New first ever mount Generic equipment discussions · Tareq Abdulla · ... · 18 · 445 · 0

TareqPhoto 2.94
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Hi all,

I am new to AP, and from the other site as some knows i asked about tools for AP and i think 100% they directed me to get the mount first, and sure everyone will recommend something, so i am not sure what i really should get, and that will be for imaging ofcourse, and i mentioned that i am thinking only for DSO imagine and not for planetary or solar or lunar.

I decided on one mount, but before i mention it, i want to see what are your recommendations out there, i know many will ask me for budget, well, this is not so much decided yet, but i was thinking to keep it so much under $2000 if possible, and i definitely not planning to a mount that is $500-1000 just as starter, but i still not sure of what i almost decided on or should i keep looking at more options.
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carl0s 0.00
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DSO & under 2k $ range ?  I never had one, but my astro friends are happy with the EQ-6
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TareqPhoto 2.94
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DSO & under 2k $ range ?  I never had one, but my astro friends are happy with the EQ-6


In fact this is the mount i decided on, but i wasn't sure if it will be good enough, i won't buy so many scopes to use with it, and i think with the 2 scopes i am looking for in near future i hope this mount can handle each enough, but anything else or this mount is sufficient with some scopes that are not that much heavy?
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gnomus 0.00
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I think the advice is sound - mount, mount, mount.  As to your question about the EQ6, it depends.  Think about imaging resolution.  I have two rigs.  One is a widefield rig, where my scope and camera combine to give me an imaging resolution of 3.2" per pixel.  The EQ6 would be perfectly fine with that since I would expect to be able to guide it with an accuracy of +/- 1".  That is why the EQ6 is such a popular mount for widefield imaging.  On my other rig the camera and scope (840mm) focal length mean that my imaging resolution is 0.9" per pixel.  Now I want a mount that can guide with an accuracy of 0.4-0.5".  That might be asking a bit much of the EQ6 (although no doubt others will tell you that their EQ6 is capable of this).

If you are starting out in AP then I would recommend widefield imaging and so the EQ6 should be more than fine.  People image successfully with lesser mounts.

I would recommend though that you look at the new model EQ6-R.  It is belt driven which should improve accuracy and it can carry a bit more payload than the older model.
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TareqPhoto 2.94
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Steve Milne:
I think the advice is sound - mount, mount, mount.  As to your question about the EQ6, it depends.  Think about imaging resolution.  I have two rigs.  One is a widefield rig, where my scope and camera combine to give me an imaging resolution of 3.2" per pixel.  The EQ6 would be perfectly fine with that since I would expect to be able to guide it with an accuracy of +/- 1".  That is why the EQ6 is such a popular mount for widefield imaging.  On my other rig the camera and scope (840mm) focal length mean that my imaging resolution is 0.9" per pixel.  Now I want a mount that can guide with an accuracy of 0.4-0.5".  That might be asking a bit much of the EQ6 (although no doubt others will tell you that their EQ6 is capable of this).If you are starting out in AP then I would recommend widefield imaging and so the EQ6 should be more than fine.  People image successfully with lesser mounts.

I would recommend though that you look at the new model EQ6-R.  It is belt driven which should improve accuracy and it can carry a bit more payload than the older model.

The problem will be where i can get that EQ6-R with international shipping, because from most online stores they don't ship to my country, and i think i didn't see anywhere about EQ6-R, but i will give it a try.

Sounds for starter with 2 scopes i am looking for or even DSLR this EQ6 whatever version is just fine, i really can't imagine which heavy scope i may get to need something more than EQ6, but i think i won't go that far yet not in 2 years i hope, but who knows what i may get within 1 year once i get the mount.

I hope i can find videos about setup this mount, because it is a very first for me to use a mount for AP or astronomy in general, so i don't want to screw up the mount due to first time, and i am really worry about the weight and load i may face, but sooner or later i must learn it and put it in use.

The only problem i should worry after i get all the tools needed is to have a clear sky, because i never go so far for darker skies, and i live in a city so light pollution will definitely have a big impact, but i don't know how much light pollution is too much or which can be handled or solved by some tools, it will be a big waste for me to buy a mount and scopes to do AP or even observing for nothing much, moon is crisp clear but stars or planets i can barely see more than 10 bright ones from my backyard.
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bobzeq25 0.00
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The EQ6 is a fine choice.  For getting into astrophotography, it will easily handle the recommended small refractor (the usual, and good suggestion is nothing longer than 600mm).  And also be enough for a step up later.

The new EQ6-R would probably be better (no good information available yet), but it's not crucial.
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TareqPhoto 2.94
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In all cases, whether it is EQ6 or EQ6-R i hope to find a store which allow or have international overseas shipping, but also i hope to find a store that has a good price for the item itself and then the shipping price, because it is ranging between $1600-2100 as total cost if shipping available, so hope to find it soon.
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msoutham 1.20
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For DSO you obviously need an equatorial mount. I'm still on my first computerized mount which is a Celestron AVX. I have had it mounted permanently in my observatory for almost 2 years and I haven't had any problems with it yet. The down side it that I can only get it to guide to withing +/- 2" which is not great but I havn't tried PEC or any mechanical adjustment. I have been pleased with the results I have gotten from both my SCT and refractor and it's very easy to use.
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TareqPhoto 2.94
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I mentioned EQ6 which i believe it is equatorial mount, and from what i read or i think it is slight better than AVX, so if AVX is just doing the job fine then EQ6 is going to make it even easier, but i shouldn't put higher expectations on whatever mount i will get.

I can't wait, next month i will save the money to get the mount, but still until now i couldn't find the right store to buy from, and now i focus more on EQ6-R though, hope to find something soon.
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bobzeq25 0.00
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It's substantially better than the AVX.   Better bearings,  Sturdier.  Better gears.

Can work with a small refractor significantly better and easier.  Can handle a larger scope.  My absolute minimum recommendation is the Sirius/HEQ5.
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dagoldst 1.51
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I have a variant of the EQ6, the Orion Atlas.  If I were buying today, I would get the EQ6-R or the Orion Atlas Pro.  Both are belt drive vs the gear drive of the EQ6 and the altitude adjustment is better on both than the old EQ6.  I think the Atlas Pro has the best altitude adjustment capability of all these mounts.  It doesn't use the front to back wedge with adjustment bolts that has been a long term weakness of the EQ6.

http://www.telescope.com/Mounts-Tripods/Altazimuth-Mounts-Tripods/Orion-Atlas-Pro-AZEQ-G-Computerized-GoTo-Telescope-Mount/c/2/sc/35/p/102340.uts
 FWIW.
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TareqPhoto 2.94
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Well, i am trying not to pay so much for the mount, i thought it is about $500, but then i realize i have to pay more, then i said i will go for $1000 only, but once i looked at EQ6 i figured out that $1000 is just a joke.

Now for EQ6-R it is already very expensive, even EQ6 Pro, so i may try to afford for EQ6-R if i can find it for shipping, but i can't afford for Orion Atlas Pro, because it means i have to wait until July or August while saving from next month[April], but next month i can afford only EQ6Pro or EQ6-R, so OA Pro is definitely out of budget or reach.
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TareqPhoto 2.94
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If i add Celestron CGEM II mount, how do you compare it to EQ6-R and Orion Atlas Pro? it is CGEM II, not CGE Pro or CGX, this CGEM II i found for about $1600, Orion Atlas Pro i said is very expensive out of range for me, so now it is only EQ6-R if i can find or this CGEM II or something else in same budget range [$1400-1600].
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TareqPhoto 2.94
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Never mind, sounds CGEM II is not in same class of Atlas Pro or EQ6, so it is out of my list.

Sounds only EQ6-R is the choice here as value+performance.
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dagoldst 1.51
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First mount is a bit of a conundrum.  It's usually your biggest expense when you are least sure if you will stay in the hobby.  Yet it is the most key component you need if you decide to continue and then want to upgrade your telescope to something bigger and heavier.  I went through the same thing a few years back and wound up with the EQ6 variant and that is still not a bad choice for the money.
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TareqPhoto 2.94
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Just to make it more easy or clearer, i will buy the mount so i will start with DSLR only, then soon not so long i will start to buy scopes, but the only 2 scopes i am really looking for to buy in the future [one in near future and one later far future but not too long far] are 80 APO and 120, and the brands are one of those or any two which are: Sky Watcher, Explorer Scientific and Orion, so are those scopes from those manufacturers heavy?

So if they are not heavy then i think EQ6 will be sufficient enough, later in far future if i want to buy another scope than those two and much heavier then that time i may afford to buy another mount, i feel no need to spend too much money on very strong mount and i won't use it with very heavy scopes for long time, so for now my minimum mount that i look for is EQ6, EQ6-R is just a bit better.

Also i just saw from one site about SW EQ6 and it is AZ/EQ together, and the price is more than EQ6-R itself, so i am not sure if that one is really ore than enough and in same class of Orion Atlas Pro, because i looked at Orion Atlas Pro, and it is difficult for me to see the big differences over EQ6 models, and now with so many EQ6 models i feel maybe i should get the most expensive one because it should be the most improvement or enhanced one of all EQ6 models, right?
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bobzeq25 0.00
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The EQ6 is a great choice.  Really it doesn't matter all that much which variant.  The more expensive ones are better, but better enough to justify the cost?
  That's a decision only you can make for yourself.  I'd say if the cost difference is just a theoretical concern with no real difference to you, go for the best.

Much more consequential is this.  When you're ready to move on to a scope from the DSLR, go for the 80 first, not the 120.  Wait until
you're doing good images with the 80.  Unlike the choice "which variant of the EQ6", that's a very big deal.  You want to proceed in
manageable steps, not jump too far too fast.  Many (including myself) made that big mistake.  Difficulty increases fast with the size
of the scope, it's not close to being a linear relationship.
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TareqPhoto 2.94
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Don't worry about the scopes, i won't jump so fast, and i won't try to get both or that longer one before the wider one, after all i have to get something, and also with me it doesn't matter if i started with 80 or 120 because i must learn any of them at some point even if takes me long time, but the thing is that 80 is cheaper than 120 so definitely i will start with it because i will spend a lot on the mount itself.
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TareqPhoto 2.94
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Thanks for everything

I already bought the mount, it is SW AZ-EQ6 
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