8" newtonian with Aldi equatorial mount?

Hello,
My name is Andrzej. I am new to this forum and to astronomy.
I have started few months ago using 3" Newtonian Optus scope (Aldi scope). I am pretty satisfied with it but i have developed apetite for deep sky objects
I would like to upgrade to a 8" newtonian skywatcher explorer telescope by buying just OTA.
I was wondering if I could use my EQ7 mount/stand from 3" scope with 8" mentioned above. Looking at the photos on the web skywatcher seems to have dovetail mount which is similar to the one on my existing 3". I am aware that my current mount can be shaky when higher magnifications are used but this may be due to the fact that the 3" tube is very light.
I was wondering if something like that could be done / or was tried by anybody here? or should i forget and get a complete set (mount and scope from skywatcher)
Are ther different mount sizes for bigger scopes or one size fits all?
I would appreciate advice on that one.

Hi Andrzej,

Not sure I've seen that scope or heard of that mount but
I would have thought that the mount might have been similar
to an EQ3-2 used in the skywatcher 130-150 newts.

I have a Skywatcher 200P and that came with an EQ5 and to
be honest I think an 8 inch newt would take at least a
mount similar to a EQ5 to carry it as its a sizeable
scope.

Kathleen

Thank you for the prompt reply.
I did not think about that aspect.
You are right - my mount looks more like EQ3 than EQ5.

Thanks for posting a picture.

Yeah its certainly more like an EQ3, as
such I wouldn't like to use it to mount
an 8 inch Newt.

Kathleen

Hi Andrzej.

I have seen the scope and mount in Aldi you have.

I do not think that the mount is suitable for an 8" ota .It is quite a small mount . You will have problems with flexing and find it quite difficult to use. Eq7 as Aldi call it could mean anything as its a non branded mount.


You should really try an 8" dobsonian to get you going and then add a Eq mount in the future if that is what you still want. This way will work out cheaper than buying an ota and discovering that you need to buy a new mount.


joner.

I concur with the previous posts. Your existing mount, I believe, is too small for an 8" telescope.

The previous recommendation (joner) to go for an 8" Dobsonian (which gives for good light capture, eg, Deep Space Objects, but low(ish) expenditure) is a good one.

You can later purchase a more suitable mount (I have to say at some cost - the cost of the mount is not to be underestimated - depending on what you are doing - for either goto and/or tracking for example astrophotography).

This is precisely the route that I chose.

I can have a quick Dobsonian setup (I started with an ETX-70 cheap scope but moved onto an 8" Dobsonian, then remounted on a Skywatcher EQ6 Pro mount).

I now have the option of having a quick Dobsonion setup - for example to peruse the moon - or to setup an astro-imaging session (which I haven't done too much of) with an okay mount.

I'm happy with my upgrade path.

Hope this helps.

Mark