Scope choice

Hello again

I've got the hang using a Scotch mount but I want to use longer lenses and
take longer exposures and also not have to stand there turning the thing (I
get distracted looking at the stars and don't concentrate on driving it
accurately). For this I need a driven mount and a guide scope.

The Skyhawk - 114m special offer on page 42 of April's AN would be perfect.
Inexpensive I could leave it permanently outside polar aligned, it's high
magnification, without having to dismantle tele converters and reassemble
them in bits of tube that are too big or too small, would help in this and
be good for guiding and has a thing for attaching the camera on one of the
tube rings. And, at lower more sensible powers, it doubles as a telescope.

After lots of surfing one of the few things I found was that the EQ1 isn't
up to the job.

If I can get it polar aligned accurately enough and the drive seems accurate
as well I might try some unguided prime focus astrophotography with it but
for now I'd like to put on it my SLR with a 80-210mm or 300mm lens (about
1.5Kg).

http://www.astunit.com/tutorials/firstscope.htm recommends TAL-1M or
TAL-120M reflector, pedestal mounted, motorised or Helios Evostar 102-1.
Does anyone have any comments on these for what I would like one for or
recommend some similar to the Skyhawk but with a good mount upto £300.

TIA Neil
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"Neil Booker" wrote in message
...
Hello again

I've got the hang using a Scotch mount but I want to use longer lenses and
take longer exposures and also not have to stand there turning the thing
(I
get distracted looking at the stars and don't concentrate on driving it
accurately). For this I need a driven mount and a guide scope.

The Skyhawk - 114m special offer on page 42 of April's AN would be
perfect.
Inexpensive I could leave it permanently outside polar aligned, it's high
magnification, without having to dismantle tele converters and reassemble
them in bits of tube that are too big or too small, would help in this and
be good for guiding and has a thing for attaching the camera on one of the
tube rings. And, at lower more sensible powers, it doubles as a telescope.

After lots of surfing one of the few things I found was that the EQ1 isn't
up to the job.

If I can get it polar aligned accurately enough and the drive seems
accurate
as well I might try some unguided prime focus astrophotography with it but
for now I'd like to put on it my SLR with a 80-210mm or 300mm lens (about
1.5Kg).

http://www.astunit.com/tutorials/firstscope.htm recommends TAL-1M or
TAL-120M reflector, pedestal mounted, motorised or Helios Evostar 102-1.
Does anyone have any comments on these for what I would like one for or
recommend some similar to the Skyhawk but with a good mount upto £300.

TIA Neil
--
P.S. Please remove the obvious from the address to reply


I can't remember the company name, but someone does make a proper drive
mount for cameras. I think the price starts from around £100 or so. I'm sure
someone will post the URL.

Martin

"Martin" wrote in message
...

I can't remember the company name, but someone does make a proper drive
mount for cameras. I think the price starts from around £100 or so. I'm sure
someone will post the URL.
Martin

It's more like £170 and the supplier is BCF. I saw it at Astrofest last
February.
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M Stewart
Milton Keynes, UK
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Martin wrote:
I can't remember the company name, but someone does make a proper drive
mount for cameras. I think the price starts from around £100 or so.

There are several of these available:

A Takahashi one -- could probably get through True Technology (I haven't
checked), but it will be more than £100. Probably several times more.

BC&F do one. Also more than £100, and over-priced.

Beacon Hill do one. This is probably the one you are thinking of.
http://www.beaconhilltelescopes.mcmail.com/

It is also possible to use a Synta mount, such as an EQ1 or EQ2, on a
table-top tripod. (I believe the EQ1 is sometimes sold with such a
tripod.)

Best,
Stephen

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Malcolm Stewart wrote:
"Martin" wrote in message
...

I can't remember the company name, but someone does make a proper
drive mount for cameras. I think the price starts from around £100
or so. I'm sure someone will post the URL.
Martin

It's more like £170 and the supplier is BCF. I saw it at Astrofest
last February.

Alan's site he

http://www.ajefferis.freeserve.co.uk/

has a home construction article which uses parts that are easily
available (Maplin etc.) several have been built and the plans
revised to accomodate mods to the original design.


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In message , Stephen Tonkin
writes
Martin wrote:
I can't remember the company name, but someone does make a proper
drive mount for cameras. I think the price starts from around £100 or


There are several of these available:

A Takahashi one -- could probably get through True Technology (I
haven't checked), but it will be more than £100. Probably several times
more.

BC&F do one. Also more than £100, and over-priced.

Beacon Hill do one. This is probably the one you are thinking of.
http://www.beaconhilltelescopes.mcmail.com/

I bought the BC&F one at Astrofest and for various reasons I haven't
tested it, but I would question its being overpriced. It's a nice piece
of work.
But unless they've upgraded it, the Beacon Hill device is a bit flimsy.
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Hi

Thanks for the responses. http://www.ajefferis.freeserve.co.uk/ coupled with
an adjustable Dec axis like the one I saw while surfing would be a great
idea.

However, I knew I'd cock up the OP somehow, apologies for that. What I was
looking for are scopes similar to the Skyhawk 114m that I could use for
piggybacking. Are the scopes and mounts with the TAL-1M or TAL-120M
reflector, pedestal mounted, motorised or Helios Evostar 102-1 good enough
for piggybacking? I'm thinking of spending up to £300 (I can't wait for the
day I can add a 0 to that)

Again thanks for the responses and sorry for not saying what I should have
said in the first place (must work on that).

Neil
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