Which accessories for a newb?

[Valley]

Hi all, first post here.

I'm on the verge of pulling the trigger on my first scope.

It'll be mainly used for observing and lunar/planetary photography and maybe a dabble in DSO but I appreciate I won't get great results with my planned kit.

I live in a small village in the sticks so I'll be taking the kit a couple of miles from the village for some darker skies although there is still some glow on the horizon from surrounding towns.

I've got a £1200 budget of which I plan on spending about £970 on a Skywatcher 200p and HEQ5.

I know I'll need a collimator but where else should I be looking to spend my remaining £230?

[todd8137]

some good headache tablets,and may be a few new eps and some filters may be

[Whippy]

I'd definately go with a collimation aid of some kind as it's pretty much a must with a reflector. A moon filter would be handy and see how you go. Eyepieces can be subjective, one man's muck is a another man's brass so use the ones supplied and see how you go.

some good headache tablets

Why?

Tony..

[Space Beagle]

You won't go too far wrong with that scope/mount choice for a first set up.

Accessories? Hmmm, stuff like a few good books to help you find your way round the sky, plenty of choice here but most here (me too!) rate 'Turn Left At Orion', The Cambridge Star Atlas etc. Download something like Stellarium for your pc/labtop to help show you what's in the sky to see tonight, or any night! A suitable chair to sit on while observing, a red torch to preserve your night vision, a dew shield for your scope, a better finder like a Telrad to help you find targets in the night sky.

It's an endless list to be honest and i'm sure you'll find some other good suggestions on this here forum and others that you discover and tell us about!!

Welcome to the forum and clear skies to you!!

Doc

PS: This is just a few things that i've found useful to me since I began observing a few years ago.

It is good advice below to find what works for you before wasting money on items you don't ever use!

Edited by me (Doc) at 11:53am 05 Oct 11.

[Nova]

Save your cash and get used to using what you have for a couple of months first then look at upgrading components. I think a Telrad or a Rigel finder would be a great addition as well as a good sky atlas. EP's can be upgraded as and when. I know my stock ep's arent great but ive only noticed a real difference since I looked through a selection of better EP's just the other week.

[Astro Imp]

Save your cash and get used to using what you have for a couple of months first then look at upgrading components. I think a Telrad or a Rigel finder would be a great addition as well as a good sky atlas. EP's can be upgraded as and when. I know my stock ep's arent great but ive only noticed a real difference since I looked through a selection of better EP's just the other week.

Definitely the way to go. Until you have used your scope and got used to what it can do you won't know what you want/need.

Enjoy.

[JamesM]

I would certainly recommend a leisure battery to power your mount, laptop for stellarium and future imaging toys. I wouldn't bother with the power packs that have all the bells and whistles on them - waste of money and won't provide for long term sessions in the cold. I would certainly get yourself a red headtorch, very useful if you're setting up in the dark, reading maps etc and pouring your coffee!

Congratulations on your choice and get pulling that trigger!

James

[Space Beagle]

Oh! Also have a look at the thread 'New Top 10 Useful inexpensive things' a sticky in the beginners forum - Loads of great ideas in there, if'n you haven't looked already!!

Doc

[earth titan]

For me, a cheshire collimator.

[Valley]

I was convinced I needed to spend all my budget but you've convinced me otherwise.

Lots of good advice, thanks guys.

[cosmological]

If you've got a white torch and some red sweet wrapper, you can cover the torch with the red sweet wrappers using an elastic band.