Choices choices choices, but what to chose..

[mckennal05]

Yet another newbie asking for advice, I wouldn't want to ruin the trend now would I...  

To cut a long story short, I would like a telescope for astrophotography. Am at that tender age of 20 where money just comes in and i spend it on things I want so I thought I'd invest (so to speak) into something worthwhile and something I think I would enjoy. So I thought I'd start this fine little hobby of looking at stars and taking pictures of the planets, far galaxies and that big ball of cheese in the sky, but I have literally no experience with telescopes and cameras so be gentle. I have 2 main routes of action

Telescope + camera + Laptop = Telescope for space and camera for well other photography
Telescope + Webcam thingys + Laptop = Only photography with the telescope.

Which is more cost effective and yields better results I'm not sure. This is where you fine people come into play. I have read forums, watched videos and am still no better off than when i first started. A few of the scopes that have peaked my interest are: 

Celestron Advanced VX 8" Newtonian Telescope - £980

Celestron EdgeHD 8" Optical Tube Assembly CG5 - £1200 

Meade LS 6" ACF Telescope with LightSwitch Technology - £1500

SkyWatcher Explorer 250PDS EQ6 PRO Reflector Telescope - £1389 )

SkyWatcher Quattro 10CF 250mm Imaging Newtonian OTA - £845

OR if anyone else can suggest a good scope for between £500 - £1500 with pros-cons, etc. that would be great!

I understand some of the above don't come with mounts but id just buy that on my next payday  

Camera wise I've looking into the Canon 1100D as there is that software backyard EOS which i would get also (id wait a month or 2 to buy the camera, after getting use to my scope )

I've rambled on far to long, so I shall wait for replies 

[John]

Hello and welcome to the forum 

Imaging is a very different game from visual observing so the equipment needs are different and not necessarily what you might expect from a cursory inspection of what it is available.

I'm going to repeat the advice that is often given here for those wishing to make a start in astro imaging and that is to invest in a copy of the book "Making Every Photon Count" by Steve Richards:

http://www.firstlightoptics.com/books/making-every-photon-count-steve-richards.html

It's a complex subject and the book will help guide you through the minefield of decisions that need to be made.

Generally, for imaging, the priority is getting the mount right and that may well be where most of the initial investment goes.

[ronin]

Celestron Advanced VX 8" Newtonian Telescope - £980

Celestron EdgeHD 8" Optical Tube Assembly CG5 - £1200 

Meade LS 6" ACF Telescope with LightSwitch Technology - £1500

SkyWatcher Explorer 250PDS EQ6 PRO Reflector Telescope - £1389 )

SkyWatcher Quattro 10CF 250mm Imaging Newtonian OTA - £845

First: is an SCT so not well suited to DSO astrophotography, focal length too long.

Second: the same problem

Third: again an SCT and the mount is Alt/Az, not really suited to DSO astrophotography on both counts.

Fourth: looks/sounds about right.

Fifth: the price is for the OTA only, that means you woulkd need to get a good mount for it seperately (EQ6).

As said astrophotography often means getting something that at first doesn't seem to fit. Many will get an EQ6 with goto then image by a good but small 80mm apo refractor.

[swag72]

The book above is an excellent starting point, something of an imagers bible that you should read through before making any purchase at all.

I know this sounds odd, but THE most important part of an AP setup is the mount. You need a good solid base with which to build your kit up. The general minimum recommended for AP is the HEQ5. This will allow good guiding (you'll want that later on) and punches well above it's price tag. Add to that an ED80 refractor and you have a good starting point for AP. The shorter focal length refractor will place minimum stress on your mount for guiding later on and yields good results. Many on here use this combination to good effect.

If you think you may want to upgrade your scope later on then an EQ6 or NEQ6 is a good bet.

There is the option of course of doing AP for less, buying a lesser mount for example. But this is a frustrating hobby at times and you'll want to maximise your data capture, not spend hours fiddling with things not up to it or losing data because your mount is wobbly.

Have a look in the imaging section and see the photo's that people are taking. They will often say what they used to capture the data. This will give you some ideas of what works well. There are tried and tested combinations out there and they are often recommended for that reason.

[mckennal05]

Hey guys thanks for replies and the welcome  

I've bought the book so ill have a good read through it when it comes!

I was pretty much set on the NEQ6 Synscan for my mount anyway, but seems like everyone one has the 5 version so I guess 6 can only be better

Is the little hand GOTO controller really worth it ? or is there software that i can buy for pc that does the same thing ? because it would be hooked up to a Canon EOS 1100D + laptop 95% of the time

I wont be looking through an eyepiece at all ( I would most likely buy another scope for eye viewing)

[rowan46]

http://www.firstlightoptics.com/skywatcher-mounts/skywatcher-eq6-syntrek.html

http://www.firstlightoptics.com/astronomy-cables-leads-accessories/hitecastro-eqdir-adapter.html

thats what you need if you don't want the handset

and I forgot this

http://eq-mod.sourceforge.net/

[ronl]

Hi and welcome to the lounge

As you can see from the above advice, A P is not a cheap

hobby, I myself am an observer, but with any form of this 

wonderful hobby your mount has to be the best you can

afford, then build from that.

Good Luck and Clear Sky's

[mckennal05]

http://www.firstlightoptics.com/skywatcher-mounts/skywatcher-eq6-syntrek.html

http://www.firstlightoptics.com/astronomy-cables-leads-accessories/hitecastro-eqdir-adapter.html

thats what you need if you don't want the handset

and I forgot this

http://eq-mod.sourceforge.net/

Thanks , am 100% buying them now ! just the scope to look for now , most likely 

Skywatcher Quattro f4 Imaging Newtonian

or

Skywatcher Explorer 300P DS

Just need to read this book when it comes to learn about collimation and other problems etc  

[rowan46]

Thanks , am 100% buying them now ! just the scope to look for now , most likely 

Skywatcher Quattro f4 Imaging Newtonian

or

Skywatcher Explorer 300P DS

Just need to read this book when it comes to learn about collimation and other problems etc

read the book before you buy the scope

[John]

You seem to be dead set on buying a big scope. As suggested in ronin's post above, a small scope on a big mount is the best way to get into deep sky imaging.

Do read the book before making any hasty decisions 

[dezzie]

some of the most awesome pics I have seen have been on an 80mm apo refractor, I too thought it was impossible to get the pics I have seen but the optics are fab, even some of the smaller reflector scopes yield good results and are cheap, but like the rest say on here, its all in the mount first, optics come next!

[mckennal05]

You seem to be dead set on buying a big scope. As suggested in ronin's post above, a small scope on a big mount is the best way to get into deep sky imaging.

Do read the book before making any hasty decisions 

I think i am to be honest, but when looking though information bigger scopes seem to be suggested as you get more light and low F/ as well...plus your gettting more so to speak  , why buy a tiny one when i can get the bigger one? i'm most likely going to end up buying a month down the line ?

That's just my way of thinking i suppose haha 

[mckennal05]

some of the most awesome pics I have seen have been on an 80mm apo refractor, I too thought it was impossible to get the pics I have seen but the optics are fab, even some of the smaller reflector scopes yield good results and are cheap, but like the rest say on here, its all in the mount first, optics come next!

Indeed most will be spent on the mount which will most likely be the EQ6 or the HEQ5  

Then of to pick the one of many scopes, its a shame I cant just fit a giant scope to the camera and point and click....why's the earth have to be awkward and rotate

[John]

.... why buy a tiny one when i can get the bigger one? i'm most likely going to end up buying a month down the line ?

Because those who are expert in imaging (not me !) recommend that ?

Do read the book before buying 

[swamp thing]

Start building an observatory or forget about a 12" newt on an EQ. As a portable imaging rig, this just isn't.

Unless you have a permanent housing for this set up, forget it.

I'm no imager, but I do know what works in the field. 12" EQ mounted newts don't.

[brantuk]

A 10" or 12" newt is gonna cause you vibration problems and make imaging really tricky - even on an NEQ6 Pro mount. For observing only, aperture is what you want and these sort of sizes are usually found on dobsonian (alt/az) mounts.

An imaging newtonian is a good idea but go for a smaller size like 8" which is more manageable for the mount - or alternatively - go for a good quality, fast, appochromatic refractor of around 90mm to 120mm. Most of the really good images come from triplets (and some doublets) of this size and the NEQ6 mounts will carry them very well, so a bit of research in that area would be a good idea.

Choose a low f-ratio of f-5 or less, or an f-6/f-7 scope that reduces down to f-5 or less with a paired reducer/flatenner, for a dual use instrument. The book will explain this. Plus you will find that guiding is necessary - for that you'll require a separate guide scope and camera and all the gear to mount them to the imaging scope. Expect to spend in excess of £2000 - but don't go spending before you really know what you're doing - expensive mistakes can and will happen if you're too keen. Hth

[ollypenrice]

I took these images with a tiny one. (85mm refractor.) I like tiny ones!

And this was taken with a positively miniscule 85mm camera lens.

The phrase 'more light' is a minefield in astrophotography and is as good as meaningless in isolation from what really matters, which is focal ratio.

You do get a fast F ratio with big Newts but you also get a barrage of complications in what is already a complicated game, and that is why I don't use them myself.

Olly

http://ollypenrice.smugmug.com/Other/Best-of-Les-Granges/22435624_WLMPTM#!i=2277139556&k=FGgG233

[scaramanga]

Wow