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Reflector for imaging?

Din

By Din
in Getting Started With Imaging

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Din

Din

Posted
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Hi

When I started astronomy earlier this year I didn't think I'd be interested in imaging, but then I attached my DLSR to my scope and was amazed at how the Orion nebula appeared so easily on my camera.

Technically the image was pretty low grade, given I was using a SW Evostar 150 and no guiding on my HEQ5, but it certainly got me hooked.

Now I'm looking to improve things with a suitable scope and I'm considering a SW reflector of between 130 and 200 mm aperture. I've no particular interest in any area, and would try my hand at anything - lunar, palentary, solar, dso's.

The 200 concerns me as it may be to big for the mount, I intend using my ST80 as a guide scope with a standalone guider.

Anyone have experience of a 200mm Reflector on a HEQ5? Or should I go smaller to keep the weight down?

Cheers

Ed

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Steve Ward

Steve Ward

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The HEQ5 can handle the 200PDS + guidescope but I had to get the extended counter-weight bar to get balanced.

A better bet would be going for the ED80Pro refractor and Field flattener , a much better choice for imaging , less weight to start and much less tube to catch the breeze , the 200PDS is a bit of a sail.

No pesky diffraction spikes either .....

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JamesF

JamesF

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I agree with Steve for DSO imaging. Imaging different types of target really require different types of kit, but even with an ED80 there's no reason you shouldn't have a go at some lunar and solar imaging -- you'll just be a bit lacking in image scale and resolution. Given a HEQ5 there's no reason you couldn't add more gear with a heavier bias towards imaging solar system targets later on though. I'll make the usual recommendation of having a read of Steve Richards "Making Every Photon Count" before you start spending on anything else though. It should give you a good idea of where you're heading.

James

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Din

Din

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Thanks for that. I'm already halfway through the book, and found my current scope is not the best for imaging.

The ED80 Pro looks like good value if you don't buy all the peripheral items. I see that FLO are offering it as OTA only.

For planetary I presume I may need to bump up the focal length with a Barlow of some description?

The images I've taken so far have suffered with star elongation for various reasons. One thing I probably need to do is check the polar scope for alignment with the RA axis. That'll have to wait until the weather improves.

Incidentally, I quite like the look of diffraction spikes on the images I've seen so far. I dare say they may become a nuisance when I'm after other images though.

Cheers

Ed

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lensman57

lensman57

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Hi

When I started astronomy earlier this year I didn't think I'd be interested in imaging, but then I attached my DLSR to my scope and was amazed at how the Orion nebula appeared so easily on my camera.

Technically the image was pretty low grade, given I was using a SW Evostar 150 and no guiding on my HEQ5, but it certainly got me hooked.

Now I'm looking to improve things with a suitable scope and I'm considering a SW reflector of between 130 and 200 mm aperture. I've no particular interest in any area, and would try my hand at anything - lunar, palentary, solar, dso's.

The 200 concerns me as it may be to big for the mount, I intend using my ST80 as a guide scope with a standalone guider.

Anyone have experience of a 200mm Reflector on a HEQ5? Or should I go smaller to keep the weight down?

Cheers

Ed

Hi Ed,

Your Evostar is an F8- 1200 so it is a little on the slow side for astro imaging and a liitle too long for widefied DSOs but myself being in your shoes at the moment would advise you to sort out the guiding first before paying up for another scope. Without effective guiding even the best APO would be useless and as I have discovered the world of guiding itself is a very complicated one and very frustrating at times. With a very good polar alignment and an F5 or faster scope of around 500 mm focal length, exposure times of around 90~120s are possibble without too much star trailing being evident and this will put quite a few objects in your reach so there are targets to practice on. Good Luck.

Regards,

A.G

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leelee970

leelee970

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Using the finder as a guide scope would be handy.

Any hardware suitable for this?

Cheers

Ed

You'll need to unscrew the finders eyepiece housing and replace it with an adaptor (not sure which shops sell it but have seen them somewhere - I'm sure someone on this forum will point you to such sites).

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Chris

Chris

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I've imaged with ED80's and 200P's and a 150p in the past on EQ5, HEQ5, and now NEQ6. Based on my experience either the ED80 or the 150p are the best of the bunch. I think if you want something thats going to be a jack of all trades the 150p would be a great choice. The 200p really is a big scope and as said heavy and a wind sail, the 150p is much much lighter and more managable. the ratio of its focal length to optical speed is fantastic 750mm @ f/5 compared to 600mm @ f/7.5 for the ED80. I use an ED80 at the moment and I want to get another 150p to complement it, I've decided these two scopes are the best for budget imaging.

In a nut shell, if you were just going to image DSO's go for the ED80, but if you wan't to do both DSO and Planetary then a 150p or pds would hard to beat for the money!

hth

Chris

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badgerchap

badgerchap

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I have a 150 (not SW) and my EQ5 handles that just fine, so I can see an HEQ5 having no problems, even with a small guidescope added. I know some people have had great results from a 200P on en EQ5 too, but that's really pushing the boundaries of what's possible.

A 150P should be an excellent choice on an HEQ5, with a good bit of weight left to spare for camera, guider etc.

Posted via Tapatalk on an ageing iPhone so please excuse any erroneous spellings or accidental profanities!

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Din

Din

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As a 150P owners myself, I'll second that. It is a good all round scope, optical speed is good and it's not too big.

HEQ5 would handle it and a guiding set up with ease :)

Pembrokeshire here too, where abouts are you Ed?

I'm in Hazelbeach, near Milford Haven.

Ed

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JKB

JKB

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Another plus 1 for the 150P. My most used scope on HEQ5. I have an ST80 on top with a cheap Tesco webcam as guide-scope running through the laptop using the HiTech Astro USB guider. Easy set up and generally no problems.

Good luck

Cheers

Jamie

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Din

Din

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Interesting Jamie,

How does the web cam act as a guide scope? Is there some software solution?

Sounds cheaper than the Synguider or Baader LVI.

Nathan

The Preseli Astronomy Group can be found at http://www.pasgroup.org.uk/

Meet first Tuesday of each month at Letterston community hall, 1900 hrs.

Cheers

Ed

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JKB

JKB

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Hi Ed

The ST 80 sits atop the 150P with the webcam (minus lens) in place of an eyepiece. (It does have an extension piece made from an old 2x barlow with glass removed to bring it to focus) then the Hi Tech Astro USB guider box. Here http://www.firstlightoptics.com/hitecastro/hitecastro-usb-guider.html

This connects to the HEQ5 using the ST4 port and USB on laptop. I run PHD (Free software) up and running in minutes. PHD also allows for many adjustments etc to get the guiding smooth

HTH

Jamie

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