Buying first scope advice

[Elbus42]

Hello everyone, I am so glad I found this forum!

For awhile now I have been interested in astrophysics and astronomy, observing sky, learning constellation, looking through my old childhood telescope and now i'm in search for my first "real" telescope. I have settled for a newtonian reflector, but there is a few questions I would like to ask.

SITUATION: As a beginner, for now, I am more interested in visuals, but one of my family members is quite positive he wants to try astrophotography (we have Canon EOS 1100D he would like to put in use), would there be a scope that let's us try a bit of AP (just some basic short exposure stuff, and if we enjoy it/get better eventually we could upgrade it to motor kit?)

MOUNT: I guess alt-azimuth/dob mount here is not an option and we have to go for equatorial? (i know eq mounts can be hard for beginners, but we are determined to learn)

TELESCOPE: I have a few options picked in our price range  - could any of these be good for observing, but also to try out a bit of AP?

1) Skywatcher Telescope N 150/750 Explorer BD EQ3-2 (https://www.astroshop.eu/telescopes/skywatcher-telescope-n-150-750-explorer-bd-eq3-2/p,15330)

2) Skywatcher Telescope N 130/650 Explorer 130PDS OTA (https://www.astroshop.eu/telescopes/skywatcher-telescope-n-130-650-explorer-130pds-ota/p,25455#tab_bar_1_select) (and just buying SW EQ3-2 seperately)

3)Omegon Advanced Telescope 150/750 EQ-320 (https://www.astroshop.eu/telescopes/omegon-advanced-telescope-150-750-eq-320/p,61021#tab_bar_1_select)

Any advice will help, thank you in advance!

[Cosmic Geoff]

Beginners frequently express an interest in astrophotography.  With equal frequency we have to point out that attempts to do astrophotography with budget visual telescopes are doomed to disappointment.  The requirements for deep space astrophotography are quite different, and much more exacting for the mount, where it has to hold the telescope and camera completely steady for long periods of time with a high degree of precision.  A heavy and expensive GoTo mount is the basic requirement. Planetary imaging is another ballgame with different requirements, and if you look at what planetary imagers actually use, it is mostly large aperture SCTs.

Many Newtonian telescopes will not bring a DSLR camera to focus unless the telescope is specially modified for astrophotography (PDS).  If you buy the Skywatcher 130PDS, apparently this is is suitable for astrophotography if mounted on an EQ-6 mount or similar.

I have taken a lot of short exposure & live stacked images using alt-azimuth GoTo mounts and planetary cameras, but this is because that was the kit I had rather than by planning.

I suggest you forget about astrophotography for the present, and read the book "Make Every Photon Count."

[jonathan]

I agree with Cosmic Geoff, go for the visual setup first as that seems to be your primary interest.  Later, you may discover what it is you most want to photograph, and that is what should drive your choice of specialist kit for that intended use. 

I have the Skywatcher 150P, it's a very nice reflector which should work fine on an EQ3-2 mount for visual.  I prefer the 6x30 finder as supplied with the Skywatcher over the red dot finder that comes with the Omegon you linked to (I've never actually heard of that brand, it looks and sounds like a rebranded Skywatcher).  The f5 speed means that you can use some high power, high quality eyepieces which is a big plus when you have clear skies with excellent clarity, something to consider for the future when you start adding eyepieces. 

You could add an RA motor drive to the EQ3-2, and provided you learn accurate polar alignment (with the purchase of a polar scope which fits inside the EQ3-2), there's no reason why you couldn't have a go at some quick and dirty astrophotography, but keep the expectations low and targets easy.

[dannybgoode]

The 750mm 150P is a great scope.  I bought one second hand when staring out and still have it as it is, for me at least, the best compromise between light gathering and portability - it has a very useful advantage over a 130 in respect of light gathering.  Will go on just about any mount and is very easy to carry about and set up.  However it is also a very capable scope for AP as and when you have a suitable mount to stick it on so certainly one you will be able to grow with.  It's very well built

I got my first views of Saturn's rings through it and Jupiter as well as some (very) faint fuzzies and lovely lunar views - all from my heavily light polluted city centre skies.  The views of Saturn and Jupiter I will never forget and made the scope worth it just for them.  For casual visual work and learning with I haven't found it too fussy about eyepieces so long as you avoid the real bottom end of the market.

[Beardy30]

For visual I recently bought the celestron Nexstar 8se - would highly recommend it

[jonathan]

On 07/05/2020 at 17:02, Beardy30 said:

For visual I recently bought the celestron Nexstar 8se - would highly recommend it

I also have the 8SE, I found the Celestron single arm tripod and mount were at their weight limit so it's not really possible to add more gear (such as steeltrack focuser, 2" diagonal, additional finder scope) without moving to something like an HEQ5 Pro mount and heavier duty tripod (e.g. 2" steel tube legs).  Also, the 8SE does not benefit as well from high quality high power eyepieces, as at f10 it is a slow scope, better suited to medium-range eyepieces (12+mm) although the scope itself will provide decent magnification down a narrower field of view (can be very good for bright planetary viewing on good seeing nights). 

The 8SE also requires quite a bit of dew control, in my experience, so I have both a large dew shield and dew heater tapes on the OTA and also eyepiece and finder (nothing worse than having your eyepiece fog up just when things are getting good!)