Skywatcher Evostar 80ED DS PRO & HEQ5 PRO

[thor666]

Ok the question I pose to ask is simply .......... What could I expect to view with this scope and mount ?

[davefrance]

What eyepieces?

[thor666]

I'm not sure what ever comes with the kit from FLO. ......

Includes 2”/50.8mm Di-Electric Star Diagonal, 2" 28mm LES eyepiece, 9x50 finderscope and Aluminium case.

It is going to be my first telescope but thought I would rather but more expensive than buy twice.

I will be using it for AP but that's a different topic I'm merely asking about viewing here.

Thanks

Joel

[GuillermoBarrancos]

The 80mm Version of these Scopes are primarily targetted at astro photography.

It's an excellent grab and go telescope for viewing tho and you will be able to see the brighter DSO's on a good dark site.

If you can stretch your Budget by 175, you could go for the 100ED instead. It has a larger aperture and longer focal length, making it also excellent for viewing planets (Jupiter, Saturn).

I wouldn't personally buy the 80ED for pure Visual use, unless I live in a dark site with no light polution. And then it will still be very Limited at what you will be able to see.

If Your Budget is tight and you are not interested in Astro Photography and primarly interested in a refractor kind of Scope, then you will be better off in buying the normal Evostar 120 together with the HEQ5 Pro Mount and throw in some filters to reduce the chromatic aberation on Bright targets.

You will get more Visual enjoyment out of that Scope than the 80ED, due to it's much larger aperture and longer focal length.

If you are not Limited towards a refractor, then you could also consider an 8inch SCT, which would fit nicely on the HEQ5 Pro.

[baggywrinkle]

I have this on an EQ5 mount for basic astro-p work. Great scope but the limitations are a max mag of about 160x so not for planets etc, but even at max mag it gives crisp views.

As a visual scope it is widefield orientated.

[thor666]

Thanks for the replies and info guys.

To be honest it would be primarily for AP and mobility is rather important to me as I haven't much space at home.

I would be looking at DSO more so than planetary and lunar.

[thor666]

Just been looking on the FLO site and to get the 100ED would only be £10 more as it comes with a 0.85x reducer which would have to be bought desperately of I got the 80ED.

So would I be right in thinking for £10 more the 100ED is a no brainer ?

[thor666]

Separately ^* sorry

[baggywrinkle]

Thats a good deal....as it is an F9 (so good for planetary) the focal reducer would be needed.

I am sure more comments will come in..

[thor666]

Ah ...... Not the scope for me then as I'm more interested in deep sky as opposed to planetary.

I have to confess this is all a million times harder than I ever would have thought trying to pick out a scope could ever be.

[Steve Ward]

The 80ED is much better than the 100ED if you're aiming at photography , the 100 is a lot slower .

[GuillermoBarrancos]

Ah ...... Not the scope for me then as I'm more interested in deep sky as opposed to planetary.

I have to confess this is all a million times harder than I ever would have thought trying to pick out a scope could ever be.

You have to ask yourself what you want to do.

Are not going to bother looking through the eyepiece and aim for photography only?  Or would you like to use the Scope for Visual as well?

If you want to use it for Visual use, then the 100ED is a no brainer! Especially if you get such a good deal from FLO With just 10 bucks difference and also the 0,85 Focal reducer (which ain't cheap).

That's a very good deal!

[baggywrinkle]

/\ This is so true...tried explaing to Mrs Baggy why I need 3 OTA's..

Even my last buy a simple grab 'n' gp job was about 5 weeks researching and thinking, making spreadsheets and comparing performance and of course prices..

[PhotoGav]

Well, if you are going to be mainly photographing, with the occasional glance through the eyepiece, I would go for the 80ED and then add something bigger, maybe a 200PDS at a later stage... The views through the 80ED with the 2" eyepiece are great, from a pretty dark site, the Pleiades fills the view, clusters generally are satisfying and things like M42 are a definite fuzzies! I have some 1.25" eyepieces from an old ETX105 and have used them with success. I had a group of friends and their kids all gawping at Jupiter one evening not so long ago.

All in all, I took the advice from this site to go with the HEQ5 & 80ED with focal reducer, to get started in AP and I do not regret it at all. What you will need though is a whole heap of patience and persistence, not to mention an endless supply of clear skies!!!

Good luck and above all, enjoy!

[PhotoGav]

Forgot to add something about power... I started with a 7Ah power tank - that is now solely used as a torch! I currently use a 70Ah leisure battery in an 'accubox' (http://www.tayna.co.uk/Numax-Deluxe-Battery-Box-Accubox-P7784.html), powering mount, 2 dew straps & a laptop. I still get a flashing red light on the mount, but it seems to function perfectly. I haven't tried plugging in to the mains yet. Anyway, the point is, you will need a really decent power supply! I would love to try one of the lithium polymer batteries (http://www.firstlightoptics.com/power/tracer-12v-10ah-lithium-polymer-battery-pack.html)... Meant to be good.

[thor666]

Thanks for all the info and advice guys your all very helpful.

I think I will be going into The Widescreen Centre either tomorrow or Friday to have an up close and personal look at some scopes and see what's what and just how big they are face to face.