Upgrading - budget £1100

[srdegnan]

Hi

Looking to get a new telescope/mount ... with the following in mind:

Goto technology ... and slewing

ability to attach a camera

Mostly looking at moon, plants - but some deep space viewing also

Size/portability is not an issue. Have around £1100 to spend

Suggestions appreciated.

[Andymac79]

If your thinking GOTO and camera at some point then the HEQ5 pro will soak up some of the budget.

Andy

[pvaz]

If imaging is the plan then HEQ5 + ED 80mm.

[hemihaggis]

c11

[ollypenrice]

If you mean DSLR deep sky imaging then your problem is this; you need a big scope for visual but if you have a big scope you'll need a serious mount for imaging. You couldn't possibly do DS imaging on a C11 on any mount remotely within budget because SCTs have such long focal lengths that they need real accuracy and stability.

The only scope I can think of that you could use for visual and DS imaging on an affordable mount would be an 8 inch Newt, ideally on an NEQ6 but possibly on a more marginal HEQ5. First Light Optics - Skywatcher Explorer 200P HEQ5 PRO

You would certainly be better going for the NEQ6 mount but that would put you a little over budget.

There is also the faster Quattro version but it is far more tricky to collimate and unless you are up for it I'd go for the more tolerant 200P. The focal length is short enough for accurate autoguided tracking to be a realistic bet and an 8 inch scope gives good views at the EP.

As pvaz says, the ideal imaging rig would be ED80/HEQ5 but an 80mm scope is pretty limited visually.

Olly

[haitch]

As you say you mainly like the moon & plan(e)ts I'll go with Hemihaggis and suggest an SCT. You could get away with an AltAz mount for those targets but if you start imaging any deep sky (which isn't ideal but possible on an SCT with a focal reducer) you'll be better with an equatorial mount although you could give the AltAz a wedgie.

[pvaz]

I suggested HEQ5 + 80ED because you say you're upgrading so I assume you already have something for visual.

The budget is a good one but for quality imaging it's about the minimum. So I would sugest get a HEQ5 + 80ED because it's possibly the most tested combination for astroimaging and you won't have to worry about any upgrades on those in the future.

[angusb1]

Is this £1100 for new equipment or are you considering 2nd hand?

[srdegnan]

I'd consider second hand.

Looking at all the feedback so far ... the options (new) look like:

Skywatcher Explorer 200P / HEQ5 PRO

Celestron C8-SGT XLT GOTO ... I can't afford a C10 /C11 SGT

Celestron C10-N GT (GOTO)

I'm tending towards the C8-SGT ... but need another day or so of looking around!

Is this £1100 for new equipment or are you considering 2nd hand?

[pvaz]

A few points to consider:

1) The mount will have a bit more trouble tracking accurately with heavy scopes.

2) the long focal length on the C8 will demand a lot more tracking accuracy. Slow focal ratio will demand twice the shutter speed to get the same exposure you'd get on a f/7.5 scope, 5 min on ED80 = 10min on C8 so twice the work to get the same data.

3) The C10 would work better for both imaging and widefield visual. It will require good collimation and regular maintenance and it's too heavy for imaging work on that mount.

My advice is to get the very best, within budget, for imaging or for visual, instead of compromising both and find in a year time you need to upgrade. As they say "Jack of all trades, master of none."

PS-> A good imaging rig and a 200p second hand dob for like 175€ would allow you to observe while the camera shoots away through the night. You'd have the best of both worlds at once.

[srdegnan]

Thanks

So what about a NEQ6 PRO and a second hand 200p ... I can build up the rest over time....

A few points to consider:

1) The mount will have a bit more trouble tracking accurately with heavy scopes.

2) the long focal length on the C8 will demand a lot more tracking accuracy. Slow focal ratio will demand twice the shutter speed to get the same exposure you'd get on a f/7.5 scope, 5 min on ED80 = 10min on C8 so twice the work to get the same data.

3) The C10 would work better for both imaging and widefield visual. It will require good collimation and regular maintenance and it's too heavy for imaging work on that mount.

My advice is to get the very best, within budget, for imaging or for visual, instead of compromising both and find in a year time you need to upgrade. As they say "Jack of all trades, master of none."

PS-> A good imaging rig and a 200p second hand dob for like 175€ would allow you to observe while the camera shoots away through the night. You'd have the best of both worlds at once.

[pvaz]

Thanks

So what about a NEQ6 PRO and a second hand 200p ... I can build up the rest over time....

Personally I would always go for a fast ED refractor for imaging. There are enough hassles to worry about without adding a heavy newtonian and worry whether or not collimation is spot on. I also don't like to see refraction spikes on images, but again, that's up to personal preference.

[sirmetin]

You could always wait for the LX80 and get say an ED80 with that? Depends how much of a hurry you are in?

[Andymac79]

Theres an EQ6 on astrobuysell, snap that up

[UnderTheRain]

After reading a lot and from feedback from members here I was going for a similar setup but I've decided to save up a little longer and get a neq6 and 250pds (although this scope is quite large). I think my startup will be more in the £1600 mark which means January but I think it'll be worth the wait. Reading up a lot over the last few weeks the mount is the crucial part so I've opted to wait to get the right one first time. I was going to get the 200p but the 250pds isn't much more and I was saving for the mount anyway. If you don't want the bigger scope I think waiting and getting the mount right first time will be better in the long run. But I'm new to astronomy so :-)

Brian

[srdegnan]

I'm having a quick look through the second hand sites:

As flagged, there's a NEQ6 going for a decent price. It would leave me around £400 for the telescope itself.

Alternatively, someone has a second hand mead lx90 8" within budget !

Reflecting on requirements - certainly something capable of photography has gone higher up the rankings. The ability to get at least a reasonable view of some deep space objects would be a bonus.

[pvaz]

With 400 left you can get a 2nd hand refractor ED for 250 or 275. Then save the rest, add another 100 or so in the next couple of months, and get a 8" or 10" dobsonian for visual. 2 setups mean you can leave one imaging for hours and observe on the other. Best of both worlds without any compromises!

[angusb1]

With 400 left you can get a 2nd hand refractor ED for 250 or 275. Then save the rest, add another 100 or so in the next couple of months, and get a 8" or 10" dobsonian for visual. 2 setups mean you can leave one imaging for hours and observe on the other. Best of both worlds without any compromises!

This is very good advice. An ED refractor takes the collimation out of the equation and will be much easier to guide. You will get results much more quickly out of this setup and it will be a lot less frustrating than learning to image with a newt.

[ollypenrice]

This is very good advice. An ED refractor takes the collimation out of the equation and will be much easier to guide. You will get results much more quickly out of this setup and it will be a lot less frustrating than learning to image with a newt.

Yes.

Olly

[srdegnan]

Thanks all. I've gone for the NEQ6 base and am looking at some ED refractors now. Possibly the evostar ED. Deciding between 80 and 100 ...

[swag72]

If you are looking at using this setup for imaging, I personally would not go for the ED100 as it is slower at f/9 than the ED80 at f/7.5.

[ollypenrice]

The ED80 is a much better DS imaging scope for the reason Sara points out. In imaging the thing that matters least is aperture.

Olly

[srdegnan]

Thanks all. In the end went for a second hand NEQ6 and a new ED80.

Should all be with me next week!

[Skybrowser]

Let us all know how you get on!