Instrument class
Equatorial GoTo mount with a small imaging refractor
The real answer to serious deep-sky imaging, and mostly a mount. The telescope on top is the cheap part and the part you will replace least often.
| Aperture | 61–100 mm |
|---|---|
| Focal ratio | f/4.5–f/7 |
| Typical weight | 22 kg |
| Setup time | 45 minutes |
| Learning curve | 5 out of 5 |
| Price band | €1800–5000 |
| Useful magnification | 14× to 162× at 81 mm |
What it does well
- Tracks accurately enough for exposures measured in minutes
- Everything else in the hobby can be bolted to a good mount later
- The results are genuinely spectacular, and genuinely earned
What it costs you
- 45 minutes of setup before the first frame, every night
- A steep learning curve involving guiding, calibration frames and processing software
- Buying the telescope before the mount is the classic and expensive mistake
Fit against each goal
Serious deep-sky imaging · 5 out of 5
The mount is the instrument. Everything else is negotiable.
First astrophotography · 2 out of 5
It works, but it is a great deal of machinery to learn on.
Nebulae, clusters and galaxies, by eye · 2 out of 5
Small aperture, visually modest, on a mount that makes visual observing awkward.
Models in this class
Indicative European street prices with the date they were observed. Ordered by price. Links marked paid link earn us a commission and cost you nothing extra.
Sky-Watcher HEQ5 Pro SynScan (mount only)
€1450seen 2026-08-1772 mm · 420 mm focal length · f/5.8 · 22 kg
With a 10 mm eyepiece: 42×, 1.7 mm exit pupil.
Mount Equatorial GoTo mount — the telescope above is a typical pairing
Mount only. The long-standing entry point to serious imaging; pair with a small ED refractor and a guide scope.
Where to buy
- Amazon.frships FR
- Astroshopships DE, FR, EU
- First Light Opticsships GB
- Optique Unterlindenships FR
- Pierro Astroships FR
- Teleskop-Expressships DE, EU
None of these links earn us anything.