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Old 22-09-2015, 11:52 AM
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rustigsmed (Russell)
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NEQ6 can it image with 10" f5?

Hi IIS'ers,

thinking a little long term but currently thinking of getting another setup and running two scopes. my eq8 12"f4 with a mono camera (thinking either kaf 8300 chip or mono cooled dslr http://www.centralds.net/cam/?produc...-600d-ii-pro-3)

and another scope NEQ6 with a 10" f5 or 8" f6 and cooled dslr (colour).

the plan would to be blend the colour from the neq6 with the luminance or Ha (or Oiii) from the EQ8. keeping the FL the same and the chip the same seems the easiest /cost effective option.

the question is really can a NEQ6 carry a 10" f5 well enough or am I better off getting a 8"f6 or even a HEQ5 with the 8"? it will likely have a moonlite, OAG, CC hanging off it.

thanks,

Russ
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Old 22-09-2015, 12:04 PM
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Somnium (Aidan)
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Hi Russ

i have a 10" f4 on an NEQ6. it handles it okay, but if there is a sniff of wind then the subs are unusable, also i find i have some pretty bad backlash issues. these mainly came when i added a mono ccd, filter wheel, electric focuser and other equipment to the scope so i may have just tipped over its true capacity.

Aidan
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Old 22-09-2015, 12:50 PM
glend (Glen)
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I run my 10" f5 imaging newt on my NEQ6 Pro with no problems. At home the NEQ6 head sits on my observatory pier and it goes to Bretti on the tripod. I auto guide with a ZWO 60 mm scope on a Skywatcher guidescope mount mounted on top of the newt, ASI130 guide camera, run by Metaguide. Imaging camera is my full spectrum, cold finger cooled Canon 450D, which is heavier due to the cooling system.

However, I should add this caveat, my 10" f5 OTA weighs only 13kg without accessories due to it's carbon fibre open truss tube construction. I built it to achieve this weight so that when fully configured it would be just over 15kg on the NEQ6. I run a lycra shroud on it unless the wind is a factor then it can be removed to reduce wind effect.

I would not run a production 10" newt on a NEQ6, and that the main reason I built my own, as the production scopes will all weigh more than 15kg before you add the camera, accessories etc. And while many claim the imaging capacity of the NEQ6 is 18kg, I think its marginal at that weight - the less weight the better.

I am about to do a belt mod on my NEQ6 and that should help make it a bit more precise under guide. Make sure you run it slightly unbalanced to keep the gears messed and reduce over-correction, and reduce guide correction agression to prevent over correction oscillation.

Last edited by glend; 22-09-2015 at 01:32 PM.
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Old 22-09-2015, 12:53 PM
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peter_4059 (Peter)
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I've had a 10"f5 and now 10" f4 on my eq6. It's no PME but it gets the job done. I can't imagine many mounts would be immune to wind blowing on an ota that size without showing some movement in the subs.
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Old 22-09-2015, 12:54 PM
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Shiraz (Ray)
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have used an eq6 with 8 and 10 inch Newts - would recommend an 8 over a 10. You will get a whole lot more usable subs with the 8 inch, but will lose sensitivity if at the same fl.
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Old 23-09-2015, 10:45 AM
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rustigsmed (Russell)
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Somnium View Post
Hi Russ

i have a 10" f4 on an NEQ6. it handles it okay, but if there is a sniff of wind then the subs are unusable, also i find i have some pretty bad backlash issues. these mainly came when i added a mono ccd, filter wheel, electric focuser and other equipment to the scope so i may have just tipped over its true capacity.

Aidan
Thanks for the input Aidan that is good real world experience.

Quote:
Originally Posted by glend View Post
I run my 10" f5 imaging newt on my NEQ6 Pro with no problems. At home the NEQ6 head sits on my observatory pier and it goes to Bretti on the tripod. I auto guide with a ZWO 60 mm scope on a Skywatcher guidescope mount mounted on top of the newt, ASI130 guide camera, run by Metaguide. Imaging camera is my full spectrum, cold finger cooled Canon 450D, which is heavier due to the cooling system.

However, I should add this caveat, my 10" f5 OTA weighs only 13kg without accessories due to it's carbon fibre open truss tube construction. I built it to achieve this weight so that when fully configured it would be just over 15kg on the NEQ6. I run a lycra shroud on it unless the wind is a factor then it can be removed to reduce wind effect.

I would not run a production 10" newt on a NEQ6, and that the main reason I built my own, as the production scopes will all weigh more than 15kg before you add the camera, accessories etc. And while many claim the imaging capacity of the NEQ6 is 18kg, I think its marginal at that weight - the less weight the better.

I am about to do a belt mod on my NEQ6 and that should help make it a bit more precise under guide. Make sure you run it slightly unbalanced to keep the gears messed and reduce over-correction, and reduce guide correction agression to prevent over correction oscillation.
that sounds like some good advice there Glen, that is the other thing if I was going to push the boundary the AZeq6 is belt driven from memory. Good luck with the upgrade.

Quote:
Originally Posted by peter_4059 View Post
I've had a 10"f5 and now 10" f4 on my eq6. It's no PME but it gets the job done. I can't imagine many mounts would be immune to wind blowing on an ota that size without showing some movement in the subs.
Thanks Peter, yes I know all about the sail capacity of large newts with the 12"f4. sounds like its doable just, whether that is worth it at f5 might be the issue.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Shiraz View Post
have used an eq6 with 8 and 10 inch Newts - would recommend an 8 over a 10. You will get a whole lot more usable subs with the 8 inch, but will lose sensitivity if at the same fl.
thanks Shiraz, sounds like the 10 can be done, but it will be temperamental.

i was thinking the 'safe' upper limit would have been 10"f4 the extra length of f5 is probably pushing it. I don't have an obsy so it will be out in the relative open so the wind may be a bit of an issue.

i guess i could also try and find a 1.2x extender for a 10"f4 or 1.5x for an 8"f4 that could bring more stability (less wind resistance/balance issues) and allow CF tube options.
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Old 23-09-2015, 12:24 PM
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Shiraz (Ray)
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if you are using the eq6 purely as a source of colour data, it probably does not matter so much if the sampling is a bit coarser than the EQ8 system - a lot of people use 2x2 binning for colour data with success.
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Old 25-09-2015, 09:18 AM
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rustigsmed (Russell)
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Shiraz View Post
if you are using the eq6 purely as a source of colour data, it probably does not matter so much if the sampling is a bit coarser than the EQ8 system - a lot of people use 2x2 binning for colour data with success.
fair call Ray.

The other consideration I should turn my mind to is the current exchange rate.

Unfortunately Central DS uses US dollars and the price is getting up there. AU$3691 (mono with regulated handset). That is sitting between an Atik 460ex and 490ex (Andrews prices).

I guess I should take it one step at a time, decide on which camera for the 12" first, I can then sort a solution for a colour'd system on a neq6 with a similar fov.

cheers
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