Daf1983

Thanks for your replies and advice. A lot to think about.

With regards to sensor size on the zwo cameras. I am assuming its a lot smaller than a dslr? Would that mean the field of view would be a lot smaller, and therefore the target would move out of the fov quicker?

I have a Skywatcher 200p dobsonian and want some advice regarding the most suitable camera I can buy for it. I have really enjoyed using my smartphone with my dob but I now feel I need something a bit more sophisticated as I move forward. I’m aware that I’m limited to lunar and planetary astrophotography with this kind of mount, but I plan on investing in a equatorial platform in the future when funds allow (if that makes any difference).

I have basically zero experience in photography or astrophotography, so I don’t know much about cameras in general. I have a budget of about £200ish, and so far I’ve narrowed down my options to the following:

1.       Zwo Asi 120MC-S

2.       Zwo Asi 224MC

3.       Canon 550d

4.       Canon 600d

As far as I can see, the main advantage of the DSLR route is that is doesn’t require a laptop to operate, and that you can obviously use it for everyday photography (which I’m not particularly concerned about).

I hope someone can help me with the following questions:

1.       What are advantages/disadvantages of a dslr verses a cheap dedicated astronomy camera?

2.       Would I see a big diiference in quality between the 120MC-S and the 224MC, considering I don't have a tracking mount?

3.       Is there any big difference between the 550d and 600d, apart from the articulated screen?

4.       Are there any better options I have not considered?

Thanks

Dafydd

Done

Tried the double double for the first time ever last night with my 200p dob. Found the stars pretty quickly, but took me a while to convince myself I was pointing in the right direction.

Started off with x200, just to confirm that this was the double double, and could clearly see both split. Tried x150 and again could see both pairs split. Finally tried x100, but after spending a bit of time with this magnification, could only really one of the pairs split clearly.

Really enjoyed this challenge. Will try again at x100 to see if it was the conditions or my lack of experience which prevented me splitting at this magnification.

Haven't done much double star observation before, but couldn't stop thinking last night of how much easier this would with a zoom eyepiece, having not really considered one before. This might be next on my purchase list when funds/wife allow.😉

Welcome to sgl👍

Dafydd

After some trouble finding a copy, the Sky and Telescope pocket sky atlas got delivered today. Need to make some FOV circles now to use while star hopping

Totally agree with starwatcher. Only got into astronomy a couple of months ago, and I have already learned so much from people on this site. Such a friendly forum, and members so happy to share their wealth of knowledge.

Thanks @CraigT82. The moon photos were taken a while ago, I think I could do a better job now, as I've become much more comfortable with the scope

These are a few(poor) photos with a Google pixel 3 attached to my skywatcher 8 inch dob over the past couple of months. Photos of the moon are single exposures and saturn is video stacked on registax. I am tempted to buy a dslr, but want to try one out before investing. Have a friend which has offered to borrow me his to have a go.

Saturn 11_07_20(2).bmp

1 hour ago, Pixies said:

I've attached a pic of their relative location M81 (Bode's nebula) and M82 (Cigar galaxy)

To star hop, my method is:

• follow the two stars from Ursa Major to the triangular 'arrow' asterism (all very visible in a 6x30 or 10x50 finder)
• then double-back to the 2 brighter stars that the arrow points towards
• from there, it's a similar distance as the separation of those 2 stars to the 2 galaxies. I've shown the FOV of a 25mm plossl in a 1200mm 8" dob (I've got a Bresser)

 

Great, I'll give that a go once I have some clear skies

12 minutes ago, Pixies said:

Try M81 and M82 - easy to find and relatively visible in less than perfect skies.

Thanks, I will do. I think these are quite high up in the sky at the moment, so the view will be less likely to obstructed from my back garden.

I should have mentioned that this is with the skywatcher 200p dob in bortle 4/5 skies. Found all of the above fairly easy to find once I invested in a telrad

From another inexperienced astronomer, I can only share what I've managed to find and observe over the past couple of months. I've mostly concentrated on easy targets to begin with, so globular cluster (m3, m5 and m13), as was mentioned above is a good place to start. There are loads of double stars to observe, albireo and the double double being my favourite so far. M57 or the ring nebula is also easy to find, and is also very impressive. I have also had great views of jupiter and saturn for the first time, even though they are not that high in the sky this year.

The next targets on my list in the dumbell nebula and I also want to try and observe a galaxy(not sure wwich one yet)  when the skies get a bit darker.

Good luck

4 minutes ago, RossHicksPhoto said:

Nice!!

I grew up in Cardiff... Penarth, Cogan and Danescourt

Very nice, I went to uni there, and then taught in a school in Llandaf North for years. My parents and my sister still live there. Lovely city

6 minutes ago, RossHicksPhoto said:

Glad to meet you.

What part of Wales are you based?

I currently live on the north Wales coast, not far from Colwyn Bay/Llandudno. I did live in Cardiff for over 10 years until fairly recently. 

Welcome Ross, from a fellow newby from Wales

As Barry and John have already said, can't go wrong with the bst. I also have the 200p, and have brought the 8 and 12mm bst, and even for a newby like me, the step up of quality from the stock eyepieces is obvious. If you're looking for low power eyepiece, I can also recommend the vixen npl 30mm which is also available at a similar price to the bst.

Cheers

Hi Mark. Really enjoyed your story. Welcome to the forum

My maplin case is starting to fill up, even though it's not half as neat or as impressive as most on here. Celestron xcel lx x2 barlow, 8mm bst, 12mm bst, 30mm vixen npl, telrad, cheshire eyepiece and a red light torch (and the stock skywatcher 10 and 25mm which I'm regretting cutting a hole for😏). 

Still room for something in the 15-18mm range, and maybe a wide angle 2inch eyepiece when finances allow.

I've got the 8mm and 12mm BST, and also the 30mm Vixen NPL. I'm fairly inexperienced but have found both BST and the Vixen to be a big upgrade on the stock eyepieces that came with my skywatcher, in terms of build quality and views through the eyepiece. I would definitely recommend the 30mm Vixen NPL 

5 minutes ago, gary756 said:

I saw that and was getting excited for the weekend. Was planning to drag my son off to the dales for some dark sky stuff. Haven't had chance to check today so hadnt seen it had changed.  Looks like it could be another weekend hanging out the bedroom windows looking for a break in the clouds.

It's happened a few times over the past month as well! I'm desperate to have a look at Satrun and Jupiter for the first time now they're up at a reasonable(ish) hour, but no luck so far😡

I bought the same telescope about 2 months ago. I've managed to spend a lot of money since on various eyepieces, books etc. (I was warned this hobby is a money pit!), but as stated above, the Telrad is the best piece of equipment I've bought. I found it to be a game changer, made finding things a LOT easier, and made the experience a lot less frustrating and a lot more pleasurable

I've mainly been using Clear Outside, Met Office and Good To Gaze. What I've found over the past month (I'm very new to this), is that they're fairly useless at predicting anything over a day or so ahead (if that!). But that maybe because the weather is particularly changeable and unpredictable at the minute. 

I've been looking forward to get my scope out this weekend all week, because Clear Outside showed clear night for Friday and Saturday! Checked again this morning and is changed for the worse☹️ Haven't had a clear night for almost 4 weeks 

Thanks for the replies. I will get a 2'' eyepiece eventually, but want to keep things simple and just buy 1.25'' eyepieces for now, to avoid having to change adapters and so on. (I'm a complete beginner).

I was swaying towards the vixen anyway. But will the true field of view be noticeably smaller in the vixen compared to the gso? 

If my understanding is correct, gso has a 52 degree afov and fl 32mm, giving it true field of view of 1.39 degree in my scope.

Whereas the vixen has a 50 degree afov and a fl of 30mm, giving it a true fov 1.25?

Is this correct, and would it be noticeable on practice?(please forgive me if this is all wrong, I am new to all this!🙈)

Hi Monty, welcome to sgl. I'm also a complete beginner and recently bought the same scope. I've managed to take it out about 5 times and have been really impressed! After struggling for the first couple of session I invested in a telrad, which makes life a lot easier.

Hope you have some clear skies soon.

Dafydd