Skywatcher Decision Time...

[Patbloke]

Can't make my mind up on whether or not to buy a newt for ZWO imaging.

The Skywatcher pds range seem to be modified slightly for prime focus imaging (is this just a DSLR photography thing?) Every imager I have ever met seems to use the smaller newts like the 130 or 150 pds... Someone said that there's less possibility of the tube being bothered by the wind for one reason? 

I realise that aperture is king when visual observing (yes I also realise that quality is as important) not so sure on imaging?

I found a reasonably priced used 130p but doesn't have dual focuser which I am used to on my scopes, so I'm tempted to just go for it... However as once having access to a 200p I used to love using that scope for visual... 

Not sure and I am procrastinating over this one so much I think I'm going to need therapy!!! I have resorted to trying a poll for the first time ? Not sure how that works either, but every day is a school day folks!

P.S I am reading every photon counts but it's taking some time 

 

 

 

[Knighty2112]

If you’ve got a mount to hold it well I would go with the 200 PDS. 

[emadmoussa]

200 PDS, no doubt!

[alacant]

17 minutes ago, Knighty2112 said:

If you’ve got a mount

+1. Get an eq6.

Get the 130 first and then decide you need something for galaxies -e.g. a 250-  later.

I'm on my way out now...!

[xtreemchaos]

im a 200 man for both imaging and vis but for imaging alone size dont matter so much, the 150 would be more forgiving . charl.

[PESKYWAABBIT]

@Patbloke what mount do you plan to have holding this scope?

[Patbloke]

3 minutes ago, PESKYWAABBIT said:

@Patbloke what mount do you plan to have holding this scope?

I have an Celestron AVX 

[RolandKol]

I had the same dilemma 6 months ago, - went for 130PDS as it has the wider field of view and is more forgiving with guiding to start learning. So now I have one cheap toy for Nebulas, to start with.

Once I will get bored with nebulas, I will go for the second toy with longer Focal length, -   for the second-hand EdgeHD8 or 200PDS, - probably I will go for EdgeHD as it will be 2 or even 3 scopes in one, planetary at F10, galaxy and nebulas at F7

and if I will decide to try out Hyperstar later, will have F2 with very wide FOV.

Eventually, two scopes will cover almost all of the targets.

[pipnina]

4 minutes ago, RolandKol said:

I had the same dilemma 6 months ago, - went for 130PDS as it has the wider field of view and is more forgiving with guiding to start learning. So now I have one cheap toy for Nebulas, to start with.

Once I will get bored with nebulas, I will go for longer Focal length, -   for the second-hand EdgeHD8 or 200PDS, - probably I will go for EdgeHD as it will be 2 or even 3 scopes in one, planetary at F10, galaxy and nebulas at F7

and if I will decide to try out Hyperstar later, will have F2 with very wide FOV.

I might be at the point you are right now. Got my 130PDS a few months ago and learning the ropes with it. Taken this long to learn decent focusing and secondary collimation, EQ operation (re-learning, I used to own one a few years ago), synscan operation and there is yet more to learn still!

Hopefully in the coming season I will be able to experiment with simple two-pane mosaics, but we'll see.

So far the 130PDS has proved an excellent starting point. It's lightweight and easy to carry around, as well as being plenty sharp enough for most of the medium sized stuff out there.

[DaveS]

On an AVX I'd be thinking nothing bigger than the 130, though I'd be more likely to look at an ED 'frac. You say the 130 doesn't have a focuser? That's something else to budget for, together with the coma corrector.

[Patbloke]

Great comments so far... I'm very grateful for the responses!

I have a Starwave refractor f/11 which to my surprise was quite easy at busting Jupiter on my first couple of goes out. Yeah I have loads still to learn about flats, darks, stacking etc to make a great image but a few comments on this forum have told me that my f/11 is a good planetary imaging option (despite the fact it's also wonderful OTA for double stars and gives great colour)

I do remember looking at Jupiter through the 200 at the SGL star party years ago when I was starting up and thinking Wow! very exciting... 

One thing I mustn't of course forget is that good gear will always sell at good prices... So it's not a waste of money whichever way I end up going! 

Keep the comments coming though, great work!

 

[Patbloke]

3 minutes ago, DaveS said:

On an AVX I'd be thinking nothing bigger than the 130, though I'd be more likely to look at an ED 'frac. You say the 130 doesn't have a focuser? That's something else to budget for, together with the coma corrector.

Sorry Dave, I have found a used 150p without dual focuser which is the price of an average EP so could take that punt and see how the 150 does with the ZWO. I do take your point about the extra budgeting as well which could lead me down the 130 route... 

I like the comments about the 130 being a neat tidy manageable scope (which does have a dual focuser of course) a kind of dedicated imagers tool for me.  And I love the 200 as well for plain simple observing... ? This is why I'm taking an age to press the buy button ha ha... Some of my mates say I have too much time on my hands... My Girlfriend says that I possibly have enough scopes, however, just make the decision and buy something if you want?? I tell her she will never understand - you can never have enough scopes I say!! 

[RolandKol]

59 minutes ago, Patbloke said:

I have an Celestron AVX 

If I googled correctly, it holds up to 13KG for visual... So it will be maxed to 7kg for AP...
Nothing heavier than 5KG should be in your buying list.... as in addition to the scope, you will have a camera, guiding scope, guiding cam, cords... forget 200PDS.
150PDS is also over the limit

[DaveS]

As an aside, you haven't said what camera you have. Put the figures into the CCD suitability calculator to see if they make sense,

[Patbloke]

1 minute ago, DaveS said:

As an aside, you haven't said what camera you have. Put the figures into the CCD suitability calculator to see if they make sense,

Dave I've got a ZWO ASi120MC-S colour USB 3.... I've only tried it out three or four times so far ? 

[DaveS]

OK, according to CCD calculator you'll be imaging at 1.03"/px. Do-able, but you will very definitely need to guide, and make sure your AVX is at the top of its game. Have you factored in the cost of a guide 'scope / camera?

And check out the FOV https://goo.gl/j3ndfo

[RolandKol]

ASi120MC is the cam, which is better to be used as a guiding cam...
 

[Patbloke]

3 minutes ago, DaveS said:

OK, according to CCD calculator you'll be imaging at 1.03"/px. Do-able, but you will very definitely need to guide, and make sure your AVX is at the top of its game. Have you factored in the cost of a guide 'scope / camera?

Not really... My initial interest was to do some EAA Electronically assisted astronomy from the outbuilding... The ZWO has been pretty good on the moon and worked well with a few stacked images of Jupiter. I'm now researching and exploring opportunities really... Not understanding pretty much anything about imagery is my starting point. From what I read online and on the forums I should be able to make some images in time... I just want to head off in the right direction... I don't want to throw a huge amount of funding at it just incase it becomes a frustration.  I do take your points on board it may not be as simple as getting a different scope to try... 

[Patbloke]

5 minutes ago, RolandKol said:

ASi120MC is the cam, which is better to be used as a guiding cam...
 

Yes, I've got the lead and guide port... interesting! 

[RolandKol]

20 minutes ago, Patbloke said:

Yes, I've got the lead and guide port... interesting! 

Yep yep, for planetary this cam is OK as it has very high FPS, - however for DSO.... it has very small chip and low resolution, - you will get a very narrow field of view and very small pictures (like a Post Card size).
I do have 224MC (which is very similar to yours) and use it both ways, guiding mainly, sometimes planetary AP as I do not need guiding for it. I started AP with cheap Canon 1300D, later bought Coma Corrector (it is half a price of 130PDS!!!!). Got hooked up completely, so l left my Canon for my daily life and went narrowband. I tried my 224MC on Eagle Nebula, - Canon did a better job as I could do longer exposures with guiding.

AP is really expensive. So if you have any CANON or NIKON, - keep an eye on them, as 124MC will not satisfy you with nebulas, without guiding you will stick to 30sec exposures... maybe... maybe 60sec max.  You will end up with hundreds of files, they will take quite a lot of time to stack and will fill up your Hard Disc fast, and the end result will be a "Post Card size" picture of the Nebula.

[tooth_dr]

Second hand ED80 ?

[Patbloke]

5 minutes ago, RolandKol said:

Yep yep, for planetary this cam is OK as it has very high FPS, - however for DSO.... it has very low chip and resolution, - you will get a very narrow field of view and very small pictures (like a Post Card size).
AP is really expensive. So if you have any CANON or NIKON, - keep an eye on them, as 124MC will not satisfy you with nebulas, without guiding you will stick to 30sec exposures... maybe... maybe 60sec max.  You will end up with hundreds of files, they will take quite a lot of time to stack and will fill up your Hard Disc fast, and the end result will be a "Post Card size" picture of the Nebula.

Ok that's good advice and encouraging... Can you believe I recently sold a Canon 450D thinking that I was moving toward CMOS video capture with that ZWO ? 

I do also own a little Opticstar 80mm AR Gold which has a buttery smooth dual focuser probably been used twice for observing...  I spent half an hour the other night trying to find and focus on Saturn without success before it disappeared behind a tree. Oh my life you must despair when reading this stuff.... 

[scitmon]

13 minutes ago, tooth_dr said:

Second hand ED80 ?

seconded! In fact there is a great priced one in classifieds:

 

[RolandKol]

27 minutes ago, Patbloke said:

Ok that's good advice and encouraging... Can you believe I recently sold a Canon 450D thinking that I was moving toward CMOS video capture with that ZWO capture with that ZWO ? 

I do also own a little Opticstar 80mm AR Gold which has a buttery smooth dual focuser probably been used twice for observing...  I spent half an hour the other night trying to find and focus on Saturn without success before it disappeared behind a tree. Oh my life you must despair when reading this stuff.... 

3

you speak about Despair! Once I decided to start AP, we had clouds from October till April!!!  just a few clear nights! I was in complete despair!  but some youtube videos made my life a bit easier check AstroBiscuit on Youtube!  you are not alone!
 

As per " Video Astronomy" - I am not familiar with it at all...  Maybe ASI 124MC will be enough for it to start with.

P.S.
Try focusing on the star near the planet.... I always failed to get a proper focus on planets.... with x3 Barlow it is x3 times difficult, but worth a try.

[happy-kat]

Much earlier post but the 130p is not the same as the 130pds in more ways than just a focuser. The mirror is further away so doesn't reach focus with a dslr and can't see it being different for a ccd.