Tec help, Camera/scope.

[loonarsnook]

Hi again, I'm looking at getting a Skyliner 200p dobsonian, who knows of a camera that would be compatible with it? Im looking to take photos and record vid, many thanks :-). Price range will be 200 to 500.

[VigdisVZ]

Hi

A few quick notes about astrophotography: A dobson wont be suitable for deep sky astrophotography. Since deep space objects are faint, you need long exposures, and with a non motorized and non equatorial mount you'll only record the smudge as the objects move out the the field of view.

However you can take stunning shots of the moon with either a cheap web-camera (and stacking the pictures) or a DSLR. Since the moon is so bright you can use shorter exposures. Jupiter is also bright enough to be capture on a webcam in movie-mode and then stacking the frames to a single picture, but in that case you need to really work to keep the planet in the view of the camera for long enough to get any decent frames.

So basicly, the dobson is more suited for visual use. If you're interested in DSO astrophotography you're looking at a much more expensive motorized equatorial mount like the HEQ-5 that tracks the sky as the earth rotates, and a slightly smaller scope like the ED80 is a good beginners choice. Also, if you're curious about it, read Steve Richards book "Making Every Photon Count" it's a really good beginners guide to this money sink

[loonarsnook]

Hi

A few quick notes about astrophotography: A dobson wont be suitable for deep sky astrophotography. Since deep space objects are faint, you need long exposures, and with a non motorized and non equatorial mount you'll only record the smudge as the objects move out the the field of view.

However you can take stunning shots of the moon with either a cheap web-camera (and stacking the pictures) or a DSLR. Since the moon is so bright you can use shorter exposures. Jupiter is also bright enough to be capture on a webcam in movie-mode and then stacking the frames to a single picture, but in that case you need to really work to keep the planet in the view of the camera for long enough to get any decent frames.

So basicly, the dobson is more suited for visual use. If you're interested in DSO astrophotography you're looking at a much more expensive motorized equatorial mount like the HEQ-5 that tracks the sky as the earth rotates, and a slightly smaller scope like the ED80 is a good beginners choice. Also, if you're curious about it, read Steve Richards book "Making Every Photon Count" it's a really good beginners guide to this money sink

Once more sound advice, ill take a look at the book, and wait off with the DSO trip ;-)