Martin,
I use a C11 @f10 on a standard NEQ6pro mount.
I have an eFinder, flip mirror, spectroscope with three cameras, all up about 16-17Kg.
It needs 5 x 5Kg of counterweights
I don't do AP, but I can get a target star to sit in a slit gap of 20 micron almost indefinitely. Currently using 5 minute subs x 20 for spectral imaging.
It’s looking like a new era for the supply of major Astro gear to our big island , no more 4 to 6 weeks anymore more like 4 to 6 months !!
Ken,
In regard to your C11 , is your EQ6 pier mounted in an Obs or tripod in the yard
If it’s tripod mount out in the open , that’s truly amazing balance, tracking and guiding !!
Martin,
The C11/ NEQ6pro is mounted on a pier in a ROR Observatory.
I should also have said I use a Lodestar/ PHD2 (or AA7) with a reflective slit plate (on axis guiding)
If I said I am thinking about getting one can anyone offer a good reason why not ...or...for about that money an alternative to carry up to a GSO 16 inch rc. (Or an alternative). I know I can't even run my 80mm and heq5 mount properly but the fact is I may as well learn on whatever scope and mount I consider the final set up...the positive is I am not demanding but I have always wanted a 16 inch, like one wants a sports car, ...it may be beyond me but if I don't do it I will always wonder...weight?...not a problem as I intend having a engine lift hoist, which is only $300, and a work bench...all will fit in this huge roll off so why not...
I have work to complete with the new observatory but I need to start thinking hard about what will go in it...it seems both the mount and the scope are unknowns as I can't find much really.. so any comments will be greatly appreciated.
Alex
Nothing wrong with a NEQ6 or AZ-EQ6...can't hurt to dream about something bigger
I've tested my 10+ year old NEQ6 with my Edge 11 on board and got 10 minute subs with round stars...carrying and guiding it wasn't the problem, it was fighting the seeing to get a noticeable improvement over a smaller refractor
With the current breed of CMOS cameras, such long exposures just aren't necessary for pretty pictures...
Nothing wrong with a NEQ6 or AZ-EQ6...can't hurt to dream about something bigger
I've tested my 10+ year old NEQ6 with my Edge 11 on board and got 10 minute subs with round stars...carrying and guiding it wasn't the problem, it was fighting the seeing to get a noticeable improvement over a smaller refractor
With the current breed of CMOS cameras, such long exposures just aren't necessary for pretty pictures...
Lucky I did not get auto guiding working to my satisfaction, coupled with poor polar alignment because that forced me to go for short exposures first with the DSLR but latter with the mono zwo...I did not think there was any hope to get Ha until I got auto guiding sorted and long exposures but it has absolutely floored me what a short exposure and high gain will do..in fact the stuff I get with high gain is actually way past my expectations of when I got the auto guide working and gain settings as they should be...it is just so much easier than the old canon six leg and manual guiding for ten minutes...
My old eq6 needs a pull down but it really tracks very well, I have blue printed it and looked at the moving bits for hours, polished the gears with a tooth Bush even but I want a 16 inch and a big mount and a sports car and let the estate recover some value when I am dead.
I am a great believer in getting your mount as close to perfect before you auto guide...my heq5 needs slight counter weight movement during a session which surprised me..carrying more than it should but you would get frustrated with your guiding log ..it is the mount mate,..in my case.
I looked at the EQ8 longingly, then took a deep breath and ordered an Ioptron CEM70-G (Deep breath as they are new electronically even if the mechanics are an evolution of the CEM design)
I am imaging currently at 500mm and all the mounting of the scope I am using is quite chunky so the inbuilt guider in the 70-G should do OK (It is built in to the puck with a 120mm FL F4 guider and camera) and if it turns out to be a gimmick I can go back to an OAG later. I am really buying for the cable management of the CEM, with USB3 and in the case of the 70-G version, integration.
I am hopefully going to get away with no more than a single USB3 and single power connection to the mount. The USB3 G version (I presume G being for the inbuilt guidescope) has an internal USB hub obviously, with a FDTI USB to serial chipset to control the mount, the electronic polarscope and the guide cam all running off the hub internally too. The guider works with PHD2 so nothing new to learn there.
I’m currently imaging at 1000mm and nearly 15kg on board and may increase to 1250mm and 20kg next year so the EQ8-R pro would be a nice mount to have considering I started with a HEQ5 and progressed to an EQ6-R Mount
As mentioned, I "loved" mine (loved because last week I managed to reverse polarity on the power supply in a freak Powerpole wiring accident involving a Pegasus UPBv2 that theoretically is polarity protected but oops I guess not), and now have a slightly dead mount whilst I wait for a replacement motor control board.
I've only had access to the 8-R version and can say that it's competent, strong as an ox and guides rather well WITH guiding enabled. I don't much like it for unguided work at longer focal lengths, that might have more to do with my polar alignment than anything else, will know more when I get it all back to life.
The through-mount power and signal cables are great and you can pump Cat-5, RJ12 and RJ11 cables through it, meaning that you can avoid a lot of the issues associated with cable snags, BUT with only three power points fed by one input, heater control is out of the question if you're also bussing camera power and motor focusers - so "nice try" but not perfect.
I would have preferred they made the panel plugs modular and encouraged a more DIY approach than attempting to guess what we needed and messing it up.
Otherwise, whisper quiet belt drive, quieter than an EQ6-R.
Recommended
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Quote:
Originally Posted by xelasnave
Any new feed back on these new EQ8 mounts?
If I said I am thinking about getting one can anyone offer a good reason why not ...or...for about that money an alternative to carry up to a GSO 16 inch rc. (Or an alternative). I know I can't even run my 80mm and heq5 mount properly but the fact is I may as well learn on whatever scope and mount I consider the final set up...the positive is I am not demanding but I have always wanted a 16 inch, like one wants a sports car, ...it may be beyond me but if I don't do it I will always wonder...weight?...not a problem as I intend having a engine lift hoist, which is only $300, and a work bench...all will fit in this huge roll off so why not...
I have work to complete with the new observatory but I need to start thinking hard about what will go in it...it seems both the mount and the scope are unknowns as I can't find much really.. so any comments will be greatly appreciated.
Alex
At the price point, I am surprised that they don't have reverse polarity protection built in. All it would need would be a diode and fuse (With the diode across the input leads and "off" when polarity is normal) so if you flipped the polarity the diode would effectively short the input and blow the fuse, it might cause some head scratching when you do it but it is better than a blown board.
Thanks to all the input I really do appreciate hearing all your views.
With my father passing and affairs near complete in Sydney I plan to return to the Bush full time and get a set up that I really could not indulge whilst back and forth to Sydney.
The only reason I gave it away over a decade ago was the need to go back and forth..I was about to go for a 12 inch astro graph set up but clearly my situation really prevented that..but finally I had to do something so hence my transportable gear.
As you may know if you look at the DIY Observatory section I now have a wonderful roll off roof observatory that is huge and I can house the set up I have dreamed about...for whatever reason I lean to a 16 inch GSO rc which is a worry firstly because of the long focal length and secondly that I can not find anyone posting images. On YouTube the best I get is one moving around on a mount in a dome, which looked great but there is no indication of how well it performs...and then you look at the top shelf and find a price tag of $36k you wonder for such a price difference will the GSO be disappointing. I don't want to spend $100k for scope camera and mount just for pretty pictures ...I would rather put that towards a Caterham sports car and a winch to get in it.
And the cost of a eq8 and a 16 inch GSO (And suitable camera) is just so far past where I ever expected...still at 73 one realises there is not much time left .. so I am going to go for it on the basis that if nothing else I will stop wondering what it would be like..but I feel like I am a bit of a pioneer for this set up...but you must think it will at least do some pretty pictures. I plan a focal reducer but it would be nice if the mount managed the native focal length...I hope to go for galaxies and just hope it is possible.
I mean they must sell GSO 16 inch...do folk not post images because they are disappointed? I suppose at worst it will be a pretty decent visual set up for Moon and planets.
Still waiting on an email as to cost and availability but plenty to tidy up with the new roll off observatory...
And I guess there is more to do with a 16 inch ..another focused at half the price of the scope seems mandatory...I am starting to think contracting out the set up to someone who knows what they are doing..well I would if there was someone who does that sort of thing..it would be money well spent I expect.
Thanks again..I will now ring my selected supplier and move things along a bit.
Alex
Spoke to Andrews and they have the scope but don't know when for a mount..prices for mount from $6000 to $12000 please tell me the $6000 one is ok for pretty pictures.
Alex
And here’s the kicker, 3 weeks wait for a replacement.
Ridiculous.
Quote:
Originally Posted by The_bluester
At the price point, I am surprised that they don't have reverse polarity protection built in. All it would need would be a diode and fuse (With the diode across the input leads and "off" when polarity is normal) so if you flipped the polarity the diode would effectively short the input and blow the fuse, it might cause some head scratching when you do it but it is better than a blown board.
I’m doing okay at 2800mm, but I’d be concerned going longer without a better mount, better seeing might help too ;-)
Quote:
Originally Posted by xelasnave
Spoke to Andrews and they have the scope but don't know when for a mount..prices for mount from $6000 to $12000 please tell me the $6000 one is ok for pretty pictures.
Alex
Spoke to Andrews and they have the scope but don't know when for a mount..prices for mount from $6000 to $12000 please tell me the $6000 one is ok for pretty pictures.
Alex
Have you tried other places? Sidereal Trading might have one in stock, Paul is lovely too!
