Mounting a 12" DOB on EQ6 Pro

[batema (Mark)]

Hi,

I have got the manual arts boys at my school to make up some tube rings for our 12" DOB using two gas bottle holders from caravans to make the rings. Weight wise can anyone advise if this should be OK to stick on my EQ6 Pro mount and also I will have to stick about 20Kg mass od the bar that extends to balance it. The rings probably weigh about 3Kg. Do you reckon this would be OK. I don't want to bend the bar with that much weight on it. Has anyone got something similar working for them?

Thanks

Mark

[iceman (Mike)]

Hi Mark

Check my equipment page - I've got some custom made rings to hold my 12" on the EQ6.

It is heavy, but there's a growing number of people putting their 12" newts on an EQ6.

Just make sure you get a longer, stronger dovetail bar.

[[1ponders] (Paul)]

Mark, Mark, Mark, mmaaaaattee, have you got it Baaaddd or what!!!

[batema (Mark)]

I know it's out of control. Had a viewing night Paul on Friday at school and had 32 with dark skies, clusters, nebulas, and galaxies as well as imaging. It was great. All emails have been sent to our feeder schools re Saturday night. Wish us luck for this Friday at the Uni. Check the clock for 9am cause thats when we stand up with the powerpoint. Will show you some of it Saturday.

mark

[[1ponders] (Paul)]

sounds like you two have really got it happening over there. I'll have to come out one night. Thanks for the email re Saturday. Fingers crossed for the weather.

I've been thinking about your uni gig and hoping that it goes smoothly. good luck with it.

Let's organise a time over the Easter/term break to get together. I'm off for the week as well.

[batema (Mark)]

Sounds great

Mark

[TJD (Trevor)]

WHAT THE &%$# HOW DO YOU PUT A 12"DOB ON AN EQ MOUNT
DOBS WERE MENT TO BE PUSHED:scre wy:

[erick (Eric)]

Trevor, I think he'll leave the base on the ground and just mount the tube unit

As I understand it, until Mr Dobson came along and popularised the simple gunbarrel Alt/Azi mount for telescopes, everything went on a German Equatorial Mount, except for big scopes that went better into a fork mount on what was effectively a big wedge. And that meant big reflecting telescopes as well as refractors. So no surprise that someone would want to put a solid tube 12" reflector on an EQ mount. Gained is effective tracking without field rotation. The main issues with a big reflector on an EQ mount, as I understand them, are 1) the eyepiece can end up miles high and 2) the eyepiece ends up in strange positions as the tube is rotated by the mount. Solutions are - none for 1), just use a big ladder - and 2) rotate the tube in the rings to get the eyepiece into a suitable position.

[iceman (Mike)]

Eric's right, too. I actually wouldn't advise this configuration for visual observing. It's far far easier to use it in the dob mount and get an Argo Navis as your digital telescope computer and push-to.

Of course it can be overcome like Eric pointed out, but it can be frustrating.