Astro-photography using Sky-Watcher Skyliner-400P Synscan?

[Digital Artist]

Hi, I am new in this area. I have watched a video in YouTube about Sky-Watcher Skyliner-400P Flextube Synscan GO-TO

http://www.youtube.c...?v=CG8nOMGb3q4.

Now, my question is as the Skyliner 400P has the ability to track if it is put on Equatorial Platform (Of course Polar Aligned) will it be able to track the object taking into account that it is on the Equatorial Platform and use only RA drive?

In short can it be used for long exposure astro-photography?

Kindly watch the video and help me to understand.

Thanks in advance.

[Spec-Chum]

Wow, that's a beast!

Whilst mounting a flextube on an eq mount is possible I doubt even a NEQ6 it'd take the weight of that!

[Naemeth]

It would take a very expensive mount to take that weight, plus lifting a 16" telescope tube onto a mount won't be easy due to the weight. It's a recipe for a slipped disc.

Why not just get a small refractor like the ED80 and a mount like the NEQ-6 and save yourself a lot of cash and a lot of effort?

[Steve Ward]

In theory you could make a base for it on the lines of a wedge set to your locations latitude , but the stresses and strains on the pivots and motors would be pretty horrendous I suspect.

I would be inclined to spend the £1899 on an HEQ5Pro and a 190MN-DS or similar set-up.

For purely visual work then the 16" will obviously win , but I think you're barking up the wrong tree for AP.

[stem1989]

the 400p with a guide scope and camera etc on the NEQ6 would die on you lol a great scope though but your going to need to spend a fotrtune on a mount to get it to carry this set up, for less get your self a HEQ5 & a 200pds or something, will give stunning photos for much less money and keep your monster 400p for observational use

[Digital Artist]

I appreciate everyone who has the time to reply to my question. However, some of you were talking about "Equatorial Mount" but my question is about "EQUATORIAL PLATFORM". 'Steve Ward' above got it. As he said, "In theory you could make a base for it on the lines of a wedge set to your locations latitude , but the stresses and strains on the pivots and motors would be pretty horrendous I suspect."

But did anyone do the same thing with smaller GOTO telescope like 8" or 10" ?

Again repeating my question If "EQUATORIAL PLATFORM'' or a wedge is placed underneath it having polar aligned will it be able to track the object taking into account that it is on the Equatorial Platform or wedge for that matter and use only Right Ascension motor and not the both Dec and RA motor ?

Please reply.

[JamesF]

There's still no mechanism for guiding, is there? So you'd be limited for exposure times even if you did have an equatorial platform.

James

[Steve Ward]

The answer is yes it could , but I still think that the scope is far too heavy ,

That said you are at 23 degrees north so the wedge would not be as extreme as one for the UK at 50+ degrees so there would be less strain exerted .

The base rotates around a single bolt and I suspect that it would not like being subjected to the forces this method would put upon it and the encoder unit.

And as James said above , there's no means of guiding so you'd need to be extremely well Polar aligned , something that this set-up does not lend itself to .

You could always stick the tube on one of these . . . http://www.teleskop-...euz.html��150Kg payload should handle it . . .

[E621Keith]

I appreciate everyone who has the time to reply to my question. However, some of you were talking about "Equatorial Mount" but my question is about "EQUATORIAL PLATFORM". 'Steve Ward' above got it. As he said, "In theory you could make a base for it on the lines of a wedge set to your locations latitude , but the stresses and strains on the pivots and motors would be pretty horrendous I suspect."

But did anyone do the same thing with smaller GOTO telescope like 8" or 10" ?

Again repeating my question If "EQUATORIAL PLATFORM'' or a wedge is placed underneath it having polar aligned will it be able to track the object taking into account that it is on the Equatorial Platform or wedge for that matter and use only Right Ascension motor and not the both Dec and RA motor ?

Please reply.

I think the point people trying to make is that you will struggle with a equatorial mount made for long exposure astrophotography, so there is no chance you can get it to work with a standard equatorial platform that was designed to give rough tracking for visual use.

It is possible to design and custom made an AZ mount or a equatorial platform that is good enough for AP, but it will cost you A LOT of money. Far more than getting a equatorial mount and a scope that was designed for AP.

[Digital Artist]

Thanks Steve Ward.

Yes this scope is heavy but is it possible with 8" or 10" GOTO dobsonian? Did anybody try it before? If it could be. Then isn't it cheapest way for Astrophotography?

[JamesF]

Again, there's no way to guide this, so your exposure times will be limited meaning that the possibilities for astrophotography are limited.

And at UK prices, I think a 200P GOTO dob with a wedge and coma corrector would probably not be that much different in price from a HEQ5 with an ED80. And the HEQ5 would guide properly.

James

[Steve Ward]

Would be more 'practical' with an 8" or 10" but you would still be better off with a proper EQ mount and either a 200 newt or better still something like the SW ED80Pro APO refractor.

I know that it seems wrong suggesting dropping the aperture from 400mm to 80mm but with the accurate tracking from a guided EQ mount and the long exposures possible ( I get 20 minute exposures with ease using the HEQ5Pro / ED80Pro or 200PDS and a Synguider) you will be much happier .

I would love a 16" for visual though , to peer through while the other rig is merrily taking photographs all on it's own . . .

[Dude_with_the_tube]

i think using skyliner 400p for imaging purpose is a bit of a overkill,specially if you will still need to blow another 450 quid for equatorial platform to make it sort of ideal for photography,thats in total 2600 quid.for that money you would be better off getting a good 10-12" SCT with wedge and you will save yourself that massive hassle of setting up the 400p on the platform (do not even want to think how hard it is) and everything else.

as for the visual,i would take 400p any day

[rowan46]

Hi, I am new in this area. I have watched a video in YouTube about Sky-Watcher Skyliner-400P Flextube Synscan GO-TO

http://www.youtube.c...?v=CG8nOMGb3q4.

Now, my question is as the Skyliner 400P has the ability to track if it is put on Equatorial Platform (Of course Polar Aligned) will it be able to track the object taking into account that it is on the Equatorial Platform and use only RA drive?

In short can it be used for long exposure astro-photography?

Kindly watch the video and help me to understand.

Thanks in advance.

In theory yes but in practice no The drive isn't accurate enough to keep objects centred exactly on the chip for long exposure i am sure you could probably manage 20- 30 secs subs. from what I have seen of the reports on eq platforms they will keep an image in view for many minutes. I have a nexstar that does the same thing but it's still a long way short of suitable for unguided lx photography. If you want to bang out a couple og rough and ready pics I am sure you would get something. But if you want to get some good photo's you need a good eq mount that is suitable for guiding.

[E621Keith]

You need to remember the 400p dob weights 93kg and has a focal length of 1.8 metres. It also has a flextube construction that is likely to flex under its own weight.

[Digital Artist]

The answer is yes it could , but I still think that the scope is far too heavy , That said you are at 23 degrees north so the wedge would not be as extreme as one for the UK at 50+ degrees so there would be less strain exerted . The base rotates around a single bolt and I suspect that it would not like being subjected to the forces this method would put upon it and the encoder unit. And as James said above , there's no means of guiding so you'd need to be extremely well Polar aligned , something that this set-up does not lend itself to . You could always stick the tube on one of these . . . http://www.teleskop-...euz.html��150Kg payload should handle it . . .

If I am not wrong I thing it is other way round regarding strain exertion on mount due to latitude difference. Right? For the mount 1600 GTO http://www.astro-physics.com/ is suffice isn't it?

[Steve Ward]

That would carry it . . . and for $ 11,700 so it should . . .

For this you could get a much better combo like this . . . http://www.orionoptics.co.uk/CT/ct16package.html

[E621Keith]

If I am not wrong I thing it is other way round regarding strain exertion on mount due to latitude difference. Right? For the mount 1600 GTO http://www.astro-physics.com/ is suffice isn't it?

Yes, the lower the latitude, the greater the strain. EQ mount's RA point straight up near the pole and horizontal when near the equator

If you can afford an AP1600GTO, then you can afford the better quality astrographs that is much better optimise for imaging than a 16" dobsonian that was designed for visual use.