New setup questions

[Andrew]

I’m looking for a new scope setup and I’d welcome some advice. Unfortunately I have quite a few different questions so if you can help with any of them that would be great!

I’m interested in imaging (I have no experience of this yet ) but I’m also interested in the possibility of using a CCD camera to aid visual observing. Initially I thought about combining a f4 imaging Newtonian (possibly the Quattro) with a Watec video camera, but I’m now considering other options because I’d like a setup with more scope for imaging.

So to my questions....

I’m thinking about an Atik camera for imaging (possibly the 314L) and I’m wondering if I could also use this with Artemis capture a little like the Watec – i.e. capture shortish exposures of maybe 10 seconds to several minutes to get better views of galaxies and PNs. Does anyone use CCD cameras for this sort of thing? Would that length of exposure be enough to provide a better view of objects than what you would get visually through the scope?

For purely imaging I’m leaning towards getting an Evostar 80ED DS-PRO (or maybe the 100). However, I’m wondering if the small aperture would be a significant limit on using the scope for the type of visual work described above with the Atik - i.e. would this require exposures of more than a few minutes to see anything more than was visible through the scope alone?

Because of this I’m wondering if I put the following on a NEQ6 mount whether it will be stable enough for imaging: A skywatcher 8” f5 Newt (8.75 kg for the OTA according to the Skywatcher site) and an Evostar DS-PRO (either the 80ED which is 2.5 kg or the 100ED which is 3 kg, again based on the Skywatcher site). There would also be cameras + filter wheel weighing another 1.25 kg or so. Together that makes about 13 kg (assume the figures I have are correct) which is a little over half the load capacity of the NEQ6 (25 kg I think). Does that sound reasonable? The idea would be to use the Evostar for imaging and the f5 Newt for the visual work enhanced by the camera.

I guess I can use the Evostar for guiding when I’m using the Newtonian with the Atik, but can the Newt be used for guiding when imaging with the Evostar – or is guiding with a Newtonian crazy? Alternatively, does anyone have a view on whether a QHY5 camera on a finder scope would be adequate/better for guiding? I realise I could get another scope for guiding but I’m already pushing my budget to the limit!

Sorry if this all sounds a little over-complicated and thanks for any advice/comments.