Next purchase advise?

[Anweniel]

Hi guys, I feel this will probably a bit too generalised a question to get a unilateral response but any help is always appreciated.

I am hoping to dip my toes into AP and am personally more interested in DSO than anything else, I also have a keen interest in observing but am keen to get something captured or at least progressing a little on the way on the AP side of things.

My current kit is listed in my sig but having got my OH a Canon Eos 1000D for xmas I figure I may be able to make use of this in the evenings. Now having digested Steve Richards (steppenwolf)'s book I understand roughly the requirements and what I could really do with. My main concern I guess is with mount although I have found it does a fairly reasonable job of tracking (visually at least).

So although I have been advised that it is really below the ideal quality my next target was going to be the EQ5 Pro synscan, at £486 affordable in a reasonable time scale. I guess with a max payload of 11kg my approximatley 3kg of scope should make fairly light work for the mount (hoping at least).

However I have recieved £200 ion christmas funds and was wondering perhaps it may be wise to invest now in a field flattener, T-ring, spacers etc.

Or considering the current funds are reasonably low in astronomy terms would I be better off improving my EP (seen a very nice replacement 10mm for about £150).

Any suggestions comments criticism are most welcome and my thanks in advance as always

[Gina]

For AP a good solid mount is crucial. It is always said that the mount is the most important part. That is why my first big expense was an NEQ6 Pro mount - I wanted something as future proof as possible. The HEQ5 is considered as good for smaller loads but beware, the weight of everything you hang on the mount tends to rise rather rapidly when you go for AP. Guide scope, heavy cameras, filter wheel etc. all add weight. Though I'm thinking of going the OAG route rather than a separate guide scope - the cost is not that different by the time you add all the extra metalwork. But that's a personal thing.

What I will say is to start easy and slowly work your way up, taking the excellent advice in these forums as you go. That spreads out the cost too, which I might add, is substantial. AP is not a cheap hobby - you can look at spending several thousand pounds in the long run if you really get into it. You don't have to go that far, of course, but things tend to take control

Scope-wise you seem to have a very good start and a DSLR camera will get you going nicely. Try the easier objects such as the moon to start with. Nice and bright, easy to find (when the time is right) and very bright. You can get away with very short exposures and a good mount is not necessary for this. However, as you mention DSO work, you will definitely want at least an HEQ5 Pro in time. They can often be found second hand when people upgrade to a 6.

Edit... I see you already have a Philips SPC900NC webcam - good for planets and detailed moon work.

Good luck, I'm sure you will get great enjoyment

[Anweniel]

Yeah I was really thinking get the FLO vouchers and wait for more funds to accumulate to get an equitorial mount as I realise I will encounter problems with field rotation and I'm not sure on the load capacity of the supatrak I suspect I will already be pushing the limits for visual use.

However even when the mount is bought, the T-ring, flattener, spacers autoguiding will all need to be purchased. So really I was thinking perhaps if I start with these items I can possibly at least get something captured albeit with issues of rotation, coma, tracking (and hence trailing).

Like yourself Gina I was thinking of going the off axis guiding route mainly to avoid the differential flexure issue and to reduce the stress on the mount somewhat. Although the Orion autoshoot awesome package looks very good value for money! Like you say though, even the autoguiding (whichever route you choose) is going to cost a pretty penny but I'm going to be in it for the long haul just gotta wait until February for the funds to start picking up some real pace to get moving on it.

The idea I had in my head for the bare minimum I need still to get going properly is :

1) Eq mount

2) Various adapters - T-Ring, spacers

3) OAG

4) Autoguider

and the products I have in mind are:

1)First Light Optics - Skywatcher EQ5 PRO Synscan GOTO

2)First Light Optics - William Optics AFR-IV 0.8x Reducer Flattener IV

First Light Optics - Two-inch Focus Extension tubes

First Light Optics - T Rings

3)First Light Optics - Atik OAG - Off Axis Guider

4)First Light Optics - Baader LVI Smartguider 2

Now as I mentioned before the mount is a bit below the recommendations I have had from other members but its a good deal cheaper than the HEQ5 and considering the total package above inc scope and dslr should be approx(scope 3kg dslr 1kg autoguider 500g? oag 121g flattener 500g) ~ 5.5kg? hopefully an over estimate and at about 1/2 the load capacity of the mount hoping this should be ok to get me started and save a few precious pennies.

Anyway this is the plan and some more experienced members can hopefully point out the flaws in this plan ??

Again I appreciate that my grand plan isnt exactly the ideal setup but enough reasonably to get me started (also considering I have no intention of removing the harsh IR clip on the mrs camera!) but this is still a further intended expenditure of £1350 ish so I was mainly questioning:

a) What to go for

What order to go for - understanding that the mount is yes crucial and the most integral part of the whole package but thinking possibly I can get started without it yet albeit with some of the problems associated with AZ mounts and tracking/guiding.

Please any thoughts/corrections/critique

[ronin]

I presume that the AP will be through the Meg 90, seen some good images from one of these.

In honesty an HEQ5 would be better, simply more solid. The EQ5 is however pretty good. The concern is that if you later decided that an HEQ5 was required then you would have lost out by buying the EQ5 first. Wouldn't like to say which option to go for.

If I recall Skywatcher do a field flattener that is inexpensive, might be an inexpensive option to try as WO flield flatteners are costly. Although WO have a new one out and the previous opton is often reduced. Would be tempted by the Skywatcher option: Sherwoods £61 and it has a T ring adaptor incorporated.

A £150 eyepiece sounds nice but equally seems a lot for one eyepiece, especially when you say you want to do AP. I have the BST's at £41 each and they are very good.

There is always the used market, UK Astro Buy and Sell, you just have to hope (or wait) that what you want appears in a reasonable time.

Choice seems to be EQ5 now or HEQ5 later, and whether or not you are going to do AP or visual.

Oh yes, get your own camera.

[Anweniel]

Thanks for your opinion Ronin, Im kind of convinved in my head about the EQ5 (with a little crossing of the fingers ) and if I decide later that I should go for the HEQ5 I can make that upgrade later or maybe jump to the NEQ6. I had seen the skywatcher field flattener too it was £64 at opticstar and a call for FLO, I'm just not knowledgeable about them having not used one so you may well be right and the reviews seem quite good. The reason I looked at the WO optics one despite it being (reassuringly) expensive, the WO stuff has so far impressed me greatly and since its tailor made for their instruments between 500-1000mm FL seemed to make sense + being newer probably more future proof, sometimes it pays to go the extra mile when quality is concerned.

Yeah you right I did not stipulate but I bought the Megrez with AP in mind.

The EP is an axiom Lx and as I already have and was astounded by the leap in quality from my plossl's the price tag does not put me off in fact the saving of £65 on other sites list price makes it a very tempting purchase indeed!

Getting my own camera will be part of the endgame and I have been looking at the prices for 2nd hand Eos 300D's and at just over £100 the risk in having the filter repmoved and rendering the camera pretty useless for normal use is negligable but using my OH's camera and my webcam in meantime is feasible and cheaper

Many thanks for your comments and I will seek advice on the skywatcher flattener

[Gina]

A system many of us are using for AP is EQMOD. This provides a basis for controlling everything from your computer. The software is free and supported on here - it is really excellent, very user friendly. However, it only works with the HEG5 Pro and NEQ6 Pro mounts AFAIK. You can buy a cheap (just a fiver) game pad to control manual adjustments of the mount. It works like a dream.

[Davie]

Have you thought of buying a second hand mount?

[Anweniel]

@Davie yeah I have looked at second hand mounts and I'm not entirely adverse to the idea, keeping my eye out on A B&S will also see what happens with the SGL for sale section if/when it reappears. Obviously its goning to be the most important and possibly the largest investment so I would feel more peace of mind buying from here than elsewhere, also motors/gears/bearings generally have a shelf life if maintenance has been poor so buying new for me is probably my preferrence but if the right deal came along I may well be tempted.

[russ.will]

Regarding the field flattners; A couple of people I know (who aren't active on here) indpendently recommended the Ian King IKHARUS 0.8x Reducer/Flattener (4th item down) at £89.98.

One of those people is the chap who sold me my Zenithstar and is continuing to use the IKHARUS unit with his FLT110, so he's not scared to spend a bob or two if it's worth it. Ian King makes specific mention of it's worth with the WO scopes at circa F7 and as he is a WO dealer, it's got to be worth a call to talk it over.

Just thought I'd mention it, because that would save you £135 toward a better mount. FWIW, some people are still listing the HEQ5 Syntrek. If you're planning on driving the mount from a computer, it'll save you the cost of the handset.

Russell

[Anweniel]

Thanks Russell that looks to be a great suiter for the focal reducer/flattener I'll keep it saved in my bookmarks and a very handy saving indeed!

As for the Heq5 the saving from syntrek to synscan is almost inconsequential, can even maybe sell on the handset if it becomes surplus to requirements. Considering my LP itm ay well be worth me keeping in mind that I will likely still want something useable in the field so I may well be wanting to juggle two possibilities.

Thanks for your reply very helpful

[russ.will]

No worries. I was only passing on info received when buying the Zenithstar. I'll be putting my money where my mouth is on the field flattener in the next few weeks.

First I'd like to spend at least one night with the scope under a clear sky for a bit of visual use.

Russell

[Anweniel]

First I'd like to spend at least one night with the scope under a clear sky for a bit of visual use.

Wish I could help with that!

[Gina]

I think we could all do with some clear skies, not having had any for several days and with a forecast of yet more rain and cloud, doesn't look good for the next few days either

[russ.will]

Well, tomorrow isn't looking too bad according to all of the forecasts and iPhone apps. However, looking at the satellite imagery, I can't fathom where all of the predicted 'clear skies' are coming from? I guess they use a different definition to that used by those who frequent these parts...

Regardless, I'll have it all outside, aligned and ready just in case. I'm a glass half full kind of bloke, just like the one next to me.<wine smiley required>

Russell

[Anweniel]

Yeah I had noticed astropanel indicating that, I'll be getting the frac out for some observational use too, as luck would have it stumbled upon some more funds just over £100 so im going to compromise and keep the £200 back for mount funds and Im going to get the t-ring and 2 focus extenders (1 for webcam, 1 for dslr) and see what they yield on current equipment.

Clear skies to you