Sky-Watcher Explorer-130 (EQ2) Newtonian Reflector Telescope

[jason32]

Hi guys,

I am new to astronomy and just bought my first scope Sky-Watcher Explorer-130 (EQ2) Newtonian Reflector Telescope. Bascially I wanted a telescope to do some photography and stargazing. I asked the salesman about photography and he told me yes its a great scope for that purpose.

What do you guys think? Is that a good scope? It is scheduled to be dlivered sometime today. I was just thinking if its not good then I'll simply return it??

Thanks

[E621Keith]

The 130p is a good beginner scope for stargazing, but the EQ2 mount is a poor quality mount and vibration will be an issue.

The salesman obviously either didn't know what he was talking about or lying when he told you the scope is good for photography. You should be able to get moon and planets with a webcam, but the mount is not suitable for deep sky imaging.

[Stephen]

It really depends on what sort of photography you have aspirations to do. I fear the salesman has sold you a bit of a line though ...

In principle, you should be able to do some planetary / lunar imaging with a webcam. The mount does not need to be motorised (as evidenced by all the Dobsonian users who do planetary imaging) but it would make things a little easier.

Anything beyond that (such as attaching a DSLR) is going to be out of the reach of that scope / mount combination. A DSLR will not be able to achieve focus with the 130P and the mount isn't really stable enough to support it without issues once the motors have been added.

[jason32]

Well I want to take proper high quality photos with an SLR, moon and plants initially and then deep space. Could I use ISO 400 or more and use really high shutter speed to handle vibrations? Would that work?

[E621Keith]

SLR is not suitable for planets. The imaging chip to too big and the frame rate is too slow. SLR is best used for deep sky imaging and that requires a very accurate mount. The scope is secondary to the mount.

An AstroTrac is a good budget mount for AP. It should work well with scope up to ED80. The entry level DSO imaging mount is a HEQ5. The optics doesn't matter as much, but a ED80 is a good starting point.

[jason32]

I think this hobby is expensive, all hobbies are though. But this is complicated stuff, so many type of scopes to choose from and they are expensive

[peroni]

Hi Jason

I asked a similiar question a couple of weeks ago. Forum regulars replied with some very useful suggestions.

Have a read here ==> http://stargazerslounge.com/showthread.php?t=186075

[peroni]

Hi Jason

I posted a similar question a couple of weeks back. The forum regulars responded with some very useful advice.

It is worth have a read through ==> http://stargazerslounge.com/showthread.php?t=186075

[E621Keith]

Astronomy doesn't need to be expensive. However, 'you get what you pay for' applies.

Good astronomy can be done with a cheap pair of binocular and visual observation is quite affordable.

The price jump dramatically if you want to do deep sky imaging because it's a very demanding task and requires a very accurate mount which is difficult and expensive to manufacture even in China.

[Scott]

I think this hobby is expensive, all hobbies are though. But this is complicated stuff, so many type of scopes to choose from and they are expensive

it does seem expensive until you look at sports like golf,surfing, shooting,sailing,motorbikes,cars. then it doesn't seem so bad. thats what i keep telling myself anyway..

[LukeSkywatcher]

I used to make model lead soldiers and attempt to paint them. I thought that was an expensive hobby. I was 10 at the time. I quickly gave that up as being bad for my health when i accidently poured hot molten lead all over my finger. It stung like hell for a few days but didnt leave any mark.

I thought archery was also expensive but compared to astronomy..............it is a bargain basement hobby. I was/am a purist in archery. I dont have any of those fangled expensive counter weights,laser sights etc for my bow.

[Moonshane]

I went down the visual route as I am a keen photographer and knew I'd only be content with top quality images of deep space objects. to get these you need a good quality mount and lots of time - many top photographers take images with 20-30 hours of data over several nights/months.

I just don't have the time or money to do AP, I just admire the work of others (and hubble)

[LukeSkywatcher]

I always think that AP and visual astronomy are two cmpletely seperate hobbies. This is somewhat true because there are imagers out there that have never looked down the barrel of a scope. I think do either one and do it to the best of your ability, unless of course you can afford to both and do the best of your ability on both.

AP does not have to be expensive but to do it and do it amazingly well takes a bit of funding,not to mention dedication and time.

Imagers.....................i salute you all.

This is an image of Jupiter i took a couple of years ago with a Canon 450D @ 10X zoom on a fixed tripod............single frame: To say i am chuffed with the result is an understatement.

[Moonshane]

ps the scope you have is good for observing and will give jaw dropping visual images of moon and some planets although they will be small in the eyepiece (probably).

also, make sure you manage your expectations of what you'll see. images of e.g. galaxies look like this

http://apod.nasa.gov/apod/image/0905/m31_gendler_big.jpg

and visually you might get this

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_82GpMLJ6RkM/TP3L7NvRUSI/AAAAAAAABHc/y9PXGzRN2Ng/s1600/Messier31AndromedaGalaxy.jpeg

this is the same object

don't get me wrong, still amazing to me.

[LukeSkywatcher]

ps the scope you have is good for observing and will give jaw dropping visual images of moon and some planets although they will be small in the eyepiece (probably).

also, make sure you manage your expectations of what you'll see. images of e.g. galaxies look like this

http://apod.nasa.gov/apod/image/0905/m31_gendler_big.jpg

and visually you might get this

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_82GpMLJ6RkM/TP3L7NvRUSI/AAAAAAAABHc/y9PXGzRN2Ng/s1600/Messier31AndromedaGalaxy.jpeg

this is the same object

don't get me wrong, still amazing to me.

Moonshane can i just ask you if that view of M31 in the 130mm scope is not a tad optimistic!!!!!!. Afterall it is a sketch done while observing through a 20" Obsession Dob.

Maybe from an ideal dark sky observing location. I have a 130mm scope with the same optics as the OP scope and have never seen M31 that well.

Great optics on the scope so the OP should not feel feel like they have bought a bad scope. Its a very popular scope for a first scope.

I think this site gives a pretty good/realistic idea of what to expect in any scope of any aperture:

http://www.telescope-simulator.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=45&Itemid=57

p.s.~~~Now i am thinking i was a 20" Obsession and a cherry picker and a cure for vertigo and darker cloudless skies.

[Moonshane]

it was mainly for illustration to show the differences between imaging and visual. I'd guess it would be not too dissimilar to the sketch even with binoculars from a dark site with the scope mentioned although I'd acknowledge the dust lanes may not be as obvious. maybe it's my screen!

[LukeSkywatcher]

it was mainly for illustration to show the differences between imaging and visual. I'd guess it would be not too dissimilar to the sketch even with binoculars from a dark site with the scope mentioned although I'd acknowledge the dust lanes may not be as obvious. maybe it's my screen!

Yes from a dark site it may well look like the sketch. Certainly not from the typical LP back garden with a 130mm scope.

[boabsta]

At the end of the day youve got a cracking scope for starting out with. You will be able to see a fair chunk of what is up there without having spent silly money just to think a few months down the road wether youve mad a mistake.

Your scope might no be able to give the sort of results you were hoping for but now youve got something to look through while you save for the better mount and bigger scope.

Your no realy going to be doing that much long exposures in short summer nights anyway so take your time, read the forums, search online and plan what you want to do and how to afford to do it.