Balance Problem - Problem Solved

[ramsjunior]

Getting balance on a EQ mount is a given, a must. Last thing you want is ur scope swinging wildly and crashing into you mount. Its something very straightforward to do providing you have enough counter weights.

[Skotten76]

I am just curious how is looking through the eye peice a Zenith

[kulifrunsen]

hey man very nice video and balance on that mount, but i have a question for you.. why would you want such a great balance for visual observing only, or if you are doing long sposure photography wouln't be better to balance the telescope with the extra gear in it? such as camara, guide scope, etc,..

[Simon128D]

@kulifrunsen I was going to go into photography and had considered mounting a guide scope to the other side of the OTA to act as a balance but the real reason I wanted to get this unbalance corrected was to have to no unneeded stress or strain on the gears and worm wheels. If everything is balanced well then everything is going to stay healthier for longer.

[minos68]

nice set up,your orion u.k is 1/8 lambda?

[Simon128D]

Thanks! If you mean the primary mirror is 1/8th PV then yes, it is.

[minos68]

Good job!!!

[Simon128D]

Thanks! It's a fine instrument that's gave me a lot of pleasure over the last 9 years and still continues to do so.

[KingHaggis]

Hey, nice setup you got there!

Is the EQ-6 really strong enough to properly carry your 10" OTA? I'm looking for a mount for my 12" Newtonian reflector myself. It's very hard to find a good mount, I'm afraind the EQ-6 and and CGEM are a bit too light and the CGE Pro is a bit too expensive. Do you think the EQ-6 can carry a 12" Newtonian without damaging the headunit and motors?

[Simon128D]

Thanks King!

The EQ6 handles my 10" perfectly with no issues what so ever but my OTA is made from rolled aluminium so it's very light, about 20KG and the max payload for the EQ6 Pro is 25KG.

It really depends on the weight of your OTA but anything over 20KG and you will need an extentsion bar for the counter weights as my weights sit right at the end of the bar for a perfect smooth movement of the scope

[KingHaggis]

Thanks for your answer. I am really on the edge of buying the EQ6. I'm still not sure if the mount is sturdy enough to support my Dark Star 12" scope. I believe mine weighs about 25kg. It sucks that there are no heavier mounts available for a decent price. It's either a affordable EQ6 that may or may not get the job done or a very expensive G11, Atlux or CGEM. There is nothing in between as far as I know.

Sigh, decisions, decisions...

Anyway, I'm glad it all works out for your setup.

[emgee65]

Hi Simon.

Is that an 8" OTA ?

[Simon128D]

Hi Emgee, no it is an 10" OTA - Orion Optics Europa 250.

This mount will comfortably hold a 12" Orion OTA

[emgee65]

Hi Simon.

Thanks for the reply.

Looked like a 10 to me also but I asked because I see both weights seem sufficient enough for you to achieve proper balance. I have a 10" Skywatcher on an NEQ6 Pro goto mount and the 2 X 5.4kg weights are'nt enough to allow for proper balance.

Have another weight on the way.

I based my last question on the "ass_umption" that the Orion and Skywatcher 10" OTA's were similar in weight..... :P

[Simon128D]

I do believe the weights are rather different. Orion use a very light aluminium for the tube so that is why I can, just about, get away with the two counter weights.

Skywatcher use a slight more thicker material giving extra weight, of course.

[dickphair]

i thought stargazers were rare here in northern ireland

[Simon128D]

Well we aren't like hens teeth. There are a few and I am a member of the NIAAS, a great club with great observers.

Are you from N.Ireland yourself?

[dickphair]

yes,from the cloudy town of enniskillen co fermanagh,good looking gun plenty of aperture there for observing those deep sky objects.

clear skies to you brother

[vebbto]

Me like! I'msoon buying an Skywatcher HEQ-5 GOTO Sky Scan Pro mount v3.10. I currenlt have a SkyQuest XT6 dobsonian telescope, but i'll just take those plastic things on the side off and voilà i have a telescope which i can put on an HEQ-5 mount =)

[vebbto]

That's a Very nice mount! EQ-6 or HEQ-5?

[Simon128D]

Thank you. It is an excellent mount. I've already had many great nights out with it.

It is an EQ6 Pro Synthscan.