Questions about the EQ5 Dual-axis DC Motor Drive Upgrade Kit

[Crispy5573]

Wrong placement 

Edited August 21, 2021 by Crispy5573
Wrong place

[Crispy5573]

9 hours ago, HollyHound said:

This is an interesting and very timely thread.

I’m looking to start doing some (very) basic imaging as the nights start getting darker, and so was looking for a lightweight but reasonable EQ mount, with tracking and goto, on which I can mount my Takahashi FS-60C.

Was fortunate to see and buy this one from the sales posts on here:

It has the same EQStarPro setup you have described, so I’ll be very interested to see how it performs.

I already have plenty of Alt/Az mounts, but no EQ mount until now.

Intending to use it with my ASIAir Pro and ZWO 294MC camera (neither of which have seen much use yet, due to work and weather 🤣).

Should be here later next week and hopefully can give it a go sometime over the next few weeks. However any serious attempts at imaging are likely to be later in the year, as I understand there’s a lot to learn 🤔

I’ll add my findings to the thread when I can 👍

Cheers, Gary

I don't have any guiding stats to show but those figures are as good as I have had with my EQ6-R Pro. I had my first AP session with the mount and I couldn't work out how to guide with the PHd2 (you're right there is a LOT to learn) so I just let it track and fire away. There are some elongated stars in the bottom right corner but I think that was more down to a cheap T mount to my 600D. Apart from that I didn't do much right lol. Wrong target for the Willam GT81 (M81 - M82), no guiding, no idea how to process and probably a few more things but at the time I was really pleased with myself for getting a pic of a DSO. 

Yes I know truly awful lol But that was May this year and I think I have learned a bit. This is from last month : 

 

You have a very good starting platform Gary. Nice scope , mount, camera and the ASIair Pro helps a lot. If you get your settings right with the EQStar it could open up a new obsession for you, I know it did for me.  What are you planning to use for guiding ? 

Cheers 

Ron

[HollyHound]

4 minutes ago, Crispy5573 said:

I don't have any guiding stats to show but those figures are as good as I have had with my EQ6-R Pro. I had my first AP session with the mount and I couldn't work out how to guide with the PHd2 (you're right there is a LOT to learn) so I just let it track and fire away. There are some elongated stars in the bottom right corner but I think that was more down to a cheap T mount to my 600D. Apart from that I didn't do much right lol. Wrong target for the Willam GT81 (M81 - M82), no guiding, no idea how to process and probably a few more things but at the time I was really pleased with myself for getting a pic of a DSO. 

Yes I know truly awful lol But that was May this year and I think I have learned a bit. This is from last month : 

 

You have a very good starting platform Gary. Nice scope , mount, camera and the ASIair Pro helps a lot. If you get your settings right with the EQStar it could open up a new obsession for you, I know it did for me.  What are you planning to use for guiding ? 

Cheers 

Ron

Thanks Ron,

I’m going to take my time and start slowly with all this, we’ll aware that my results will be very average to begin with. Plus I am also looking to use this for planetary visual too… AltAz tracking is fine, but the EQ should be a tad smoother for observing planets (using up to the Takahashi FC-100DC at most 👍

Not sure (yet) about the guide scope… I do have quite a few finders I’ve accumulated (9x50), so either get an adaptor for one of those or get a dedicated guide scope 😮

Lots to think about and learn, but I have the whole autumn and winter for that hopefully 😃

Thanks again for selling the mount, very much looking forward to getting it setup.

Cheers, Gary