Starter scope and camera help please

[Pin]

Hi everyone, i'm really new to all this so was wondering if anyone can point my in the right direction and give me some tips

I'm about to buy my first scope, im unsure if i should get a reflector, or a refractor, and how many inches. i'm really into deepsky objects like galaxys and supernoves, star clusters and stuff like that.

i was thinking of going for the

Sky-Watcher Explorer-150PL (EQ3-2) Parabolic Newtonian Reflector Telescope

or the

Sky-Watcher Startravel-120 (AZ3) Achromatic Refractor Telescope

Which would be best for deep sky viewing and astrophotograpy?

also can anyone recommed any not too expensive cameras for these scopes?

thanks for reading and appreciate any help in advance

Pin.

[Dann]

For the moon and planets a lot of people use inexpensive webcams, complete packages can be purchased from Morgan computers for around £40 http://www.morgancomputers.co.uk/product_detail/11781/Philips-Pre-flashed-SPC880-CCD-webcam-bundle/

For deep sky photography you will need a camera capable of taking longer exposures, there may be compact cameras that can do this but most people use a DSLR.

When using a reflector for photography you might want to make sure the telescope has enough focus travel to enable your camera to focus properly. A few of the smaller reflectors don’t have enough inward travel on the focuser leaving you unable to get the camera in far enough to achieve focus.

[hemihaggis]

hi and welcome , i think the 150 scope would be the better option , and with a cheap spc900 webcam (about 30-40 quid) including ir cut filter and nosepiece , you should be able to have a go at moon pics , plus the planets , jupiter ect , try and pick up a x3 or x4 barlow to help with mag on the planets . enjoy

[Pin]

thanks for great replys

im mainly interested in DSO

and a camera that will give excellent quality pictures

Can anyone recommed a great camera within the £200-£400 range?

once again thanks for your replys, theyve been very helpful

[Pin]

Also, sorry in advance this may sound like a very stupid question as i know not a lot about all this, but can any other the 2 scopes above provide colour images? are there certain filters i can buy for this?

[hemihaggis]

in think for that money you would be looking for a cannon 1000d , they are perfect for astrophotography .they often come up on the for sale board here , get to 50 posts and check the for sale boards .

[Kbramley]

I started out with a 6" newt, F/7, with a CG4 mount, overtime I have added motors, autoguiding and use both webcam/DSLR. I would also check E-bay for cheap 2nd hand DSLR, i use a canon 450D, you only need the camera body and these can be picked up for around £200-£250. They have live view that can be helpful for focussing. You will also need an adaptor that matches the camera to the scope. It can be a bit frustrating at first as its a steep learning curve, but there is plenty of advice around to help you get going.

Oh, a nice first target to get you addicted straight away is the Orion Nebula M42 (my first attempts centred on this), with a single 30s exposure you should see some significant nebulosity and colours

Keith

[Pin]

thanks guys

think i'll be going for the 150 then !

is there anything i can see in colour through this scope? or do i need special filters for that?

thanks

[The Bat]

Without wanting to sound too downbeat, a lot of people would say that the mount is more important than the telescope when it comes to deep sky astrophotography. The mounts on those scopes look a bit on the flimsy side. A small scope on a good mount will give better pictures than a big scope on a small mount. At the very least you will need a motor-drive for DSO imaging, which neither of those mounts appears to have.

The scopes are fine for visual observing, but if you have the budget for a better mount that is going to be pretty much essential for any astrophotography.

The only objects that will show colour to the eye are planets, in general, and you will see different colours of stars - reds, oranges and yellows, for example. Some brighter DSO like the Orion Nebula show traces of colour, but by and large most things look monochrome. Long exposure photography will reveal the colour.

Hope that helps.

Rachel

[ronin]

Bat is right the mount has to be steady and if the scopes come on an EQ3-2 or less then you could have problems. You will need motors on the mount to track the object while photographing it.

You will not see colour if viewing by eye. The camera may collect enough light to show colour on the image.

One small point look around the other retailers for astronomical gear, Warehouse express are not the best group around.

Someone like FLO will be able to tell you if the 150PL need a focus extender or reducer when attaching a DSLR.

Also get used to using the mount and scope and looking through it before jumping into astrophotography. You need to know how to align it accurately before considering taking a photograph.