AZ or EQ mount for beginners

For people new to astronomy who want to ask those questions that they were afraid to ask. Receive helpful answers here.
qwins14
Posts: 10
Joined: Sun Dec 22, 2013 9:39 pm
Favourite scope: Still searching for a favourite

AZ or EQ mount for beginners

Post by qwins14 »

Hello,

I'm new to this and I was wondering if I should get an AZ or EQ mount?

My main considerations are:
1. which is easier to operate for beginners?
2. is it hard to learn the harder one?
3. is it tedious to track objects in the sky with the easier mount?

Hence I'll probably get a mount that strikes a compromise between these concerns.

Thanks for any advice!
User avatar
bornfree
Posts: 308
Joined: Fri Jul 26, 2013 9:03 pm
Favourite scope: Still searching for "The Eye"

Re: AZ or EQ mount for beginners

Post by bornfree »

There is no one size fit all. I would say AZ mount is the simplest to use, but EQ mount can add a motor to do simple tracking. i would say experience the 2 kind of mounts. feel for yourself the pro n cons. ask those who own the different mounts n how they feel about their mount.
Born to be Free
qwins14
Posts: 10
Joined: Sun Dec 22, 2013 9:39 pm
Favourite scope: Still searching for a favourite

Re: AZ or EQ mount for beginners

Post by qwins14 »

how do you feel about your mount? =D

I think im going to settle for an EQ. for now anyway. unless it frustrates me later on.
User avatar
antares2063
Posts: 687
Joined: Sat Jan 22, 2005 3:34 pm
Favourite scope: Newtonians
Location: Bedok North Street 2, Singapore

Re: AZ or EQ mount for beginners

Post by antares2063 »

if you are mainly into Visual and looking at objects , alt-az is lighter and faster setup time.

if you are intending to try out astrophotography in far future, then EQ mount would be a better choice , just that its bulkier and heavier. Also bear in mind some EQ mounts can be used for visual ,can run without power, (ie manual slow motion knobs) some EQ mounts slew or traverse if there is no power source.

Hope this helps :)

regards,
Junwei
I miss the place where stars shine bright, to gaze upwards in awe of the sight
User avatar
MooEy
Posts: 1275
Joined: Sat Oct 04, 2003 6:24 am

Re: AZ or EQ mount for beginners

Post by MooEy »

Go for an alt-az mount. A good camera tripod with the manfrotto 410 head works well for smaller scopes. Smaller and low end eq mounts are clunky, heavy, doesn't track properly for astro imaging purposes. You get the burden of bringing around a relatively heavy counterweight.

Unless you are looking at spending at least 2k USD on an eq mount, I would tell you to not waste your money and just get the az mount.
qwins14
Posts: 10
Joined: Sun Dec 22, 2013 9:39 pm
Favourite scope: Still searching for a favourite

Re: AZ or EQ mount for beginners

Post by qwins14 »

ok now i think im really torn between the 2.

would a powerseeker 114 az suffice for a beginner? as in, would i find myself "chasing" after objects further than the moon when i use an AZ? Cheap EQ seems to still have better tracking than cheap AZ?
Hardwarezone
Posts: 350
Joined: Fri May 17, 2013 2:50 am
Favourite scope: maksutov

Re: AZ or EQ mount for beginners

Post by Hardwarezone »

If you tight on budget and want something decent with resale value when you don't want it anymore, can try to import the orion versago III or ES twilight I from taobao china website, the OEM version name is called 晶华 Z-II , cost is estimated to be slightly over S$300 with shipping forwarder.
Last edited by Hardwarezone on Tue Dec 24, 2013 3:29 pm, edited 1 time in total.
User avatar
Gary
Posts: 3790
Joined: Tue Sep 30, 2003 7:06 am
Location: Toa Payoh
Contact:

Re: AZ or EQ mount for beginners

Post by Gary »

Hi qwins14. Welcome to the forum and hobby!

I totally agree with bornfree the best solution is to have actual hands on different AZ and EQ systems before making a decision. The next free public stargazing talk at Toa Payoh Public Library is Sat 4 Jan 2014. Weather permitting, my friends and I will be conducting live stargazing session just outside the library. We will be bringing down our telescopes (both AZ and EQ systems). Feel free to drop by and chat with us and have some hands on with our telescope setups. Jupiter will be also very near Earth during that weekend.

If you are still patient enough, you may attend the next talk + live stargazing session on Sat 8 Feb 2014 before making a purchasing decision. The topic is "How to choose a telescope or binoculars."

I am running a free telescope loan project. One of the telescopes available for loan is a Celestron Powerseeker 76AZ. If you are keen, drop me an email to find out more about it. The queue for this telescope is not very long as of now.

Another systematic approach to solving your "problem" is be more specific. State a fix budget that you will definitely not spend more than that. Then within that budget, research the best AZ and EQ system you come across. Narrow down to a few candidates with exact brand/model. Mention them here and seek opinions which is a better system for your needs. In this way, you can reduce analysis paralysis of comparing AZ and EZ systems across vast price differences and designs for various purposes.

As to whether you will get bored soon, best is visit as many free public stargazing sessions to check your interest. Sometimes some questions cannot be truly answered until you actually make a calculated "risk" (after at least basic research) to just buy the gear and get the hobby started.


Good luck and Merry Christmas!
http://www.astro.sg
email: gary[at]astro.sg
twitter: @astrosg


"The importance of a telescope is not how big it is, how well made it is.
It is how many people, less fortunate than you, got to look through it."
-- John Dobson.
User avatar
bornfree
Posts: 308
Joined: Fri Jul 26, 2013 9:03 pm
Favourite scope: Still searching for "The Eye"

Re: AZ or EQ mount for beginners

Post by bornfree »

I am using a AZ mount. the Astroslew Inox. it tipped the scales at 10kg. well you do not need such heavy mount unless you plan to go for heavier scopes like an 8" SCT or 10" newtonian etc. (basically scopes around the range of 8-12kg).

base on my experience, Antares lend me his EQ mount for a period of time. i had a wonderful time with it. there are pros and cons. once you lock on the object, with a single knob, i could track the object with ease. however, there is an issue called the meridian flip. where you have to flip the scope. because i am using a newtonian, the focuser is always all over the place. and i have to release the tube rings and rotate the OTA so that the focuser is in a more comfortable viewing position. the counter weight is a pro and a con. it is good as it helps to balance the OTA on the mount and makes it effortless to slew the OTA. con is the transportation of the counterweight. the heavier the scope, the heavier the counterweight.

one other thing about the EQ mount. because we are 1 degree north of the equator, the EQ mount head has to be raised 1 degree. this is not necessary unless you are doing AP. without doing so, the track will be slightly off. not a very serious problem unless you are doing AP. without raising this Dec (or is it RAC?). the counterweight bar has a high chance of hitting the tripod legs. most images of EQ you see, the mount head are elevated to at least a 20 degree tilt. this is because those countries, they are in the tropics.

As Gary said, do stay around. Go for his talks, ask him all your concerns.
Born to be Free
User avatar
antares2063
Posts: 687
Joined: Sat Jan 22, 2005 3:34 pm
Favourite scope: Newtonians
Location: Bedok North Street 2, Singapore

Re: AZ or EQ mount for beginners

Post by antares2063 »

In singapore, just have to wait for rlatively clear skies...those who were at ECP when the hunt was on for comet ISON did see a very good 1-1.5h clear duration in the wee hours. Any scope big or small will show you many objects , not just moon! so long as it is not cloudy.

Btw, What scope are you using (or intending to get)? Yup as bornfree stated..i have a EQ mount for loan..it came together with my newtonian..can also loan you (or anyone) who wants to try.

The mount is a celestron CG4.
I miss the place where stars shine bright, to gaze upwards in awe of the sight
Post Reply