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What Beginners kit for £500

dr.robut

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dr.robut

dr.robut

Posted
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Hey all,

My GF and I have been using a bird spotting scope for a little while now. We have seen some pretty amazing things given its limitations and even, in a very rough way, taken the odd photo by literally pressing our cheap digital (underwater!) camera against it. Remarkably we got two of Jupiter's moons this way although you have to look very hard!

All this fun has made us decide to turn this into a serious hobby and we feel its time to actually by some kit rather than just borrowing from the Uni Biology dep. we both work at.

So...having read around a lot, and being unable to make any real head way when it comes to choosing kit, we would like some advice on what to get with a £500 budget.

To make your comments a little easier our goals ought to be stated. Secondhand equipment is fine by us too given I read the secondhand market in this area is quite strong.

Our goals are:

Seeing bodies within our own solar system well e.g. rings of Saturn, Jupiter s Great Red Spot, Mars polar caps, good detail on the moon

To see aspects of our own star - but what filter for what scope etc...?

Finally, to photograph the above! This is key. We love outputting what we see in the universe. I guess the budget can or cannot inc. a DSLR, CCD, or web cam...we might be able to stretch further by buying a camera months down the line...we already have software (GIMP).

As you can see we sort of know what we want and have grouped things we like into a category of scope that exists - we will wait to get the hang of deep sky objects for a much later date.

Assuming any of the above is possible, if not all, any specific advice (brands, model numbers etc) of the kit we need to achieve the above would be very much appreciated.

Best wishes,

Gav and Alix

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Bizibilder

Bizibilder

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If you stick to photographing the Solar system then a webcam is the best option. A Philips SPC900 is the weapon of choice: Telescope House Webcam Astro-imaging Kit including Philips SPC . That leaves a scope - maybe a First Light Optics - Skywatcher Evostar 102 (EQ3-2) Although unmotorised, you will be able to take short movies with the webcam and stack your images with Registax 5 (freeware) and process them in GIMP. You will be able to take good images of the Moon and planets even though it is an achromat, rather than the far more expensive apochromat.

If you buy the motors for the mount: First Light Optics - Dual-Axis D.C. Motor Drive for EQ3-2 You can keep the objects in view to take good length (2-3mins) movies with the webcam.

I think I've just about spent it all!! No doubt others will be along shortly with their own ideas - consider them all, unfortunately there is no such thing as the "perfect" set-up.

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RikM

RikM

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With a budget of £500 a Skymax 127 with a good barlow and webcam or one of the cheaper imaging source cameras would be just the ticket. The key to good solar system images is fast frame rate and long focal length. A full aperture white light filter would also allow you to get good pictures of sunspots.

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Black Knight

Black Knight

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A full aperture white light filter would also allow you to get good pictures of sunspots.

You can buy ready-made white light solar filters here First Light Optics - AstroZap Baader Solar Filter, or indeed make your own using the same material First Light Optics - Baader AstroSolar Safety Film ND 5.0. Much cheaper to make your own :icon_salut:

Just for information, specialised hydrogen-alpha solar telescopes are expensive beasties in their own right, starting with the popular PST http://www.firstlightoptics.com/coronado-solar-telescopes/coronado-pst-solar-telescope.html. Have a look at SGLs Solar Imaging section to see some of the amazing solar images fellow SGL'ers have achieved, although not necessarily with a PST.

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Skybrowser

Skybrowser

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They were discontinued a long time ago, but one or two suppliers still sell them. The 880 is flashed to a 900 and often they provide the adaptor and filter you will need.

The other kind folk on here will no doubt provide the appropriate links for you. Good luck. Besides Stellarium and all the other stuff mentioned above, remember a hot mug of tea and several layers of clothing!

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bigbox

bigbox

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Hi, ive actually read on here today about some guys using xbox webcams for imaging, which you can pick up from the bay fairly cheap.

I agree with RikMcRae First Light Optics - Skywatcher Skymax 127 (EQ3-2) this would do just fine for what you want to do...

Good luck with what ever you decide to get & clear skies to you...

regards ady

P.S. LOL no ones mentioned the 200P dob for a change, thank god...

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Grunthos

Grunthos

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My GF and I have been using a bird spotting scope for a little while now.

All this fun has made us decide to turn this into a serious hobby and we feel its time to actually by some kit rather than just borrowing

Maybe you might consider a good binocular (or his & her binoculars!) whilst researching which telescope.

Decent binoculars are usually a good (and relatively cheap) investment for new astronomers.

If you are bird watchers then they will have a dual use...

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Spikey

Spikey

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I wouldn't say you needed an equatorial mount for solar system imaging. A Skymax 127 on an Alt/Az mount will be fine with a webcam for planetary stuff. The 127 Mak really punches above it's weight for planetary imaging but will need a good hour to cool down first (keep it in the garage or shed outside). A good dew shield or better still a dew strap is a must with that big piece of glass. Sharpcap for image capture and Registax for stacking the avi's are free and widely used. Take a look at my albums the close up moon pics and Saturn were done with a 127 on an AltAz with an SPC900. I think Morgan Computers still sell them but have popped the prices up recently.

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