ed and used with Protrack. I do not trust AP electronics enough to think that they will run well unguided. If you do trust them then the software to do it is another $500 on top of the mount. If you want encoders then another $7000 pops up in your face.

My advice, obviously, is to spend some time on the 6 and turn it into a performer. Buy a great refractor and wait for the day when a 10Micron zooms by you

/per

[Chris]

Thanks Per, 

I've decided to take Sara and your advice and finally learn all this guiding stuff I was initially thinking a 2-3K mount would be a good upgrade to improve non guiding perfermance but its become clear this simply isn't the case.

I'll give guiding a fair go and if I hate it I'll bite the bullet on a 10 micron or Mesu 200. I will give guiding a proper go first though as its a lot of money!

As I already have the C8 plus WO66 setup, I'll jump in at the deep end trying to guide the C8! If this fails I will buy a long dovetail so I can mount the WO66 on my 130pds. 

Thanks very much for everyones help

[perfrej]

I think that is a wise move. How about a Tak FSQ-106 or a TEC-140 to replace the small refractor you have? Both favorites of mine

The Mesu is a great mount but actually pretty uncharted territory in terms of unguided use. For guided use it is a true performer with impressive load capability.

/per

[Chris]

lol both legendary fracs Per I agree, I've heard nothing but good things about them, but maybe I'll concentrate on getting subs longer than 60 seconds first hey

I'm really enjoying the C8 Edge, its a cracker for visual with DSO, Moon and wow the planets! and from my 30 second subs the DSO imaging looks quite promising for galaxies and PN's. The little WO66 is really nice apart from the focuser isn't really cut out for imaging.

I was kind of extrapolating how well the Mesu guides at 2.4 metres based on Olly's posts and thought to myself it might be a safe-ish bet at shorter focal lengths unguided, still nearly 5k though and not sure about my logic!

Just to get things into perspective my car cost me 690 pounds from ebay!

[Tezrez]

Hi, looking at your post I am also looking for a mount. Whilst I looked at some one local he had a NEQ6 converted to belt driven one, equal to a AZ-NEQ6. For £230 it seems a good option. However if your spending more good luck. Its my first scope and mount. Bought a William Optics 90mm, just need the mount.Can't remember the person who converts though.

Thanks Tez

[ollypenrice]

My shortlist would be Avalon, Mesu and 10 Micron. For unguided it has to be 10 Micron. The Mesu could do about 3 minutes unguided at 2.4 metres (0.66 arcsecs/pixel) but, as Per will tell you, driving at perfect sidereal rate is not enough. You need feedback, be it from encoders and sky model, or from a guider, to correct for atmospheric refraction at varying altitude.

Then there is the matter of the mount's emotional significance to you. I would only buy a mount in your touching circumstances which was genuinely built to last and, in time, be serviced through identifiable channels. The three on my shortlist are all beautifully and sincerely made in an engineering spirit I admire.

The Avalon is the smallest and does need guiding. It has some elasticity in the drive but no backlash. (I know my friend Paul challenges this view but mine does.) The elasticity, to my considerable surprise, does not stop the mount from performing well and a short, light, long FL instrument is somethiing on which it really thrives, as Sara shows almpost weekly! It is carved from solid, runs dry, is of absolute engineering integrity, can be repaired and has the backup of one of the nicest guys in astronomy, the company boss Luciano.

I've bored you all often enough on the Mesu but you have to like a mount that has never dropped a single sub in 3.5 years (and we are fans of the 30 minute sub here...)

And finally I see three Ten Microns working robotically in our 'Remote Shed' with not a guider in sight, so that's kind of convincing too.

If integrity is a byword in your scenario, and I suspect it is, then these mounts and makers have it.

Guiding? Switch on camera, open guide programme, take picture, choose star and press Go. Now c'mon, if I can do it... (cos Per will tell you how Not Very Technical I am on software and electronics...)

I like your project and think it's a good thing to do.

Olly

[laser_jock99]

I have a couple of what were ropey old black MK1 EQ6 mounts. With a bit of fettling and modification (i.e. Syntrek upgrade + one now has Rowan belt mod) both now guide as well as a brand new EQ6 (20 min+ subs). On that basis I wouldn't totaly dismiss the EQ6 if you're prepared to giude.

[Chris]

Hi guys, the thread has been bumped after 6 months. I sold the EQ6 cheap in the end, and after much discussion with SWMBO and our mortgage adviser we agreed it best to pay as much off our mortgage with my parents money as possible.   

I did treat myself to brand new mount from FLO, a modest Celestron AVX with an ADM saddle upgrade to go with my existing C8. I'm very happy with the mount and grateful to my parents for it  

My parents never got to hear about us having baby twin girls last summer, they would  have loved them especially my mum who always wanted a girl but had 4 boys! The money my parents left means a better future for them and I'm sure my parents would approve of that

I'm kind of glad I didn't drop 3k on a mount in the end. As it turns out I hardly got anytime to image over last winter with 3 kids under 4. I'm having to stick to grab and go visual for now.

[Paul M]

I'm late to this thread and can't really advise on mounts.

Anyway, mother died about 18 years ago, a bit too young.

My father died just over 5 years ago.

Somehow my mother's death was more manageable because dad was there to hold us together.

When he died I really struggled. I was told by those trying to comfort me that the loss of the second parent hits the hardest. I don't know how universal that is.

I can't imagine how you coped.

Like you I inherited a third of dads estate. Very modest, but we paid a chunk off our mortgage and updated the car and had a holiday.

I kept a bit back though. I'd promised myself a new scope and sat on the money for ages, unable to decide how best to spend it.

I did spend it in the end and every time I set up my fancy new Sky Watcher I remember those magical evenings as a boy in the 70's when my old dad came outside and shared my first views through the 60mm Dixons refractor I got for Christmas in 1977.

The very first thing I saw through it was Spica just as dawn broke on Christmas morning. 

My parents didn't fully understand my enthusiasm for a pin [removed word] of light but they were happy that I was happy.

You've spent wisely and I hope that every time you use your modest new kit it brings you fond memories too.

[Avo]

For those of you out there guiding with an EQ6 / NEQ6, do you have any figures for guided accuracy that can be achieved whilst imaging.

I'm currently looking at a mount upgrade and am hovering between the EQ6 and it's well known limitations, modest cost and available mods, to EQ8 which is said to be a lot better, but would I then hanker for a Mesu / 10 Micron or equivalent. 

[Earl]

I cant give you numbers, but if your planning on your 80ed or 200p a standard eq6 will be fine and if setup a tweaked should work perfectly fine, the rowan belt mode for instance will again make it better.

If your thinkning long term a better mount could be a consideration, I di dlook at the EQ8 but at the time i was spending it was getting very mixed reviews from all across the world so i decided to go for something else. I cant speak for the current crop as i dont pay attenton to it.

[AndyKeogh]

For those of you out there guiding with an EQ6 / NEQ6, do you have any figures for guided accuracy that can be achieved whilst imaging.

I'm currently looking at a mount upgrade and am hovering between the EQ6 and it's well known limitations, modest cost and available mods, to EQ8 which is said to be a lot better, but would I then hanker for a Mesu / 10 Micron or equivalent. 

I think you are off topic.  May I suggest you start a new thread and I will respond with what I have learnt in the first 4 months of this year.  in the meantime I will continue my investigations into why I will buy a Mesu 200

Andy