To me, if they can make pads to limit vibration, they should be able to make the mount so it doesn’t vibrate. While the CG-5 is a capable mount, it has earned the nickname “coffee grinder”, and if you ever hear one spin, you’ll understand why.
The finder on the SkyView Pro 8 is a straight 8×40 – not a great size for finding objects in the sky and overkill for aligning the GoTo system. Unless you want a basic SkyView Pro, in my opinion the better deal is the cheaper EXOS2-GT.
Orion skyview pro review
The SkyView Pro EQ is well suited for 5 and 6 telescopes which could absolutely serve as a serious astrophotography setup or second setup, and it’s a solid telescope for kids. The orion skyview Pro goto on the other hand sounds just like the Sirius, quiet and smooth.
In this review I will cover the pros, cons and features of the SkyView Pro 8 to help you decide if it is an intermediate level telescope worth investing in or one you should skip. In this review I will cover the pros, cons and features of the SkyView Pro 8 to help you decide if it is an intermediate level scope worth investing in or one you should skip.
The optics used here are based on a Newtonian reflector, however, through my research I discovered that due to some manufacturing issues (as SkyView optics tend to be manufactured in China), the optics are not truly Newtonian. Orion’s SkyView Pro 8 GoTo Reflector promises to offer a complete all-in-one setup, ideal for visual use and astrophotography in one package.
The mount is sturdy and heavy with the counterweights attached, without the weights it is quite light. If you are willing to ease into GoTo with EQ movement and later pursue imaging, the Orion skyview Pro 8 is one of the cheapest buys you can get into the game.
If you are willing to ease into GoTo with EQ movement and later chase the image, the Orion skyview pro 8 is one of the cheapest buys you can get into the game. This is not something that most Newtonian reflector devices should do, but due to the poor manufacturing of the optics inside the SkyView Pro it could be mediocre to sub par in performance, at least in terms of its quality.
If you’re willing to get into GoTo with the EQ movement and later chase the image, the Orion SkyView Pro 8 is one of the cheapest buys you can get into the game. I do experience the “vibration” when focusing, but many people have said that the anti-vibration pads help.
If you’re willing to get into the GoTo with the EQ movement and later look for images, the Orion SkyView Pro 8 is one of the cheapest buys you can get into the game. The Orion SkyView Pro GoTo, on the other hand, sounds just like the Sirius, quiet and smooth.
Features
If you’re willing to get into the GoTo with the EQ movement and later chase the picture, the Orion SkyView Pro 8 is one of the cheapest buys you can get into the game. The Orion SkyView pro goto, on the other hand, sounds just like the Sirius, quiet and smooth. The performance of the mount is, again, very similar to the Sirius. However, it’s best if you approach this package as a visual only telescope with the added advantages of having GoTo.
If you’re willing to get into GoTo with the EQ motion and then later on stick with imaging, the Orion SkyView Pro 8 is one of the cheapest purchases that can get you into the game. The Orion SkyView Pro goto, on the other hand, sounds just like the Sirius, quiet and smooth.
The SkyView Pro EQ mount has two microstepping-driven stepper motors that rotate up to 3.4 degrees per second to place the object right in the center of the field of view. To me, if they can make pads to limit vibration, they should be able to make the mount so it doesn’t vibrate.
The SkyView is a great 8″ telescope which is great for higher light transmission which equals more starlight. More starlight means that fainter objects can be seen better and in greater detail than with a smaller telescope.
I’m not saying that the SkyView Pro is a bad device because clearly many people are happy with it but it certainly wouldn’t be my first recommendation as a normal viewing telescope or as an astrophotography device. If Orion billed this telescope as visual only and warned that the supplied telescope is at the limit of the mount, I wouldn’t be so disappointed.
Given that this is an EQ-5 based mount, much like Celestron’s CG-5, I expected it to have a lot more in common with it than with the Sirius, and indeed the motor covers, external cables and polar scope covers make it similar in appearance, but not so much in functionality.
The mount that comes with the SkyView is Orion’s SkyView Pro mount, however, while this mount is technically good and would suffice for astrophotography, it is not really good with the 8-inch telescope that comes with it.
While the CG-5 is a capable mount, it has earned the nickname “coffee grinder,” and if you ever hear a twist, you’ll understand why.
Unfortunately, the SkyView Pro is not made to hold the telescope that Orion has decided to include in the package.
Mount capacity, Optical Tube and Spherical Aberration
The SVP mount head is made of metal and includes two slow motion control knobs to move the mount in RA and Dec. The SkyView Pro is a manual mount, but you can add an optional RA or dual axis (RA and Dec) DC drive that will motorize your mount and allow you to track so you can do astrophotography.
The mount also features a fine azimuth adjustment as well as a latitude scale with a range of 16 to 64 degrees and comes with a 4 pound and 7.5 pound counterweight. The SkyView Pro, or SVP, has 360-degree enclosed helical gears as well as 86 mm diameter adjustment circles to find any celestial object in the night sky by its right ascension and declination coordinates.
The orion skyview Pro equatorial mount is a great choice if you want a mid-weight mount that is stable, offers precise control, and handles an OTA weighing no more than 20 pounds. And when you’re stargazing, Orion telescope cases and covers, observing equipment, red LED flashlights, astronomy books and star charts will make your observing sessions more convenient, comfortable and meaningful.
Orion telescope and astrophotography accessories will enhance your telescope enjoyment without ruining it. The SkyView Pro equatorial mount with stainless steel tripod provides excellent stability and smooth manual tracking control with the included slow motion control knobs.
Designed for the serious amateur astronomer, the rugged SkyView Pro has always offered stability and precision control. Orion’s heavy-duty SkyView Pro EQ sets a new standard for stability, precision control and affordability in a telescope mount designed for the serious amateur.
Conclusion
For owners of the SkyView Pro EQ GoTo mount whose GoTo hand controller version is 3.0 or higher, the GoTo hand controller firmware can be upgraded via the Internet. Now with GoTo capability, this popular mount effortlessly guides your scope to over 13,400 celestial gems.
Visit the Orion Community Center for detailed information on telescopes, binoculars and astrophotography. Orion skyview pro tripod equatorial telescope mount 8-tube ring mounting plate Counterweight 7.3 lb Counterweight shaft Tripod accessory tray Slow motion control knobs Polar axis finder cover Latitude adjustment L-bolt.
References:
- Orion SkyView Pro mount review – Allan’s Astrophotography Stuff
- Orion Skyview Pro Mount, Pros and Cons – Beginners Forum (No astrophotography) – Cloudy Nights
