Nexstar 6SE - Mount / Wedge / Guide scope recommendations

[Stian]

Hi,

I am planning on upgrading my current setup which is a Nexstar 6SE w/ standard mount. (Starting up slowly with some imaging.)

1. New mount vs Wedge

Option 1:  Celestron Advanced VX Computerized German Equatorial Mount

Option 2:  Celestron EQ Wedge for NexStar 6/8SE Evolution Telescopes (500 USD cheaper than option 1)

Would it be worth the extra cost and replace the mount completely with option 1. Are there any other recommended mounts that fits the 6SE?

2. Guide scope

Can this be combined and also used as a finder scope?

Any recommendations from other users with a 6SE or 8SE. Ideally it should be easy to mount and have the possibility to connect to a PC (Web cam or similar) 

br/

Stian

[ollypenrice]

Go for a new mount. Wedges are expensive, a hassle to align and rely on the drives of the standard mount working well enough for autoguiding. If they don't, your investment is wasted. Scan the imaging forums and see how many people use fork and wedge. Very few. This is not an accident.

It doesn't have to be Celestron either. Choose your mount from scratch (which doesn't exclude Celestron, of course.)

Olly

[paul mc c]

Make a wedge,this cost probably a fiver.

[michael8554]

Hi Stian

Wedges can be a hassle to setup because of their often poor mechanical adjustment, but if you're on a permanent pier, it will only need to be adjusted occasionally.

But look on SGL for how many people have trouble Polar Aligning their EQ mounts. Loads. This is not an accident....... :->

Seriously, Nexstar 6SE users correct me if I'm wrong, but I'd guess that it's not a good long-term investment for guided imaging. 

The Celestron wedge for this model seems to be discontinued, a Meade LX200 wedge might fit, used ones are often available.

If i'm right, sell it as it is (don't dismount the OTA, you won't get much for the mount on its own),  and get a suitable GoTo EQ mount, and a SCT, Newtonian, or Refractor OTA, at a focal length to match your imaging aspirations.

Michael

[ollypenrice]

I had a thing called the Meade Supa Wedge, or some such insult to the English language. (However, it wasn't the bottom end model. They did make an even worse one.) It consisted of a collection of crude castings, none of them machined anywhere, with the bolt holes cast in as well rather then being drilled, as I recall. The whole lot was bolted together with sloppy fitting bolts and, when you loosened one axis to adjust it, it would move again when retightened while also disturbing the other axis. This back and forth nightmare went on for hours.

However hard an individual might find it to align a GEM, they would find it harder to align a wedge.

I really agree with Michael above. I de-forked a 10 inch LX200 to try to use it for DS imaging. I should have kept it for what it was good at because I have still never taken a keepable DS image with it and no longer try. I use refractors.

Olly

[michael8554]

Never had a EQ mount, but I would guess the Dec adjustment rigmarole is much the same as with a Meade wedge:

loosen clamp,

move big screw a bit,

tighten clamp,

hope it hasn't moved.

The real killer on the Meade wedge is the RA adjustment.

Even on the Super/Mega/Hyper/ models:

loosen the clamps,

take up the mechanical slack on the adjustment mechanism,

then move the star to a new position,

tighten the clamps,

notice that now the star isn't where you wanted to adjust it to,

repeat as necessary until it is. 

Michael

[brantuk]

I wouldn't get a wedge for a single arm alt/az scope - it's messy enough setting up a dual arm alt/az scope with a wedge - which is much more stable. It'll give you problems and nightmares aplenty - sell the alt/az complete then get a driven EQ mount (preferably goto) and new scope is my advice. Presumably you want to image dso's using long exposure if you're looking for accurate RA tracking, so it's doubtful you'll get another Sct for that.

[ChrisLX200]

I had a thing called the Meade Supa Wedge, or some such insult to the English language. (However, it wasn't the bottom end model. They did make an even worse one.) It consisted of a collection of crude castings, none of them machined anywhere, with the bolt holes cast in as well rather then being drilled, as I recall. The whole lot was bolted together with sloppy fitting bolts and, when you loosened one axis to adjust it, it would move again when retightened while also disturbing the other axis. This back and forth nightmare went on for hours.

However hard an individual might find it to align a GEM, they would find it harder to align a wedge.

I really agree with Michael above. I de-forked a 10 inch LX200 to try to use it for DS imaging. I should have kept it for what it was good at because I have still never taken a keepable DS image with it and no longer try. I use refractors.

Olly

That takes me back Olly ;-) And you're absolutely right about the SW which out of the box was a disaster for making fine adjustments. I completely rebuilt mine in the end, added thrust bearings, bronze bushings, new threaded rods, and so on. It worked OK after that but I should not have bothered because sadly the mirror in the 10" OTA still flopped about regardless!

ChrisH

[Physopto]

Second hand EQ6 in good condition. Almost unbeatable for the money.

Derek