Ready to upgrade and looking for some advice

[chris285]

Currently I have a Skywatcher Explorer 130m scope and it's been a great start, but I am ready to upgrade to something better and looking to also get something that will allow me to move into the world of astrophotograhpy as well.

I've got my eye on the Celestron C8 Edge-HD VX GOTO setup at the moment, seems good value for money and a good all round scope but geared towards imaging which is what I want to concentrate on in the future. I've been pricing up a starter order for want of a better word with power pack and cables and a T ring as well and i'm at the stage of considering eyepeices and i'm not sure where to go.

I've currently got a 25/10/7mm 1.25" ones on my current setup with a moon and light pollution filter, they won't have been the most expensive so I know better quality ones can be had. With what I am looking at having a 2" eyepeice it gives me the chance to look at getting some better quality in I think, but I am not sure if I should look at a variable eyepeice as unsure on their quality or if I should look at a kit which may also contain filters as well.

Can anyone give me some pointers on this please.

[Tinker1947]

You will need a camera either DSLR or CCD, some guiding for longer exposures, i would go for a refractor on a HEQ5 or NEQ6 mount for imagine, others will have different opinions .....you will also require a mains PSU as a mount and dew heaters ect will soon gobble up a power tank amps....

[Owmuchonomy]

That scope is ok for solar system but a bit slow and long FL for DSO in my view. There is a reducer option but that adds cost and it is tricky to avoid internal reflections. I added a AA 102EDT to complement my 9.25 SCT recently to add imaging power and wider DSO capability.  For imaging the mount is very important.  I find my HEQ5 Pro complements my scopes well although with all the additions it is at the limit with the SCT.  One thing is certain, there will be lots of varying comments for you to review!

[knobby]

The A VX mount is getting good reviews but (even though I have one) I'd probably recommend the heq5 for imaging...

it has support by EQ mod

It has loads of other imagers using it

Its tried and trusted

You'll get more support on here from fellow users

...

The a vx is a bit, er, of a maverick / I want to be different choice :-)

[chris285]

Mostly would be back garden as light pollution isn't too bad where I am, so mains power would be mostly used but any suggestions for a good portable pack as I am planning on taking it to keilder forrest  towards the end of the year as well.

One thing to add is I don't own a laptop at the moment, for serious imaging is this a must? I have a 1100D canon I plan to use initially as my main imaging tool, but may look into a more dedicated camera but again most need a laptop which currently I don't own I have an ipad but obviously not the same.

The edge on the celestron does allow a camera to be connected a F2 but not sure if thats enough, if i was to look at a heq5 for example as an alternative would say the Skywatcher Quattro f4 Imaging Newtonian at 250mm be a good companion to go with it? And will this still give reasonable planetary and lunar imaging considering it's speed rating?

[GuillermoBarrancos]

The A VX mount is getting good reviews but (even though I have one) I'd probably recommend the heq5 for imaging...

it has support by EQ mod

It has loads of other imagers using it

Its tried and trusted

You'll get more support on here from fellow users

...

The a vx is a bit, er, of a maverick / I want to be different choice :-)

This can be easily solved to go to a US forum for support on Celestron Equipment, like the Advanced VX. Why limit yourself to a single forum and so incredibly narrowing down your purchasing options?

I don't know if the thread is still there due to the back and forth migration of the CN lately, but there was a huge thread about the Advanced VX Mount on CN (CloudyNights) with lots of good info.

[chris285]

Thanks for the reply, i've had a look at the cloudy nights forum and a read around and i'm having a rethink as the payload seems not to be what i would expect and it doesn't give much headroom for imaging from what i can see