LX90 8" on Wedge vs Eq Mount

[picklesrules]

Hey Guys

Ive been looking at getting a EQ mount for my 5" reflector and 80ed

But the HEQ5 Pro is $1500

Though im able to get a LX90 8" For between $1500-$2000

The Wedge from the us is only botu $200 deliverd

What do you guys think is best bet?

Get the EQ mount

or Sell my reflector and piggyback the ED80 on the LX90??

Please Help :P

AP & Visual are both prospects

Been visualy observing for over a year and done some AP but on Alt Az :P

So i still consider my self a noob:P

[madwayne]

Hi Nicholas

I had the same pondering a couple of years ago and was lucky enough to pick up my EQ6 in the classifieds here at a reasonable price.

I'm so glad I did as I now watch one of my club mates struggle from time to time with his LX90 and Meade wedge trying to get it polar aligned.

Like any discussion on here everyone has their own opinion, as it should be. I have no doubt there are members here who have taken some stunning images with a wedged up fork mount and as such could not want, or in their case need, an EQ mount. For me it is a no brainer.

I guess the old adage of mount is king when it comes to astrophotography rang loud and clear in my ears when I made my decision.

Either way good luck with your decision and please keep asking questions.

Wayne

[bmitchell82]

if it was me ide stay with the gem, as it offers a greater range for youto start your photography with. fork mounts can be a little fickel unless they are high quality! just keep your eyes open for a secondhand EQ6 they regularly go for a decent price.!

[tempestwizz]

If your ultimate aim is imaging, then you will eventually end up with a GEM. I have trodden this path some years back. I started with an LX90, then tried to take images. I had to move to a wedge, but found there was still too much 'springiness' in the mechanical system. The weight of the LX90 basically hangs off the wegde. There is a lot of weight there, and being stiff it shakes with the smallest of wind, or people walking across the lawn or whatever. I even built a concrete pier, but it didn't really improve things much. My conclusion is that the LX90 is fine for visual, and is best suited for Alt/Az operation. The LX90 is 2 metres focal length, and guiding problems are magnified. The LX90 is also only F10, hence meaningful exposures will need to be longer for extended objects, adding to the guiding issues, vibration, and frustration.
You will get far better results far quicker sticking with your ED80 and reflector. When you have developed some experience and competence with these, then consider moving onto longer focal lengths.

HTH,

Brian C

[slippo74]

Hi Nicholas,

I have the LX90 8", the eq wedge and the ED80 piggy back (plus a BOSMA short tube for the guiding in PHD).
I can only tell you that if I was you I'll move to purchase a good mount rather then a setup like mine. Of course if your requirements are strictly for imaging and long exposure.


Brian is totally right... I'm learning to "float" in the air when the camera is working, otherwise is a big problem.

Cheers

[bmitchell82]

Nicholas, your in perth, and im pretty sure your a member of ASWA? if thats the case talk to roger groom, and he will let you know the details but theres a fair group of us now that go out all the time together, ranging from 12" dobs, vcl200's and RC's on EQ6's and a few different other setups, you can come around we are all quite friendly and will show you what we are doing at the time! that will be your best bet to make a good decision!

[marki]

Nicholas, the easiest and best way is to save your pennies and buy an EQ mount when one comes up. I have both and the EQ mount is far more stable then the fork by a long shot. My LX200 (much stiffer than an LX90) used to vibrate at the slightest hint of wind and this will ruin any pics you are trying to take. The lengths I have had to go to to eliminate most of this are fairly extreme. My scope is mounted on an ultrawedge which is fully supported over its entire length by 25mm thick ali plate. It is bolted to the plate by four bolts and the whole lot is sitting on a 210mm dia x 10mm thick steel pier. The pier is bolted to 3.8tonnes of reinforced concrete. You could not call this a portable setup by any means and the wedge mounted on the original tripod is useless. The EQ will allow you to mount different scopes easily, the fork only allows you to use the scope it came with.

Mark

[coldspace]

So Mark, is this setup with your LX scope now stable enough for imaging?

Matt.

[bmitchell82]

i can answer that one for you mark as i have used the meade LX200R 12" ..

NO. unless its a extremely still night and your guiding is impecable! put a LX200R on a GEM... different story!

[marki]

Thanks Brendan :), Matt I will let you know when I give it a red hot go in a few weeks (holidays). I have mounted the scope on the wedge and kicked the crap out of the pier whilst looking through the EP and the damping rate looks promising with the wind having little effect (fully supported wedge helps). This has cost me a lot of money to achieve and I am only persisting as I am a stubborn old fart:P. If this doesen't work as well as I want then the tube will be de-forked and mounted on a G11. It is not impossible to image with the fork but you will be deleting a lot of useless data. For Nicholas being a student about to go to uni I think it would be far more practical (and cheaper) to go for an EQ hence my position on this.

Mark

[picklesrules]

hey guys thanks for all your advice , ill go for an eq mount, though ill probably sell my reflector in track of a larger reflector in time. Brendan i aint a member of ASWA yet, im going to join when i get my p plates next year makign it easier to get to the meetings :) look forward to seeing you there
nick

[coldspace]

Sounds good. My 12 fork mounted Meade is now mounted to a custom built pier thats filled with 60kgs of fine white sand and has a 20mm full size top plate.its also bolted to 2 cubes of concrete and is rock solid in Alt/Az mode. It perfect for visual and my Mallincam use which is all I use it for ATM.. Damping with say a 13mm eyepiece is less than half second if you kick the pier.

I want to possibly throw it onto an ultra wedge next year when I get a dedicated CCD camera.
My observatory walls are 2.1mtrs around so we are protected from the wind to some extent.

I will be keen to here your results.

Matt.

[marki]

I filled mine with filter sand then realised I had not put the pier on the right way around :screwy:. Took ages to suck enough out with the vacuum cleaner so I could lift it and turn it around the right way. I have never had a problem with them in alt/az mode as they are steady as a rock. Put them on a wedge and they are a different beast entirely. See if you can borrow an ultrawedge from someone and try before you buy. They only mount at the front and are a little too flexible unless fully supported but then there is a lot of weight hanging off them. My top plate is 25mm thick and 400mm square so make sure you have plenty of support and room to adjust. It might be better to have one custom made from 25mm ali plate with both front and rear fixing points? Just a thought anyway. The QHY9 has small pixels so it will definately put it to the test, will let you know how I go :thumbsup:.

Mark

[coldspace]

Yep, custom made might be an option, we have a few machining shops around here and I could get some one to do it. Would be alot stiffer like you say to make one solid welded up one.

I already have this scope, so a wedge will be the go, as I would loose too much money selling it and then buying another OTA and say a G11 at minimum to carry it.

Thanks for the idea on getting one made up, I have just the person in mind to do it for me :thumbsup:.
Just have to make sure they get the angle right for my latitude :lol:.

Matt.