Could use some advice - Imaging setup

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Hello.

I am in the market for a new scope for imaging.

I will be imaging from the city with a DSLR and QHY for guiding.

The scope I checked out:

Skywatcher Explorer 150/750 - http://www.astroshop.eu/skywatcher-telescope-n-150-750-explorer-bd-ota/p,15564#tab_bar_0_select

Skywatcher HEQ5 Pro sysnscan - http://www.astroshop.eu/equatorial-with-goto/skywatcher-mount-heq-5-pro-synscan-goto/p,4071#tab_bar_1_select

Orion 50mm Gudescope - http://www.astroshop.eu/orion-mini-50mm-guide-scope/p,23580#tab_bar_0_select

The thing that I am worried about is that this setup will be too heavy (I.e I wont use it since it´s to heavy to bring outside).

Does anyone know what the mount actually weighs? I have read 10 + counter weight, 13 including counterweights, total of 20 etc.

Can´t seem to find a straight answer.

Also, is it possible to guide with that guidescope from the city (find stars I mean), or will I need something more?

What would be the maximum weight I can slap on this mount? I am guessing I could easy fit a ED80 on it aswell?

And lastly, will this setup be up for the task of Imaging? What results can I expect (with & without CLS filter)?

Cheers everyone and thanks for reading!

[swag72]

A couple of thoughts spring to mind - What are you wanting to image? That will have quite a bearing on the scope you choose. Planetary and DSO's for example have very different requirements. I have an HEQ5 and I think that the load it is quoted as taking is about 15kg's. This does not include the counterweights. The general consensus is that you don't want to put much more than 50-70% of the quoted weight on the mount.

A really good starting point if you are imaging DSO's is the book, Making Every Photon Count, it is an excellent read and full of useful information - You can get it here http://www.firstlightoptics.com/books/making-every-photon-count-steve-richards.html

I would imagine that if you are in a city then you really will need a light pollution filter and the Astronomik ones are good.

A very well considered setup for imaging DSO's is an HEQ5 and an ED80. There's a lot of people using this combo to excellent effect. At shorter focal lengths and weight you are putting a lot less strain on your mount.

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Thanks for the reply.

My budget atm wont really allow for both a HEQ5 and an ED80. My maximum is about 1300 Euro.

I soon have a Astronomik CLS filter. Just waiting for delivery.

I have been thinking of just getting the mount and use the nexstar 102 scope for now (just buy some tube rings etc) aswell.

Well either that or a NEQ5 and an ED80.

But the scope I listed isn´t recommended for the first stumbling steps in astrophoto then?

Cheers!

[icrusoe]

I'm planning on going the HEQ5 and ED80 route myself as well. 1300 euro for that should be TONNES. In Canada, HEQ5 retails at $1080.00 and the ED80 is somewhere around the $600-700 mark. So you're right around 1300euro or 1600 CAD

[davies07]

I

A very well considered setup for imaging DSO's is an HEQ5 and an ED80. There's a lot of people using this combo to excellent effect. At shorter focal lengths and weight you are putting a lot less strain on your mount.

I agree with Sara. I think you'd be better off with an ED80 for imaging DSOs. It's a lot less hassle than a Newtonian and rides on the HEQ5 really well - I used to own an HEQ5 and still treasure my ED80 but don't use it often enough.

If you're still thinking of the Explorer 150, I would check the situation as regards having sufficient back focus to use a DSLR. I had an Explorer 200P and it did not have enough back focus. Fixing that cost me lots of frustration, time and money.

I would recommend the 150 to someone who is more interested in visual astronomy and wants to see moon, planets and some of the brighter DSOs.

In terms of weight, I seem to remember the HEQ5 head weighed around 10 to 12 Kg. I remember it was an easy load to carry out to set up - I always carried the tripod, head and counterweights separately. The ED80 comes in a case, so is easy to store and carry.

Good luck,

David

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Thanks all.

Your replies and all the "Beginning astrophoto" threads I found around the web convinced me.

ED80 on HEQ5 it is.

Ahh, I never thought of the backocus as a problem. Thanks for pointing that out!

*Damn this is a jungle*.

How about focalratio?

Most I read said you should have around f5-6.

But most I found is 7+. Would that still work?

These caught my eye:

http://www.astroshop.eu/skywatcher-apochromatic-refractor-ap-80-600-evostar-ed-ota/p,15056

or

http://www.astroshop.eu/orion-apochromatic-refractor-ap-80-600-ed-ota/p,13898#tab_bar_0_select

Hehe. This is kinda hard I must say.

So many things you can toss your money on and then realise you can´t use it.