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Sky Watcher HEQ5 – Fully Computerized GoTo German Equatorial Telescope Mount – Motorized Astrophotography Mount with 42,000 Object Database,White
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Purchase options and add-ons
Brand | Sky Watcher |
Color | White |
Material | Stainless Steel, Alloy Steel, Metal |
Special Feature | Lightweight |
Item Dimensions LxWxH | 18 x 40 x 19 inches |
About this item
- LIGHTWEIGHT COMPUTERIZED EQUAORIAL MOUNT: The HEQ5 is ideal for beginning astrophotographers, or skilled astronomers looking for a lightweight computerized equatorial mount.
- HEAVY DUTY ROLLER BEARINGS: Heavy duty all-metal roller bearings on both right ascension or declination axis.
- BUILT-IN ILLUMINATED POLAR FINDERSCOPE: Included with the mount is a built-in illuminated Polar finderscope, helping users with quick and easy polar alignment..
- ALL-METAL CONSTRUCTION: Beefy, all-metal construction provides 30-pound payload capacity perfect for all but the heaviest optical tubes.
- 42,000 OBJECT DATABASE: SynScan hand controller with 42,000 plus object database will keep even the most experienced astronomer busy for countless observing nights.
- STURDY ROLLED-STEEL TRIPOD: The HEQ5 uses a beefy tripod with 1.75 diameter tripod legs made of rolled-stainless steel.
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From the manufacturer
Sky-Watcher HEQ5
With a beefy 30-pound payload, all metal gearing and a built-in illuminated finderscope, Sky-Watcher's HEQ5 mount is a slimmed down version of the EQ6 Pro mount and is specially designed for observers who need the steadiness of the EQ6 Pro mount but finds the EQ6 Pro mount too heavy.
HEQ5 | EQ6-R Pro | AZ-EQ | EQM-35 | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Customer Reviews |
3.8 out of 5 stars
96
|
3.9 out of 5 stars
93
|
3.8 out of 5 stars
96
|
3.8 out of 5 stars
96
|
Mount Type | German Equatorial | German Equatorial | Hybrid AZ-EQ | German Equatorial |
Payload Capacity (lbs) | 30 | 44 | 30 | 22 |
Mounting Saddle | V-style | D- & V-style | V-style | V-style |
Motor Type | Stepper | Stepper | Stepper | Stepper |
Belt Drive | ✓ | ✓ | ||
Included Polar Scope | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |
Mount Head Weight (lbs) | 21 | 38.2 | 16.9 | 9.65 |
Tripod Weight (lbs) | 12.5 | 16.5 | 13.4 | 12.5 |
Total Weight w/ Counterweights (lbs) | 55.5 | 76.5 | 43.8 | 37.15 |
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All-Metal Gearing on Both AxesHeavy duty, all-metal gearing means better tracking accuracy with minimal backlash and an impressive 30-pound payload capacity. |
Built-In Illuminated Polar ScopeMake polar alignment a breeze with this built-in illuminated polar finderscope! Features reticles compatible in both northern and southern hemispheres. |
Retractable Counterweight ShaftThe HEQ5 includes an innovative retractable counterweight shaft, allowing for easier transport and storage, without risk of misplacing it in-between uses! |
42,000+ Object DatabaseUsing Sky-Watcher's innovative SynScan hand controller, the HEQ5 is capable of finding and tracking over 42,000 celestial objects to keep you busy with countless objects to image. |
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What's in the box
Product information
Product Dimensions | 18 x 40 x 19 inches |
---|---|
Item Weight | 38.7 pounds |
ASIN | B07TGFKSJ9 |
Item model number | S30400 |
Customer Reviews |
3.8 out of 5 stars |
Best Sellers Rank | #901 in Camera & Photo Products (See Top 100 in Camera & Photo Products) #12 in Catadioptric Telescopes |
Date First Available | June 1, 2019 |
Manufacturer | Sky-Watcher |
Country of Origin | China |
Feedback
Product Description
Sturdy 30 Pound Payload
With a sturdy payload capacity of 30 pounds, the computerized HEQ5 is Sky-Watcher’s most well rounded mount. The mount provides a convenient, stable platform for refractors up to 120mm or up to 180mm Maksutovs, and although it’s designed as an imaging system, it works astonishingly well for visual use. This mount is perfect for the beginner as well as the more advanced astronomer.
42, 000 Object Database
Using our proprietary SynScan hand controller, the HEQ5 provides a user-friendly interface with automatic slewing to over 42, 000 objects in the night sky. The hand controller can also connect to a computer using USB cable (cable sold separately), enabling computer control with most astronomy programs, including The SkyX, Stellarium, and Starry Night.
Quick and Easy Polar Alignment
Included with the HEQ5 is an illuminated polar finderscope to assist astronomers with quick and easy polar alignment.
Ready to Go, Out of the Box!
While most mounts leave you high and dry to purchase accessories on your own, Sky-Watcher includes plenty of accessories to get you started. In addition to the SynScan hand controller and polar finderscope, the HEQ5 mount comes with two 11lb counterweights, an 8” Dovetail bar and a DC power cable.
Customer reviews
Customer Reviews, including Product Star Ratings help customers to learn more about the product and decide whether it is the right product for them.
To calculate the overall star rating and percentage breakdown by star, we don’t use a simple average. Instead, our system considers things like how recent a review is and if the reviewer bought the item on Amazon. It also analyzed reviews to verify trustworthiness.
Learn more how customers reviews work on AmazonCustomers say
Customers like the stability, performance, and ease of assembly of the telescope. They mention that its a solid built product, works as expected, and is a very good entry level EQ mount for a lightweight AP rig. They also like the value. However, some customers have issues with backlash. Customers are mixed on weight, and tracking.
AI-generated from the text of customer reviews
Customers are satisfied with the stability of the telescope. They mention that it is a solidly built product, the quality of all of the components is quite good, and it does not shake.
"...I have been really pleased with the setup, instructions, and overall solid build quality even though it’s an entry mount...." Read more
"...I have zero regrets. Well built and beautifully made.Update. Once you get polar alignment handled, it gets easier...." Read more
"...anymore money into this mount. The good part is it is a solid stable mount, but that's is useless if the electronics don't work...." Read more
"...A quick look of the contents revealed all components appearing to be well made and quite robust for a (relatively) light weight mount setup...." Read more
Customers like the performance of the telescope. They say it works as expected, works well with their ASIair Pro control box and GT81 IV scope, and is a very good entry-level EQ mount for a lightweight AP rig. They mention that the mount has smooth tracking and that the tower causes zero issues. Overall, customers are happy with the performance and stability of the mount.
"...Even with the few drawbacks, it’s a fantastic mount and so stable!..." Read more
"Aside form the great performance and smooth tracking there are a few things that could be considered as cons...." Read more
"...I give 5 stars for being what says it is-- a very good entry level EQ mount for a lightweight AP rig...." Read more
"...Oh Still great, great price, just don’t max out the weight capacity. 12 lbs is your best bet! I’ve taken many hours of Andromeda Galaxy subs...." Read more
Customers find the telescope easy to set up and use.
"...I have been really pleased with the setup, instructions, and overall solid build quality even though it’s an entry mount...." Read more
"...I haven't yet assembled it for use, but it looks pretty simple. That's the good news...." Read more
"This was much easier than expected to set up and use...." Read more
"...It is light enough to travel to open sky sites and easy to assemble. What is painful is the Alt/Az knobs!..." Read more
Customers appreciate the value of the telescope. They say it's worth the investment, a good budget mount, and can handle a lot of weight.
"...Why the EQM35? Well, it’s a good budget mount at $725, it can also handle up to 22 pounds of weight so if I ever outgrow the RedCat Telescope I can..." Read more
"I do think it’s a good budget tripod, however I definitely wish I would have bought the eq6 or something A little more expensive that has more..." Read more
"...Oh Still great, great price, just don’t max out the weight capacity. 12 lbs is your best bet! I’ve taken many hours of Andromeda Galaxy subs...." Read more
"...It's very stable and the electronics (I got the PRO) are really worth the purchase unless you like constantly adjusting your telescope to keep..." Read more
Customers are satisfied with the quality of the telescope. They say it is well-built and beautifully made. Some mention it is a nifty gadget and that it pairs well with the Synscan Wi-Fi.
"...I have zero regrets. Well built and beautifully made.Update. Once you get polar alignment handled, it gets easier...." Read more
"This is a nifty gadget, especially paired with the Synscan Wi-Fi adapter, which I ordered right after receiving the mount and learning that..." Read more
"...The wait was well worth it, the product was as advertised , a really well designed and superior product...." Read more
Customers are mixed about the weight of the telescope. Some mention that it is light enough to travel to open sky sites, and easy to assemble. However, others say that it's a little on the heavy side but solid built.
"...appearing to be well made and quite robust for a (relatively) light weight mount setup. Thus far, an "A" rating...." Read more
"...it’s very unfortunate because i do really enjoy the ease of use and portability of this thing. It would go great with smaller scopes...." Read more
"...Included counterweights are actually quite heavy, and too much for my lighter equipment, so I had to find some collar clamps at the hardware store..." Read more
"This is a nice mount for medium-weight telescopes, e.g. an 8-inch SCT...." Read more
Customers are mixed about the tracking of the telescope. Some mention that it maintains accurate tracking no matter the time of day or night, while others say that it's not perfect. Some customers also mention that the Sky Watcher tracking stopped working exactly right.
"Aside form the great performance and smooth tracking there are a few things that could be considered as cons...." Read more
"...you get polar alignment, as well as synscan alignment, the system tracks perfectly and will hold your target for hours, probably all night...." Read more
"...Go-to seemed to be spot-on, and tracking was accurate best I could tell...." Read more
"...the camera/telescope ends up hitting the tripod leg, completely ruining the tracking and I have to realign and start over or just call it for the..." Read more
Customers have negative opinions about the backlash of the telescope. They mention that it's a little tricky to get rid of it, and it'd be best described as slop.
"...There is some backlash, which I haven't tried to fine tune yet...." Read more
"...They meshed at an angle causing terrible noise. The backlash is best described as slop. Luckily it is adjustable...." Read more
"...Doing the adjustments to the axis to get rid of the backlash is a little tricky but not that hard...." Read more
Reviews with images
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Top reviews
Top reviews from the United States
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Why the EQM35? Well, it’s a good budget mount at $725, it can also handle up to 22 pounds of weight so if I ever outgrow the RedCat Telescope I can upgrade to a larger APO. Also, this mount offers a GOTO system so you can plug in the coordinates into the SynScan hand control unit and find 49,000 objects in the sky. Out of the box, it can track 30-60 seconds in the stars. I have been averaging about 30-40 seconds without guiding.
Overall this is a great setup however there are some drawbacks. First, the setup requires power so you need a dedicated power supply for the EQM-3. Either you need a power cell that supports a 12V cigarette lighter or a dedicated power supply. Since I don’t plan on leaving my Bortles Class 4 backyard for the current time being, I purchased the Celestron AC Adapter – 5 Amp Continuous power, Black (18780) which was recommended by the Sky-Watcher customer service team whom I can say is darn right amazing! Next, it’s more complex so when you set this up not only do you need to polar align the mount you also need to configure either 1, 2, or 3-star alignment so you can easily move around the sky. So far the single star alignment was been working great for me! Finally, it’s bulkier than say an iOptron Sky-Guider Pro so it’s not as easy to just pick up and move, so if you do move it during a session you need polar align and star align again.
Even with the few drawbacks, it’s a fantastic mount and so stable! I have been really pleased with the setup, instructions, and overall solid build quality even though it’s an entry mount. Also, solid customer service is a big plus! As long as I don’t keep going down the rabbit hole of buying more astrophotography equipment this setup should last me for multiple years. I also included an image of M11 the Wild Duck Cluster as well.
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Issues / Solutions I have had with the mount
#1 When star aligning the mount I could do a fine adjustment with the arrow pad after pointing to VEGA. I wasn't sure but suspected I needed to update the firmware which can be done with a USB Printer cable and software from the main SkyWatcher.com website. First, plug in the mount and USB cable to the SysScan hand unit and check in the device manager on Windows under ports. Mine was COM3. Next, turn off the mount and unplug the USB printer cable then while holding down 0 and 8 on the SysScan hand unit turn on the power. It will then boot into the boot loader mode, plug in the USB cable, and run the software to upgrade. The current version is 4.39.15 as of 5.10.2020. Once the process updates shut down the system and unplug the USB cable.
#2 The SysScan holder unit slides around a lot and I dropped the handheld unit multiple times as the holder was sliding around when I grabbed the SysScan. I put two rubber bands on the leg in between the holder unit and it works great now without moving any more. I have a picture of it attached to the post.
Reviewed in the United States on October 26, 2020
Why the EQM35? Well, it’s a good budget mount at $725, it can also handle up to 22 pounds of weight so if I ever outgrow the RedCat Telescope I can upgrade to a larger APO. Also, this mount offers a GOTO system so you can plug in the coordinates into the SynScan hand control unit and find 49,000 objects in the sky. Out of the box, it can track 30-60 seconds in the stars. I have been averaging about 30-40 seconds without guiding.
Overall this is a great setup however there are some drawbacks. First, the setup requires power so you need a dedicated power supply for the EQM-3. Either you need a power cell that supports a 12V cigarette lighter or a dedicated power supply. Since I don’t plan on leaving my Bortles Class 4 backyard for the current time being, I purchased the Celestron AC Adapter – 5 Amp Continuous power, Black (18780) which was recommended by the Sky-Watcher customer service team whom I can say is darn right amazing! Next, it’s more complex so when you set this up not only do you need to polar align the mount you also need to configure either 1, 2, or 3-star alignment so you can easily move around the sky. So far the single star alignment was been working great for me! Finally, it’s bulkier than say an iOptron Sky-Guider Pro so it’s not as easy to just pick up and move, so if you do move it during a session you need polar align and star align again.
Even with the few drawbacks, it’s a fantastic mount and so stable! I have been really pleased with the setup, instructions, and overall solid build quality even though it’s an entry mount. Also, solid customer service is a big plus! As long as I don’t keep going down the rabbit hole of buying more astrophotography equipment this setup should last me for multiple years. I also included an image of M11 the Wild Duck Cluster as well.
--------
Issues / Solutions I have had with the mount
#1 When star aligning the mount I could do a fine adjustment with the arrow pad after pointing to VEGA. I wasn't sure but suspected I needed to update the firmware which can be done with a USB Printer cable and software from the main SkyWatcher.com website. First, plug in the mount and USB cable to the SysScan hand unit and check in the device manager on Windows under ports. Mine was COM3. Next, turn off the mount and unplug the USB printer cable then while holding down 0 and 8 on the SysScan hand unit turn on the power. It will then boot into the boot loader mode, plug in the USB cable, and run the software to upgrade. The current version is 4.39.15 as of 5.10.2020. Once the process updates shut down the system and unplug the USB cable.
#2 The SysScan holder unit slides around a lot and I dropped the handheld unit multiple times as the holder was sliding around when I grabbed the SysScan. I put two rubber bands on the leg in between the holder unit and it works great now without moving any more. I have a picture of it attached to the post.
Update. Once you get polar alignment handled, it gets easier. Once you hit 50% payload weight coma starts to appear in the images. I am trying to get a good auto-guiding setup, but I had issues with ZWO product so that will have to wait. I bought a 120mm refractor and already I can tell that the mount moves a tiny bit slower. I am hoping that auto-guiding setup will correct it.
Reviewed in the United States on March 10, 2020
Update. Once you get polar alignment handled, it gets easier. Once you hit 50% payload weight coma starts to appear in the images. I am trying to get a good auto-guiding setup, but I had issues with ZWO product so that will have to wait. I bought a 120mm refractor and already I can tell that the mount moves a tiny bit slower. I am hoping that auto-guiding setup will correct it.
The good part is it is a solid stable mount, but that's is useless if the electronics don't work. I guess it would make a great boat anchor.
Top reviews from other countries
contento con su desempeño, rebaso expectativas
I see many others with the same problem, Amazon is this a joke? Open your eyes, ship complete.