Celestron CPC 9.25 Auto Guide or HD Wedge ?

[Selborne]

Good Day,

I wonder if someone could provide me with some advice please, I currently own a Celestron CPC9.25, and I am very happy with the scope, however I wish to start to get a little more serious with Astrophotography and therefore need to get the scope to track much more finely, so I am struck with a dilemma at the moment, I have around £400 budget, so I was wondering if I should purchase a wedge for the scope or purchase an auto-guide system and leave it in alt-az and then purchase the other at a later date ?

so the question is where to start ?

Any advice would be most appreciated,

Many thanks

Jamie 

[GuillermoBarrancos]

For planetary imaging a wedge isn´t necessary.

However, if you want to start With deepsky imaging, you will need a wedge, a guide Scope + guidecam (or OAG + guidecam). Blowing way past Your 400 Budget.

I would start With planetary imaging and spend the 400 Budget on a good planetary CCD camera. Together with a 2x or 5x Powermate (or ED equivalent) barlow.

The SCT 9.25 is an awesome Scope for planetary imaging!

Ofcourse it´s excellent for deepsky targets too. But it will require a little higher Investment.

Wedge + guide Equipment (OAG+guidecam or Scope+guidecam) will easily set you back 700-800. Almost double your planned budget.

[Davey-T]

There are a few examples of home made wedges on the net, easy enough to knock one up out of plywood if you're into DIY, good enough to start astrophotography with.

Filter wheel missed off the above list, imaging is a bottomless money pit.

Dave

[Sammyb]

And not to forget a focal reducer/flattener would be required too

[Selborne]

Thanks for the advice, I have ordered as a result, an HD Pro Wedge, 80mm x 600mm guide scope, the Celestron Nexguider system, Dovetail and a Focal reducer (f6.3), and yet Davey-T I have just entered the PIT !!

Cheers For now