Alt-Azimuth Mount or Equatorial Mount for my Celestron 3 1/2 inch Schmidt-Cassegrain Telescope?

Question

I use this for terrestrial view as well as for beginner austronomy use. I also use it for a lense on my SLR camera - terrestrial only as I don't have a clock drive.

I'd like to be able to get a clock drive for austronomical photography and viewing and realize that that will require an equatorial wedge or equatorial mount.

But I don't want to restrict my use to just astronomy. Its a great portable scope for a wide range of focal lengths for terrestrial viewing and I don't want to lose that.

I'm also wanting to have a mount with slow-motion cable adjustments.

I'd appreciate all the feedback I can get to help guide me here.

Answer 1

You might consider an equatorial platform. You can make one if you are handy. There also some places that sell them, but they are expensive and usually designed for larger telescopes.

Or you could buy an equatorial mount like the ones in the source and only put your telescope on it when you want to do astronomy.

Answer 2

The big difference is how you position it. With an equitorial you position it at an angle, however you can place the mount UP and DOWN and use the equitorial as an alt-azumith.

But, if you set it up at an angle to hit the North right on and work with it for a while you'll find you get into the Knack or habit of working with an equitorial, plus on a 3 1/2 in there's never an award position for viewing. That only happens with larger Newtonians.

Answer 3

Equatorial mounts are more versitile and better suited for astrophotography purposes, however, they are poorly suited for terrestrial viewing.

Generally, I like equatorial mounts but if you prize terrestrial viewing as much as astronomy you would probably want an alt-azimuth.

Answer 4

Celestron sells an alt azimuth "goto" driven mount. That may be what you want. It gives you the terrestrial advantages you want coupled with a goto system for your astronomical desires. Goto systems are easy to "align" usually by sighting two or three known objects which provides the goto system with the orientation data needed.

HTH

Charles