Does anyone know where I might be able to purchase a small light and portable EQ mount and tripod, preferably with goto, that would suit a short focal length 80mm refractor. So far I have only come across heavy duty models designed for much larger scopes.
Welcome Pacman if you keep an eye out in the buy and sell herein one may come up..I will be almost giving away a lxd 55 meade goto mount as the hand box is on the blink and have no reason to fix it as I have purchased an eq6..even if I dont sell it I say the lxd mount handled my 80mm and 70mm astro imaging combo very well. These mounts respond to a pull down and regreese when mine was running I really liked it for the 80/70 set up. mmm thinking about it I should fix it and keep it.
All the best.
alex
Thanks for the welcome iceman and xelasnave. I would use the mount primarily for visual use, preferably with goto . Occasionaly I'd like to do some piggyback photography and through the telescope photography on short exposure objects.
Cannon Valley is approx. 140 kms north of Mackay QLD., next to the Whitsunday group of islands.
The lxd 55 or one of the "earlier" Chinese mounts will do it. I have got wide fields piggy back up to 45 minutes unguided on each (one not a goto) and upto 200 seconds thru 80 x 400 ar when perfectly polar aligned. Certainly it is difficult to get 200 seconds but I have done this without star trails.. the secret is simply use a short focal length you can get away with it.. each of these mounts, at least for me, were better left unguided as when manually corrected problems creek in..it could be just me but Any amount of trying saw a better result if they both are left untouched. My method has always been to start with 60 seconds (thru the scope) and then one at 70, 80 and so on until the trails say dont bother going longer. I feel you will have lots of fun even with short exposures as there are many objects that you can get a decent capture with short exposure and short F/L. Also remember planet shots and Moon shots, sub second exposures are all you need...
good luck
alex
Hello Pacman and welcome to IIS. A light Eq mount with tracking would be easier to find and work well, but if you want goto that will be harder to find. If you can hang off for a bit it looks like the Skywatcher EQ3 has an upgrade to computerised goto coming next year.
Thanks for the helpful replies guys. I sold my EQ5 mount last year as I was having trouble lifting it due to a work related back injury,(the C8 optical tube and accessories are still to be sold).
Light Duty Equitorial Mount
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and 
Pacman.
