Mounts - Need Wiki to Understand Their Differences

[rabbithutch]

How many different types of mounts are there? I read about CQ, HEQ and GEM but have no clue as to what the distinguishing characteristics of each is.

Is there a wiki or a a webpage or some posts here (that I can't find) that I should read?

TIA

[GazOC]

The terms are mixed RH. An HEQ5 is a type of GEM (German Equatorial Mount).

ie. Skywatcher have EQ1 through to EQ6 and they are all GEMs but just increase in how much weight they can carry. Most mounts under whatever name are GEMs it just differs what features they offer and what weight they can carry.

Gaz

[brantuk]

Two basic types - Alt/Az and Equatorial. One alt/az variation is the dobsonian - usually floor mounted with a large newtonian scope on.

Alt/Az mounts move up/down, left and right. They move literaly in altitude and azimuth.

Equatorial mounts move naturally with the motion of the stars as Earth rotates when they are accurately polar aligned. They move in Right Ascension (RA) and Declination (Dec).

The mount has to be parallel to the Earths axis and and pointing at the Pole star (ie angled up at the same number of degrees as your latitude on Earth). The RA can then be moved counter to the Earths rotation to track objects - note one plane only is required In the alt/az you have to move it in two planes to track.

EQ mounts can be used for astro photography, but alt/az are very limited for that due to inherent tracking error and need for constant adjustment in two planes.

GEM - is a German Equatorial Mount. The various letters and numbers before and after "EQ" usually indicate size and inclusion of features. E.g. HEQ5 would indicate heavy duty, size 5 (medium'ish), equatorial.

Hope that helps

[alan_g]

That post is very helpful brantuk thanks

[rabbithutch]

Thank you, Brantuk!

That is very helpful. I also found a wiki by googling that discusses mounts. I guess my next investigations will be into understanding the individual mechanical bits and how the function together for both EQs and AAs. Dobs are easy. Forks mounts are too, but a little more challenging.

Thank you again.

[naked"I"]

If you have an EQ5 and add extra balance weights would that improve its carrying capacity to make it a HEQ5 or am I barking up the usual tree?

[Chris H]

If you have an EQ5 and add extra balance weights would that improve its carrying capacity to make it a HEQ5 or am I barking up the usual tree?

It's the overall ability of the HEQ5 that makes it able to carry more weight rather than it having more counter weights.

[naked"I"]

thanks Kris, can't quite stretch to a HEQ5, so will have to be gentle with the EQ.