EQ2 Skywatcher mount

[Dom1961]

Hello, i am thinking of getting the Skywatcher 130P with the EQ2 mount, is this any good? E.g. is it stable, easy to use, smooth, thanks!

[inedible_hulk]

It packs down small and is nice and light. You do get some vibration when focussing, but as long as the scope is well balanced, it settles down in seconds. I'd definitely recommend not extending the legs (I find it easier to observe sat down anyway) and it is at its limit with the 130P. The slow motion controls are smooth and being an EQ you only need to use one axis to follow your target. I had no problem sussing out how to use the EQ mount, TBH I'd say its pretty intuitive, but some some people can't get on with them. I can't fault it for the price, but there's definitely better EQ mounts out there, they just cost more!

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[pipnina]

I own that telescope (The one without a P in the name, that is. It's just 900mm instead of 650 and has a spherical mirror.). I can honestly say I'd rather have a 200p dob...

Word of warning: Don't put the R.A slow motion control on the mount- It will collide with the tube/get tangled with the dec slow mo. Use the metal slow mo built into the mount instead.

Don't bother polar sligning too much. Just get it "close enough", it has no polar scope and so won't be easy to align to any remarkable degree of accuracy.

That aside, if you can't streatch to the 200p dob or 150p EQ, I'm sure it will satiate a complete novice's (like me!) needs. At least, until he/she can afford better

        ~pipnina

[Dom1961]

Is it really that bad pipnina?:/

[D4N]

I have that scope, it gave me some nice planetary views but the mount isn't very good at all.

Some people fill the legs with sand to try and stabilise it a bit but this doesn't get around the poor quality of the controls.

The dec control beggars belief, it only has a small range of movement before you have to release the clutch and reset it. A nightmare for star hopping. How they managed to design it that way I have no idea as the RA control doesn't suffer from this. Maybe I got a duff one, but either way it gives an idea of the quality.

The finder mysteriously drains its battery between sessions even though it is turned off. This is most annoying as those batteries are expensive.

The 130P is ok as a starter scope but I think the EQ2 is a bit of a waste of money, a simple alt az mount is easier to use and if I am not using my goto (or I'm using that for imaging) I would rather use my simple camera tripod than lug out the EQ2 and fight with it. I'm all for EQ mounts but they don't work as well as alt az when they have been cheaply built.

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[pipnina]

I have that scope, it gave me some nice planetary views but the mount isn't very good at all.

Some people fill the legs with sand to try and stabilise it a bit but this doesn't get around the poor quality of the controls.

The dec control beggars belief, it only has a small range of movement before you have to release the clutch and reset it. A nightmare for star hopping. How they managed to design it that way I have no idea as the RA control doesn't suffer from this. Maybe I got a duff one, but either way it gives an idea of the quality.

The finder mysteriously drains its battery between sessions even though it is turned off. This is most annoying as those batteries are expensive.

The 130P is ok as a starter scope but I think the EQ2 is a bit of a waste of money, a simple alt az mount is easier to use and if I am not using my goto (or I'm using that for imaging) I would rather use my simple camera tripod than lug out the EQ2 and fight with it. I'm all for EQ mounts but they don't work as well as alt az when they have been cheaply built.

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You're not alone with the DEC control issue. I find it very frustrating with my EQ2 mount how the DEC slow mo runs out of turn very quickly. Also: the dec reaches a certain point where it becomes harder and harder to move at certain points, then you move it past that and it clunks and is smooth again until you move it back.

I honestly hate the mount. The scope is decent for the price, though.