EQ Mount for beginner's scope - manual or driven / go-to?

[johngwheeler (John)]

Hi, I'm looking at buying my first "serious" telescope and am trying to decide on the mount to go with it.

I have pretty much decided on getting an EQ5 mount because (a) I want to learn to use an EQ mount, (b) it will probably be easier to track objects if used manually.

However, I don't know whether I should start with a basic non-driven mount without motors, or whether the buy a driven mount (either with a go-to system or not), right from the start.

Is it a lot more expensive, technically difficult or otherwise inefficient to retrofit these items, rather than to buy them in the first place?

Thanks!

John.

[MattT]

Hi John,
Here's my thoughts on this subject...
What size scope?
With motors for RA and DEC is preferable to manual only.
Buying a GOTO is better than installing GOTO later on...its cheaper that way.
Better yet is to buy an NEQ6 or HEQ5pro and use the hand controller to manually slew around. I did that with the NEQ6.

From my experience the NEQ6 is not that much bigger than the HEQ5pro.

Around $1K gets an NEQ6 second hand....less for the HEQ5pro.

Both are bigger than the EQ5. There was an EQ5 with dual motors going very cheap recently.

I'm very happy with an EQ3 with RA/DEC drives and a 4" f5 refractor.

Matt