TheSkySearchers

Hello everybody,
I'm interested in getting a used Meade ETX-125 EC for packing in the camper when I go on a trip. It can be set up as a EQ but can it be guided with a guide scope and PHD2. I plan on doing the alignment etc. and swap the finder scope for the guide scope. I believe if I can get a long enough exposure I can take a photo of it with my Sony a6000.

Anybody doing what I'm wondering about?

Dano

Belay my last, I've decided to go with Explore Scientific iEXOS-100 PMC-Eight Equatorial GoTo Mount System. It appears to be much better and a lot less.

The mount says it carries 8.6 kg, so that's about 4.3 kg for astro (50% load). what scope are you using ?

edit:hang on, i don't think counterweight is included on the load, the weights are 2x1kg

Counterweights do not subtract from the capacity. So it is still 8.6 kg for visual, 4.3 kg for AP.

I’ll be using a guide scope and my Sony a6000 camera. I was worried I may have to add a little weight to balance out the counterweights.

The last thing you want to do is add more weight to this mount. Don't use both counterweights. You are going for as light a payload as you can get away with!

Cheers,
JT

what focal length scope are you using ?, there are smaller lighter mount packages out there for small scope/dslr camera photography ,only down side is the ones i checked out only auto guide in ra, not a big deal with a good polar align and reasonable focal length .The mount you're interested in looks more suitable for a longer fl 200mm-400mm + range ,the pros is that it can find your targets with go to, and mosaic imaging/framing.the tri pod looks pretty flimsy, probably would only extend the legs to tier 1 and keep it low to the ground. if you do get this mount, i'd like to hear your opinion on it, i do travel and do a little wide shot astro work when i can.

if wide shot imaging of the milky way is your go then i'd probs recommend something smaller like the Star Adventurer or similar. i took a 1 min exposure of the milky way with a 50 mm lense, i didn't even polar align, i just pointed the mount with a compass ..

If you can't balance the camera with only one counterweight at the top of the bar, then you need a smaller counterweight.

For lightweight loads, I picked up a pair of hand weights and improvised a mount with a pair of pipe clamps. Or you can probably order lighter weights that are made for your mount.

https://www.cloudynights.com/topic/6432 ... try9153116
This guy is doing really well with a 135mm Samyang Lens. I’m following his lead.

I’ll be using the 70-210 kit lens and maybe my 400mm mirror lens for start. I have a 60 mm FL 715mm guide lens I’ll attach to the mount and piggy back the camera ...I hope,
Dano

Ooops, that guide camera has a FL of 215mm not 715mm.

I think you'll do fine without the need for a guide scope with a 70-210 kit, those users at cn are doing narrowband with 5 min subs.

with a a600 and a 210 mm lense it brings the resolution to 3.81''/pixel plenty of room for tracking error ,i don't know what the performance is like with the mount but there probably isn't really a need to do star guiding even for 5 mins,the setup from a users at cn is using a 135mm lense with an asi1600mm-c with a resolution of 5.93''/pixel and the guide graph is 1.60''/pixel , more than enough for a 200mm lense and under.

don't mind my blabbering,i'm just intrigue on the performance of the mount from the images of the gear and guide graph , i reckon it could do alot more than a 200mm lense. i'll have to see if these mounts are sold here in aus

edit: here is an image from a user at cn, used a 80mm refractor at 600mm fl 3 min exposure with guiding.

https://www.cloudynights.com/uploads/mo ... 665502.jpg

Thanks for the reply, you know a lot more than me! If I can get 4 or minute exposures I'd be very happy!

Dano