At a cross roads ... some help to guide me on my way

[stargazerlily]

Hi everyone,

I'm at a cross roads and I don't know which way to turn. I need some objective advice ... please.

First let me just explain where I am and what I have. A have a SW150PL on a HEQ5 Pro mount. My main interest is imaging using a webcam, so that is mainly the moon and planets. I do have a Nikon D40 that I'm hoping to use some time in the future. I'm a beginner but I don't go out and film at every possible opportunity. Maybe once a month at the most. I do do some visual observing but it's mainly imaging.

I have a hankering for bigger and better (mainly better) images.

Down one road is an upgrade to a SW200P ... bigger aperture ... I can use my existing eyepieces and remote control focuser (from my 150PL) ... and my web cam ... and hopefully my Nikon ... and it will fit ok on my existing mount.

However, I've read that to get the most from an upgrade, one should try to increase the aperture by 4 inches ... so in my case that would be a 250. But a 250 OTA would be a too much for my mount (I've got no plans to upgrade my mount).

Another road leads to an ED80 ... which is highly recommended for astrophotography especially for wide field star views. But I'm not sure whether this would be good value for money (for me) as I'd have to buy extra bits to fit my Nikon onto the scope ... and I would have to change my interests a bit (I do have the book 'Making every Photon Count').

Yet another road leads to a Canon 1000D body ... or perhaps a cheaper 350D body.

Yet another road leads down to accessories ... like a focusing mask for my 150PL ...

I know that one scope doesn't fit all.

I also know that just because one can spend a lot of cash ... it doesn't mean that one should.

I'm at a pretty complicated cross roads ... not really sure which way to turn. I hope some one can guide me with some very help advice ...pros and cons ... alternative ideas that I haven't thought of.

Many thanks

Pete

[AJE]

If my interest was with Planets and the moon only, I would be looking at a more dedicated scope. I would seriously be considering something like a Skymax 180Pro.

Not only will it give much better views, enable you to get higher magnifications etc it'll look great on the Pro mount.

Also consider a Imaging Source DMK camera for the nice high frame rate - perfect for planets!

HTH

[brantuk]

The HEQ5 Pro will take a 200P which is f-5 (compared to your current f-8). That and a 1000D would make a nice imaging rig for dso's especially with the electronic focuser. However to get more than a min or two you will want to look into guiding (to get more than 1 or 2mins unguided) which will inevitably add weight and demand an EQ6.

If you go the ED80 route you'll want to guide - an ST80 along side it on a dual bar should be ok on the current mount cos it's light. The ED80 is f-7.5 so not a big difference ratio wise - but it will be wider and a reducer will speed it up. It should be quite nice for visual as well as imaging - but not as good as the 200P for visual.

You'll want a focusing mask (bahtinov) whichever way you go. But I agree it's a tough call cos the only way is up really, for scope, mount, and camera. Hope that helps

[malc-c]

Pete, I can't really advise as it also depends on what quality skies you have, and what end result you want to get out of the scope, but here are my thoughts. You mentioned that you want to concentrate on web cam imaging of planets. This would lead towards a long focal length scope, such as a Celstron 9.25, which has a decent aperture and long focal length which should give excellent images of jupiter, Mars and Saturn etc. Although I don't own one, I'm sure you can fit focal reducers so that DSO's can be captured with an SLR camera. It may well be that the 9.25 is pushing the HEQ5's limit for imaging... but that would need further investigation.

Whilst the 200p is only 2" more in mirror size, it's light gathering power is around 77% more than the 150p, which means a lot more fainter object become visible and brighter objects have better resolution. Using a 2x or 3x barlow and Phillips web cam under good seeing the 200P also produces excellent planetary images. It's also well suited to the HEQ5 mount you already have.

As for cameras, again it depends on what you are hoping to use it for. I have a 400D which is excellent for the imaging I'm messing about with now. It lacks live view, which is only found on 450d and above, but that's not really an issue as I use a mask and several test shots to get focus. The 350 is also very good and there does seem a lot on the second hand market. Some of the later models like the 50d etc also don't need serial shutter releases if controlling from a PC.

Hope this helps.

[ollypenrice]

Deep Sky imaging is expensive not only in kit but in time. If you don't want to spend a very long time on it (I never post images taken in single nights unless it's with both cameras contributing) then maybe you'd be better concentrating on the planets. A long FL scope and a DMK would take you to quite a high level along that route. Personally I'd be ruled by what came up second hand, something in the Mak or SCT line. Indeed, I picked up my own DMK on here second hand as well.

Without autoguiding I would find DS imaging very limited and frustrqting myself.

Olly

[Ags]

The OO newts are a bit lighter than the skywatcher ones - perhaps a 10 inch OO newt might fit on your mount?

[steppenwolf]

I think you need to make some fundamental decisions here. You currently image the Moon and planets - is this what you want to continue doing or are you now getting interested in deep sky objects?

We can all chip in with advice on what would work well BUT we really do need to know what YOU want to achieve. Lunar/planetary and DSO are mutually exclusive for a single instrument and camera. Give this some careful thought, let us know and then we can advise you specifically.

[brantuk]

I got the impression he wants to extend into dso imaging cos of the interest in dslr's and ED80, but feels stuck with planets using his existing gear. Correct me if I'm wrong Pete

[Starlight 1]

Well it did not work out for me by trying to use a 250 on the Heq5 and got to a point of giving up. but I made up a little 400mm lens and stared looking at the moon again.

The 250 sit there unuses.

[stargazerlily]

Thanks everyone for your suggestions. It is a difficult decision to make as I don't want to spend vast amounts of cash for very little gain (for gain read enjoyment). I keep telling myself that this is a long term hobby and I've got to learn the basics first, hence imaging planets.

I think what I really want to do is to be able to take better images.

I got the impression he wants to extend into dso imaging cos of the interest in dslr's and ED80, but feels stuck with planets using his existing gear. Correct me if I'm wrong Pete

No, you are not totally wrong ... I fancy a bit of that. But I'm not sure if I'm ready to go down that imaging route at the moment. It just seems such a massive investment in terms of equipment and knowledge.

I'm leaning towards the 200P ... and after checking prices I could get a 200P and a Canon 1000D body for roughly the same amount as an 80ED.

I will give it some very careful thought.

Thanks.

Pete

[malc-c]

Pete,

To be honest, IMO, if you are going to get seriously into imaging then ideally you need a means of either having the scope set up in an observatory or you need to get the art of very good polar alignment to give the guiding system the best chance. I'm still learning this dark art, but it's slowly coming together.

[sabana]

how much Imaging of planets and the moon can be done? The fact remains that you are at a crossroads. Do you continue down the planetary route. Or do you go down wide field star route.

Well which road seems the hardest, narrowest and scariest? That is the road to go on, as it will give you an adventure that will last you a long time.