'upgrade' from 200PDS to ..????

[iapa]

My primary desire is DSO imaging.

I recently purchased a 200PDS to use on the AVX mount, which I purchased to replace the GOTO mount supplied with the SLT130 is it was jus little  'wobbly', 30s minimum damping period.

SO, OTA c20lb, AVX load c 30lb

Anyone using my current set up successfully?

Or, do I really need to change mount or OTA?

By the time I have added DSLR, finderscope, guide scope and QHY6 I am now @ 28lb.

Question.

Should I

• upgrade the mount the CGE PRO or DX?
• downsize the OTA 

 

Budget c£1000-£1500

As I have had a couple of single images I like so want to develop on that first.

I am not intending to do up/down grade immediately, I want to see what I can get out of what I have; just looking to the future (near future - not quite next week, but not next year either:)) 

 

[Tinker1947]

The mount is the important bit, a SkyWatcher AZ-EQ6-GT is with in your budget and would also allow EQMod to be used.....

[sagramore]

Second vote for an upgraded mount. I thought I had gone "overkill" getting a NEQ6 for my 130-PDS but I am so glad I did!

[RSM]

Hi Iapa, I'm using a 200PDS mounted on an HEQ5 mount. Not sure how that set-up measures up to your mount. I would say mine is pretty much on the limit of what the HEQ5 can handle, once I attach my Canon EOS 500D and my guide system (I use the finderscope which came with the 200PDS and have added a Lacerta guide cam and box of tricks which hangs off the OTA) the counter weights are almost at the end of the balancing arm. That said, I've managed to get steady images up to 5 minutes exposure with that set-up, although LP trims that down to 3 min for effective imaging.

If I were looking to upgrade my set-up I'd be looking for the next level in terms of mount sturdiness, probably the NEQ6 or equivalent. I'm happy with my 200PDS as I can get some good detail on these faint DSOs. Most likely a future purchase may be to buy a scope with a wider field of view to get the likes of M31 into a single frame (I need a mosaic of at least 4 to get a good full image of M31). That said I've only been doing this astro-imaging stuff for less than six months so realistically I ought to get more out of what I've got rather than expanding too rapidly.

The DSOs below are examples of what I can do with my set up (all stacks of 3 min exposures - galaxies are c. 100 subs, M42 is from about 30 if I remember correctly) and then a fair amount of time spent in front of Pixinsight to stack and process.

Happy imaging.