What Telescope?

[Adz1989]

Hi all,

Im new here, i was recommended to use this forum for advice on a telescope.

I have basic knowledge of the night sky and have started off with Celestron binoculars.

As this is my first telescope i am looking for something not too expensive that i can use to view the planets and as i gain experience galaxies etc. 

I would like it to be GoTo that i could also use for astrophotography (again when i am more experienced)

Also please let me no any extra equipment i may need.

Thanks in advance,

Adam

[John]

Hi Adam and welcome to the forum 

It would be useful to have some idea of your budget for the scope and essential accessories as there is such a large range of options available these days and a huge range of prices to match.

[paul mc c]

Hello and welcome Adam,as John says if you had a price in mind it would be good.

[itmo]

forget goto and astrophotography. buy an (used ) 8" dobson. use it for 2-3 years, then upgrade. Astrophoto gear costs tons and goto is not as accurate as you think. 

[itmo]

probably the best/cheapest  way to start AP is to get a DSLR and a mount like eq3-2 or eq-5 with tracking motors and learn how to drift-align it. 

[jetstream]

An 8" dob would be nice,I started off with a half decent 90mm,hind site being 20/20 I would have been better off with the 8"-and joining SGL sooner.Lots of good choices,John is right,need to know the budget.

I would personally forgo imaging for a while,and buy Mod Steppenwolfs book,Making Every Photon Count,I'm glad I did.Reading the imaging section will give an idea of whats needed to get and process great images.

[ronin]

Hi, really do need an idea of budget, this kit can go from inexpensive to plain extreme.

Imaging itself can fall into 2 regions - DSO and planetary.

For planetary you can use a simple Alz/Az goto Mak or SCT (with webcam). However be aware that Jupiter has gone and will return next year. Mars is going and will return in 2 years and Saturn is disappearing (and is low) and will return middle next year. Simply there is not going to be planets around to image.

DSO imaging, the sort of budget end is something like an EQ5 with motors and polar acope, a 70mm ED (or bigger) or a 130PDS and a DSLR. After that it is learning. You cannot use the Alt/Az Mak/SCT for DSO imaging = wrong scope and wrong mount.

Add a location other then UK, there may be a club or two that could be suggested visiting. seeing what is used is a very good method of finding out what is, or can be, used.

[Adz1989]

Thanks for your replies so far.

Im looking to spend up to £500. 

Im not looking into taking pictures right away i want to get to grips with the telescope first, so maybe move onto that in a year or two

[PeterCPC]

If you want GOTO and to do some basic astrophotos I would go for either a refractor or SCT on an equatorial mount. A Newtonian would probably be cheaper but you would have collimation issues - less so with a Mak and no collimation issues with a refractor. Make sure the mount is good enough like Red Dwarf says.

Peter

[Guy Wells]

EQ3 Pro SynScan GoTo and a  Skywatcher Startravel 102T OTA Under £600. Expensive hobby. You'll need a few bits and bobs too. If your happy to just image planets, a Skywatcher Skymax 102 SynScan AZ GOTO comes in at £300

[itmo]

with a 500 budget i would go for a cheap 8" dob and leave some money for accessories.

[purdo]

I wanted to get into AP before I joined SGL but after taking advice from the good people here I bought a 8" SW Dobsonian.  This Will give me the experience of using the scope for a year or two.  Then I intend to buy a scope to do AP.  Hopefully most of the eyepieces I have bought will suit the new scope.

[happy-kat]

Or a 130 pds on an eq mount gives a newt for visual a mount for intro images and geared to work with a dslr. But not a big mirror or a ling fl.

an all in one will be a compromise somewhere or everywhere

( novice here but who reads lots of posts)