Kevdan Posted February 9, 2011 Share Posted February 9, 2011 Hi all,I have just been to pick up my first scope a second hand Skywatcher 150I bought it from the well known online auction site, But when I got home I was suprised to find it on a mount that I thought was an EQ2 but it has a position for a polarscope and the manual for an EQ2 doesnt mention any polarscopes, I have read the manual for an EQ3-2 and it shows a position and a scale for time etc. but it is somewhat different to a EQ3-2 so could this be an EQ3.Oh, and you can all blame me for the clouds being as I got a scope today.Kev. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tomw28 Posted February 9, 2011 Share Posted February 9, 2011 Hi Kev,The 150P is supplied with an EQ3-2 mount when new so I assume this is what it has still. As it you got it from a "well known auction site", I would guess that it is reasonably likely the seller was pretty clueless and advertised it as being on an EQ2 mount. Enjoy your new scope!Tom Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kevdan Posted February 9, 2011 Author Share Posted February 9, 2011 He seemed to be quite knowledgable about the hobby, but it was described as with a EQ2 mount. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tomw28 Posted February 9, 2011 Share Posted February 9, 2011 Fair enough, sorry to whoever you brought it from! I am pretty sure it is the EQ3 mount though. Tom Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brantuk Posted February 9, 2011 Share Posted February 9, 2011 Got any pics Kev? Would help to id it for you Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kevdan Posted February 9, 2011 Author Share Posted February 9, 2011 Kev Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kevdan Posted February 9, 2011 Author Share Posted February 9, 2011 does the pic help? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brantuk Posted February 9, 2011 Share Posted February 9, 2011 Looks like my old EQ3-2 to me - only difference is your's has ra/dec knobs where mine had flexi cables Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RikM Posted February 9, 2011 Share Posted February 9, 2011 The lock-nut on the top of the counter-weight bar looks a little different on the new white EQ3-2's. I would say it's an EQ3. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kevdan Posted February 9, 2011 Author Share Posted February 9, 2011 So it's good news then, thanks guys,Couple of things I noticed though, The printing on the 24hr clock dial is very faint, there should be a small RA minute marker plate which is missing and the date circle spins freely (dont know wether it should or not), Can this be repaired ?Kev. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geoffteeth Posted February 6, 2012 Share Posted February 6, 2012 Hi, That looks just like a skyscan 2001 mount. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JamesF Posted February 6, 2012 Share Posted February 6, 2012 Not like my Skyscan 2001 it doesn't (quite). Mine has the logos on and has a conical fitting at the top of the counterweight bar.That said, it does look enough like an EQ3-2 to be one.James Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Parus major Posted February 6, 2012 Share Posted February 6, 2012 That's a Helios EQ3. Made by synta and the polarscope fits, you just have to unscrew the whole assembly and screw in the SW one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JamesF Posted February 6, 2012 Share Posted February 6, 2012 The faintness of the printing on the 24 hour scale may be a hindrance when trying to polar align the scope as you need to align the date with the current time to rotate the polar scope to the correct position (if you look through the polar scope you'll see it has a an offset circle to represent the position of Polaris relative to the Celestial North Pole). To be honest if you remarked the hours, halves and quarters with indelible ink that would probably get you close enough. There's sufficient mechanical error elsewhere in the system that a few minutes either way is not going to make a huge difference.The fact that the date ring spins is not a problem as there should be an index mark on the edge of the polar scope that you align the ring with. On the ring you'll find a zero mark together with various amounts east and west of the meridian. You align that with the index mark for your longitude, then when you turn the RA axis, the scope and date ring also turn. It would be handy if it locked in place though as I often forget to check mine.As for the missing RA marker, I have to admit I've never used it. I assume it's there because RA actually changes over time and RA figures are always given relative to a given year (2000 at the moment, AFAIR). To be honest, if you're really worried about that you're probably using the wrong mount and should be drift aligning If you want to use the polar scope you'll need to run through the alignment procedure. It's not difficult, just a bit of a faff. AstroBaby has all the details explained on her website for the EQ5. It's pretty much the same for the EQ3-2. When I did it I found that my polar scope was floating about at the top end and was never going to align properly. I fixed that by fitting an O-ring down the tube the polar scope fits in (just like the Skywatcher finders do to locate the front end). It does a reasonable enough job for planetary imaging.James Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hemihaggis Posted February 6, 2012 Share Posted February 6, 2012 im not sure what it is ...lol , but it looks like it will do the job !! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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