critique my scope buying plan

[Kolloth]

Hi All,

I was recently lent a SkyWatcher SkyMax 90 on an EQ1 mount by my uncle (who got it on a whim and never really used it). I've been playing with it in the back garden on clear nights (when such clear nights occur which seems few and far between atm but hey) and I've enjoyed myself immensely so i've decided to buy something a bit bigger and with a goto mount.

I've pretty much decided on a SkyWatcher 130P SynScan AZ Goto since it seems to me to be the best value goto due to the prices of the EQ gotos.

I think i really want to get into astrophotography so what i intend to do is use the 130P to keep myself happy until i get the money saved up (and the wife's permission) to buy either an HEQ5 or EQ6 mount, which i will then put the 130P on to play with until i get even more money saved up (and further permission) to get either the 200PDS or 250PDS for astrophotography.

Does this make sense or am i overlooking some major flaw in the plan.

Also is it possible to put the Skymax 90 onto the AZ goto mount?

cheers all

sod

[Digz]

Sounds good to me. That way you will have the 130p AZ goto as a nice observing scope when you are imaging with the 250 and EQ6

Out of the mounts listed for imaging I would definitely recommend the EQ6 or NEQ6 Pro especially with the 250P DS. This is combo I have and its performed great for me to date, just remember you may want to start adding a guide scope and camera to your imaging setup in the future so it is best to futureproof the mount which the NEQ6 will do.

Some people also prefer to get a slightly shorter focal length scope for slightly wider views which I think I will end up doing.

For example with the 250p DS This: http://stargazerslounge.com/members/digz-albums-dso-picture9360-m42.jpg is the view you will get of M42 - as you can see quite tight and to get the whole nebula and possibly the running man will require a two pane mosaic. But that's getting way ahead of ourselves at present.

I hope that helps....

[garethmob]

the 130p is a really nice scope i was lucky to have a look through one few weeks ago

you can do small version of AP with that mount but they do suffer from field rotation, it should be ok for short bursts with a webcam for planet photos then you decompress it a picture with registax

on the talk of the 90 on the mount dont quote me but "you SHOULD" be able to mount it as long as you got the dovetail

one thing to think about is maybe the celestron nexstar

First Light Optics - Celestron NexStar 130 SLT

the scope its self is identical (SW has a finder, celest has a red dot finder) (as they are both made in the same chinease factory) but the mount its self is alittle more beefier (has a metal clamp not plastic) and the nexstar allign is eaiser to use (it allows you to allign to ANY star) where the skywatcher can only to certain ones (which has annoyed me with my own EQ3-2 synscan mount) hopefully iv helped

[tomw28]

Sounds a good plan to me! The 130P is meant to me one of the best value scopes for beginners (I have its big brother, the 150P, and its brilliant).

[JohnnyD333]

Sounds like a good plan. Be patient and save up for that EQ6 mount, its worth it. In the meantime, use a webcam to get some nice lunar and planetary pictures. I think anyone will tell you on this site that getting into AP is highly addictive. Be prepared for the uncontrollable need to purchase a DSLR or CCD next.

[garethmob]

a fantastic resource for astro photo's is steves book Making Every Photon Count

[Kolloth]

Sounds like a good plan. Be patient and save up for that EQ6 mount, its worth it. In the meantime, use a webcam to get some nice lunar and planetary pictures. I think anyone will tell you on this site that getting into AP is highly addictive. Be prepared for the uncontrollable need to purchase a DSLR or CCD next.

The whole DSLR thing will be another pane. I'm minded to go canon since the general consensus is that they are the best for astro work, but if i go nikon i get access to my dads collection of lenses ( about 4 in total) which would be nice for non astro work. Still thats a long way off

I've got a webcam i bought from tescos for a tenner which i opened up, de-lensed and put into a project box from maplins with a 35mm film tube to plug into the eye piece. Even works too judging from my single test. Needs a tracking mount tho since the star i was filming took about 30 seconds to traverse the field of view.

[garethmob]

you can get adapters to put the len's onto other cameras (i use older pentax ones on my canon) no doubt there be a nikon one but you would most likely have to use it in M (manual) mode but in manual mode i turn out better non astro photos than my uncle whos a professional photographer with his "auto" lens

[twotter]

Alternative idea #1

Skywatcher Skyliner 200P on a dob mount. Priced about the same as the 130P but you don't need a powertank to run the electrics, and you'll see more. You can webcam as an AP taster, then later, look to mount the OTA onto a HEQ5 or EQ6.

[Kolloth]

Alternative idea #1

Skywatcher Skyliner 200P on a dob mount. Priced about the same as the 130P but you don't need a powertank to run the electrics, and you'll see more. You can webcam as an AP taster, then later, look to mount the OTA onto a HEQ5 or EQ6.

I had considered the dob, but i am fundamentally a lazy sod so the goto is nice, at least while I'm learning where everything is in the night sky.

I was also thinking that getting a 250 dob and not the 250PDS so i could have it mounted two ways, but i'd need to be sure that it would work ok for the photography mounted on the eq mount.

[JamesM]

I would reinforce the earlier suggestion of buying Steve Richards "Making EVery PHoton Count" (FLO £19.95) before buying any kit to be honest. Imaging can be expensive so getting an overview of what you need from Steve's book will certainly help set out the likely costs for the type of imaging you want. However, collecting data is only part of the work needed, processing that same data towards the final image is the rest and although there are plenty of free software programs, there are also plenty more that you might need and that you will need to pay for.

One small thing regarding GOTO's. I have one and they are great and are so helpful to people starting out. The snag is that many people fall prey to the seduction of a pice of kit that will help them locate 15,000 objects - but attach a scope that will barely resolve 100 of them. Finding something is one thing, actually having something to look that makes it worthwhile is another. If it was me, I would use the kit you've got and save now for the HEQ5 or NEQ6 (be it new or used) I wouldn't bother with any interim purchase as that is taking money away from your imaging budget. The stars aren't going anywhere so there's no rush but it is important to get it right from the start and that's where the book comes in.

Hope that helps.

James

[ollypenrice]

There seems to be an assumption running through your plan that you need a lot of aperture for imaging. You don't. Small scopes of 60mm and camera lenses can take great pictures.

A first step into imaging with a ten inch Newt on an NEQ6 would not count as an easy introduction!

I'd go for a bigger Dob for visual and a small refractor for imaging. An HEQ5 pro will handle a small imaging scope perfectly but the NEQ6 is future proofed.

Olly

ollypenrice's Photos

[Digz]

A first step into imaging with a ten inch Newt on an NEQ6 would not count as an easy introduction!

On reflection (pardon the pun...) I would possibly agree. Thinking about what I brought to get into astrophotography (see sig), the scope choice was probably not the best. Having said that I have enjoyed every minute of it, despite its frustrations and difficulties.

[Kolloth]

On reflection (pardon the pun...) I would possibly agree. Thinking about what I brought to get into astrophotography (see sig), the scope choice was probably not the best. Having said that I have enjoyed every minute of it, despite its frustrations and difficulties.

dont forget the part of the plan where all i have is the NEQ6 and the 130P that was where i was going to do most of the learning, except possibly some planetary work on the AZ Goto mount since i dont think it would take the weight of a DSLR as well, plus the whole problem of field rotation.

I would think of getting something more basic, such as the 150PDS on an EQ3 but the prices are substantially more for something that is just as un-upgradeable as the AZ goto, hence the current plan and i'm not even sure that the EQ3 could take the weight of the 150PDS with the DSLR and even if it could i dont think it would take a guide scope on top so it'd probably need to be the EQ5.

[garethmob]

strickly speaking you wouldnt really be able to do the dslr on a AZ mount because of field rotation althrough i have heared of it but only with the celestron as its alittle better mount. the EQ3-2 is a cracking mount iv got it and iv been able to get about 30 seconds with it badly polar aligned and not balanced properly and the camera piggybacked on top with a 135mm prime lens, and the picture blew me away compared to my "widefield on a tripod" pics but the EQ5 is really the lowest you should go if your going to have the camera attached to the scope (i prefire my own lens as i can still view the sky through the scope )

[david o]

Whichever 'scope/mount setup you end up getting, I'd also really recommend that you get Making Every Photon Count (by SGL's very own steppenwolf), before starting with astro-photography.

Easy to read, it's full of good advice aimed at the imaging novice, including choosing the right equipment - explaining what kit you'll need and, more importantly, why. Helping you avoid poor choices and costly mistakes. There's also loads of tips 'n' tricks as well as lots of other vital stuff.

Have a trawl through the imaging sections too. They're full of info and some very experienced, talented folk who, I'm sure, will be more than happy to share advice and guidance with you.

HTH

[Parus major]

Wjen I got my scope a year ago I would have been better served buying a dob and then buying a bigger mount later but my garden isn't massive and it's surrounded by a six foot stone wall and I've got bushes and what have you so I needed an GEM to see over them. As such my cash limit had me getting a 150PL instead of a 200dob but other than that I've now got a decent, land very ott for my telescope, mount.

Personally, I'd say work out what your total limits are in terms of what mount you want and buy the dob that fits it. I think a year down the line and you have a mount and a usable sized telescope only sheer laziness will have you using an az goto on some nights.

[michael.h.f.wilkinson]

For imaging, small refractors are much the easier way to go (as Olly said). I did do some hand guided DSO imaging with my C8 (with focal reducer at F/6.3) using film in the distant past, but that is not easy at all. Focal ratio (speed) trumps aperture in DSO imaging. I have bought a 80 mm F/6 APO from APM (same available from Teleskop Service), first as a travel scope, and second as a deep sky imager, for the time I get a guiding port on my Vixen GP mount.