Astro Noodles

3 minutes ago, iapa said:

What optics did you get with the Starquest, or was it mount only?

If you want sleep - change your hobby

I’d say your lens and camera of fine for the time being, and personally, would again recommend a GoTo EQ mount.

1. Polar alignment will be easier
2. You can add a small guidescope and camera, allowing the mount to tracks the target more accurately and you get longer exposures
3. Once you have taken the lens to infinity and beyond - see what I did there? Bad eh? - you can add your refractor secure in the knowledge your new mount will carry it. The starquest has an observing payload of 3Kg, when imaging it is recommended that you keep within 60-75% or a bit over 2Kg, which is a bit limiting.

Anyway, I digress - save your pocket money (or in my case pension) for a while and nail your current setup.

 

 

 

Thanks iapa. I just splashed out on a Sky-guider pro last week. It has a 5kg capacity. so I will play around with it for a while.

Here is a single exposure 1/1000th sec iso 3200 through Sky-Watcher 130p with2x barlow (1300mm focal length).

It was taken in daylight at 7:30 to 8:00 PM.

2 hours ago, iapa said:

Facetious reply to the question:  a lifetime.

It really is, as others have said, a learning curve.

Work with what you have, understand what you are doing, as much as possible*, rinse and repeat.

When you think you cannot do much better, then look to upgrade - personally my next step would be a GoTo EQ mount, as beefy as you can afford. Ask in SGL first for advice.

 

* by this I mean you may not understand how the light gets here or why the colours, it’s magic I think. But a bit more ho your camera/lens interacts.

This is the approach I am taking. I don't see that there is a great deal of point in spending a lot of money at the moment as I can practice and develop my skills with what I've got. I think that my next step will be to upgrade the optics. A modest refactor in the 60mm range or perhaps a better camera lens. I also need to get out of the habit of feeling tired and wanting to go to bed at midnight,

Just now, iapa said:

 

What software did you use for stacking and processing?

I used Deep Sky Stacker and GIMP.

20 minutes ago, scotty38 said:

You've done well there as I expect it was pretty low and you'd have had decent moonlight throwing a spanner in the works too.

 

 

It was disappearing behind a fence after about an hour. I was shooting directly over an LED street light as well. I just wanted to capture M42 because I could find it easily.

This one was not as successful. M101 with the same kit but with Ioptron Skyguider Pro, Skytech CLS filter. About 40 x 60 sec at iso 800.

Ok 

I took this image on 25th and 29th March using a combo of 10/20 sec exposures at iso 1600 and 6400.  Using Tamron Adaptall 200mm F3.5 (£30 off e-bay), Canon EOS 1100d, Starquest EQ mount with RA motor.

Thanks Scotty. That's far better than anything that I have managed so far. I am trying to concentrate on focus, polar alignment and finding subjects at the moment. Also processing, exposure length and iso settings are proving difficult. 

May I enquire what sort of kit you are using? 

I have been attempting DSO astrophotography for a couple of months now but haven't yet produced an image I would be prepared to share on this forum. I understand that this is a difficult and complicated thing to do and there is an enormous amount to learn, and I don't yet really have the equipment or skills.

I was just wondering how long it took you before you had produced an image you were satisfied with and prepared to share?

1 minute ago, MiladyB said:

You're not wrong! 😱

Well if he is getting stuff from Forgeworld, presumably he will be ok with you getting stuff from Takahashi. 😉

19 minutes ago, MiladyB said:

II speak as the wife of a Warhammer nut - a hobby that makes astro look very reasonably-priced 😆

Just watch out for those boxes with Forgeworld written on them.

When I decided to get a telescope in the middle of January, I had no plan. So here goes (in no particular order).

Sky-Watcher  Starquest 130p

Astro Essentials 2x barlow.

Astro essentials 1.25 moon filter

RA motor for Starquest EQ mount

1.25 OIII filter

1.25 UHC filter

1.25 colour filter set (x7)

Canon Eos 1100d (body)

battery for camera

Svbony T ring

AA and AAA batteries (24 packs)

Intervalometer (x2)

64 Gb SD card (x2)

SD card  zipped pouch

Skytech CLS clip in filter 

JumperTech Laptop computer

Tamron 200mm Adaptall 2 f3.5 camera lens

Adapter for Tamron lens

60mm guideerscope

ball head mount

90 deg star diagonal

Ioptron Skyguider Pro

Horizon 8115-2 tripod

Abut 5 books including 'Turn Left at Orion'

Camera lens dew heater

USB power brick

Backpack

Red flashlight (x2)

Stellarium upgrade package

Laser cut MDF Bahtinov masks (x2)

100mm vixen dovetail bar

Hotshoe red dot finder bracket (x2)

Hi and welcome.

What I loved about it was they got you-tubers who are more serious in their output, and left out the ****-takers. It was really well done for a joke.

15 minutes ago, iapa said:

I’m STILL looking for a supplier and price.

My first reaction about a minute into the video was 'How much is that bad boy going to cost ?'  🤣

I have to be rational, otherwise this thing could quickly get out of hand. I have set myself certain goals, budgets and timescales which I intend to stick to. I have decided to limit myself to a budget of £1200 per year which can be increased by selling existing kit. So, for example, if I sell £500 of old kit I can have £1700 budget for the year. This doesn't apply to purchases of less than £100.

Year 1 has been for basic set up ( I have already blown 2021 budget so no more kit until next year).

Year 2 Optics - Aim to get a 70mm or so refractor

Year 3 Camera - An upgrade to something better than Canon 1100d

Year 4 Mount - EQ goto mount with 10kg imaging payload.

Year 5 Optics and so on

How long do you think I will stick to this schedule?

I hardly spend any time lusting after looking at new astro gear on the internet. 😉

49 minutes ago, Goldfinger said:

Hello Everyone 

I'm a newbie still in search of this first telescope. I have received a lot of advice from some very helpful people on this forum.

I was searching eBay for Dobsonian telescopes and found this one. Very unusual looking telescope to say the least. I'm assuming it's a custom telescope since I have never come across anything like it online.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/284271608042

Sure looks like a good deal...10" lens for $300.00.  But too far for me just to see in person.

 

 

 

 

Don't you have a telescope retailer where you are?

You can get something 1000 times better than this brand new for that price.😲

Looks like the primary mirror is just a flat piece of shiny metal.

5 minutes ago, Jiggy 67 said:

I know this is going to be controversial but I don’t think Sky-Watcher prices are that bad compared to other brands. They are a well established, trusted company which produces a wide range of good products for all levels of expertise. This is demonstrated by the fact that they are probably amongst the highest sellers and manufacturers (in the guise of Synta) of astro gear in the world.

I also think that they haven’t made significant price increases in recent years, though I may be wrong, I just don’t recall any. They are reacting to the market conditions in order to stay in business and, yes, make a profit. I still think their prices are very competitive 

I don't think that Sky-Watcher prices are bad either. I have been very pleased with the S-W kit I have bought. It just seems that they have pushed their price point into territory which will mean that buyers will look at more desirable brands. I am sure that Synta or whatever they are called will have marketing people searching the internet and looking on forums like this to guage consumer reaction. I suspect that it is one of the reasons they put the prices up in the first place.

Yeah, I just read your post. I'm sure that FLO are keen to see the prices back down as Sky-Watcher offer really good entry-level kit. S-W price increases have moved them close to other brands which are more established. 

I hope that Sky-Watcher are going to put their prices back down again when the shipping container situation is resolved, But I'm not holding my breath. 😞

5 minutes ago, PadrePeace said:

Over the past year or so there seems to have been a noticeable and significant hike in the cost of new SW gear. I’d say this is in the order of around 30% which is hard to qualify on global pricing trends or taxes.
 

Is it supply issues due to C19 or the Chinese adding tariffs for countries they don’t like at the moment?  

This mass produced and often long time unimproved gear is now selling for premium prices which is being reflected in second hand prices as well even  for quite old gear. 
 

Simple question....Why?

There is a thread about this topic.

Seems that Sky-Watcher are claiming increased shipping costs.

Hi Goldfinger.

I think that Skywatcher are considered to be very good value for money.

Ok, it has been a few weeks now, so you can own up to it if you were taken in by this. Don't be shy. 😏