Advice

[Lognic04 (Logan)]

Hi all,
I am 12 years old, and would like some advice on buying an neq6. as you can guess, budget is very limited. What would you think is a reasonable price for an neq6? i have seen them for around 1250-1300, but i have been talking to someone online and they said they found an neq6 for 1000 here.

[deanm (Dean)]

Are you serious about being 12 years old?!
A typo perhaps?
Dean

[OzEclipse (Joe Cali)]

Hi,
An NEQ6 is a pretty heavy beast, even for fully grown adults. The equatorial head weighs about 16kg. This weight is not an impossible lift for a 12 year old but there is a big difference between lifting 16kg and placing it on a tripod.

It's great that you have asked us for advice about buying but you haven't told us what you want to use it for? Maybe if you tell us what you plan to use it for, we can point you at something a bit easier to use? NEQ6 mounts occasionally come up for $1000 but $1200-$1500 is more common.

Ice in Space has a search function and an archives for classifieds that you can search through if you want to see how often the cheaper mounts are advertised.

Good luck

Joe

[Lognic04 (Logan)]

No not a typo
I plan on using the neq6 for astrophotography, and occasionally visual with my takahashi mt-160

[Atmos (Colin)]

For an older NEQ6 without any mods it would probably go closer to the $1,000 mark but if it has been modded with a hypertune or a Rowan belt it'll put the price up a bit more.

[traveller (Bo)]

Hi Logan,
Have you thought about a HEQ5? EQ6 can be heavy to lift and move around as others have said.
Also, if you pick up an original HEQ5 v an EQ6, belt mod is MUCH easier on a HEQ5 than an EQ6.
Price wise, as Colin said, around $1000 for EQ6 $200-500 more for belt modded. HEQ5 can be had for $800 original and $1000 for belt modded.
Belt mod makes a bid difference, as others can tell you and HEQ5 can carry your Tak reflector without much problems.
Bo

[Lognic04 (Logan)]

Hi,
My takahashi mt-160 is approximately 8 kg on its own. + 1 kg for cameras and guidescopes, would a heq5 be able to image adequately? also, if i can score a heq5 for 600-700, i could use the leftover money for guiding.
also, is there any point in an neq6 for my setup? people say that it is good to be able to have extra load, but idk. also, hopefully prices are down after the release of the eq6-r

[SimmoW (SIMON)]

That's ace, a 12yo starting off very well! Very good luck to you! If you can scrimp and convince the parents, an eq-6 based mount will be a much more long term proposition.

[jenchris (Jennifer)]

Setup in a shed, neq6 is not heavy because you never lift it.
I have one and I'm a scrawny old pensioner. Sure it's heavy but manageable.
You go kid. You've got plenty of time to grow. I'm going the other way!