Cheapest way to mount an Orion 80ED?

I am trying to decide between the 80ED (OTA) or the Coronado
PST for X-mas:-) My only other scope is the Deep Space Hunter
10" (which should arrive tommorow or the next day). A small refractor
would be nice. I'm thinking the PST might be better off as a third or
fourth scope in the arsenal. What is the cheapest way to effectively mount
the ED for casual observing? I am thinking of a strong alt az mount.
The ED package looks OK, but the Sky View mount is only half of a
full eq. mount, and I would want a Telrad for the finder anyways.
P.S. Why are those TeleVue mounts so damned expensive??
-Tom

On Tue, 31 Aug 2004 21:19:22 -0700, "Tom" wrote:

I am trying to decide between the 80ED (OTA) or the Coronado
PST for X-mas:-) My only other scope is the Deep Space Hunter
10" (which should arrive tommorow or the next day). A small refractor
would be nice. I'm thinking the PST might be better off as a third or
fourth scope in the arsenal. What is the cheapest way to effectively mount
the ED for casual observing? I am thinking of a strong alt az mount.
The ED package looks OK, but the Sky View mount is only half of a
full eq. mount, and I would want a Telrad for the finder anyways.
P.S. Why are those TeleVue mounts so damned expensive??
-Tom

A alt-az mount would be great to also use the scope for terrestrial
views during the day. I personally do not like alt-az for astro use
with a telescope unless I am just using a real low power or using them
with binoculars. But then, that is just me.

Kruger

other scope is the Deep Space Hunter
10" (which should arrive tommorow or the next day). A small refractor
would be nice.

Or a small reflector.

I am thinking of a strong alt az mount.

Consider Universal Astronomics. They have an ad in S&T, and a website. I've
used (briefly) one of their Unistar mounts and it was really nice.



john

In article ,
(Izar187) wrote:

other scope is the Deep Space Hunter
10" (which should arrive tommorow or the next day). A small refractor
would be nice.

Or a small reflector.

I am thinking of a strong alt az mount.

Consider Universal Astronomics. They have an ad in S&T, and a website. I've
used (briefly) one of their Unistar mounts and it was really nice.



john


I concur with John. Visit the Universal Astronomics web site at:

www.universalastronomics.com

There is also a Yahoo group dedicated to UA products. It can be accessed
at:

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/universalastronomics/

Dusty
--
"Nothing is faster than the speed of light.
To prove this to yourself, try opening the
refrigerator door before thelight comes on."

"Tom" wrote in message ...
....What is the cheapest way to effectively mount
the ED for casual observing?

Prior to piggy-backing it on my main scope, I successfully used my
80ED on a Slik camera tripod (cost about £70). It made a fantastic
"quick look" system, particularly at low powers (20-50x). Higher mags
are useable (I took mine to 200x for the moon a few times) but there's
a lot of "nudging" needed to keep up with the sky at that power.

Cheers
Beats

In article ,
(justbeats) wrote:

"Tom" wrote in message
...
....What is the cheapest way to effectively mount
the ED for casual observing?

I have my 80-ED on an Orion AZ-3 ($140) -- an alt az mount with slow
motion controls. I find slow motion vital when viewing planets and the
moon at up to 200x (using a wide field EP). I have to dodge trees, etc
depending on where the planets and moon are, so an EQ wouldn't be much
use. I don't believe that the UA alt-az mounts have slow motion
controls, neither do the Televue mounts

Alan Charlesworth wrote:
In article ,
(justbeats) wrote:


"Tom" wrote in message
...

....What is the cheapest way to effectively mount
the ED for casual observing?

I have my 80-ED on an Orion AZ-3 ($140) -- an alt az mount with slow
motion controls. I find slow motion vital when viewing planets and the
moon at up to 200x (using a wide field EP). I have to dodge trees, etc
depending on where the planets and moon are, so an EQ wouldn't be much
use. I don't believe that the UA alt-az mounts have slow motion
controls, neither do the Televue mounts

You are correct re the UA and TV mounts. Some of us equate the 80ED and
its brethren with lower power wider-field casual viewing not needing
such controls. And some do use the UA mounts at 150x or so successfully.

Phil

"Alan Charlesworth" wrote in message
...
In article ,
(justbeats) wrote:

"Tom" wrote in message
...
....What is the cheapest way to effectively mount
the ED for casual observing?

I have my 80-ED on an Orion AZ-3 ($140) -- an alt az mount with slow
motion controls. I find slow motion vital when viewing planets and the
moon at up to 200x (using a wide field EP). I have to dodge trees, etc
depending on where the planets and moon are, so an EQ wouldn't be much
use. I don't believe that the UA alt-az mounts have slow motion
controls, neither do the Televue mounts

UA UniStar Light mounts don't need slow motion controls as they are
exceptionally smooth, using teflon bearing surfaces in both altitude and
azimuth. There is also a steering handle so that you can aim and track
without touching the OTA.

Highly recommended, although I'm not sure how "cheap" these might be
considered. I use one with my ST102, and have used it with a C5 and a
Starmax 127 OTA in the past. For hand tracking, as always, the issue isn't
how much power you use, it's how large is the field of view at that power,
which is more a function of the eyepiece at that point. For example, a
barlowed 7mm Nagler Type 6 yields a half degree at 170x in a 600mm focal
length telescope, that's why *I* use them ;-).

Combined with the smoothness of the UniStar Light, there is little to
complain about. Any vibration problems will be a result of the capabilities
of the tripod, much of which can be taken care of with vibration supression
pads, even using a lightweight tripod like the D&S CS Compact Short Tripod
that Larry sells.

Stephen Paul

"Tom" wrote in message ...
I am trying to decide between the 80ED (OTA) or the Coronado
I am thinking of a strong alt az mount.

Vixen do (or did) an altaz for this size of telescope.
Complete with slow motions and a sturdy wooden tripod.
"Cloudy Nights" has a review along with the Gibralter.
Google will find them with vixen + custom

Chris.B

"Tom" wrote in
:

I am trying to decide between the 80ED (OTA) or the Coronado
PST for X-mas:-) My only other scope is the Deep Space Hunter
10" (which should arrive tommorow or the next day). A small refractor
would be nice. I'm thinking the PST might be better off as a third or
fourth scope in the arsenal. What is the cheapest way to effectively
mount the ED for casual observing? I am thinking of a strong alt az
mount. The ED package looks OK, but the Sky View mount is only half of
a full eq. mount, and I would want a Telrad for the finder anyways.
P.S. Why are those TeleVue mounts so damned expensive??
-Tom

The nice thing about the PST is that it doubles (or more than doubles,
depending on your latitude) your opportunities to observe, at a much lower
price point than a tricked out 80ED. I use mine almost every (clear) day.