What do you suggest for DSOs ?

[Amajed]

Hi .. again

well , I got my hands on Orion Dob XT8

I will be using it for observing.

and I would like to get another telescope only for AP , I would love to shot Brighter DSOs . also some Jupiter , Saturn. but my main target will be Brighter DSOs.

I will be using a Canon 1100D DSLR , for a long exposure.

the telescope will not be used for observing,

so there is the target.

I can pay 1500$ (will be shopping from a US store more like Amazon.com)

so what do you think is the best for me?

thanks.

[Amajed]

Sorry couldn't find the edit button.

I forgot to mention that I must buy the whole pack as a bundle.

I can't get the mount alone and the telescope on another pack , everything must be together as a one thing.. this is how it works for me to buy it..

[badgerchap]

The most important part of your AP setup will be the mount, rather than the telescope itself. I'm not sure on US prices, but I wouldn't settle for anything less than an HEQ5, and if possible an EQ6. Once you have a decent mount, maybe a nice short-tube refractor of some kind, for simplicity and ease of use?

[swag72]

Dare I mention a book? ............ Making every photon count by Steve Richards available in the book section of the FLO website is an absolute must for DSO imagers as they start out. Don't know whether you'd be able to get it out to Saudi Arabia though.

Mount wise, the HEQ5 is a general considered minimum for AP. It can be done with less, but the mount is THE most important part of your whole setup and it needs to perform. Couple that with an ED80 (Skywatcher, Orion, most companies make one) and you have a perfect rig for DSO's. You don't however have a good setup for planets. You really will struggle to have a scope / camera combo that will do both. So decide early on what you'd prefer to do and buy accordingly.

If you are using the DSLR with the scope you will need to have a field flattener as well, as the chip is so large you will get field curvature which will show up on your corners. You may also want to think about guiding in the future, so make sure that you get the right HEQ5. I think the bottom model (there's 3) doesn't have the motors for the accurate tracking that the other two have.

[Amajed]

Making every photon count is on its way to me ,, it takes forever to ship that book, don't know why :/

Does the HEQ5 has an equal ? I don't think there's a HEQ5 on amazon.com

is there one from Celestron / Orion that are qual to the HEQ5 ?

also if I could get a whole set, like mount + telescope in the same package would be great ,

thanks

[badgerchap]

Yes I'm pretty sure Orion do an equivalent, but I can't remember the name. I'm sure if you contact them they'll know which one it is. 'Atlas' rings a bell but don't quote me on that.

As for 'Making Every Photon Count' I imagine it takes a long time to ship as it's not on the widest of releases. I think the author may dsitribute it himself, or something? So it only comes from the UK, I don't think you have a supplier in the US.

[badgerchap]

Actually the Atlas seems to be the EQ6 (One step up from HEQ5)

[Scott]

http://www.firstlightoptics.com/pro-series/skywatcher-evostar-80ed-pro-heq5-pro.html

I kno it's not from the us but this would be my choice for under us$1500

[badgerchap]

The HEQ5 is the 'Sirius'. I'll stop posting now

[Amajed]

The book reached my mail box in the UK two days ago , its now headed to me here in Saudi Arabia , hopefully it will be here the next couple of days, thanks.

now back to the telescope/mount:

http://www.telescope.com/Telescopes/Astrophotography-Telescopes/Orion-Sirius-ED80-EQ-G-Computerized-GoTo-Refractor-Telescope/pc/-1/c/1/sc/19/p/24281.uts

is this one good ? it has a perfect price for me,

and it seems to be on amazon.com:

http://www.amazon.com/Orion-Sirius-Computerized-Refractor-Telescope/dp/B000FA8U5W/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1362914015&sr=8-1&keywords=Orion+Sirius+ED80+EQ-G+Computerized+GoTo+Refractor+Telescope

even tho it says April 10 , but I guess I can wait if its the best option here.

what do you think ?

[badgerchap]

You could do a lot worse than that scope, a good choice. Make sure you leave enough money for extras. Check on here but you may will need a field flattener, extension tubes and other bits and bobs to get you up and running.

[Amajed]

Thanks badgerchap

since I have plenty of time waiting for that Refractor to be in stock , I've been reading about what's best and what's not

it seems a lot of people comparing SCT with Refractors .

so which one is better for a Brighter Deep sky AP (and a little of planets like Jupiter and Saturn)

is it the Refractor I mentioned in my last post, or this SCT:

http://www.telescope.com/Astrophotography/Astrophotography-Telescopes/Celestron-Advanced-VX-8-Schmidt-Cassegrain-Telescope/pc/-1/c/4/sc/57/p/102715.uts?refinementValueIds=4522&refinementValueIds=4697

also can't wait for my book , Aramex said it will be there next Thursday.

[DaveS]

For brightness in DSOs focal ratio is everything, the smaller the better, same as "normal" photography, which is why so many go for the ubiquitous 80mm ED 'frac, it, they rather have a usefully small focal ratio. Although SCTs will have a bigger aperture collecting more light, because of the longer focal length that light will be spread out over a bigger area.

When I ordered "Making every Photon Count" via FLO it came direct from the author (Thanks BTW ).

BTW I would be very leery of ordering anything as specialised as astro imaging kit from Amazon.

[Amajed]

what do you mean by "leery" ? never heard of that word before sorry

and the book came from eBay , not sure why , I didn't get it from eBay tho..

so Less focal Ratio is everything , the Refractor is f/7.5 against the SCT which is f/10

I think both are pretty close to each other but the SCT wins since it has a bigger aperture = more light...

does that mean the SCT is better in this case ? I can't really tell :/

[DaveS]

OK, sorry.

"leery" sort of slang, like wary but more so. Basicaly I wouldn't buy specialist kit from Amazon but would go to a specialist astro dealer.

For DSOs I would be looking at f/6 or better with a focal reducer / flattener, which you'll need for imaging with a DSLR or DSLR sized CCD.

[Amajed]

I see, will Amazon.com has sellers , and the seller I'm buying from is the Orion shop it self , I think its OK

so a f/6. you think that refractor won't cut for the price ?

if there are specialist astro dealers in the US I can buy from , I really want SkyWatcher but I really don't know who should I buy from (in the US) if there are any suggestion please help

[steppenwolf]

Making every photon count is on its way to me ,, it takes forever to ship that book, don't know why :/

The book is normally shipped the same day that the order is received - your order has indeed been shipped to your forwarder - I posted it myself!

[Amajed]

Yeah , it seems the reason for the delay is:

Shop&Ship Update - Shipment is delayed due to flight offloading/cancelation.

I contacted Aramex and they said it will be ready for pick up tomorrow morning.

thanks

[Amajed]

The book arrived , I've read it , its really very good and I recommend it to anyone, really , no one should miss it.

I got plenty of informations ,from it , but of course nothing beats testing, does anyone knows about this telescope/mount:

http://www.ioptron.com/index.cfm?select=productdetails&phid=2543d9db-5408-4f7f-bd2b-a676b169c069

the price is really great , everything looks perfect, I know I can't install Auto Guider but I won't use very long exposures ,

but I need to know if this mount can track up to 5 minutes at least ?

also can it hold on to a DSLR ? mine is about 2lb or less, its not that heavy (Canon EOS 1100D)

I will start learning AP with this Telescope , then I might get a better one that accepts Auto Guider and other things later ?

what do you think ?

[DaveS]

iOptron's reputation has taken a bit of a nose-dive on this forum of late. Their minitower has been the subject of a rather scathing thread in the Discussion, whole telescopes section, and ollypenrice (Who knows a thing or three about imaging) has a rather low opinion of their flagship iEQ 45.

Seriously, if you're thinking of imaging, even half seriously don't skimp on the mount. although people have got away with EQ5 level mounts the HEQ5 is reckoned to be the minimum for imaging. Get one of those, (Or better if you can afford it) then worry about the 'scope. At the risk of being boring I'll reiterate the advice to get an ED80 semi-apo refractor.

[Naemeth]

http://www.amazon.co...&keywords=Orion

Perfect .

It's a shame it doesn't come with the focal reducer, but what can you do?

Do you think the focal reducer / field flattener would make it through customs?

[Amajed]

Thanks DaveS , but sadly there are no Sky-Watcher products in USA , can you point me to a HEQ5 Mount sold in the USA ?

Naemeth , Yes I think a focal reducer will pass.

I will get:

Orion Field Flattener for Short Refractors

and

Orion T-Thread Spacer Ring Kit

but since the telescope will not be ready till the 10th of April I'm searching for cheaper or better ones , if not I will end up buying this one.

Thanks

[Naemeth]

Thanks DaveS , but sadly there are no Sky-Watcher products in USA , can you point me to a HEQ5 Mount sold in the USA ?

Naemeth , Yes I think a focal reducer will pass.

I will get:

Orion Field Flattener for Short Refractors

and

Orion T-Thread Spacer Ring Kit

but since the telescope will not be ready till the 10th of April I'm searching for cheaper or better ones , if not I will end up buying this one.

Thanks

If I've got this right - I think this is exactly the same kit (re-branded) as we get in the UK - the HEQ-5 with the Skywatcher ED80 and the Focal Reducer / Field Flattener. It all looks the same, and if it is then it will give you a perfect start in AP, as this is the kit most people start out with .

The whole customs situation is unfortunate, but hopefully this will be okay .

[Amajed]

If both are the same then that's explain why I can't find Sky-Watcher in the USA and can't find Orion in the UK.

I guess both are the same but the names are different.

[Amajed]

As in the book Making every photon count , Steve has 0.8 Focal Reducer/Field Flattener for his ED80 Refractor.

I thought I should get a FF for this Refractor:

http://www.amazon.com/Orion-Sirius-Computerized-Refractor-Telescope/dp/B000FA8U5W/ref=sr_1_52?s=photo&ie=UTF8&qid=1363456856&sr=1-52&keywords=Orion

now I'm not sure , should I get the FF or the Orion 0.8x Focal Reducer for Refractor Telescopes ?

I can't find any FF/R from Orion for sale, they stopped selling it for unknown reason to me,

this is the one:

http://www.telescope.com/Astrophotography/Focal-Reducers/Orion-Focal-Reducer-Corrector-for-ED80-Refractor-Telescope/c/4/sc/64/p/5195.uts

now I'm not sure what to get,