Mount dilema

[Paul67]

In a few weks I will be buying a Altair Astro Starwave Classic 102mm F11 Achromat Refractor, ideally it will be partnered with a Berlebach Uni-28 tripod. However I'm not sure which mount to buy, the ideal choice (the one I really wanted) was the Altair Sabre alt-az or possibly the sky-tee.

The dilema is this - at high magnifications I would be constantly nudging and adjusting the scope to stay with the target. Currently Im using a terrible EQ1 mount with a ST102 and find it horrendous to locate and track anything. I know the two Alt-Az mounts would be far smoother but would I be likely to find it too annoying nudging an 4 inch f11 scope?

The alternative is something like a EQ5 with tracking but I really didnt want an EQ. Any similar experiences anyone?

[dweller25]

It's easier to nudge an EQ - once on target you only need to move the RA - and you can use a slo-mo cable for that.

[Paul67]

7 minutes ago, dweller25 said:

It's easier to nudge an EQ - once on target you only need to move the RA - and you can use a slo-mo cable for that.

I know the EQ1 is pretty bad but it still put me off using an eq for visual and like the idea of a smooth Alt-Az, the only reason I would choose EQ would be for the auto tracking.

[Trikeflyer]

19 minutes ago, Paul67 said:

In a few weks I will be buying a Altair Astro Starwave Classic 102mm F11 Achromat Refractor, ideally it will be partnered with a Berlebach Uni-28 tripod. However I'm not sure which mount to buy, the ideal choice (the one I really wanted) was the Altair Sabre alt-az or possibly the sky-tee.

The dilema is this - at high magnifications I would be constantly nudging and adjusting the scope to stay with the target. Currently Im using a terrible EQ1 mount with a ST102 and find it horrendous to locate and track anything. I know the two Alt-Az mounts would be far smoother but would I be likely to find it too annoying nudging an 4 inch f11 scope?

The alternative is something like a EQ5 with tracking but I really didnt want an EQ. Any similar experiences anyone?

I have a skytee 2 for use with an equinox 120ed and etx 125.  For distant star clusters and deep sky, the slo mo works pretty well and even at high mag the inputs are not too troublesome. It's a pain on the moon and planets at high mag though as you do have to keep moving the scope via slo mo. I live with it because the alternative goto eq mounts are - for me = hassle to set up. I like alt az personally and the azeq5 or 6 with goto and tracking would be amazing but at £1K plus, i just cant justify the money for the amount of time i spend looking at the moon and planets. the skytee 2 does an ok job albeit with fairly constant input on the slo mo at high mag on solar system objects.  Good luck in your decision making. 

Steve

[John]

The Skytee II has slow motion controls on both axis.

Either the Skytee II or the Sabre (or the Ercole) will cope quite easily with the 102mm F/11 optical tube.

I seem to find tracking at 300x fairly straightforward with my Skytee II and Ercole. 

The EQ1 is not the standard to judge other EQ mounts against though, to be honest. An EQ5 is a much better mount all round.

At least you do have a great tripod for a long refractor in the Berlebach Uni 28

[Louis D]

I have the DSV-1 and DSV-2b mounts, and both are very smooth with manual tracking in two dimensions simultaneously.  I rarely use the slow-mo knobs on the DSV-2B for tracking.  It's just too cumbersome compared to just keeping a light touch on the padded handle.  I mainly bought the 2b for the axis locks while changing eyepieces which is invaluable when using 1 to 2 pound eyepieces.  If you put decent Sorbothane based vibration damping pads under the tripod feet, you'll be able to track while viewing if the mount has smooth motions in both axes.

[johninderby]

I found the Skytee II was easy enough to observe the moon and planets. Just using the Az slo-mo knob is enough to keep the target more or less centered with an occasional tweak of the Alt knob.  

Just sold the Skytee though to help fund an AZ-EQ5 GT mount. Really convenient if you just want to do some lunar or planetary observing as there’s no need to do an alignment in Az mode. Just select daytime observing and point the scope at say the moon and select lunar tracking and that’s it. You can be observing right away. 

[Fozzie]

I started with my starwave on an eq5 mount, very early in my astronomy life, and just didn't get on with it as it was none tracking and u was using using slow motion cables to keep nudging at high power.. found myself concentrating more on what my hands were doing and where the cables were as opposed to what one as observing.. especially as I'm only really use 50deg eps for high power..

As I also had a 200p, I sold the eq5 and bought a skytee2.. it'll handle the starwave very well no doubt, even better on a nice berlebach.. but again the same issue of manually tracking, narrow field of view, quick targets so to speak.. 

I have since picked up a second hand vixen GP with tracking motors.  Totally changed my viewing experience..

Both the skytee and an eq5 class mount will work very well with the starwave.. I prefer my vixen GP, with motor tracking.. it just works, allowing me spend more time observing, waiting for those fleeting moments of seeing that give you fantastic views.. wonder how many of those ive missed searching for slow no controls.

Ta

Fozzie

[Paul67]

Great reply's, thanks everyone. I can see the merit in both types of mount so it comes down to my tolerance of adjusting with the ease of pointing where I want to very easily or faffing around with alignments whilst having easy tracking. That AZ-EQ5 GT does look the business though, maybe next year.

[Stu]

What sort of targets do you observe Paul? If it is just lunar and planets then a simple tracking EQ mount can be very quick to set up and easy to use. If I'm just observing these targets I just roughly polar align my Vixen GP (similar to EQ5) and it then tracks accurately enough for nice relaxed observing, same with solar. It just has dual axis motors, no goto or alignment necessary.

If I'm star hopping across a number of targets I find the EQ a pain and so prefer a giro style mount such as my Ercole which is similar to the Sabre. When nicely balanced it is then quite easy to find targets and track them at a range of powers.

[jock1958]

I’ve used both my Tal 100rs and Tak 100 on a Skytee 2 and it works very well and is rock solid with next to no vibrations.

I agree with Fozzie, on occasion it can be a bit of a faff searching for slo mo cables, but on the whole the Skytee mount is very good when all you want to do is get out there and observe.

[Knighty2112]

I used to use my Starwave 102 on my Skytee2 Mount attached to a Berlebach Mount, and it worked a treat. The only issue you’ll have (and this would be the same on all mount really) is the height difference when viewing things low down, as opposed to when you then go near to zenith to observe. The length of the scope means this is unavoidable really, so always best to set your mount to a good height for what you intend to observe, so you don’t get to much extreme in viewing heights.

[johninderby]

6 minutes ago, Knighty2112 said:

I used to use my Starwave 102 on my Skytee2 Mount attached to a Berlebach Mount, and it worked a treat. The only issue you’ll have (and this would be the same on all mount really) is the height difference when viewing things low down, as opposed to when you then go near to zenith to observe. The length of the scope means this is unavoidable really, so always best to set your mount to a good height for what you intend to observe, so you don’t get to much extreme in viewing heights.

Sometimes just a cushion to sit on rather than a chair works with a long frac on the Skytee.  ?

[Fozzie]

Or you can get the extension piece... makes the mount a big old beast though!

[Paul67]

This scope would be used for viewing clusters, doubles and lunar mainly. My viewing location is surrounded by walls to the north and trees to the south so the planets are difficult to observe.