Easy Casual observing - SE6 or 8?

[Guest borderfin]

I've read a lot of posts here and elsewhere about the difficulty of setting up and taking down with a heavy mount(AZEQ6) so I'm thinking of changing my C925 and Skywatcher mount for something very easy to just walk out with, have a look at Jupiter or Saturn and then walk back in with.

 

So my question is what would be best.  I'm looking for up to 250 mag and perhaps a Go To function.  Would a Celestron SE6 or SE8 fit the bill - could I just have that set up in my sitting room (as I do with a C90Mak on an Az tripod) and walk it out, turn it on and be observing in 5 minutes or so?  I've also read some possible problems with the SE6 and 8 of scope shake - it can be quite windy where I am at the top of a hill - is this a problem?

 

Any advice welcome,

 

Paul

[BAZ]

I don't think you will get any advantage from going from the 9.25 down to a SE8 or SE6. in fact I think you would do worse, simply based on the fact that the SE6 & 8 both have single side arms, and as you mention these are unstable and even a light breeze will induce a wobble. 

That and as the are enclosed SCT's, you will need a decent cool down time (one hour +), so these are not really suitable for walking in and out. 

 

I don't know what your circumstances are, but unless weight and physically lifting them is an issue, I would be tempted to stick with the 9.25 and a decent mount. Yes, it's not a grab and go, but they are belting scopes and deliver fantastic views. They have a decent light grasp, and you will need this for decent high magnification views.

What mount is with it? Again, a EQ5 is not going to be much less weight than an SE mount. If it's an EQ6, then that is bigger, but you will need a decent mount to get the stability you need for using higher magnifications.

 

Let us know what your circumstances are, what you are looking to do with it, and we'll see if anyone can come up with something to help out.

[Guest borderfin]

Thanks,

 

I have the AZEQ6GT mount for the C925 and weight is the issue as I would have to move it about 40 yards.  I'm a complete newcomer to astronomy and my interest at this point is only casual, so I wouldn't be having any long observing sessions - just looking at the moon and the planets and perhaps the odd deep sky object, all in Altaz mode.  I have been looking at possibly getting a garden store - 4ft x 6ft and have seen one that could have wheels fixed to it so you could wheel it back if you had the mount and scope left assembled inside it.  I've also seen posts that suggest that the AZEQ6 is quite tricky to get working properly and is complicated, particularly for a newcomer.  Is it possible to fix a C925 on an Altaz mount that's hand controlled like a heavy duty Celestron  Altaz Tripod?

[Doc]

Yes you buy one of these:

 

http://www.firstlightoptics.com/cpc-deluxe-hd/cpc925deluxe-1108.html

[tuckstar]

Get a goto dob and just wheel it in and out of your proposed shed. Very little set up time. Stick a fan on it for quick cool down time.

[Tweedledee]

Once you got into the swing of setting up, I don't think you'd find more than a couple of minutes difference between setting up an SE6, SE8 or your C925. You'd certainly see much more and enjoy your observing better using the C925.

With a bit of thought and planning, I think you could really make the most of your existing kit, especially if you could build it into a permanent fixed setup in your garden. That would make it so you could simply walk out open up your shed/cover, slide it a away, switch on the mount and be observing or imaging in no time with an already cooled down scope.

I'd call that very casual and convenient stargazing

[Guest borderfin]

Thanks for all the advice, I'm looking at the shed option again.