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First Telescope


MalcandEmma

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Hi. 

As I'm considering getting my first telescope for my 50th birthday, I suppose I'm coming to this quite late.  I want something that I can set up in a spare bedroom, garden and take away with me on our caravan holidays.

I want to see planets and galaxies and photograph them, if that's possible. 

My budget is £500.  My research so far has led me to the Skywatcher Explorer 200P Telescope + EQ5 Mount Kit, available from Jessops for £415.

Any thoughts,anyone?

Thanks.

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Hi and welcome to the forum. Great choice of kit with some very useful aperture (200mm or 8") that will help you see plenty of of structure on many objects. Personally I wouldn't buy from Jessops as they are not a company that specialises in astronomical gear. They are very good at shifting boxes but they won't be able to help you on specific advice as it's not their area of interest. FLO our sponsor here, sells the exact same setup for the same price but as a potential customer, you will be entitled to access their experience and advice on your selection and any further upgrades/changes that you may wish to make in the future. All other astronomical retailers will be the same and even if they are a little bit more expensive, in the longer term you will receive more than your money's worth in good sound advice because nearly all of them are astronomers themselves. With regards to astrophotography or 'imaging' objects such as galaxies and planets, I would suggest that you get hold of a copy of Steve Richards' "Making Every Photon Count" simply because it is a comprehensive guide on the different ways you can image and the equipment that you will need to create good consistent images. It's worth mentioning that you can use video, DSLR cameras and dedicated CCD cameras to help create great images but each technique of recording data will naturally have it advantages and disadvantages which in turn will have an impact on any budget that you might have in mind.

Scopes that are good for observing the cosmos are not necessarily the best choice for imaging and vice versa, therefore unfortunately there is not one magic scope that can do the whole lot and explains why you will see that many of us have more then one scope. In the short term I would stick with observing which will help you learn the skies and to know where everything is, whilst at the same time perhaps digesting the contents of the above book and using the forum to ask supplementary questions to help you build up some knowledge before you commit to spending your hard earned cash. Imaging is not necessarily expensive but it is does depend a lot on what it is you wish to take a picture of. Galaxies and nebulae more commonly referred to as Deep Sky Objects (DSO's) require very accurate mounts to track them accurately for long enough, to capture sufficient data to construct a composite images from all the individual exposures. These types of objects exist a long distance from us and as a consequence are very faint. You need to spend quite some time capturing the light that they emit which can include imaging them through optical aids such as filters etc. The above book is very good at taking you through all the different considerations using a step by step approach and being modestly priced, will indeed save you money by ensuring you don't go buying the wrong kit. Hope that helps.

Clear skies for now and hope you enjoy the forum.

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+1 for Flo. They really do know their stuff and is always handy to have a friendly contact to call or email if you have any issues with kit.

The 200p is a bit of a beast so do try to inspect one if you can get to an astro shop.

Best of luck and clear skies

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+1 for FLO. Also check if that mount is stable enough for astrophotography, and consider that sometimes the scope and mount is half the money that you are going to end up investing.

About the size, I'll recomend you to make a replica at home to check how really big it is. In an astro shop or club,  you will probably see it side by side a 400P and you'll even going to think that is small  :grin:

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Hi

Lovely present idea to come.

You wrote

'I want something that I can set up in a spare bedroom, garden and take away with me on our caravan holidays'

I am ingorming imaging for the moment.

I want something that I can set up in a spare bedroom

Observing through glass is not ideal, thermals from the house and double glazing plays havoc with the views.

Garden

Is there far between storage location and setup in the garden?

Are there stairs involed?

What websites where these things are sold fail to do is give an indication of size and weight, telescopes and mounts can be very heavy.

caravan holidays

Suggests a brilliant grab and go, something not heavy, not large and quick to set up. Perhaps look at a small refractor on a AltZ mount such as the AltZ-4 or a small Mak on the same mount. Neither will be bothered by a bumpy journey. Personally I would get a small refractor as long term it can also serve as a guide scope when imaging.

You can image planets and the Moon using an Alt Z mount, you only need to look at an equatorial mount if you want longer exposures.

Have you a local club you could get to and see different telescopes and mounts in the flesh?

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Hi MacandEmma welcome to SGL, from this I gather your scope is to be shared with Emma. Your 1st choice of scope and mount is one of the most popular on the forum, excellent advice already given, I hope you both enjoy whatever you finish up with :)

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Wow.  What a friendly and helpful group of people.  Thanks so much for all the kind words and advice.  My current thoughts are:

  • Get it from FLO (I've been in contact with them and they were very good)
  • Don't expect to take deep space images with the kit I'm likely to get
  • Go to a local astronomical society (Chesterfield has one, so I'm just waiting for a clear Friday night)
  • Don't expect to do this from the warmth of a spare bedroom
  • Don't expect one telescope to do everything
  • Consider the size and mass

I hope you all feel that's a reasonable summary and I've taken it all on board.  I'm fine with the first five of the above points, but I'm unsure about the last.  The  Skywatcher Explorer 200P Telescope looks like a really excellent buy, but I don't have anywhere permanent to keep it.  Whatever I buy, I'll need to move it from the house to the garden and to the car, as I intend to use it when we go away with the caravan.  I've looked at photos online.  Sometimes it looks like I'll be able to manage, sometimes not.  I think I read that it has a mass of 25kg.

So, sorry to be a pain, but does anyone have any views on this last point (or even own this telescope and use it as I'd like to)?

All the best

Malc.

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It's a great scope, and a sturdy mount... although I'd say it is on the upper limit of stability for imaging, better for visual. i have had mine for a year or so... I'm a visual man only, no real interest in delving into the dark arts of AP.

When I take mine out its a case of tripod and counter weight, back to the car for the tube and then, back for other accessories, depending how far can be quite exhausting.

I suppose the best question would be is how determined are you for AP if it's a passing thought then I would maybe consider leaving the eq mount alone and going for a dob base which should be lighter..

as an idea of scale see this link http://stargazerslounge.com/topic/134183-sw-explorer-200p-dimensions/

the other things to consider are position of eyepieces, as the mount moves you can move the ep out of reach, meaning you need to rotate the tube in the rings...

If I'm honest.. I'm going to sell mine in favour of a dob at some point in the next year...

don't know if it helps or not but if had to do it again, for visual, I'd go dob with no regrets at all.

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Hi everyone.

Thanks for all your help and advice. I'm getting much closer to a decision now and, all things considered, I think the 200p might be a bit cumbersome for my needs. I don't have anywhere permanent to site it and finding somewhere to even store it might mean that I don't get it out as much as I should.

The person I exchanged lots of emails with at FLO (Martin) has been excellent. He has suggested a package based on the Skywatcher Exploer 130pds with the Goto EQ3 mount. The reasoning would be that it's much more portable. Also, accepting completely that imaging is a difficult skill, I still want to do it. The main reason is that as a science teacher, I often show photographs of astronomical objects to students; I'd really like to show them ones I've taken myself from their home town.

I looked at a thread on here of photos that people have taken with this telescope:

http://stargazerslounge.com/topic/210593-imaging-with-the-130pds/page-1?hl

and they are stunning. If I thought I could aspire to that, then I would be very happy.

I do wonder what I would actually see through the eyepiece, but I suppose there's only one way to find that out.

So, if you've folloewd this thread, thanks very much - it's the only one I've ever created anywhere on anything. If you feel you've got enough in the tank for a final contribution that says, 'Yeah, get that' or something, then that would be very much appreciated.

All the best

Malc.

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Hey great choice of telescope I enjoy seeing images from that thread it won't be a slouch to look through either.

You will need an extension tube as well as the telescope is set up for imaging it is hard to focus with an eyepiece the focuser runs out of travel, so 2 inch extension tube for a 2 inch focuser unit from what I have read approx £20.

Also for grab and go real quick at a later date stick the same telescope on a altz mount. Look for a second hand one.

You will need tools for collimating. I just use £5 collimation cap but I guess for imaging you should have a Cheshire.

If you have a dslr you will need a t ring and t adaptor approx £25.

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I have been searching as cloudy again I think that mount being the new EQ3 pro version has an guide port for image guiding potential?

Every mount has a visual and a imaging payload the later is less, this mount I think is 5 kilos for imaging. A very I'll informed guess is that is enough for 130p-ds at 4 kilo plus a webcam or dslr. Perhaps a combination to get going with and see where it takes you, there are tricks you can do to help steady tripods like fill the legs to make it heavier should you need it.

Gosh I get excited using my £4 webcam in my telescope connected to my tablet. Pretty much the same telescope mirror in the popular heritage 130p.

If you are realistic with your expectations then you can't be disappointed :-) everything is relative you could spend all your budget just on the tripod for example by upping it to a higher spec/weight model but it will also weigh more I think.

That seems a lot of tripod and telescope for the budget.

Hopefully you will get some knowledgeable replies as I have never used an equatorial mount.

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I will say that if you have any intention of putting a DSLR on the scope and trying astrophotography then the focuser on the 200P is not suiteed, it will not bring the camera sensor to the focal plane and really the 200P on an EQ5 is pushing the capabilities of the set up for imaging. If you add a guide scope, camera and assorted extras then you will certainly need the HEQ5.

I think the blurb says you can attach a DSLR, that is subtly different from you can image with a DSLR.

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