Need a mount for a Sky-Watcher 200 P reflector

[PESKYWAABBIT]

Hi there,

This is one of my first posts and I'm in need of some advice please

For the last 12 years I've been using a older Vixen 80m Refractor with a Super Polaris Equatorial mount both from the 1980'site.  I've just been setting that up in the garden and spying on the Moon and Saturn and such.

Recently I just bought myself a second hand but brand basically new OTA Sky-Watcher 200 P reflector with all varieties of eye pieces, Barlow lenses and accessories for a relative low price of £165. I was hoping that the scope would fit directly on top of my super polaris on the Dovetail bar. But the screws are only a few mm off and so I can't use the mount currently.

I would like to get a new mount but not looking to spend toooo much money (up to £150) the only problem is I'm not sure which brand would be compatible and which type would be suitable to support the weight of a 200 P.

Thanks for any advice, please be gentle! 

[rockystar]

These normally come on an EQ5, but they are £260, you may get away with it on an AZ4 https://www.firstlightoptics.com/skywatcher-mounts/skywatcher-az4-alt-az-mount.html, but I'd check the max load of this first. If you look at the 2nd hand market, you can probably pick up and EQ5 for £150.

[Cornelius Varley]

Most brands would be compatible with your telescope but you probably wouldn't get a suitable one for 150 pounds. Unless you need automatic tracking you might want to consider making a dobsonian mount.

[Tommohawk]

I think your existing mount has a capacity of about 7kg. I didnt know there was a 200PL, but the 200P weighs about 8kg without any accessories. So leaving aside any connection issues thats pushing it a bit.

If you want an undriven ie manual mount maybe the EQ5 or CG4 would do it just - they have a capacity of 9kg. But if your scope is a long version of the 200P I think that willl be too much.

[PESKYWAABBIT]

Oh I'm sorry I must admit it's just the 200p, not a PL I don't know why I put L. 

I am also completely fine with second hand purchases, in fact I would prefer second hand. 

The advice so far is very helpful!

Thanks

[Tommohawk]

Ok well have a look on the classified section here - or AstroBuySell UK.  You should be able to get something for about £150.

You might want to sell on the Vixen mount first if you could part with it - that might just give you enough to get a driven mount.

[John]

The Skywatcher EQ5 and Celestron CG5 mounts should carry the 200P well enough for visual use. Get the type with steel tubed tripod legs. The aluminum tripods on the older EQ5 / CG5 mounts are hopeless with such a large tube.

[PESKYWAABBIT]

Another quick question also. If I was to mount my Canon 1000d DSLR to do some astrophotography to the OTA at some point. Would this shout out any particular mount to you guys that I should consider/rule out?

[Tommohawk]

Fixing the Canon to the 200P is fine, but if you want to do any photography, you really need a better mount than those already mentioned.

To photograph planets/moon you'll need fairly high mag and any movement will give you a lot of grief. If you're doing DSOs - nebulae/galaxies - you need long exposures and a driven mount is really a must. But I think a better grade of mount thats driven would be outside your budget. If youre doing any serious long exposure DSO work you also need guiding so the mount needs a guide port. The HEQ5 is most folks choice but about £500 even second hand.

[MarkyD]

7 minutes ago, PESKYWAABBIT said:

Another quick question also. If I was to mount my Canon 1000d DSLR to do some astrophotography to the OTA at some point. Would this shout out any particular mount to you guys that I should consider/rule out?

You may find you will have trouble achieving focus with the Canon unless you can shorten the focal length of the scope

[Putaendo Patrick]

4 minutes ago, PESKYWAABBIT said:

Another quick question also. If I was to mount my Canon 1000d DSLR to do some astrophotography to the OTA at some point. Would this shout out any particular mount to you guys that I should consider/rule out?

If you're heading into astrophotography, you are going to need either a mount with tracking motors or full go-to. As your scope is relatively large, you will need a rather solid EQ mount - and these are expensive. The HEQ5 would be good but new is nearly 800 pounds, second-hand around 500.

1 hour ago, PESKYWAABBIT said:

I was hoping that the scope would fit directly on top of my super polaris on the Dovetail bar. But the screws are only a few mm off and so I can't use the mount currently.

Could you either drill new holes in the dovetail, or get a new dovetail to fit the 200P? This could be an inexpensive interim solution while you ponder the options of a new mount.

[Cornelius Varley]

16 minutes ago, MarkyD said:

You may find you will have trouble achieving focus with the Canon unless you can shorten the focal length of the scope

The focal length of the telescope cannot be changed. The telescope has a direct camera connection so should not need any modifications.

[MarkyD]

7 minutes ago, Cornelius Varley said:

The focal length of the telescope cannot be changed. The telescope has a direct camera connection so should not need any modifications.

I thought that was why they bought out the DS version with the shortened length

[Chris]

Unless you can go for something like the HEQ5, I'd probably only stick to fast frame rate imaging of planets and the Moon. As said you could knock up a Dob base for both this and visual as tracking won't be critical as long as your nudging is good  

I made a base for a 150p a few years ago, didn't cost much, certainly within your budget.

[Chris]

10 minutes ago, MarkyD said:

I thought that was why they bought out the DS version with the shortened length

Yeah the older 200p's (blue tubes) don't reach focus, so you need to reduce the tube length to reach focus not the focal length. The focal length is set by the curve of the mirror  

The DS version has a slightly shortened tube for more convenient AP, and a slightly larger secondary for better chip illumination, plus duel speed focuser I believe

The newer black diamond 200p's do reach focus so you don't absolutely need the PDS version for AP.

[Cornelius Varley]

8 minutes ago, MarkyD said:

I thought that was why they bought out the DS version with the shortened length

The P-DS version makes focusing a little easier but the P version should focus if the camera body is attached directly onto the focuser.

[CraigT82]

Can you post any pics or your current mount?  We may be able to figure out a way to get your new scope to mount on it... at least as a stop gap  

[PESKYWAABBIT]

I reckon for the long run I'd have to save up for a HEQ5 then. I could sell my Vixen 80m Refractor and the Super Polaris mount to go towards it. But I'm not sure it would be worth much money due to the previous owner not taking too much care with it.

The mount I have still feels solid and sturdy but the Vixen refractor is so old it uses the 0.965mm eyepieces. I will just have to see what I can get for it! 

Looking online it seems not many people are selling them (HEQ5) in my local area. I have just seen one on the classifieds near Norwich area, but it seems damaged or at least talks of damage. 

Thanks for all your help.

[Chris]

2 minutes ago, PESKYWAABBIT said:

I reckon for the long run I'd have to save up for a HEQ5 then. I could sell my Vixen 80m Refractor and the Super Polaris mount to go towards it. But I'm not sure it would be worth much money due to the previous owner not taking too much care with it.

The mount I have still feels solid and sturdy but the Vixen refractor is so old it uses the 0.965mm eyepieces. I will just have to see what I can get for it! 

Looking online it seems not many people are selling them (HEQ5) in my local area. I have just seen one on the classifieds near Norwich area, but it seems damaged or at least talks of damage. 

Thanks for all your help.

Is that mine you're talking about in Ipswich? I'm selling one on ABS. If so the damage is a missing plastic knob on one of the counter weights! lol

[PESKYWAABBIT]

My Vixen Super Polaris has this sort of style fastenings at the top. 

Like I previously said, the dovetail bar I have on the 200p has 4 holes and the 2 furthest away from each other are ~2mm away from the two screw threads on the super polaris.

[PESKYWAABBIT]

2 minutes ago, Chris Lock said:

Is that mine you're talking about in Ipswich? I'm selling one on ABS. If so the damage is a missing plastic knob on one of the counter weights! lol

Haha nope I hadn't seen that ad yet on there. Hmmm may be interested as I'm from the Ipswich area.

[CraigT82]

Cant you attach the tube rings directly to the mount, leaving out the dovetail bar entirely? Like this...

 

 

 

[CraigT82]

If you can't attach the rings directly to the mount, then this should get you going for a not unreasonable 55 euros... as long as the distance between the screws on the mount is either 140mm, 150m or 160mm!  If not, drill & tap another hole.

http://www.teleskop-express.de/shop/product_info.php/language/en/info/p388_Schnellkupplung---Aufsatz-fuer-div--Montierungen.html

[Tommohawk]

Just to confirm that the 200P black tube (single speed focuser version) will definitely reach focus with EOS camera - but use the 2" direct attachment, not the 1.25" which is longer.

+1 for the HEQ5 - sell whatever it takes!