Newbie asking some telescope advices

[Mizuko]

So I did settle for the SW 150p on NEQ3 mount. Ordered from Germany, hopefully will get it this week

Once I get the hang of it, maybe start adding some accessories for it. Thanks everyone for your guidance and experiences!

[itmo]

I find it weird how many finnish noobies find their way into stargazers lounge. I have been lurking around here for a while and there seems to be one every now and then. It is weird because the finnish amateur astronomer associations are quite active and they have a large common messageboard at URSA's site.

Congratulations on your new instrument . Next thing to do is to get a membership in a local club which probably comes with a membership in ursa and a free subscription of their great magazine Tähdet&avaruus. Also the finnish astrophotoscene is very active and they are relatively happy to help newbies. My first scope was a 200p skywatcher on an EQ5 and i still love it. What is difficult though is that an EQ mount requires tall legs or something to stand on, the observing positions are less userfriendly than on a dobson. 

You next things to shop for are good eyepieces, the 25mm and 10mm that came with your scope are ok "factory" eyepieces, but they limit your scope quite a lot. Find someone nearby who already has a scope and ask if you can try their stuff out to see what money buys. Also I suggest buying cheap 10x50 binoculars from TS , they are good for a wider view , and you can already spot stuff like andromeda and orion nebula with them. 

Other thing you should probably do is install stellarium and buy a red dot sight if your scope doesnt already have one. 

[itmo]

Also I would like to note that it is VERY difficult to find a place in finland where it is so light polluted you cant see the milky way. Even in the middle of espoo, with the lights shining on my yard, I can make it out (barely). The limiting magnitude with short adaptation is about 4.5 here. Ofcourse once it snows it will get a bit worse. 

[itmo]

and more things to buy. If you want to do astrophotography with your camera directly attached to your telescope you will need a T2<-> EOS adapter. Most skywatcher scopes have a T2 thread , and your barlow might also have a T2 thread. This way you can just attach the barlow to your camera like a lens, then attach the whole camera to the scope like an eyepiece. 

[LouisJB]

Hi,

I was in a similar situation a few months ago. I think if I were doing it over again with that sort of budget I would look at a Skywatcher 130PDS (or 150PDS) on an EQ3 type mount. The PDS range will ensure it works with your DSLR camera. I'd avoid any mount EQ2 or less, since it will be too unstable, especially if you hope to ever use a camera with it. There's no end of accessories you can get, but you don't need them all at once to start with. The skywatcher setups tend to come with a couple of eyepieces (but do check what you get), the eyepieces are sufficient to get started. A red torch and a planisphere is a good starting point and maybe a good book (like Turn left at Orion). Install Stellarium (it's free), it's ideal for learning where things are and planing for a nights observation.

Also, there are alternatives to standard skywatcher kit, available in Europe. Just slightly over your budget but you have things like this:  http://www.teleskop-express.de/shop/product_info.php/info/p5536_GSO-6--F-5-Newtonian-Telescope-on-Skywatcher-EQ3-mount.html

Which is basically a 6" Newtonian on a suitable mount that should cope with it, not bad as a starter setup.

In fact these guys are really helpful, you might consider emailing them or giving them a call.

Hope that helps, good luck! I bet your skies are dark when away from the cities!

[LouisJB]

haha, I somehow replied to an out of date thread. Looks like you made your choice already, well I hope you enjoy it

[Mizuko]

Thanks guys for all the info, especially itmo

I already ordered the T2 adapter for my EOS at the same order, so I can try it out. And yes, especially in my cabin (North Carelia) there is basically no light pollution at all.

So hopefully when we go there maybe at Christmas, there will be clear skies

I actually ended up here checking out reviews of different scopes and sizes of them etc. So decided to register also, since people seem to comment quite quickly, since it's a large forum. I have been reading finnish forums also, but it's nice to read posts from all around the world. But yes, I would need to register as an Ursa member also and get some books etc from there

LouisJB, no problem, thanks for the advice. I did decide to get the 150p, even though I was thinking of the PDS versions also. But I will start with this set and see where this new hobby takes me

[Joves]

Best of luck with your new scope when it arrives. I'm sure you're going to love it!

Beautiful pooch in the pic, btw!

Aaron

[Mizuko]

Thanks Joves! Yes, that is one of my two furry kids, Siberian Husky male

[Joves]

Wasn't sure if he was a husky or a malamute. Very cute

[itmo]

and you did get a cheshire too? Invaluable as a collimation aid. The problem with newtons is that they are only as good as their collimation is, but once you learn to collimate it will take under a minute and becomes second nature. 

[Mizuko]

I did not get it yet. Will do once I get the scope and have tried it

[itmo]

and if the 150 has the same secondary mirror collimation mechanism as my 200p and 300p , it begs for a mod. The secondary mirror holder is so soft that the collimation screws dig in and start rotating the secondary mirror.. which leads to collimation confusion. 

[Mizuko]

Ok, thanks for the heads-up