looking for first telescope

[Craigzad]

Hi i am Craig

I know this gets asked a lot but just wondering if any one can help and give me some advice on picking a first telescope for my self

had a look around different sites and forums but ita a lot to try and get your head around on all the different types of scopes and mount options.

wanting to do viewing and also thinking or been able to mount my d300 or d7000 and take photos of planets wouldn't mind trying some long exposure photos too if i can.

i have seen a AstroMaster 130EQ-MD that i kinda like the look of.

your comments and ideas on diffrent scopes options are welcome

budget £150 - 250 maybe little more new or second hand don't mind as long as its in good condition

[rowan46]

Welcome to sgl. The astromaster is an ok starter scope but like all entry level scopes it doesn't have a great tripod and mount so it's not suitable for long exposure astrophotography. planets can be imaged using webcam very succesfully but cheap mounts struggle with a dslr on board so for visual observation the celestron will be fine but if you want to mount a dslr be prepared to spend a bit more.

[JamesM]

HI Craig and welcome to the forum.

I agree with Rowan regarding the lack of rigidity of the entry level scopes and it's a shame as the scopes themselves are good performers. The 'MD' or motorised version of the Astromaster 130 is certainly a worthwhile upgrade given that it provides one less reason to touch the scope. Trying to keep Saturn in the middle of your view (...especially under high magnification) whilst at the same time trying to also fine tune the focuser to tease that last bit of detail out is an exercise that's likely to drive you potty! - very frustrating for sure. So the motor is helpful but from an observing point of view, the red dot finder is a let down because it's far too bright (destroying you accrued night vision) and is a pain to adjust to get it aligned with the main scope. If you want my honest opinion, I would certainly look at the Skywatcher alternatives here that either use a better red dot finder or an optical finder instead.

You mentioned in your opening post a desire to perform imaging from your future purpose. Well the truth is that the equipment needs for observing are not quite as specific and demanding as they are for imaging. You can image solar system objects (planets and moon) by using a simple webcam, from which you select the best 'frames' from your video and stack them on top of each other to construct a final composite image. There is plenty of free software to download and use on the internet to help you produce a good image from the data you have collected. Imaging deep sky objects (DSO's) such as galaxies and nebulae represents a whole different approach and will require a very accurate mount to track and collect data from these very faint objects. Solar system objects being so bright mean that data can be collected from them very quickly negating the need for accurate tracking but DSO's need good tracking and is an essential component of your set up if you want to obtain sufficient data to create a good image. I would certainly recommend getting hold of a copy of Steve Richards' "Making Every Photon Count"(FLO £19.95) to obtain a detailed and comprehensive overview on the kit requirements for successful imaging. It is very easy to buy the wrong kit for what you want to do and for a modest price, this book will help guide you through the different types of imaging you can perform which will ultimately help you decide on how far you want to go and what budget you might need. A quick glance over on the imaging section at the member's kit signatures will give you some idea of the general level of kit that people are using along with some of the images that can be produced.

One last thought. If you decide that your imaging aspirations might have to wait a while, an alternative type of scope to the one you originally highlighted might be a dobsonian, and in particular the U.K's best selling scope the Skywatcher Skyliner 200P which you can view here. A little over your intended budget but has one major advantage and that is the light gathering power of its 8" aperture! This a lot of observing power to view both planets and deep sky objects and will certainly help you resolve a lot of detail. It is a manual scope both in finding objects and in tracking them but as most of the money is used on the mirror, this represents a lot of scope for the money and I would argue that the dobsonian mount is a lot sturdier than the equatorial mounts at this price point. You could still put a webcam on it but will not be suitable for any DSO imaging.

In summary, I would take a good look at the Skywatcher scopes, I would put imaging to one side and research a little more through the above book to get the essential background knowledge to help you plan what imaging you want to do but above all, take your time as the stars aren't going anywhere.

Clear skies and enjoy the forum.

James