Autoguiding my newtonion skywatcher 200 dps

[David187]

I have recently acquired a heq5 pro and a 200dps newt from skywatcher. What type of mounting kit do I need to mount an orion 50mm guide scope? Or should I take the finder scope out and use that mount. Thanks

[andyboy1970]

I guided my 200p on a HEQ5 with a ST80 & QHY5.

It proved to be just a bit too much for the mount as guiding was hit and miss with lots of subs being chucked away.

The mount required 13 Kgs of counterweight to balance the scope.

I made my own mount for the ST80 using Aluminum bar secured on the top using the existing threaded holes.

Tried a finder guider using the 50mm finderscope but the mount for the finderscope isn't really up to the job IMHO.

I bought a QHY 60mm guidescope which is much lighter and has a helical focuser.

[alacant]

Hi. I replaced the saddle to take wide dovetails and used 15mm aluminium plate at the bottom and 8mm across the top. HTH.

[BigRD]

ST80 with guide rings was just too heavy for my EQ5 so I used a pice of 10mm thick nylon bar (light, strong and can be drilled and tapped) to fit across the top of my 130P-DS rings then fitted my 9x50 finder to that. I bought an adpater plate to fir my Altair Astro GPCAM2 to the finder. Guides very nicely with PHD2.