Tracking mount for dobs

[cajen2]

Any dob owners tried one of these:

https://www.firstlightoptics.com/equatorial-astronomy-mounts/asterion-ecliptica-light-tracking-platform-for-dobsonian-telescopes.html

Looks interesting if rather pricey....

[cajen2]

So nobody, then......🥺

Just wondered if they worked or not.

[callisto]

8 minutes ago, cajen2 said:

So nobody, then......🥺

Just wondered if they worked or not.

Hi, just seen this post now

I use a EQ platform with my 10" Dob...It's this one from T/S Optics  https://www.teleskop-express.de/shop/product_info.php/info/p10150_TS-Optics-EQ-Dobsonian-Telescop2-Drive----Platform-for-55--N-S.html

It's great for observing planets/moon for around an hour at a time then you just reset again for another hour 

I highly recommend one and would not be without mine now

They are a bit pricey for what they are made of but worth it to me...no more nudging the scope to bring the planet into view 😉

 

Mark.

[oldfruit]

Not tried one myself, but i have been doing a lot of reading/research as I am considering something similar for my dob.

Generally all owners of EQ platforms state that it transforms their observing. The beauty of a nudge to dob, becomes a tracking dob, so when viewing at higher powers you have far longer to observe rather than constantly moving the object back into view.

FLO are a well renowned retailer of quality Astronomy related products so I would say it was worth it.

[John]

I have not used the one that FLO are selling but I have used a similar one a few years ago with my 12 inch dob it it worked pretty well.

The downside for me was that it raised the eyepiece height by around 80mm which meant that I needed a small step for observing when targets were above a certain height in the sky.

In the end I decided to let it go, but it did work and tracked quite accurately at high powers.

 

Edited November 19, 2021 by John

[Scooot]

I have one like John’s above. I also use it for the moon and planets with my 10” which saves a lot of nudging. 
The downside John mentioned of raising the eyepiece is actually a plus for me as my Dob is F4.8 so it means I don’t have to crouch so much.  

I tend not to bother using it for deep Sky objects because it makes it harder to use my Nexus. 

[cajen2]

1 hour ago, Scooot said:

I have one like John’s above. I also use it for the moon and planets with my 10” which saves a lot of nudging. 
The downside John mentioned of raising the eyepiece is actually a plus for me as my Dob is F4.8 so it means I don’t have to crouch so much.  

I tend not to bother using it for deep Sky objects because it makes it harder to use my Nexus. 

It isn't designed for tracking DSOs, for AP, I suppose because it isn't accurate enough.

Like yours, my scope would benefit from a bit of extra height....

Maybe a purchase for the future, after I've finished upgrading my eyepieces (though I suspect that's a job that's never finished!).

Edited November 20, 2021 by cajen2

[Scooot]

8 hours ago, cajen2 said:

It isn't designed for tracking DSOs, for AP, I suppose because it isn't accurate enough.

I meant I don’t use it to view DSO’s visually. It’s accurate enough for this  but not usually for my Nexus 2,  which is a WiFi digital setting circle. If I try to use the Nexus with the Platform I need to turn off the Sky on Sky Safari because the Platform is doing the tracking. In these circumstances the Platform isn’t as accurate as Sky Safari so finding targets with it isn’t as easy.

From an observing viewpoint the Platform is accurate enough, it’s very simple, just point it approximately north. I might need to adjust the speed occasionally, particularly if the battery’s running out but other than that it works very well.

[cajen2]

Great.....can it run off an external 12v power supply as well? And / or is the battery rechargeable?

[Mr Spock]

I was looking at the TS EQ platform when choosing my Dob. I went for a flextube goto instead. I think with hind sight and the problems I've had with the flextube base, the platform would have been a better choice.

I couldn't see which one to use though. They have a 45° to 53° and a 54° to 58° - I'm at 53°39' !

[Mr Spock]

I see the FLO version covers 52° to 58° 👍

[Scooot]

10 hours ago, cajen2 said:

Great.....can it run off an external 12v power supply as well? And / or is the battery rechargeable?

From the pic on FLO’s site the motor looks the same or very similar to mine so I’d say no to an external supply, but you don’t need to.  Mine takes one of the little square 9v batteries (Mn1604) and they last quite a long time so I just use these. I don’t know if they do a rechargeable version. 

[HollyHound]

On 19/11/2021 at 22:42, callisto said:

I use a EQ platform with my 10" Dob...It's this one from T/S Optics  https://www.teleskop-express.de/shop/product_info.php/info/p10150_TS-Optics-EQ-Dobsonian-Telescop2-Drive----Platform-for-55--N-S.html

I have the exact same… works very well 👍