Need new telescope.advice please

[paul j]

Hi all,im new to astronomy and went straight out and bought an 8 inch dobsonian scope without goto.i now realize I want to get into astrophotography so I selling my dob to buy a goto.ive bought.a canon 1100d and few other bits bobs I need,i need info on best possible scope I could buy to do deep space photography.is there anything I could get that's decent for around £600? I quite like the meade scopes there small and lot easier to move around rather than my big dob scope.is it possibe to do deep sky on a £600 budget? Any scopes anyone can recommend?

[Starlight 1]

£600 budget sound a bit low for new kit .£900 time you have done.

[rowan46]

The mount is the secret you need heq5 or better try astro buy/sell then you need an ed 80 and a guide scope and camera. try this book before you buy anything. It will tell you what you need and more importantly why

First Light Optics - Making Every Photon Count - Steve Richards

[Doughzer]

As Rowan says the mount can be key, depends on how you upgrade in the future, although on Astro Buy and Sell for example, prices are high still, so an HEQ5 I think will still be out on price, and I do feel that there can be mount snobbery in astro world, same in any hobby on kit. depending on your scope choice an EQ5 will work, just depends on how you upgrade in the futre, but second hand prices take about the VAT off an thats it if you look after your kit.

Most decent scope can go deep space, it just depend on how much light can be bought to the camera lens / eyepiece.

My kids 60mm Refractor can see Orion Neb. and Andromeda Galaxy, but my 200pds can see more as more light is received.

150pds on an EQ3 pro is just over it at about £615.00, but adding extra weight may be a little tricky, I would say speak to a good retailer like Rother Valley Optics or FLO to see if the camera addition may work or not.

First Light Optics - Celestron C6-N GT (GOTO)

Here is another option, and the mount will take more in the future, similar almost scope to the 150pds, although on paper the 150pds is better for AP.

From what I read into things, Newtonian on an EQ mount is the way to go to get best on a budget, both of these should be ok.

I think an important thing is if you have a budget, stick to it, it is too easy to go and spend more than yo need, especially as you will need to collect eyepieces, EP case, red light torch and numerous other items. The "extras" can easily cost just as much as a scope, as I am finding out lol!

[paul j]

Many thanks for your replies much.appreciated.its an expensive hobby :-)

[brantuk]

It's a very tight budget. For dso imaging a good start would be a short tube wide field appo doublet like the Meg72, or an ED 80. You should get that for around £250-£300 s/h. A suitable mount for it would be the CG5 GT Goto for around £300-£350 s/h. You can pick up a s/h ST80 to guide with and an SPC880 webcam for around £80-£100 the both. And a dual bar £80 new.

Total depending on age, condition, and extras (eg polar scope, tube extension, T-ring, etc) would be around £800-£900. All the software you'll need is free to download. Anything bigger you'll find yourself spending a lot more on a suitable mount/tripod. Here's what I put together for circa £1500 including cameras and dew control:

[Starlight 1]

You are Welcome Paul .

[paul j]

thanks brantuk, nice scope, i think i save few more pennies and get myself something a bit better.

[brantuk]

Thanks Paul - the mount has now been sold on cos I upgraded but most of what you see there is second hand. The prices you pay for s/h gear is mostly determined by age and condition (plus bartering ability lol) - sometimes you get a few extras too.

But you'll find most astronmers keep their gear in very good nick - good luck