What mount for astrophotography for my SW 200/1200 flex-tube

[k0b]

I'm very new to astronomy as I have started about 2 months ago, slowly building my equipment. My current setup : skywatcher 200p skyliner flexy-tube on diy dobsonian (lazy Susan) 360° AZ circle + digital level guage.

Because I live in town with LP it's hard for me to find deep sky objects.. but up to now I have found only m51,31 for last 4-5 sessions. I would like to make my life a little bit easier..

 

So, I was trying to look after some equatorial mount on few forums, and now I know it wouldn't be easy as this stuff is not popular at all. 

My first choice : upgrade kit for my scope to synscan 8" DOB base with GOTO, I can get it for about 450£ from Poland...

Second choice: keep looking locally for HEQ5 mount with or without GOTO second hand as New one is too much for my pocket.

My biggest worry is this HEQ5 will handle my 12kg scope + Nikon d7000 in future? How about center of gravity/ balance scope ( I have extension pipes on my scope so i'm limited, clamps and dovetail bar) if I won't be able to put clamps in right place I will need to add some weight to balance scope.... And agine weight problems...

And second question, if I will go for synscan DOB 8" upgrade kit how this would handle astrophotography? This setup has a pluses as GOTo will helps in LP sky. This setup is designed for my scope balance wouldn't be a problem I think

I have searched whole internet for setup HEQ5 and can't find any images to look for similar setup SW 200/1200 flex on HEQ5, That would help to make choice.

 

[Marci]

Most tend to err towards NEQ6 for that particular size of scope when it comes to imaging (myself included).

Dob GoTo + tracking will mean your exposure times are limited due to field rotation. EQ mount negates this.

[k0b]

Do u have any images of your setup? This would help me

[Cosmic Geoff]

I would suggest that the flextube Dob is not suitable for what you have in mind. It is intended for visual use.

An urban site is not good for photographing deep-space objects.

If you want to photograph deep-space objects (galaxies, etc) ideally you want a small telescope mounted on a substantial equatorial mount - and a dark skies site.

For photographing planets, which is a better prospect from a town unless your view is obstructed to the South, the requirement is different again - a powered equatorial or alt-azimuth GoTo mount, and a medium-sized long focal length telescope (check the Planetary Imaging part of the forum to see what folks actually use).

[Marci]

Your immediate issue with a flex tube will be centre of balance - as you can see, with the equivalent solid tubes the balance point is where the flex tubes would be.

I have no issues with imaging DSOs & galaxies from a light polluted city centre with this setup. Obvs a dark site is better, but it’s all still doable.

SW200PDS (1000mm) on NEQ6:

 

SW200P (1200mm) on NEQ6:

[k0b]

So, assuming all + and - synscan DOB upgrade kit is a best way for my scope.

It would be very nice if someone who owns that kind of DOB with GOTO would post few words and images

 

thx

[Cosmic Geoff]

I am not aware of any upgrade kit from a manual Dob to a Goto DOB. So far as I am aware, a sell & replace would be more economic.   An option would be to fit digital setting circles, which give you finding of digital accuracy while you push the mount around by hand.   These are popular with some American Dob owners, but be aware that the kits are not cheap (no cheaper than the equivalent GoTo hardware), and you still have the problem of specifying the DSC kit, importing it, and fitting it.

I suggest that your best course is to completely replace your present kit with something that is closer to what you want.  A sympathetic dealer might offer a part-exchange deal.

[k0b]

https://www.teleskopy.pl/Upgrade-Kit-GoTo-do-Dobson-8--Sky-Watcher-teleskopy-2091.html

That is what I found, also sw website have the same DOB upgrade kit.

[Cosmic Geoff]

18 hours ago, k0b said:

https://www.teleskopy.pl/Upgrade-Kit-GoTo-do-Dobson-8--Sky-Watcher-teleskopy-2091.html

That is what I found, also sw website have the same DOB upgrade kit.

It is not available in all countries (which is why I did not know about it). It appears that the whole base is replaced, and it's expensive.

[k0b]

You R right, it's not cheap .... It's about 450£

I have to think twice before I will buy this mount, I have read similar subject on Claudy nights forum and they are saying this DOB GOTO is not best for AP due too length of my scope... In another words - wrong idea if someone have plans to do AP.

 

 

[MarsG76]

On 03/07/2018 at 09:07, k0b said:

https://www.teleskopy.pl/Upgrade-Kit-GoTo-do-Dobson-8--Sky-Watcher-teleskopy-2091.html

That is what I found, also sw website have the same DOB upgrade kit.

Yeah, if you want to do some DSO long exposure Astro photography than a alt-az mount will limit your imaging severely... mainly due to field rotation...

You could go the NEQ6 and use some counter weights at the front to balance the OTA which would be back heavy.

[carastro]

As some have stated above, a Dobsonian base is not at all suitable for astrophotography.  But if you want to get a GOTO for visual to aid finding your way around the sky I know a couple of people who have done this.  One such person is Luke, but I am not sure if this is his forum name, I will do a search and come back if I find him.

As regards astrophotography, an HEQ5 is not substantial enough for a 200P, so you have two options.  Get the larger NEQ6 (AZEQ6 is the later version), for the 200P (But will this even come to focus), or get the smaller SW130PDS and an HEQ5 which is what I use, this will be cheaper and easier to use and you'll get a lot more in the FOV.

Carole 

PS:  I did a search for Luke and there are several, not sure which one he is and I don;t think I have seen him post on here for a while.  But anyway, I know it can be done. 

 

 

 

[RolandKol]

Hi, I had a 10" GOTO DOB, nice telescope, but it has no use for Astro Photography, - for planets yes, but not for DSO.

I had a flexy tube like you and I was not able to find a proper way to fit it on the NEQ6 mount, the only acceptable way I found was the EQ platform - http://www.reinervogel.net/index_e.html?/Plattform/Plattform_e.html

However, the size of DOB + platform makes the set up almost stationary, and the price of the Dual Axis Platform scared me away, - so I sold my toy and went for a standard EQ setup (NEQ6 + Skywatcher 130PDS).

P.S. I was not able to see any DSO with my 10" DOB from the back garden in London (except Orion), that's why I went Astrophotography way, it breaks the light pollution limits quite drastically. 

[RolandKol]

My another 2 coins, - buy ZWO ASI 224MC (colour ) (or a cheaper one like ASi124) +  x2 or x3 Barlow and try to do some Moon and planetary imaging (you can do it without GOTO - VERY "painful", but possible) and if you will get hooked up....

Prepare your wallet...

Look for HEQ5 or NEQ6 mount till autumn, - once bought, sell the DOB (your heart will break... I know... mine was bleeding for several months) and go for 130PDS or a bit more expensive Reflector.
You will be able to use ZWO ASI 224MC as a guiding cam for your future DSO images, - no loss.