SW AZ-EQ5GT Alt Az / Equatorial GOTO Mount & Tripod, ES MN-152/750 6" Maksutov-Newtonain OTA

[newtyng5]

Hi there , just a quick question.

I am thinking of getting these (after several weeks of research)

Explore Scientific MN-152/750 6" Maksutov-Newtonain OTA

Skywatcher AZ-EQ5GT Alt Az / Equatorial GOTO Mount & Tripod.

I plan initially to keep my 11inch SCT , problem is we have steep steps, and coz i'm getting older, and my back ain't what it was 🙂 , it's kinda tricky to deadlift a bulky 30 kilo ota/mount and put it into the car. (Then carry it to location).

Any experience using this mount? I've read up on it, seems great. As for the scope, it's a bit niche, but yields contrasty wide field views. (was tempted with a 6inch doublet, but the CA put's me off).

Seems only Rother Valley have it in stock, and i have sent them an enquiry.

Any info is always appreciated.

I got into astronomy when i was 11 (with a 40mil refractor, that seven_legs - Tony owned) , so soon it will be 40 yrs. Decided i need a treat to celebrate 🙂

 

Clear skies all! 

 

[newtyng5]

Forgot to put in links , and can't seem to edit original post

Tripod/mount

OTA

[Clive]

I was looking at / considering that OTA earlier this year, so if you do get it, I would certainly be interested in your opinion.

[+Bino-viewer]

This is the celebrated 'Comet-catcher' scope by David Levy, am i right ??

 

A fine scope i'm sure, and of course, Skywatcher has their own version : the MN190

 

I've personally never looked through a Mak-Newt. I think the main consideration would be managing

cool-down issues (it maybe better if kept outside, or in a cool place) and dew forming on the meniscus plate.

 

The eyepiece position can get a bit uncomfortable on a GEM mount, but the AZ-EQ5 takes care of that one with its duel alt-az / gem capability.

 

My other question would be, is there sufficient aperture for your needs, with a 150mm scope, especially coming from a C11 user ?

I often miss that extra bit of aperture when i'm looking at feint DSO's with my refractors. I don't miss the bulk and mass, and i was like you,

at 53, a big heavy scope was becoming hard work at times. I weighed up the pro's and con's and decided to downsize, but keep optics at a premium level with imaging in mind.

No regrets, especially when considering our light pollution and i'm in a Bortle 7 area.

But if you live in a better area, good dark skys and decent weather, then aperture rules. Theres no substitute for aperture when conditions are right.

 

 

[newtyng5]

Thanks for the reply Binoviewer !

Yea its the 'Comet-catcher > David H Levy' scope. But nowhere seems to stock it.

 

And after reading up, by strange coincidence i was tending to fancy the Skywatcher MN190 more, at 10kg it should be fine on that mount, is about 3ft long, and reasonably light.

 

As for observing at home, that's impossible. I live in a terraced house area, with a tiny garden. Street lights shine into it, and the neighbours all have porch/security lights on, i went out the other night and could just see Kochab. So probably about 2.5/3mag limiting magnitude.

 

For this reason i decided portability was a good idea, as the old saying goes 'the best scope is the one you use most' , and the C11 is pretty bulky and awkward, especially having several outside steps to navigate.

[newtyng5]

Also forgot to mention the mount is quite hard to get also. Only Astronomy 365 seem to stock it. (probably because of covid 19 issues in china , stock is running out)

[+Bino-viewer]

I think if you're thinking of the MN190, i'd be more inclined to look at the Az-EQ6, rather than the 5.

 

Don't under-estimate the MN190, its a big scope with quite a bit of mass.

I think one of our own used to own a MN190 ; was it Ron or Clive.....?

I'm sure you could get the lowdown on it if you asked him.....

[Clive]

21 minutes ago, Bino-viewer said:

 

I think one of our own used to own a MN190 ; was it Ron or Clive.....?

 

Not me (as much as I would like to, but I doupt my mount would cope with the weight)

[+Bino-viewer]

Must be Ron then....

I recall he sold it fairly recently ?

 

[newtyng5]

Heads up, i have ordered the telescope (MN190) , as for the mount, i had some nice advice from Tring, basically advising me (as Bino-viewer suggested) that the mount would be at it's upper limit.

He suggested...

SW NEQ6 pro   instead, having read up on it, i think i may go with this, instead on the AZ/GT5 ......

Thoughts?

And is it easy to polar align?. (my last EQ mount was a celestron AVX, and it was a pain 🙂 ).

It's that mount or spend 400quid more and wait for an AZ/EQ6. Is the AZ/EQ6 worth 400quid more than a NE6 pro?

Edited September 17, 2020 by newtyng5

[+Bino-viewer]

A great mount by all accounts, but you then sacrifice the alt-az option. But is the EQ6 Pro in stock ?? I've heard they are backordered.....

Remember i said using a Newtonian on an equatorial mount one can end up with some pretty uncomfortable viewing positions ?

 

Theres ways round this of course (ie tube rotators) but this will add more cost which you may not want.

[Clive]

51 minutes ago, newtyng5 said:

 

And is it easy to polar align?. (my last EQ mount was a celestron AVX, and it was a pain 🙂 ).

 

If it's got the latest polar scope then it's a doddle, takes me less than a minute to polar align my mount using it. Just ensure that the polar scope is aligned correctly with the RA axis, mine wasn't on delivery. 

... and I'm not at all jealous at that scope 😊.

[newtyng5]

@ Binoviewer > apparently tring said they have 1 mount left. As for uncomfortable viewing position, i though about it, and the scope is 3ft, so i would imagine it will be okay.

And yea the alt-az option was something i wanted, as the encoders also allow you to move the scope around while not losing postitional info. 

@Clive hopefully when i get it , i can give a report and you can perhaps have a look one day.

 

Let's hope star parties begin again soon (and the skies are actually clear)

Edited September 17, 2020 by newtyng5

[+RonC]

As an ex 190MN owner I can only say what a great scopeit is! The reason for my sale was age!! It was a bit heavy for me to lift

and change scopes on the mount. One thing I would get is a dew band to fit around the glass!! and a dew shield.

Mine stayed in collimation for months even with moving it around. You will enjoy it, although getting an extra pair of tube

rings for rotation is also a good idea!

 

Ron

[+RonC]

MN190 seen here:  

 

[newtyng5]

Thanks Ron. Looks good!.

Also after reading up more, i decided against the NEQ6 Pro, and went for the newer belt driven 6R Pro. Unfortunately it's out of stock.

So i decided to dish out the extra money for the AZ/EQ6 (1 left in stock).

It's all ordered ,look forward to it.

Probably need to sell my C11 cpc now 😞 , hate to see that go , as it's amazing.... but very heavy.

On the flipside i still will get to look through Tony's (seven_legs) 16inch dob. So the aperture loss will be a bit less sad.

[+RonC]

Mine was on a HEQ5 almost on the limit if you count the counter weights!!

Look forward to seeing the new set up but of course it will be cloudy for a bit! 😄

[+Graham]

You will not regret spending the extra on the AZ EQ6.

I have had a couple of NEQ6's and purchased an AZ EQ 6  a couple of years ago.

The AZ wins hands down every time.

One thing you need to watch is you do not over tighten the clutches on the AZ.

They work totally different to the clutches on the mounts you have been using and if over tightened they can  lock up which means a mount strip down to release them.

[newtyng5]

Ordered the scope from Tring , the mount and dew shield from FLO, on friday. Scope came monday... and after nudging FLO a bit, got the mount yesterday.

Cant fault Tring for their customer servive.

It's all heavier than i expected, but fine.... just sorting collimation and things, then waiting for a clear sky. 🙂

 

https://i.imgur.com/bGY6x9z.jpg

https://imgur.com/4VhkXJ8

https://imgur.com/pPxD9CN

 

Not sure how to embed images, cannot seem to do it, so just posted the links.

Edited September 24, 2020 by newtyng5

[+seven_legs]

Look forward to having a look through it.

[Clive]

Looks impressive, look forward to a review hopefully.