Someone please help looking to buy a good(ish) setup

[Aceace321]

Hi,

Prepare for a head ache as I no I've got one.....

I was hoping to get some advice I'm very new to this and have spent the last few weeks trolling websites and doing alot of research into different telescopes and ways of taking photos.

I was originally looking at getting a skywatcher 200p with dob mount.... (think thats correct).... but then the more I looked into it I found that alot of people said it wasn't the best option for taking pictures...

So my attention was then taken to the skywatcher explorer 200p which has an eq mount..... with what seems to be the same scope (again not sure if thats correct)....

After watching alot of videos etc and finding that you can get these with 'goto' tech I thought that would be a good idea as I assume that this mount would track what ever it is im viewing or trying to take pictures of?...... but do I have to find what I want to see first or will the telescope jus move to what I type in.....(probably a dumb question)

I noticed the price also seems to go from about 400 to 700 for a goto explorer 200p..... is it worth it....

I'm looking to use an slr as I want to take pictures of nebulae and planets is an slr the best way to go?.....(cost and quality).. any particular slr??..

I thought best to ask before I potentially waste a load of money on something that may not work or do What I am trying to achieve....

Would this be a good setup.... Skywatcher explorer 200p eq5 goto, with an slr with the right T clips etc and I was also going to get Celestron eyeopener eyepiece and filter set (which I beleive is adaptable with the telescope) and also all need software. ..

Or should I do something different.... Something more cost effective...

Given that set up, would it be possible to achieve good quality images of planets and nebulae.

My apologies for asking so many probably silly questions but I'm very keen to learn more and get started.

Any info or help much appreciated.

Thank-you

[nightfisher]

I would say the EQ5 pro mount is not up to working with such a large tube as the 200, for imaging, on that mount i would suggest the 150 pDS with imaging in mind

[scoobee]

As you are going down the road of imaging then I would say the first thing to buy would be "making every photon count" a book that will save you money and explain all you need to know

http://www.firstlightoptics.com/books/making-every-photon-count-steve-richards.html

it would be easy to say it's our bible to AP

[usher4566]

I think but dobt quote me as new my self but a lot of people use a small refracter and a large mount .

[faulksy]

I think but dobt quote me as new my self but a lot of people use a small refracter and a large mount .

right on the button. most peeps use a refractor of around 80mm

[usher4566]

This is what ime mucking about with but am saving my pennies for rest great for photoing neibours tho lol

[usher4566]

Ime learning loads each day any body correct me if wrong but i dont think its so much about the scope its about how long you can expose for and presise tracking helps this..the large mount small scope helps this .the more you can expose the mre info the camara can suck in .also needs to be a fast scope low f .any body pkease correct me as ime learning too

[Capricorn]

If imaging is what you intend to do then the mount has to be an equitorial and it has to have dual motors as a minimum. So ignore other mount options they just are not right.

Now comes the compromise between mount, scope and cost.

A 200P on an EQ5 sounds nice but the weight of the scope is at the top end of what the mount will handle, and for imaging you are going to add a DSLR and a couple of other bits. So realistically a 200P on an EQ5 is piushing your luck and there is no expansion possibilities. The bigger HEQ5 mount is better and suitable or you go for a smaller scope.

Smaller scope is the 150P or a smaller refractor 80mm even 70mm.

If the intention is imaging and some visual then really the 150P is the one, it collects more light for you to look at. If visual is to be a rarity then the 80mm ED refractor.

Goto is useful, you set it up ACCURATELY and the mount will go to the object you want to image, simply saves you time locating the object. Additionally if you go for a guide system later on - more weight and cost - then you need the guide scope feed back to communicate with a goto system.

If you intended to "try" imaging and not really progess beyond that then an EQ5 and a 70mm refractor will do it, to get more serious means a better mount (HEQ5) for the stability and a bigger scope for any visual, if you eventually get serious then you will want a good imaging scope and a guide system which is more cost, more weight and so a bigger mount still.

You are in Dorset, if West Dorset then could you get to Sidmouth? The NLO club meet there and they have a fairly active imaging section there with a good range of equipment used. It could be worth contacting them and arranging to get there when a few will be present for a look at the equipment they have and use. NLO post here under Obsaervatories and I think The Rev is a member and also imager.

[Aceace321]

Thanks for the help much appreciated