Customer reviews for Orion Orion Sirius EQ-G Computerized GoTo Telescope Mount
Orion Orion Sirius EQ-G Computerized GoTo Telescope Mount
The Orion Sirius EQ-G GoTo Telescope Mount is less hefty than the Orion Atlas but with the same drive motors, electronic features, and functionality. This mount can hold up to a 30lb load and allows you to select from 42,900 objects in the database.
Overall rating:
(14 reviews) 14
Rating Breakdown 14 Reviews
5 stars
13
4 stars
0
3 stars
1
2 stars
0
1 star
0
10 out of 11(91%)reviewers recommend this product.
Customer reviews for Orion Sirius EQ-G Computerized GoTo Telescope Mount
Review 1 for Orion Sirius EQ-G Computerized GoTo Telescope Mount
Rating
Well Used and Sturdy!
PostedFebruary 23, 2013
PBPiper
from Loveland, CO
Age:45-54
Level of experience in astronomy:Intermediate
Owned this product for:Over 1 year
Mechanical Quality
5
/
5
Ease of Assembly & Use
5
/
5
Stability
5
/
5
Value
5
/
5
I have been using my Sirius EQ-G for some time now with two different Optical Tube Assemblies: Orion ED80 Apo Refractor and a modified Meade LXD75 SN6 (sometimes with a piggybacked Short Tube 80 on the SN6). I have not had any issues with Polar Alignment, Sidereal Tracking, Solar Tracking, or Autoguiding. The mount is sturdy and reliable in all aspects. With a very good polar alignment, I have been able to take descent 2 minute exposures without autoguiding and showing little to no star streaking or smearing within the images.
The attached photo was captured with the Orion ED80 Apo Refractor and 50mm Guide Scope, using the G3 Color Imager for guiding.
Favorite viewing location: Loveland, Colorado and the Pawnee Grasslands
Favorite object to observe: Nebulae, Galaxies, and Star Clusters (just about everything)
Pros: great for astrophotography
Yes, I recommend this product!
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Review 2 for Orion Sirius EQ-G Computerized GoTo Telescope Mount
Rating
Solid, works well, easy to setup and use
PostedDecember 3, 2012
dwultrabike
from Cuyahoga Falls, OH
Age:45-54
Level of experience in astronomy:Beginner
Owned this product for:Less than 3 mos
Mechanical Quality
5
/
5
Ease of Assembly & Use
5
/
5
Stability
5
/
5
Value
5
/
5
I'm new to astrophotography and even learning the night sky for that matter. Normally shoot wildlife (with camera) and landscapes. I am using the mount with a camera lens (Canon 600mm f/4L IS). 600mm, 1200mm with 2x extender, and 1680 2x + 1.4X stacked extenders. About a 16 pound payload.
I find the mount is very easy to assemble. I have owned the Sirius for less than a month and have made it out 4 times to use it. I was able to get about 3 minutes of exposure at 600mm just before the stars began to elongate. The last time out I only got about 1 minute, or 30 sec at 1680mm. (note: I'm extremely picky about details like ovalized stars) I think I know what I did wrong the last time. My alignment with Polaris was just getting it on the finderscope Polaris circle and not aligning it with where it should be on the circle relative to it's current position in the sky. The first couple of times was dumb luck. I think I can probably get much better tracking 4 minutes maybe at 600mm if I take the time to align it correctly.
The Sirius is light enough to quickly load up and take off in the car. Quick to setup and tear down. The Atlas would be overkill for me and would be a bit more weight to handle.
I'm getting photos of things that I have never even seen before; Andromeda Galaxy, Orion Nebula, Triangulum Galaxy. This is working out well for photography. It's also nice to have the port for the autoguider for when I am ready to take that step.
For power I picked up a 12.5aH lead acid battery at the battery plus store. I used some crimp terminals, an inline fuse holder with a 5A fuse and a 3 port car power adapter and made my own power connector for the battery. Have been out 4 times and only recharged the battery twice. The Sirius only draws about 0.5A while tracking.
I'm very happy with the Sirius mount. It works for my photography, for viewing with a telescope, it should track for hours before you needed to adjust it. Now I just need to learn the names and locations of the alignment stars so I don't need a cheat sheet.
Yes, I recommend this product!
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Comments (1)
JasonM
Idaho Falls, ID
Additional information about JasonM could not be loaded.
Posted March 10, 2013
Thank you for posting the current draws! Not many would report that sort of _important_ out-in-the-field usage data.
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Review 3 for Orion Sirius EQ-G Computerized GoTo Telescope Mount
Rating
Excellent mid-size mount
PostedJuly 24, 2012
Mechanical Quality
5
/
5
Ease of Assembly & Use
5
/
5
Stability
5
/
5
Value
5
/
5
When I upgraded to a 115mm APO trpilet refractor (19-pounds ready for imaging), my trusty SkyView Pro mount was simply not capable of handling the weight and inertia of the new instrument. The Sirius ED-G immediately got my attention as it would mate to the same hardware I had fabricated to mount the older SVP to my pier, but with a 30-pound weight rating it should have power in reserve.
Even though I had no plans to use the tripod, it was extremely solid in terms of construction and should easily handle the weight specified for the mount. The Sirius itself is massive and extremely solid. It is also well though-out. Only two connections are made to the mount in non-guided operation - the hand controller and the 12V power cable. Having the polar alignment scope (illuminated) as a standard feature is very helpful.
One feature not hinted at in the manual is the complete compatibility of the Sirius hand controller with the Orion GPS module (#07949). Manual entry of location and time information is extremely tedious with the hand controller and the GPS enables you to bypass those steps. If the controller detects the GPS module, it automatically skips manual entry of time, date, and location and gets the data directly from the GPS once the latter has locked to the satellite! Very nice!
The manual is quite clear and assembly of the tripod and mount is a simple job. You have three alignment options - one, two, and three stars. GOTO is satisfactory with even a one-star alignment. Accuracy improves with two stars and I find that is the best trade-off in terms of ease of alignment and GOTO accuracy. If your scope is mounted on a pier or you don't move the tripod, future observing sessions do not require that you align the system prior to observing.
A very wide range of slew rates are provided that fit everything from a trip from one side of the sky to another to the merest nudge to finalize targeting, The noise is not particularly loud at the fastest slew rates and it handles my 19-pound refractor with authority. Tracking is very smooth, precise, and accurate.
I expect the load rating for my old SVP was a bit optimistic, but the Sirius seems like it could handle even more than its rated 30-pounds if you balance the telescope carefully. Orion has a winner with this mount!
Favorite viewing location: Central Michigan
Favorite object to observe: Planetary imaging
Yes, I recommend this product!
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Review 4 for Orion Sirius EQ-G Computerized GoTo Telescope Mount
Rating
Excellent Mount!
PostedJune 22, 2012
ShawnK
from Mass
Owned this product for:3 mos - 6 mos
Mechanical Quality
5
/
5
Tracking Accuracy
5
/
5
Ease of Assembly & Use
5
/
5
Stability
5
/
5
Value
5
/
5
What an excellent mount! No issues setting it up and using it my first night out with it. Tracks very well, slews fast and once you get the hang of the alignment stars, aligning is a snap! The only, very minor, challenge I have is leveling it prior to use, but there may be a trick out there that I haven't discovered for this.
Favorite viewing location: Pyrites, NY
Favorite object to observe: Saturn
Pros: easy setup, tracking, polar alignment
Yes, I recommend this product!
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Review 5 for Orion Sirius EQ-G Computerized GoTo Telescope Mount
Rating
Sirius EQ-G
PostedMarch 20, 2012
Mechanical Quality
5
/
5
Tracking Accuracy
5
/
5
Ease of Assembly & Use
5
/
5
Stability
5
/
5
Value
5
/
5
Original purchase with a Orion 8" SCT. Tracks great and easy to use. Does a better job of tracking than some other high end tripod/mount units. Well worth the value and it is definitely a keeper.
OB1
Favorite viewing location: Central Ohio
Favorite object to observe: Jupiter, Saturn, Etc.
Pros: great tracking, easy to use
Yes, I recommend this product!
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Review 6 for Orion Sirius EQ-G Computerized GoTo Telescope Mount
Rating
Orion Sirius EQ-G Tracking Mount
PostedDecember 8, 2011
Anonymous
from Stehekin and East Wenatchee WA
Owned this product for:Less than 3 mos
Mechanical Quality
5
/
5
Ease of Assembly & Use
5
/
5
Value
5
/
5
So far, I have the 'Sirius' set up in my bedroom waiting-waiting-waiting for the Explore Scientific "Comet Hunter" telescope to be shipped.
After examining the robust construction of the mount and reading the user manual, it became apparent that the mount might be put to excellent use on cloudy nights (daytime too) by installing a pair of lightweight 144MHz short-boom (10-footers) antennas and use the mount to track the moon during EME communications attempts.
I'll have to examine the mechanical torquing due to wind-loading of such an arrangement to ensure that no damage to the tracker happens.
Once my telescope arrives I'll be able to more fully evaluate the mount and see if my entry-level equipment purchase was a wise decision!
Yes, I recommend this product!
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Comments (1)
DXVictor
Hahns Peak, CO
Additional information about DXVictor could not be loaded.
Interesting idea for EME
Posted October 18, 2012
I had thought of trying to use and equatorial mount for pointing yagi antennas for radio astronomy. Searching around the web I don't find much amateur activity in radio astronomy. At least, not that's been documented in any blog or web page.
2 10' 144 MHz yagi antennas seem like they might be a bit much. But going up to 430 to 450 MHz greatly reduces the size of antennas and allows you to build them with much higher gain (more elements and possibly 4 instead of 2 yagis).
432 MHz is probably as good or better than 144 Mhz for bouncing a signal off the moon. But, better yet, I would think this arrangement would open up some real radio astronomy possibilities. Knowing where your array is pointing is fundamental to making any sense out of the vast amounts of noise your receiver will pick up.
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Review 7 for Orion Sirius EQ-G Computerized GoTo Telescope Mount
Rating
Great Mount
PostedOctober 20, 2011
Mechanical Quality
5
/
5
Tracking Accuracy
5
/
5
Ease of Assembly & Use
5
/
5
Stability
5
/
5
Value
5
/
5
I am fairly new to the hobby but I know quality when I see it. The mount is very sturdy yet is easy to travel with. Once I learned the basics I find it easy to set up and align. I added the GPS to go with it and works even better !!!!
Favorite viewing location: Goldwaithe TX
Yes, I recommend this product!
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Review 8 for Orion Sirius EQ-G Computerized GoTo Telescope Mount
Rating
One of Orion's hidden gems
PostedOctober 19, 2011
Mechanical Quality
5
/
5
Tracking Accuracy
5
/
5
Ease of Assembly & Use
5
/
5
Stability
5
/
5
Value
5
/
5
I have owned this mount for over 1 year and can't say enough good about it. This mount is used exclusively for astro-photgraphy and has performed very, very well. It is mounted with my Explore Scientific 102mm APO, Starlight Express H-18 (including filter wheel and lodestar#. It connects seemlessly with GPUSB on the autoguide port #very handy). The 3 star alignment is enough for making sure all targets are in the camera FOV across the entire sky. The mount/tripod are very light weight so it is very easy to transport from my garage to my driveway for AP sessions. At about a 16 pound load, the tracking is perfect. The only thing I would change is a slightly longer cable for the control pad but you can acquire aftermarket extensions for this. This mount has exceeded my expectations and has allowed me to up my game with astro-photography, even without PEC training, PHD allows me to guide within .25 pixels at a focal length of 714mm with this mount.
Favorite viewing location: Clever, Missouri
Favorite object to observe: M42
Pros: stable and accurate, lightweight
Cons: short control paddle cable
Yes, I recommend this product!
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Review 9 for Orion Sirius EQ-G Computerized GoTo Telescope Mount
Rating
This is a product which needs more recognition
PostedSeptember 27, 2011
Wen01
Mechanical Quality
5
/
5
Tracking Accuracy
5
/
5
Ease of Assembly & Use
5
/
5
Stability
5
/
5
Value
5
/
5
I have both the Sirius and Atlas mountings. Both are very adequate for the work I do, mainly variable star observation and photometry. Other imaging is a plus. As I have gotten older it has become more difficult to handle the Atlas mounting. I realize this is not a problem for younger men, but the Sirius is much easier to handle and I haven't noticed any degradation in the quality of the images and or general stability of the scope. I use the Sirius mounting for my 180 mm MakCass. and have had very satisfactory experience with both the goto feature as well as
tracking in general. I have had the Sirius for a couple of months and think it of equal, if not better overall quality, than the Atlas for the work I do.
I recommend it.
tracking in general. I have had the Sirius for a couple of months and think it of equal, if not better overall quality, than the Atlas for the work I do.
I recommend it.
Yes, I recommend this product!
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Review 10 for Orion Sirius EQ-G Computerized GoTo Telescope Mount
Rating
Excellent mount
PostedSeptember 20, 2011
Mechanical Quality
5
/
5
Tracking Accuracy
4
/
5
Ease of Assembly & Use
5
/
5
Stability
5
/
5
Value
4
/
5
I have only had this mount about a month but so far it has exceeded all expectations. I bought a setup for astrophotography and this mount has filled that role perfectly.
Favorite viewing location: Dark site outside of town
Pros: stable, quieter than others
Cons: heavy
Yes, I recommend this product!
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Review 11 for Orion Sirius EQ-G Computerized GoTo Telescope Mount
Rating
Orion Sirius EQ-G Mount - Nice Investment
PostedFebruary 12, 2011
Gustavo S
I bought the Orion Sirius Equatorial Mount for astrophotography, wanting to use an upper limit of 8" aperture scopes. So far, I have been fascinated on how it handles my 120mm Omni refractor, with very precise slewing and tracking. This is my first GOTO mount, and because of that I thought that I was going to be difficult to operate it, but I was able to polar align it and do the three-star alignment correctly on the field without even looking at the manual. It's very user-friendly. I think I have made a good purchase, since it shipped without any defects that I would noticed and it working just as advertised. I recommend it so far. It's superior to the CG5-ASGT.
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Comments (1)
POOALL
QUEENS ,NY
Additional information about POOALL could not be loaded.
I FINDED BAD PROBLEM...
Posted February 1, 2012
DID YOU SEE THE ALLIGN SCOPE?
REALLY BAD PRODUCT...
REALLY BAD PRODUCT...
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Review 12 for Orion Sirius EQ-G Computerized GoTo Telescope Mount
Rating
Solid Performer
PostedFebruary 20, 2009
Dave H
The first night out with the EQ-G was delightful. The EQ-G is heavy, solid, and has buttery-smooth bearings. Lining it up with Polaris using the built-in mount scope makes setup a breeze. I've used it with a Meade ETX-125 scope tube and with a Orion 8"SCT. Neither begin to tax the drive motors or clutches. I had forgot to order a second 11 lb weight, so I was scope-side heavy, but the clutches didn't slip and the drive motors didn't even strain. And as far as the drive train, it is solid without any perceptable backlash. It slews perfectly to objects without any "rubberbanding" or overshoot. Another point is that the motor drive is microstepped stepping motors, not cheap brush-type DC motors. Each step is precise and repeatable instead of depending upon an encoder wheel to keep the drive rate constant. I highly recommend it to anyone who is moving up from a low-end fork-mount to a EQ type mount.
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Review 13 for Orion Sirius EQ-G Computerized GoTo Telescope Mount
Rating
Orion should make more noise about this mount
PostedDecember 27, 2007
As a novice astronomer, I tentatively ordered the Sirius Go To mount after having had such a good time with the StarQuest 4.5 dob. I was primarily interested in long exposure photography and visual use. At first I had some issues with some excessive noise and slipping gears, and even a tripod that was delivered to me broken. To Orion's credit they replaced the faulty items without any problems at all and it's been plain sailing since. Actually I think that Orion "under sells" this mount - it's a real alternative to the Atlas mount since it doesn't weigh as much but has the same drives. It carries my 120mm refractor plus 80mm guide scope, and DSLR without any trouble. The tracking is excellent and better than many more expensive scopes, from what I've read. The only obvious omission from the Orion line up is a mount extension for the Sirius, which would help with those objects at zenith. A great mount, even for a beginner, if you're willing to spend some time and effort with the equipment, it's very rewarding.
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Review 14 for Orion Sirius EQ-G Computerized GoTo Telescope Mount
Rating
Great Mount/Tripod--Go to Database Lacking
PostedJune 5, 2011
Mechanical Quality
4
/
5
Ease of Assembly & Use
3
/
5
Stability
4
/
5
Value
3
/
5
I've had this mount for a month. It's rock solid with my 120ST refractor and I suspect it can hold a lot more weight than the 10 lbs I have on it at present. It's quiet and the GoTo pointing is accurate, even with only an eyeball polar alignment without using the polar scope.
The negatives are 2. The manual does not explain the use of a number of the features of the handset. I found out a few of them by calling tech support and asking questions ( a lot of questions ), probably to the point of being regarded as a nuisance. If the manual was given more thought and revised appropriately to include all the features and uses of the handset a good deal of this back and forth could be eliminated.
The second quibble is with the data base. It is very bare bones compared to other vendors' databases. You basically get Messier Objects, NGC and IC Objects with a few double and variable stars thrown in. 29,000 plus objects are SAO catalog stars which are absolutely useless since star atlases do not label stars with SAO #s and trying to find info on the conversion from SAO #s to Bayer or Flamsteed #s is like looking for a needle in a haystack.
Even though I think the mount/tripod is a good value I would not recommend this to a friend because I think a mount of equivalent value with a better database can be found elsewhere with a little research on the WEB.
Favorite viewing location: haven't found one yet
Favorite object to observe: open clusters
No, I do not recommend this product.
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Comments (1)
Frank OB1
Ohio
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Go to Database Lacking
Posted April 23, 2012
Raja,
I think that once you become more familiar with the hand control you will find that it is very user friendly. This is one of the better mounts and hand control units even comparing to the high end units. My manual had everything that was needed for me to understand. Perhaps if you contact ORION and request another or newer version of the manual that may also help you out. Good Luck!!!
I think that once you become more familiar with the hand control you will find that it is very user friendly. This is one of the better mounts and hand control units even comparing to the high end units. My manual had everything that was needed for me to understand. Perhaps if you contact ORION and request another or newer version of the manual that may also help you out. Good Luck!!!
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