Extra bits for HEQ5 mount?

[Keithp]

Hi All,

Just before I put my order in for an HEQ5 Goto do I need anything else to enable me to mount my skywatcher dob OTA on the HEQ5. I know I'll need 250px tube rings, but do I also need one of those dovetail plate thingies or do the tubes bolt straight to the mount?

Plus anything else that might be useful?

Regards

All

[John]

Hi,

You will need a long dovetail bar as well. The mount clamps on to the bar to hold the OTA on the mount. See this link:

Dovetail bars - Skywatcher Dovetail Mounting Plates

You might also need an extension to the counterweight bar and / or some additional counterweighting - I don't know what the HEQ5 comes with as standard.

John

[Keithp]

Many thanks for the reply John, good job you pointed out the dovetail plate thing for me. Thinking about it yes the dob mounting points on the OTA would require the rings to be spaced out, requiring a long dovetail, well spotted!

I would have been truly miffed when the mount and rings were delivered not to be able to play on the night:confused:

As always a great site full of info here.

Regards

All

Keithp

[Astro_Baby]

I think the HEQ5 comes with two counterweights - whether they are enough to keep a 250 balanced I dont know. Mine were fine with the 200 but once the Moonlite focuser was fitted I needed an extension weight bar as the Moonlite plus relatively heavy 2" EPs pushed the balance off.

[Greg]

2 counter weights will not balance a 250px...

You'll need the extension bar and an extra weight at minimum! Also order an extra dovetail bar and bolt it to the top of the tube otherwise you'll struggle to get that tube on the mount.

You should look at an EQ6 for that OTA.

HTH

Greg

[Keithp]

Thanks for the advice everyone.

Greg,

I was orginally thinking of the EQ6 but the price difference is too much, I was thinking of the basic EQ6 but according to advice the stepper motors are not as good as those in the mid range and goto versions.

I thought the HEQ5, being the heavy duty version would be okay as it's already sold in combination with the 250px any way. Do you think it might just be the counter balancing that I might have a problem with or will it overload the mount?

Regards

All

KeithP

[Greg]

I think you'll need the extra weight as a minimum. As long as it's balanced you wont overload the mount..

Try it first..

Are you coming to SGL4?? If you are you can practice balancing with my setup...

[Sam]

Keith,

I had my 8" on an HEQ5 for a while and it was ok but I wouldn't have wanted to put much more on it. I had to get an extension bar for the HEQ5 as well as the one it comes with wasn't long enough to keep the 8" in balance (I've got an EQ6 Syntrek now). If you're going to do any imaging in the future I would suggest you think very carefully about buying the EQ6 (the syntrek or the pro version). If you're only going to do observing then the HEQ5 should be fine.

Sam

[Keithp]

Hi Sam,

Thanks for the advice. I was thinking of doing imaging so in what way would the HEQ5 not be very good. As I understand it, if I get it balanced up properly does the HEQ5 not have the same motors and gear as the HEQ6 but is slightly smaller in size and weight.

I do a lot of my current viewing and imaging on the dob from inside a shed, with the mount on a concrete base.

Regards

KeithP

[Sam]

Keith,

The HEQ5 is a very good mount but the EQ6 is quite a bit bigger and can handle a lot more weight. By the time you put the OTA on with a guidescope, guidecamera and camera then there's quite a bit of weight. If the HEQ5 is overloaded the guiding won't be as accurate and it will place strain on the mount.

Sam

[Keithp]

Cheers Sam,

I must admit I hadn't thought about loading it with a guide scope (still a newbie here) I was going to do my (early) imaging just with my current equipment (Fuji s5700), maybe splashing out on something more advanced later in the year. I currently have several camera adapters but I'm only just starting out on this.

Also looking forward to hooking it all up to my laptop for remote control etc.

Is the sort of imaging you're referring to the 30 min plus type stuff with CCDs etc, I hadn't really got that far...yet:)

Regards

[beamish]

A 10" scope on an HEQ5 will just about go but will severely limit your options for the future. As said , okay for visual but not much else If your keen to use the 10" for any kinf of imaging either now or in the future with a guidescope your gonna have to go for a 6

[Sam]

Keith,

I haven't been doing this stuff very long and have a pretty modest set up. I take 5min exposures max at the moment, depending on the target. The camera I use is a DSLR, Canon 1000D. What the guiding does is compensate for errors in the cogs, worm drives etc by speeding up the tracking rate or slowing it down every second or so (depending on the exposure setting for the guiding program). The change in speed of the tracking is influenced by the momentum of the moving scope on the mount. The mount has to be chunky enough to do these changes quickly and limit the effect of the inertia on the scope. Typically this means keeping the loading on the mount for imaging well under the stated maximum for the mount. The mount really is quite critical in imaging and it's worth getting the best you can.

cheers

Sam

[Keithp]

Cheers guys, this is all really useful. You've now got me thinking...

Dam had my heart set on ordering the HEQ5 this weekend.. just the extra cost of the EQ6.

Would the

Skywatcher EQ6 Syntrek track objects once I had polar aligned properly, I could live with out the full goto version. Its just tracking objects that I'm interested in, and would I still be able to hook the laptop up to it and control it say using SKY6 which I currently have.

Regards

[Parallax]

Would the

Skywatcher EQ6 Syntrek track objects once I had polar aligned properly, I could live with out the full goto version. Its just tracking objects that I'm interested in, and would I still be able to hook the laptop up to it and control it say using SKY6 which I currently have.

Regards

Yes, it does track the objects. Basically, the Syntrek version is the same as the Synscan but with a simpler hand controller (i.e. you don't get the Goto). With a simple, cheap interface (or cheaper if you make your own) you can connect the mount to your laptop and control it from that. This is EQMOD.

Steve

[Sam]

Keith,

I got the Syntrek version and have just installed the EQMOD software. The only difference between the Syntrek and the Synscan is the Syntrek doesn't have the handset - but with EQMOD and a laptop you don't need the handset. If you can save up the extra money then the you won't be dissapointed with the EQ6 - with astronomical equipment it's best not to rush. Take the time to weigh up your budget and the pros and cons of what you're after, the stars aren't going anywhere soon!

Sam

[Keithp]

Okay guys, I'm convinced. Just sent off an email to half a dozen places for a quote

HEQ6 Syntrek + tube rings and dovetail to suit.

I'll see what I get back first.

Many thanks for all the help and advice.

Regards

All

heh, first reply at 14:05 from opticstar - Very prompt and a nice quote to boot!