Advice for a future-proof imaging set-up

[Prador]

Hi all

I am a complete beginner with regard to equipment and I am after some advice if I may?

I would really like to get into astrophotography in addition to good old fashioned observing however the choices available are bewildering. I would like to cover lunar, planetary and dso imaging if at all possible.

After a bit of research I have come up with the following (just about financially viable) wishlist.

EQ6 Pro Synscan GoTo mount

Skywatcher Evostar-150 refractor

Canon Eos 1100D dslr

Suitable webcam for planetary footage

This list is by no means complete but are in my eyes the major components to a future-proof imaging setup.

Can you please comment so I know if I am on the right track?

On a slightly different note is the aperture comparison between refractors and reflectors equal? I remember reading somewhere "double the mirror to equal the lens"

Many thanks in advance for your very useful advice

[Tinker1947]

Have a look here http://www.dslrastromod.co.uk/index.html for Modded Canons, there better for DSO, the EQ6 Pro will take a SW 10" reflector, know nothing about webcams but have seen these used a lot

http://www.telescopehouse.com/acatalog/Online_Catalogue_Webcam_Imaging_19.html

[John]

I'm not an imager myself but I don't believe a large achromatic refractor is the best tool for that purpose as the design generates a fair amount of chromatic aberration (false colour).

For deep sky imaging the recommendation is often a small apochromatic refractor such as an ED80 but planetary / lunar imaging needs something with a long local length. Visual observing needs aperture.

I suspect you may need to decide where your initial interests lie and pursue that to start with. The "does everything well" scope / setup still seems to be a holy grail that is yet to be found !.

[umadog]

On a slightly different note is the aperture comparison between refractors and reflectors equal? I remember reading somewhere "double the mirror to equal the lens"

That was back when mirror coatings weren't very good and quickly faded to about 50% reflectivity. Nowadays they have a protective layer and are up at 90% and stay near there if you keep them clean. For imaging, focal ratio is key. You can get some great shots with fast refractor and you don't need to worry about cooling or collimation.

[Carl M]

For deep sky you may also want a guiding setup to allow much longer exposures. Many people use a QHY5 and ST80 as a good guiding setup.

I personally think that a medium size reflector tends to be a good all round scope for lunar, planetary and deep sky. But many people that go for deep sky imaging go for a small apo refractor ie the ED80 as John states.

[Prador]

Thank you for the advice

The more I read into imagery the more daunting it seems. I may have to learn to walk before I run and stay put with observing for the time being.

What do you feel would be a reasonable compromise between planetary viewing and picking out deep space fuzzies?

The planetary side of things is important as I would like to introduce them to my five yo son but I would like the ability to see further afield.

[Black Knight]

Imaging is quite daunting - and also a bit of a money pit . Unfortunately there really is no one-size-fits-all scope, and you will probably get as many suggestions as there are members on this forum! For visual, as John says aperture is key. Normally an 8" newt on a dobsonian mount is a good recommendation as a first step for visual observing. But given you've already suggested quite a beefy EQ mount, I'd be tempted to put an 8" newt on it, something like this: First Light Optics - Skywatcher Explorer 200P OTA. This should be a fine visual scope, and also allow you to tinker with imaging using a DSLR when you are ready, although in that case a guidescope and guide camera would be recommended to allow for long exposures, as Carl suggested. But you can add those in time.

[ollypenrice]

Good advice above.

Imaging;

-The webcam side of things for the planets is less daunting than deep sky imaging.

-For deep sky you do need to autoguide to get top results. ST80/QHY5 is good, as suggested above.

-You are right to go for a good mount and the EQ6 is competent and much cheaper than the competition.

-DS imaging is easieer with a small apo than with anything else. It must be an apo, not an achromat, these being dire for DS because of false colour, as stated by John. Don't go there! Cameras pull in all the unfocussed light just beyond the visual spectrum seen by most of us.

-The only scope that could do both planetary and DS imaging at introductory level would be a Newtonian, maybe an 8 inch F5. I discount all catadioptrics because, when beginning, you don't want the challenge of a long focal length or slow f ratio. These mean more accurate guiding over longer exposures, a double whammy. A small apo would be easier for the DS but the Newt could do it if well collimated.

Visual is easy. You need aperture which a small apo doesn't have. Back to the Newt?

I'd suggest a bit of reading; Steve Rchards' book Making Every Photon Count covers the bases and he's on here as Steppenwolf to help out as well.

Olly

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