Next step

[ChrisEdu]

Currently, I've got a NextStar 4SE and a few eyepieces, including some Meades and Baader Hyperions (which always seem to dark to view with). Looking to move up to something bigger / better without completely breaking the bank. I'd be interested in being able to take photos through the scope, although not sure how I would wish to persue this. Ideally, I'd like to be able to view some of the fainter solar system items, e.g. smaller planets, and then galaxies and nebulae. I'd also, ideally, like to stay with computer guidance to make things easy. Suggestions please! Budget would probably be in the £500-1000 region, possibly more if it could be justified. Thanks.

[lw24]

What photography do you want to do?

Deep Sky astrophotography can cost thousands, whereas Planetary/Lunar astrophotography only costs around £50.

You could make the obvious step up to the Celestron NexStar 6SE, for £795. This would allow you to take part in Planetary and Lunar astrophotography, if you bought this webcam, for £50.

Clear Skies

Luke

[ChrisEdu]

How much of an appreciable difference would having just a couple of inches more make to what / how much one could see? I realsie that obviously, it's total light gathering area is quite a lot larger, but without being able to physically put two scopes side-by-side, it's hard to visualise what 'extra' one would notice.

As for the photography side of things, I'd be happy to start with planets / lunar but, ultimately, I might want to dip my toe in something deeper.

[John]

How much of an appreciable difference would having just a couple of inches more make to what / how much one could see? I realsie that obviously, it's total light gathering area is quite a lot larger, but without being able to physically put two scopes side-by-side, it's hard to visualise what 'extra' one would notice....

If find there is an appreciable difference between what my 4" and 6" scopes will show, especially on deep sky objects. The differences are things like more resolution on globular clusters, more planetary details seen when conditions are good, tighter double stars can be split, under really dark skies the brighter galaxies start to look more than just fuzzy patches with 6" - that sort of thing.