Best barlow for C8 webcam Planetary work?

[toc (Tim)]

Would a 3x barlow be a good choice for WebCam planetary imaging with a C8 or is that going to be to much magnification?

After last night, I know I am going to have to upgrade my current mount - (a butchered EQ5) Its an exercise in utter frustration making fine movements at the moment.

[[1ponders] (Paul)]

A 2.5X powermate for a 2000 focal length scope should be plenty except for evenings of perfect seeing. Is your EQ5 motorised?

[davidpretorius]

i have only had experience with a c9.25. In great seeing a 4x powermate should cut the mustard, a 5x powermate with say a toucam camera will almost be too big for something the size of jupiter at the moment as it is close to 480px high!!!!

2.5 is great on a c9.25 for 90% of the time.

If however you go the dragonfly cameras etc then you can go a 5x powermate and even some extension tubes.

needless to say, it still needs accurate and fine adjustment.

[asimov (John)]

I would say 2.5X would be optimum. Depending on conditions.

[toc (Tim)]

Originally Posted by [1ponders]

A 2.5X powermate for a 2000 focal length scope should be plenty except for evenings of perfect seeing. Is your EQ5 motorised?

Yes - I retrofited autostar onto it - but it has never really worked very well. Tracking is quite poor.

I put it down to over zelousness when overhalling the EQ5 in the first place. (learned a lot though)