Celestron 6 SE with HEQ5 package

[planesaver]

Hello, I was going to purchase the Celestron NexStar 6 SE with the go to mount. But, after some thought, and much reading, research, I've decided I want the 6" OTA but with the HEQ 5 mount, (due to the tracking limitations with the original mount). Does anyone know of a dealer who sells them as a package? I really want to be able to track the nebulas, galaxies and such for astrophotography. Thanks for an information. Jeff.

[red dwalf]

I had exactly the same setup, now have an 8" sct on a heq5. I don't belive you can buy this as a all in setup but if It's what you want and you want it new, I would surgest ringing first light optics and asking them if they could do a deal, or buy a mount second hand and a second hand scope, it will save you a lot of cash, about 500 pounds for the mount, and 300-400 pounds for the scope.

[JohnnyD333]

The HEQ5 is a great mount and will serve you well in your imaging sessions. The 6se is a great scope, but Im not sure this is the scope you want to start out with in photography. At F10 the scope is on the slow side and will require long exposures on most DSOs (planets and Orion should be ok). You will need a guidescope to achieve these exposures, its almost unavoidable in this field. I would look into an ED80 or perhaps an imaging newt. If you are set on the 6se, get a focal reducer, it will help with the slow F-Ratio.

[planesaver]

Thanks for the replies. Can't I take the shorter exposure shots, and stack them? Then I wouldn't have to use a guide scope. I'm still learning about the stacking. Last time I took astrophotos I used a 4" Bausch and Lomb, and an old Pentax 35 mm camera, back in the late 80's. A lot has changed since then. I will look at the focal reducer. I've seen some articles on forums about them. I've not researched them.

[matsey]

If you guys are talking about the f6.3 focal reducer, planesaver - you might want to check out Astro Buy and Sell if you want to get one - I noticed there were a couple second hand up for sale a couple of days ago, something I wish I'd known about before I bought mine new just a week before that !

From my understanding, these reducers change the 6SE from an F10 scope to an F6 scope, which is much more suited to imaging. I use my reducer though for purely visual observing at the moment, and even with that it's great - gives a much wider field of view which is fab on star fields and the larger DSOs (Pleaides particularly looks amazing with the reducer). This is the one new from FLO: First Light Optics - Celestron f6.3 Focal Reducer

The 6SE is a cracking scope and I wouldn't hesitate to recommend it - though I will say I don't really use mine for imaging at all (except basic webcam on planets), but really for observing.

And it's interesting for me to see it's at least possible to use the 6SE on an upgraded mount for imaging, as that was kind of my upgrade plan for the future - buy a decent EQ mount first and use the 6SE to get into some imaging, then upgrade the OTA to a fully suited imaging scope, and have the 6SE on its alt-az as a grab-and-go (ha ha, and then a nice 11"-14" OTA and mount for visual in an obsy.. but I'll have to move house for that (and probably take out a second mortgage!), so that's a LONG way in the future!!! )

Matsey

[JohnnyD333]

Thanks for the replies. Can't I take the shorter exposure shots, and stack them? Then I wouldn't have to use a guide scope. I'm still learning about the stacking. Last time I took astrophotos I used a 4" Bausch and Lomb, and an old Pentax 35 mm camera, back in the late 80's. A lot has changed since then. I will look at the focal reducer. I've seen some articles on forums about them. I've not researched them.

There are many reasons people stack photos. One of the biggest reasons is to stack short exposure images. This eliminates the need for a 30 minute exposure, you instead would take six 5 minute exposures and stack them. It allows DSLRs to be used because the noise is unavoidable in long exposures, and it avoids the periodic error that would come with a cheaper mount.

However, this doesnt change the fact that your scope would have a F-Ratio of 10. Your images need data to be stacked, light doesnt travel fast enough through a slow scope. You would need long exposures to get enough data on the image to stack them, which means an autoguider is required. Your best bet, if you dont want an autoguider and you are set on the 6se, is to listen to the people above me and get a focal reducer. Reducing your F-Ratio from 10 to 6 would make a great difference. Good luck:icon_salut:

[planesaver]

Hey Guys, thanks for all your advice. I've decided to go with the Celestron NexStar 6SE with the go to mount. I've also purchased the power tank, eye piece and filter kit, T-adapter, and focal reducer. My wife wants to use it also, and I'm deployed most of the year so this set up will be much easier for her, and the kids. And I can at least start taking some AP, and maybe in the future get a bigger scope on an equatorial mount. Thanks again. Jeff.

[brantuk]

The 6SE will be great for imaging planets and good for viewing dso's. But it's alt/az mounted so imaging dso's will have it's difficulties - even with a reducer. Sct's have a narrow fov compared to wide field appo's. The reducer will speed it up but the aperture, fov, and mount will be the limiting factors.

If you're serious about dso AP then an eq mount and guiding are pretty compulsory. Oh and forget the ep/filter kit - I have one and it's my biggest disappointment only surpassed by the advice I had about it from a higly regarded retailer (who no longer retails lol).

[planesaver]

OK, so if I wanted to purchase a EP, and filter kit, what do you suggest? I really haven't seen many out there. Every time I've come to a site with the Celestron NexStar 6, and 8 SE setups, they always suggest the Celestron EP, and filter kit. I guess I'll look around and see what I can find. Thanks. Jeff.

[Kai]

This eyepiece set always seems to be well received

First Light Optics - Revelation Photo-Visual Eyepiece kit

Daz did a review here a couple of years ago http://stargazerslounge.com/member-equipment-reviews/46378-revelation-eyepiece-set-99-a.html

There are other reviews online as well

[brantuk]

Your'e quite right Jeff - they do advertise the kit a lot - but it's a bit like asking a sales assistant at PC World about computers - you find they have no idea about what's inside and just want to sell it you and make a commision.

I could give you a fill critique of the kit but it might be more positive to suggest alternatives. I would highly recommend sticking with the supplied eyepieces for at least as long as it takes you to join an astro soc and get along to an observing meet.

Most astronomers are very friendly and will let you try their ep's in your scope. Try as many different kinds as you can and you'll fast get to know what suits you best. Then when you know what you want, you can go out and buy new or second hand.

You'll save around 30% on average buying second hand and get pieces that have been kept pristine if you buy through "astro buy sell" or the for sale section here. Or more if you are good at negotiating.

If you want a quick kill stunner of an eyepiece upgrade - try find a Baader Hyperion 8mm-24mm Zoom lens. New it's only around £50 more than the kit (s/h around the same price as the kit) and a substantial upgrade in quality from supplied ep's.

It's "5 ep's in one", crystal clear with little or no internal reflections, and camera adaptable with a T-Ring and step down ring. It's a really good first buy and I still use mine regularly to this day for alignment accuracy, observing and snapping pics. A great intro to "good glass". Hope that helps

(as Kai says the Revelation is the best of the kits - but I'd still recommend the zoom over it )