HEQ5 and micro observatory

[Dazzyt66]

Hey all,

For a couple of years now I’ve left my HEQ5 set up permanently in the garden on its tripod, covered with a BBQ cover. This year I’m thinking of creating a more permanent enclosure for it.

As I do most of my ‘observing’ remotely nowadays with just my DSLR and lenses (rather than a scope) - and I don’t take it seriously enough to call it imaging 😂 I have a question:

I want the footprint for the closure to be as small as practically possible. Given that I am only using a DSLR and lens I really don’t need any kind (or very minimal) counterweight. Therefore can I keep the counterweight bar retracted? 

I don’t really want to alter the HEQ5 as I want to keep the option to move it back to the tripod if desired for use with a scope.

In the enclosure I’d mount it on a low height pier with the whole thing enclosed in a footprint area of around 1sqm. 

The aim would be to have something resembling a bee hive as the finishing housing.

I can’t seem to find anything info wise on the web so thought I’d check here with you fine people. 😊

TIA

Daz

 

 

[M40]

Have a nose through the diy observatory posts, there are quite a few in there including my version. Footprint of mine is about 700x700. I tend to keep it under a trimmed down tg365 cover as it can get quite warm in there. All the best. 

[Dazzyt66]

1 minute ago, M40 said:

 Footprint of mine is about 700x700. 

Yeah, that's the kind of idea I'm looking at, but obviously not as tall in my case (probably 1 x hollow concrete block plus the mount) 🙂 

[Dazzyt66]

So I guess I should just make my question: can I use a HEQ5 with the counterbalance bar not extended? 😊

Edited April 15, 2023 by Dazzyt66

[M40]

I've never tried it, but I can’t see any reason why not other than it may block the polar scope?

[Dazzyt66]

11 minutes ago, M40 said:

I've never tried it, but I can’t see any reason why not other than it may block the polar scope?

That was my thinking - I don't use the polar scope anyway as I do my polar alignment using Ekos 🙂

[Gonzo]

On 15/04/2023 at 11:49, Dazzyt66 said:

Hey all,

For a couple of years now I’ve left my HEQ5 set up permanently in the garden on its tripod, covered with a BBQ cover. This year I’m thinking of creating a more permanent enclosure for it.

As I do most of my ‘observing’ remotely nowadays with just my DSLR and lenses (rather than a scope) - and I don’t take it seriously enough to call it imaging 😂 I have a question:

I want the footprint for the closure to be as small as practically possible. Given that I am only using a DSLR and lens I really don’t need any kind (or very minimal) counterweight. Therefore can I keep the counterweight bar retracted? 

I don’t really want to alter the HEQ5 as I want to keep the option to move it back to the tripod if desired for use with a scope.

In the enclosure I’d mount it on a low height pier with the whole thing enclosed in a footprint area of around 1sqm. 

The aim would be to have something resembling a bee hive as the finishing housing.

I can’t seem to find anything info wise on the web so thought I’d check here with you fine people. 😊

TIA

Daz

 

 

That's how I had it setup (new observatory box coming online soon...):

[Dazzyt66]

@Gonzo thanks for this - exactly the kind of idea I was thinking of...

[Gonzo]

The above works really well, as long as you trust your parking skills 😆

[A320Flyer]

This is mine. It started with an HEQ5 and a 150p Newtonian. Now has a dual refractor setup. A 4ft x 4ft pent shed cut down and modified. All controlled via NINA. Tight but works extremely well.