Heritage 130P, first images

[royvanrijn]

Hello everybody,

This is my first post on the forum!

After buying my first telescope in november (and having three weeks of overcast) I'm starting to get the hang of it. During the time I had the telescope but no way to use it I already created a modified Lifecam HD-3000. I used this for my first image (stacked using RegiStax):

(Sky-Watcher Heritage 130P, Microsoft Lifecam HD-3000 modified, stacked with Registax)

After playing around with this setup I decided to get a 2x Barlow. I settled on an Ostara 2x Barlow with EOS T-ring. This allowed me to hook up my Canon 550D/T2i to the telescope. After trying that I never attached the webcam again. Shooting with the Canon 550D in 640x480 cropped works much better for stacking.

I also noticed when viewing with the Barlow all the stars/planets had a smear to one side... this reminded me: Collimation!

This is something I'd read about, but hadn't tried (hey, the telescope just came from the factory). I quickly found out the collimation was very bad when I made my own collimation cap. After realigning the primary mirror it made a HUGE difference.

Yesterday I went out again, and between the clouds in the cold I was stunned by how clear Jupiter has become now:

(Sky-Watcher Heritage 130P, Ostara 2x Barlow with T-Ring, Canon 550D/T2i 640x480 cropped movie mode, stacked with Registax)

I live in one of the most light populated places in the world, so I haven't really tried to look for other things besides the moon and Jupiter. What other things would be interesting to look at with my beginner scope? I'm planning on taking the telescope out more away from cities when the cold months are gone.

Any comments/hints/tips are extremely welcome!

[rory]

the orion nebula is certainly worth looking up . its large but also bright compared to a lot of objects.

 great images by the way.

Edited January 12, 2014 by rory

[Alien 13]

Welcome to SGL, they are very nice images you have taken with the heritage scope.

Alan

[cussine]

Well done, great images

[happy-kat]

Great images, Jupiter is really clear.

After plonking 580 grams of camera/eye piece on mine recently I realised that my T3 at 495 grams was going to be worth a try and your great shot confirms this.

[royvanrijn]

Attaching my (kind of heavy) DSLR was a bit much for the Heritage 130p but it worked quite well. I did shift the dove tail attachment a bit to change the center of gravity of the tube.

I do wish now I had a mount with tracking instead of a dob, but hey, you can't argue with the Heritage Dob as beginner telescope looking at price/value. I might invest in a tracking EQ mount first and attach the 130P initially (step-wise improvements). This can be done right?

Anyway, I'm still unsure if my backyard allows me to look at much more than planets/moon with the light pollution, and I don't see myself driving hours into the less densely populated areas of Europe with my telescope. 

[OptiGone]

I had a 130p on a small eq mount a few years ago, went on to buy an EQ5 ( same reasons as you) and used the 130p on that until i then upgraded to a 200p. Did it step by step.

[Pete Presland]

excellent images well done!

[royvanrijn]

I had a 130p on a small eq mount a few years ago, went on to buy an EQ5 ( same reasons as you) and used the 130p on that until i then upgraded to a 200p. Did it step by step.

Which 200p did you get as new upgrade? A dobsonian mounted to the EQ5 again, or did you buy an OTA like this?

http://www.firstlightoptics.com/reflectors/skywatcher-explorer-200p-ota.html

That does sound like a good upgrade path to follow, buying a EQ5 (or HEQ5) with dual motor drive for astrophotography, using that with the 130P first. Later I can buy a separate better OTA for the EQ and mount the Heritage back to the dobsonian for travel and my kids. Right?

[happy-kat]

On my list of items I want to see in mine are m44 and the Pleiades m45

My home made light shield has increased contrast in certain directions due to having street lights so close to where I observe.

Edited January 14, 2014 by happy-kat

[royvanrijn]

My home made light shield has increased contrast in certain directions due to having street lights so close to where I observe.

I've got the advantage of a (small) backyard which has fences that block most light (I only have to close the curtains and manually switch off the lights in the backyard). I don't think a shield will improve much.

The biggest problem I have is living near heavily iluminated greenhouses:

[happy-kat]

They are bright.

Do you know the type of light they emit?

I don't know if a light filter would be of any use, depends perhaps on the spectrum.

Lighting greenhouse growing is very ungreen, is it flowers or veg?

Edited January 14, 2014 by happy-kat

[rory]

my good god, that's horrendous !    you really do have light pollution there.

[iksobarg]

Great FIRST images!!

and you give me hope!!

Thanks!!

[Dannomiss]

On 12/01/2014 at 14:11, royvanrijn said:

Hello everybody,

This is my first post on the forum!

After buying my first telescope in november (and having three weeks of overcast) I'm starting to get the hang of it. During the time I had the telescope but no way to use it I already created a modified Lifecam HD-3000. I used this for my first image (stacked using RegiStax):

(Sky-Watcher Heritage 130P, Microsoft Lifecam HD-3000 modified, stacked with Registax)

After playing around with this setup I decided to get a 2x Barlow. I settled on an Ostara 2x Barlow with EOS T-ring. This allowed me to hook up my Canon 550D/T2i to the telescope. After trying that I never attached the webcam again. Shooting with the Canon 550D in 640x480 cropped works much better for stacking.

I also noticed when viewing with the Barlow all the stars/planets had a smear to one side... this reminded me: Collimation!

This is something I'd read about, but hadn't tried (hey, the telescope just came from the factory). I quickly found out the collimation was very bad when I made my own collimation cap. After realigning the primary mirror it made a HUGE difference.

Yesterday I went out again, and between the clouds in the cold I was stunned by how clear Jupiter has become now:

(Sky-Watcher Heritage 130P, Ostara 2x Barlow with T-Ring, Canon 550D/T2i 640x480 cropped movie mode, stacked with Registax)

I live in one of the most light populated places in the world, so I haven't really tried to look for other things besides the moon and Jupiter. What other things would be interesting to look at with my beginner scope? I'm planning on taking the telescope out more away from cities when the cold months are gone.

Any comments/hints/tips are extremely welcome!

Would I be able to see your images? Not coming up in your post? 

[david_taurus83]

1 minute ago, Dannomiss said:

Would I be able to see your images? Not coming up in your post? 

That post was over 6 years ago.

[Dannomiss]

3 hours ago, david_taurus83 said:

That post was over 6 years ago.

I know and I just found the post after looking for hope regarding the heritage and what can be achieved. I have the heritage 150p 🙂  so was looking forward to seeing those pics in the post

Edited July 13, 2020 by Dannomiss

[Dannomiss]

 

 

Edited July 13, 2020 by Dannomiss

[Vulisha]

You need to modify it a little bit and buy different mount but most basic astrophotography is very possible, 

This is my heritage 130p with bad atmo and not a lot of work, with logitech c270 webcam and cheapest 3x barlow possible

Moon is with phone from holder

Edited July 13, 2020 by Vulisha

[Dannomiss]

27 minutes ago, Vulisha said:

You need to modify it a little bit and buy different mount but most basic astrophotography is very possible, 

This is my heritage 130p with bad atmo and not a lot of work, with logitech c270 webcam and cheapest 3x barlow possible

Moon is with phone from holder

Thanks so much for these

These are mine currently with the 150p which I am pleased with for sure

[happy-kat]

3 hours ago, Dannomiss said:

I know and I just found your post after looking for hope regarding the heritage and what can be achieved. I have the heritage 150p 🙂  so was looking forward to seeing those pics in the post

Any picture the 150p f5 can achieve in theory, just got to work carefully to nail focus using the focuser assembly on there heritage flavour.

[Dannomiss]

2 minutes ago, happy-kat said:

to work carefully to nail focus using the focuser assembly

The focuser is the most disappointing part  

[Vulisha]

Oh I didn't know 150p is out, I would have buy that in my time but it didn't existed.

I see they did not fix focuser from 130p unfortunately But I see they fixed secondary mirror it is now 3 point fixed, that is great.

Best thing about heritage series is that you can easily achieve any focal lenght for Mirrorless/webcam, you just need to shorten the tube until focus is achived(not extend it to the end), and extend it to the end for eyepieces. 

 

Great photos moon especially, but planets are good as well!