First scope for Astrophotography

[pete_robby]

Hello,

I'm new to this site....I've had a Powerseeker 76AZ for the last 2 yrs and it's been brilliant to get me hooked. I now want a GOTO and TRACKING scope that I can use with my Canon 550D DSLR. I really want a better aperture so I can cover all planets on our solar system and maybe for the long exposures using the Auto tracking (I believe you call this ALT-Azimuth), to peer farther into space and get some nice pictures of stars.

I was nearly dead set on the Celestron Skyprodigy 130. But having read a few posts on here I may reconsider. What I basically want to know from you all is should I get the:

1. Skyprodigy 130 - I've found this for £499 online from the UK

2. Skywatcher Explorer 200P EQ5 GOTO - but I believe this does not track.....and I would need to the EQ6 mount which is mega money

3. Something else......

The sky prodigy has a 5" aperture, the Skywatcher 8". I was on a 3" one before so I know the Skyprodigy will be a nice step up but if I can get something better with tracking for the same (roughly) money I'd prefer that.

Any thoughts much appreciated!

Pete

[ronin]

For DSLR work you really need an equitorial mount not an alt/az, so that would seem to put the Skyprodigy out of it.

Aperture does really count for much. The 130 and the 200 are boith f/5 so the exposure(s) would be the same with either scope. What alters is the size of the prime image.

If you are going to image planets then you can use an Alt/Az but you fit a webcam not a DSLR.

Imaging stars is really a bit pointless. A star remains a point immaterial of the scope. You can image Nebula, galaxies, clusters - open or globular, or wahted a constellation if the field of view is sufficent.

If the mount is EQ5 GOTO then it tracks, once target is centered then the mount defaults to sidereal tracking rate.

The 200P on the EQ5 is a bit big for imaging but people manage.

[iksose7]

I would recommend taking a look on AstroBuysellUK, you can pick up some really great deals on new as well as second hand equipment. I've seen a few NEQ6s going for around 100 pounds and EQ5s going for even cheaper!

[cantab]

The advice I always hear is to get and read the book "Making Every Photon Count" first.

[baggywrinkle]

Look at the HEQ5, better than a standard E^5 but much lowers cost than a EQ6Pro

[swag72]

A general recommended starting place for AP is the HEQ5 and an shortish length refractor, such as an 80ED. This is really the basis for many peoples imaging rigs. It is as plug and play as you can get, add a separate guide scope and guide camera to that and a reducer if you are using a DSLR and you should get going fairly easily.

There are folks who image with less and suggest that you really don't need an HEQ5 - My only question to them would be how many subs do they keep in a general run? I used an HEQ5 for a couple of years, and on an all night run, taking 30 minute subs, I wouldn't drop any. That is the sort of keeper rate that you want in AP. The times you get out are infrequent enough without adding throwing away subs into the mix or battling with equipment that will work .............. but with some TLC!

Have a look around the imaging section and be realistic about the sort of images you want to achieve with the budget and time that you have. People generally post their kit anyway, so you can get a feel for what works to achieve your aims.

Hope that helps. Just a couple of musings from my own experience. I'm not rubbishing anyone else experience or opinions, but I want life to be as simple as possible!

[pete_robby]

Excellent many thanks to everyone offering advice, priceless!

swag72, what's a sub? Are they exposures?

Lots to think about from everyone else, I'm sure I will have many more questions in relation to these so I'll get back on here once I've digested and researched this material, thanks again!

Pete

[Oily]

Excellent many thanks to everyone offering advice, priceless!

swag72, what's a sub? Are they exposures?

Lots to think about from everyone else, I'm sure I will have many more questions in relation to these so I'll get back on here once I've digested and researched this material, thanks again!

Pete

A sub is one single exposure Pete,be it 2 seconds long to 30 minutes long.

@Sara,life would be simple for all of us if we all had the luxury of an obsy & the budget to buy HEQ5's or better

[swag72]

@Sara,life would be simple for all of us if we all had the luxury of an obsy & the budget to buy HEQ5's or better

I admire the more budget guys for what they produce, I'm not knocking it. But I do wish that people would be a little more realistic when they say you can do AP with an EQ1 and a SW300 () - It gives people false hope in my opinion and in no way reflects the masses amount of work and time that you guys have to put into it to get an image out of the other end.

It almost suggests that the 'budget' imager (I really don't want that to sound patronising, it's hard to think of a better word - we all have budgets after all) is a doable option for all, whereas for many who start out and don't have the necessary tinkering skills (myself included) can not produce images as you do. In my opinion, doing AP on a smaller budget should be very much hailed as more than laudable, but also tempered with some realistic expectations, as should AP all round.

[brantuk]

I agree with Sara - unless one has "appropriate electro/mechanical skills" and a pre-existing knowledge of astronomy - the DIY astro imaging solution is not really something I'd recommend for a beginner. The very first step has to be a good read of Making Every Photon Count just to find out what astro imaging is all about.

Many newbies (much like myself 5 or 6 yrs ago) have massive expectations of "get a scope", "get a camera", then "point and click" - but it just doesn't work out that way. I remember being horrified at the cost of gear and the steepness of the learning curve. Imho there's just no point being unrealistic with beginners - it's far better to point at a step by step approach and lots of research, reading, and price checking.

First consideration has to be the mount - EQ being essential, and a good beefy one that sits rock solid stable and able to support the imaging gear with ease. If you want to do it properly, several platforms satisfy that as an absolute minimum, CG5GT Goto, EQ5 Synscan Goto (with a very light scope), and preferably HEQ5 Synscan Pro. The new Advanced VX may well do the business too but I've no experience of it.

Couple of tips for newbies starting out with AP - use a webcam for planets, dslr for deep sky objects (or ccd camera if budget allows), and three areas of research to bone up on: exposure length and camera settings; guide scopes and guiding; and imaging/processing software. And when shopping for gear - go second hand if budget is tight - you can save hundreds of £'s but you have to know what you're looking for.

This link is a great intro: http://www.astronomiser.co.uk/helpcanon.htm

[Alien 13]

There are a lot of factors involved when when going down the AP route now im firmly in the Oily camp but for lots of reasons i will list some questions i asked myself when starting out.

1. Mobility does the equipment need to be moved outside and set up at a moments notice?

2. Whats my light polution like? A quick check with my camera pointed at the sky gave me a max exposure of 1 min 20 seconds at f4 before it was totaly overexposed.

3. What realisticly could i image? My thoughts where Moon, Planets and brighter DSO now i knew this would be conflict number one long/short focal length requirements.

4. What do i want out of this hobby? Well ive always been keen with photography and have built many DIY electronic projects so i figured yes this is for me.

I ended up with the equipment i have now had to put planets on the back burner till i can get a lightweight MAK but for me it pretty much fits the bill i know something like an HEQ5 would be an upgrade but would it realy produce a better 1 min sub with a 50mm lens?

Alan

[brantuk]

"would it realy produce a better 1 min sub with a 50mm lens?"

Hi Alan - are you using the camera with the 50mm? Or are you attaching it to the ZS71 and flattener for prime focus? With an HEQ5 you'd get much longer subs with much more accurate tracking than the EQ3-2. I'm suggesting 10 to 15mins exposures would be a doddle on the HEQ5 with guiding - this would produce a much better picture than any 1min sub on your EQ3-2.

[cantab]

Something I think worth underlining: there's a big difference between an EQ5 and a HEQ5. The HEQ5 can carry a considerably higher payload; I think of the H as standing for 'Heavy'.

[Alien 13]

"would it realy produce a better 1 min sub with a 50mm lens?"

 

Hi Alan - are you using the camera with the 50mm? Or are you attaching it to the ZS71 and flattener for prime focus? With an HEQ5 you'd get much longer subs with much more accurate tracking than the EQ3-2. I'm suggesting 10 to 15mins exposures would be a doddle on the HEQ5 with guiding - this would produce a much better picture than any 1min sub on your EQ3-2.

 

I see your point but even with the WO ZS71 i am still limited to 1 min exposures because of my local light polution but im happy with that it sets limits that i find challenging, i still stand outside like a lemon with a manual remote shutter release and manual focusing without a PC connected but that me i like the hands on approach even when there freezing cold hands.

I know i could go the mono ccd filter route with a guided HEQ5 for longer exposures but thats a completely different chapter and one that im not sure i would enjoy so much.

I realy do admire the work from the great imagers on this site but my own stuff thrills me to bits i can show it to my kids and say "i done that" and i learn so much each time.

The important thing is it has to be enjoyable not a chore and to start off in AP all you need is a camera and tripod some stacking and image processing software and plenty of enthusiasm.

Alan

[Oily]

Something I think worth underlining: there's a big difference between an EQ5 and a HEQ5. The HEQ5 can carry a considerably higher payload; I think of the H as standing for 'Heavy'.

Were not disputing the fact the HEQ5 can carry more,what we are discussing is you don't have to spend a fortune on equipment to do AP