tclehman1969
super member
Reged: 05/18/10
Loc: SF Bay Area, California
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Advice Requested -- What type mount to get
#5744335 - 03/20/13 01:39 AM
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Good evening all!
I have currently a Super C8 Plus stil in its original fork. I want to get into astro photography pretty extensively and the current mount just seems to have a bit of a jiggle that I think is in part due to its mount. Even a very slight breeze can ge the scope bouncing noticeable in an eyiece and in photos that would be devastating. So, I am looking at taking the plunge to a German equatorial mount, but there are a lot of manufacturers out there and I have questions, too. So, here we go!
Equipment I have is a C8 with a 8x50 finder. For photography I often go piggyback with wide field lenses up to my Celestron Onyx 80mm mounted in rings. The camera I use is a DSLR. Max equipment load from this I would guess would be about 30 lbs. so a mount that can support at least 30 lbs would be good.
I don't observe from a fixed location, so portability is a requirement. I like to get my current scope up to the mountains whenever possible, and it can be a bit bulky, but doable.
Auto guiding options. I know Orion has a system, but looks like it requires a laptop to drive it. Is there an option that is standalone? In other words, "talks" to the mount directly? I saw the Celestron guider which does this, but does it work with mounts from other manufacturers?
My initial uneducated instincts tell me either the Orion Atlas EQ-G or the Celestron CGEM could be the way to go. But, from what I have read so far, the Orion mount wins for the drive, but Celestron wins for guiding.
Anybody have any thoughts on this?
Thanks!
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Mike X.
professor emeritus
Reged: 06/28/10
Loc: Greece-Athens and Rome-Italy
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Re: Advice Requested -- What type mount to get
[Re: tclehman1969]
#5744496 - 03/20/13 04:35 AM
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Hello tclehman,
I don't know about guiding and CGEM.I mean if it actually wins or not over Atlas.
most probably the two mounts are virtually equivalent.
I guess till Celestron comes out with a fix for the cogging issue reported by many users on the CGEM..the Orion option, at least psycologically is the safest one.
Edited by Mike X. (03/20/13 04:37 AM)
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orlyandico
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 08/10/09
Loc: Singapore
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Re: Advice Requested -- What type mount to get
[Re: Mike X.]
#5744542 - 03/20/13 06:23 AM
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the Atlas also doesn't have the 8/3 gearbox harmonic of the CGEM.
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RogerRZ
Whatta you lookin' at?
Reged: 01/09/06
Loc: West Collette, NB, Canada
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Re: Advice Requested -- What type mount to get
[Re: orlyandico]
#5744551 - 03/20/13 06:43 AM
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Quote:
the Atlas also doesn't have the 8/3 gearbox harmonic of the CGEM.
It also works very well with eqmod, if you don't mind being tethered to a PC...
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tclehman1969
super member
Reged: 05/18/10
Loc: SF Bay Area, California
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Re: Advice Requested -- What type mount to get
[Re: orlyandico]
#5744762 - 03/20/13 09:49 AM
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Forgive me, 8/3 harmonics?
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tclehman1969
super member
Reged: 05/18/10
Loc: SF Bay Area, California
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Re: Advice Requested -- What type mount to get
[Re: RogerRZ]
#5744777 - 03/20/13 09:56 AM
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I read about EQMod, but when out in the field, I don't want to be tethered to a laptop. Looks like Celestron has a guider that runs without a laptop, curious if there are others that can, too. And if there are, what mounts will they work on?
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Mkofski
professor emeritus
Reged: 07/19/11
Loc: Greenfield, Indiana, USA
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Re: Advice Requested -- What type mount to get
[Re: tclehman1969]
#5744784 - 03/20/13 10:01 AM
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If portability is a requirement you May want to look at the ioptron's iEQ45 or maybe the 30.
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jrcrilly
Refractor wienie no more
Reged: 04/30/03
Loc: NE Ohio
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Re: Advice Requested -- What type mount to get
[Re: tclehman1969]
#5744788 - 03/20/13 10:03 AM
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Quote:
Looks like Celestron has a guider that runs without a laptop, curious if there are others that can, too. And if there are, what mounts will they work on?
There are others currently available (SBIG SG-4 is an example), and quite a few available only second hand (Meade 201XT, 208XT, 216XT, SBIG ST-4, STV). All are compatible with any mount having an autoguide port. That includes most available mounts.
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orlyandico
Carpal Tunnel
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Loc: Singapore
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Re: Advice Requested -- What type mount to get
[Re: jrcrilly]
#5744792 - 03/20/13 10:06 AM
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the celestron nexguide can't do subpixel guiding though. you need an SBIG SG-4, Lacerta MGEN, or similar.
the 8/3 harmonic is an irrational (8/3 = 2.66666667) periodic error that can't be removed by periodic error correction.
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jrcrilly
Refractor wienie no more
Reged: 04/30/03
Loc: NE Ohio
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Re: Advice Requested -- What type mount to get
[Re: orlyandico]
#5744797 - 03/20/13 10:11 AM
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the celestron nexguide can't do subpixel guiding though. you need an SBIG SG-4, Lacerta MGEN, or similar.
That's an important issue if guiding with a separate guidescope of short focal length. It's not, if using an off-axis guider. Personally, I wouldn't consider imaging through an SCT without an OAG for many reasons.
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orlyandico
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 08/10/09
Loc: Singapore
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Re: Advice Requested -- What type mount to get
[Re: jrcrilly]
#5744811 - 03/20/13 10:22 AM
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John, i know someone with a nexguide and OAG. the sensitivity of the chip is poor, it has trouble getting guide stars. with a CGEM or EQ6 class mount it might not be possible to use 4+ second guide exposures.
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Ed Wiley
professor emeritus
Reged: 05/18/05
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Re: Advice Requested -- What type mount to get
[Re: orlyandico]
#5744853 - 03/20/13 10:49 AM
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Losmandy G11 works well for me. Transportable, stable, good tracking.
Ed
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jrcrilly
Refractor wienie no more
Reged: 04/30/03
Loc: NE Ohio
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Re: Advice Requested -- What type mount to get
[Re: orlyandico]
#5744892 - 03/20/13 11:11 AM
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John, i know someone with a nexguide and OAG. the sensitivity of the chip is poor, it has trouble getting guide stars.
That would be a real problem with an OAG!
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Wmacky
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 11/24/07
Loc: Florida
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Re: Advice Requested -- What type mount to get
[Re: jrcrilly]
#5744927 - 03/20/13 11:33 AM
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My advice?
For astrophotography, I would recommend the Atlas EQ6. If your looking for better, and have more funds, the next mount you should consider is the AP Mach One. That's a big jump, but my current thinking eliminates all Mid range mounts as viable options. Anything more expensive than the EQ6 is to much risk unless getting AP quality.
Therefore -
Start with a EQ-6
Then
Start saving for a Mach One!
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orlyandico
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 08/10/09
Loc: Singapore
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Re: Advice Requested -- What type mount to get
[Re: Wmacky]
#5745039 - 03/20/13 12:22 PM
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+1 ^
I could have saved a lot of cash if I had followed the above advice.
There is a bit of upgrading you can do to an EQ6 - buy an Aeroquest worm for it, or if you are feeling flush, buy a matched Aeroquest worm and ring gear for the RA. Still under $500 additional.
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Whichwayisnorth
professor emeritus
Reged: 07/04/11
Loc: Southern California
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Re: Advice Requested -- What type mount to get
[Re: orlyandico]
#5745058 - 03/20/13 12:33 PM
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Why does your ota weigh so much?
I'd go cheap. Get a focal reducer for you OTA. Get a orion mini autoguider package (doesn't weigh much at all) and get the Celestron advanced VX mount.
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Lane
Post Laureate
Reged: 11/19/07
Loc: Frisco, Texas
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Re: Advice Requested -- What type mount to get
[Re: Whichwayisnorth]
#5745941 - 03/20/13 06:50 PM
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Here is what a Hypertuned Atlas can do.
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shams42
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 01/05/09
Loc: Kingsport, TN
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Re: Advice Requested -- What type mount to get
[Re: Lane]
#5746408 - 03/20/13 10:06 PM
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Good advice but I would also add the Takahashi EM-200 or NJP if you can find either of those used. They are equal to the Mach 1 in quality, with the EM-200 having less capacity and the NJP having substantially more.
So yeah, I totally agree that your options are:
1) Atlas
or
2) Mach 1 / EM-200 / NJP
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Raginar
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 10/19/10
Loc: Rapid CIty, SD
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Re: Advice Requested -- What type mount to get
[Re: shams42]
#5746444 - 03/20/13 10:16 PM
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+1 G11.
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andysea
sage
Reged: 09/03/10
Loc: Seattle, WA
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Re: Advice Requested -- What type mount to get
[Re: shams42]
#5746467 - 03/20/13 10:24 PM
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I can't say bad things about my NJP, however it seems that Takahashi mounts are a little outdated when compared to what the more modern mounts can do. Of course there is something to be said about the simplicity and top notch craftsmanship of Takahashi products.
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