Side by Side - or piggyback??

[Helen]

I'm getting ready for my first Kelling and so I'm putting together a portable imaging rig (looking forward to getting some hands-on help!).

So, I've got a CG5 and the plan is to use my Megrez 90 (it will be great to finally get to image with it after 2 years of visual) and to use my ZS66 for guiding. I've got solid WO rings for the M90 and the smaller of the WO vixen plates. I've also got a baader dovetail holder and another similar holder

Should I go side-by-side (more expense ) or would piggybacking on the M90 rings work OK? Or can I cobble something together with the bits I've got

What are the pros and cons, remembering this will be the first time I've really used an EQ mount and so I'm a novice on things like balance, flexure, meridian flips etc

Many thanks

Helen

[blinky]

I would say that piggybacking would be fine - it's what I used to do. I did read somewhere recently that another fellow astroimager had less differential flexture when going the side by side route. As I say thats only 1 person, I found the piggybacking worked fine!

[NickH]

BOth methods work. I personally prefer side by side method for the refractors (easy to setup etc) and piggyback when using the C11 with a guide scope (find it much more difficult to get the bar/balance right with that monster)

Both should work okay

[Ben Ritchie]

I agree, they're both fine - piggyback is a bit easier to balance, while side-by-side keeps the weight closer to the balance point so needs fewer counterweights.

Piggybacked is a bit cheaper too, as a decent side-by-side bar is quite pricey

[steppenwolf]

Both methods are fine although balancing a side by side arrangement is a little more complicated. I have tried both in an attempt to resolve what appeared to be differential flexure in my piggy-back system but I found the side by side to be no better and if anything a fraction worse!

I only use piggy-back guiding now - simple, cheap and very effective!

[SteveL]

I use SBS, only because the EQ6 I purchased from a friend came with an ADM SBS plate. I think the SBS is more flexible option for swapping different OTAs for different targets (no need for piggyback hardware on every OTA), but as I have no experience of piggyback systems, I cannot comment on flexure issues between the two options.

[Helen]

Thanks for the advice everyone - I'm just off to do some piggyback testing!

Helen

[dark knight]

I do believe Arthur (Ambermile) is very knowledgeable on this subject, certainly worth pming him....