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New Astro Nerd on the block and just bought a 250 Flex tube

Magnatone

By Magnatone
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Magnatone

Magnatone

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Hello all

Only just joined today, so not much to say or report other than a bit about myself. Firstly lets get it right I am no 'SHELDON', more of a Howard!!! I live in Northants and am a Young Oldie, if you get my drift

I love Astronomy and photography (photographing birds of the feathered kind), and have done so for many years, I love big boys toys, especially telescopes and cameras. I have had 2 refractors over the years, and currently have a Skywatcher 127 Synscan GOTO. (I thought I was a computer geek, being a graphic designer by trade but trying to get my head round this synscan is a killer, still got there in the end and the views are superb for a small scope). I have now purchased a 5Skyliner 250 Flex Tube and am hopefully taking delivery some time this coming week, so if I may be so bold as to include a question in my intro to myself which is...

Has anyone got one of these, are they good, will I be able to do deep space observing, can I use either DSLR on the scope or a 'NEXTAG' 5? OOOps that's more than one question, but hey lets go with the flow!

Looking forward to posting, blogging and liaising with all and a belated Happy New year to you wishing you all clear Skies

Magnatone

post-28433-0-06327600-1358674873.gif

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JamesF

JamesF

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Welcome to SGL

The 250PX will be excellent for observing DSOs (and in fact planets and the moon), but imaging with it will be tricky unless you have the GOTO version. Even then imaging DSOs would be tough because of field rotation causing star trailing fairly quickly. Some of these obstacles can certainly be overcome by throwing money at the problem, but I'd really consider it more of a visual scope.

James

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JamesF

JamesF

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Thanks for that, and hello. What about using the Nextar 5 imager, which captures live video and then you can unify frames to see composite shot?

The problem with a big dob (well, most dobs, in fact) is keeping the target on the camera sensor. Without GOTO that's quite tricky, especially at high magnifications. It is possible and I've seen some planetary imaging done that way, but it does require practice and patience. In fact, your 127 Mak would be far better for planetary imaging with this camera. I created these using my 127 Mak, for instance:

europa.png

And with a DSLR you should be able to get some nice full-disc lunar (and solar, with a suitable filter) images from the same scope. Here's a couple I did:

http://stargazerslou...-november-2012/

http://stargazerslou...-18th-november/

I have a 10" dob based on the 250PX optics and the views are stunning. Nothing you'll have seen using the Mak will have prepared you for what you'll see with it, but I'd say leave it as a visual scope.

James

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knobby

knobby

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Hi 'Howard'

The 250 is a great scope, the problem with imaging is that although an alt az can track the planets it will eventually see a rotation in the sky... Its difficult to explain but an equatorial mount tracks in an arc but the alt az goes 'up a bit, right a bit, up a bit, right a bit... '

The webcam type imaging should be fine for about 90 seconds to 2 minutes though.

SLR will be fine for bright objects like the moon.

I'm sure you'll get more eloquent and concise explanations soon enough but... I'm from Essex :D

----edit----

Must type quicker, James has just explained it all clearly! As I said, someone would :D

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Magnatone

Magnatone

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Hi James

Again thanks for responding, Pics are excellent, I have a Canon 550 and the Celestron Neximager5 (NOT NEXSTAR !!!) I have tried the Neximager on the 127 but am currently experiencing bad focus, maybe it would be better to use the Canon. But thanks for advice and I am looking forward to viewing when we have clear skies

Maganatone

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Magnatone

Magnatone

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Hi Knobby

Thanks for that I will have a bash with Neximager when I take delivery. Oh and by the way, I might live in Northants, but me, well born Southend lived therte a few years, then moved to N. London, so I suppose that makes me an Essex Chap too

Magnatone

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SnakeyJ

SnakeyJ

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Hi Magnatone (Howard),

Welcome to SGL and look forward to seeing some of your images. As the guys have said above the dob will be quite tricky for the long exposure DSO imaging - not impossible, but difficult and will require much patience and not sure this is the way to go with observing time being so precious/limited under UK skies. Might be worth having a look at the Equatorial Platforms for dobs http://www.equatorial-platforms-uk.co.uk/ - I can't offer a direct recommendation, but interested to see if other members have used these to good effect and can recommend - worth a look anyhow.

Good luck and clear skies - Jake

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knobby

knobby

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Hi Knobby

Thanks for that I will have a bash with Neximager when I take delivery. Oh and by the way, I might live in Northants, but me, well born Southend lived therte a few years, then moved to N. London, so I suppose that makes me an Essex Chap too

Magnatone

Oh, that'll be why you understood my ramblings :D

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JamesF

JamesF

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Again thanks for responding, Pics are excellent, I have a Canon 550 and the Celestron Neximager5 (NOT NEXSTAR !!!) I have tried the Neximager on the 127 but am currently experiencing bad focus, maybe it would be better to use the Canon. But thanks for advice and I am looking forward to viewing when we have clear skies

Focusing is tricky :)

What you'll find is that the images drifts in and out of focus all the time because of atmospheric distortion. The trick is to find a point where it seems to be best and work from there. Unfortunately touching the focuser often causes wobbling which makes life even more difficult. For that reason I built a motorised focuser for mine. What you then find is that even though you can focus without wobbling the image, the design of the scope means the image shifts across the camera each time you change the focuser direction. I've just had to learn to live with that.

Planetary imaging with a DSLR is tricky because we rely on being able to get thousands of images to be able to combat noise and atmospheric distortion. In Jupiter's case you ideally need to do that before the planet has rotated noticeably which for most amateur astronomers is going to be two or three minutes. DSLRs really struggle to match such high frame rates with sufficient sensitivity. They're good for full disc lunar and solar imaging though, where the faster frame rate cameras just don't have the sensor size to fit the entire image on at once.

James

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Magnatone

Magnatone

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Hi Guys

Thanks to everyone for the welcome and to James for his AP advise, I hopefully look forward to posting pics in the future and discussing any problems I might have (Blimey, could be on here all day)

Gonna have some breakfast now All the best

Magnatone

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