Best Scope for Planetary AP

[Ness]

Hi, 

I'm looking for some advice on the best scope to use for planetary viewing and particularly AP?

I am torn between deep sky AP and an interest in planetary observation and AP. So far I've narrowed my down deep sky options to the Skywatcher Evostar 80ED DS Pro and an NEQ6 Pro Synscan mount, but doubt this will satisfy the planetary side of things! I know I need larger aperture, slower f ratio, but beyond that I'm not sure. Are Newtonian reflectors the way to go, or would an SCT be better? Or something else? It would be good if the second scope could also be used on the NEQ6 mount.

Any and all suggetions and advice welcome!

Thanks, Ness

[Kropster]

I think for planetary photography you need magnification, which implies long focal lengths, so you get a reasonable size image on the webcam sensor.

A larger aperture will also allow you to use higher magnification without going all blobby and fuzzy.

[nightfisher]

The neq6 andED80 is great for deep sky AP, and wont be to shabby on lunar and planets, but you could add a maksutov 150 at a later date, hope this helps

[riklaunim]

The neq6 andED80 is great for deep sky AP, and wont be to shabby on lunar and planets, but you could add a maksutov 150 at a later date, hope this helps

80 mm will be quite poor at planetary imaging. It's totally different than DS imaging. 150 Maksutov in general will be as good as 150 mm Newtonian, although smaller but more expensive.

There is no scope that would handle everything just like that. If you pick SCT 8" then you have a good planetary telescope but DS imaging may be challenging (and due to longer focal length even at f/6.3 it prefers smaller targets).  My solution is to get a big telescope for planetary imaging (and maybe sometimes imaging small DS at high resolution) and a very small APO for easy DS imaging (even in average conditions like light wind at which anything big will fail) - those below 80 mm are very handy, cheap (as small), and could also work in tandem with the big scope (finder-guider-whatnot).

For a cheap small APO check Telescope Express (a lot of there) or for example IKI/Altair Astro (some are also there too). For cheap big or semi big SCT - check USA second hand market - Cloudnights classifieds or astromart.

[ilove1995]

You will give yourself a lot of options by purchasing the NEQ6 for both planetary and DSO. I've just got my hands on one to mount my C8 SCT and it's rock solid. Like you, my main interest is with observing and photographing solar objects. The Skymax 180 maksutov is a popular scope for planetary, lots of folk on here recommend it.

Al

[todd8137]

Hi for my ten pence worth i image both dso/planets and the moon,i have a 127mm edt c/f I image both dso/planets for planets i use a x2x3 barlow,i also use a c9.25 sct with a 6.3reducer and it works well on some dso,but for planets and the moon its killer ,i can not wait for the day for the super scope that can do every thing

Pat

[Ness]

Thanks everyone for your replies.There are certainly a few options for the planetary side of things! I feel much happier now that I'm looking in the right direction. Decisions, decisions!

Hi for my ten pence worth i image both dso/planets and the moon,i have a 127mm edt c/f I image both dso/planets for planets i use a x2x3 barlow,i also use a c9.25 sct with a 6.3reducer and it works well on some dso,but for planets and the moon its killer ,i can not wait for the day for the super scope that can do every thing
Pat

Pat, I checked out some of the planetary images taken with a c9.25 - what an amazing scope! Shame the price tag is also amazing ;-) It certainly looks worth saving for, but will probably be on next years Christmas list rather than this one. Thanks for the advice

Cheers, Ness

[riklaunim]

SCT will be cheap if you an old one used OTA. Check for example: http://www.cloudynights.com/classifieds/showcat.php?cat=11 - like older C8 start just above $200.

[todd8137]

No probbs am in Derbyshire as well close to,alfreton your welcome any time

Pat

[ronin]

For planetary the majority use a Mak or SCT.

The planets are relatively bright and so you magnify them to get detail out. So many will use a Mak and then attach a 2x, 3x or 5x barlow to make the image bigger still.

You do to some extent do not "photograph" a planet, you take a movie of one via a webcam and produce a .avi file.

Say 2 minutes worth.

What then occurs is you tell the processing software to use only the best 10%. So you don't need to be all that good to start with as you are working the probability that some are any good. The processing software selects the best and then stacks them one on another to get the detail out. I believe the software like Registax will perform some rotation of the images to counter the movie duration.

When you do DSO AP then it is a different approach, you go for one single long duration exposure, so more care and attention is required. Until someone comes out with a ccd to do movies that is sensitive enough to image DSO's by a ,avi file process then it will all change.

One point is that unless the Mak/SCT is on an EQ mount then it is not easy to transfer the planetary imaging over to DSO imaging. So do not expect to gain experience on planetary imaging then transfer to DSO. Planetary imaging is usually a Mak/SCT on an Alt/Az mount with a webcam. You would have to change scope, mount and camera for DSO's. <- Everything :eek: and the processing software used is different also :grin: .

[Ness]

No probbs am in Derbyshire as well close to,alfreton your welcome any time

Pat

I didn't realise! That's great :-) Do you go to a local astronomy club? Damian was telling me about a dark site in Belper. Couldnt make it to the last observing night, but it would be good to get some hands on experience with the different scopes.

One point is that unless the Mak/SCT is on an EQ mount then it is not easy to transfer the planetary imaging over to DSO imaging. So do not expect to gain experience on planetary imaging then transfer to DSO. Planetary imaging is usually a Mak/SCT on an Alt/Az mount with a webcam. You would have to change scope, mount and camera for DSO's. <- Everything :eek: and the processing software used is different also :grin: .

I know! That's what is making this fun, but somewhat challenging! I love the simplicity of refractors and having a background in photography am finding it easier to get my head around the DSO stuff, despite being perhaps more technically challenging. Well, until guiding comes into play, but I'm sure I'll get there!

Being a newbie I was somewhat concerned about the complexity of reflectors and SCT's etc, particulary when collomation and dew heaters etc come into play, not to mention choosing the best scope for non-DSO side of things in the first place! The more I'm learning the less scary it is, but I think my current plan is to start with an ED80 and NEQ6 mount. Get better at finding things in the sky, get my head properly around guiding and hopefully get some good pics. Then buy a bigger scope - with the intention of using in on the NEQ6 mount (is there any issue with using this?!), the webcam and other required accessories, and expand my skills to planetary imaging, and simply enjoy bigger and better views of them too.

I can already see many years of fun, learning and empty pockets! Bring it on :-) Well, the former, anyway!

[Charic]

Ness.......If it were my choice, and I was starting  out again (only just started in last two Months) Its got to be a catadioptric, An excellent choice for viewing/imaging. Can be used in just about all aspects of Astronomy. I thought about Astrophotography before buying my Skyliner, but have no regrets so-far!

[todd8137]

Yes i am in a local club just not the one Damian mentioned hes a freind of mine and he knows his stuff ,i have my own well equiped observatory and 4 scopes and binoculars of al sizes from a 100mm to 30 mm

Pat