After asking a lot of questions on here I have a list of things I will buy to start planetary imaging.

[JokubasJar]

Here is my shopping cart:

https://imgur.com/a/MdwX6Uh

 

Am I missing something or is it ok?

Also is FLO a good site to get astro gear? I live in Lithuania and after browsing for a long time this site seems to have the cheapest prices (including shipping).

[Robindonne]

I think FLO is the best i know.   Have to admit i ordered just once recently.   But prices are good, service is good (i asked a lot before the purchase) fast sending and even the package was like a crown juwel was shipped, very good protected.   
I dare to make a bet you wont get negative reviews about FLO🙂

[PeterCPC]

FLO is a good place to shop. Those items will get you started but I'm betting that it won't stop there😁

Peter

[Gasconman]

I just bought my first telescope and accessories from FLO and I received excellent advice and service. Highly recommended.

[knobby]

I would email @FLO to check stock as they all say 'usually 7-10 days' . Supply is very slow due to Covid.

[Owmuchonomy]

FLO's service is second to none.  Regarding your shopping list I would suggest for planetary imaging to reconsider your scope choice predominantly to obtain one that can achieve a much better image scale.  Critical to planetary imaging is focal length.  For example planetary imaging is routinely conducted at long focal lengths; in my case around 4.6 metres.  That may be difficult to achieve with the scope you have chosen so just check a few calculations first.  Scopes often used include the SCT or Maksutov designs which can achieve longer focal lengths in a relatively small compact design.  You should also aim to achieve a f/ of roughly 4 to 5 times your pixel size of the camera.  For example if the pixel size is 3 microns then a f/ of around 12 to 15 would be ideal.  This can be achieved with the use of barlow lenses or Powermates.

Edited September 19, 2020 by Owmuchonomy

[nfotis]

May I suggest a Skymax 127 or 150 instead of the Newtonian scope? For planetary, moon and solar observation is offering a refractor-like view and long focal length (1800mm).

Check with this site, compare the field of view possible with various cameras and eyepieces (a 7-8mm eyepiece with the Skymax 127 should give nice planetary views):

https://astronomy.tools/calculators/field_of_view/

FLO has excellent reputation, and they are fast and helpful (hoping to order stuff soon from them). A general problem is equipment availability, due to a spike in Astronomy interest and low rate of deliveries.

 

Hope this helps,

N.F.

 

 

[Neil H]

I use FLO a lot . Top class shop top class service .fast email response 

[johninderby]

Or there is the Bresser 127 f/15 mak which is an actual 127mm aperture unlike the Skymax which is about 119mm.

https://www.firstlightoptics.com/bresser-telescopes/bresser-messier-mc-127-1900-maksutov-cassegrain-ota.html

Not used this one but looks interesting with a rack and pinion focuser.

https://www.bresser.de/en/Astronomy/BRESSER-Messier-MC-152-Hexafoc-Optical-Tube-Assembly.html

Edited September 19, 2020 by johninderby

[PEMS]

Sorry but not sure that is the right equipment for planetary imaging. Most planetary imaging appears to be performed with an SCT or Mak and a 2x barlow of good quality. TV Powermate standard seems common. So the equipment doesn't come across as "Planetary imaging equipment".

Have just mentioned elsewhere: Jupiter and Saturn are going out of sight and Mars is coming up. Then Mars will drift out of good viewing for around 2 years. That is in effect all the planets we, or you, can image. There are not a big selection of planets for imaging, or even viewing.

Also the 150PL will need the mirror moving to get the camera and prime image to sit at the same position. So without modification, agreed minorish, the scope will not do what you want.

[AstroNebulee]

On 16/09/2020 at 01:06, JokubasJar said:

Here is my shopping cart:

https://imgur.com/a/MdwX6Uh

 

Am I missing something or is it ok?

Also is FLO a good site to get astro gear? I live in Lithuania and after browsing for a long time this site seems to have the cheapest prices (including shipping).

Flo are an amazing retailer and I'm not just saying that because they sponsor this forum, I've had perfect service  answers to all my questions, very fast service as I only live in North Cornwall so not to far away from them, very well packaged, very accurate stock numbers when browsing, I can't fault them. As for your choice if scope I agree with the other members you should really go for a sct or maksutov scope to give you the focal range needed for the planets and lunar imaging, I have a skymax 127 to compliment my skywatcher 150p so you can have best of both worlds, so if you csn afford it change to a sct or maksutov scope. 

Edited September 20, 2020 by LeeHore7

[Dan-el]

I'm not an expert planetary imager so if I say anything wrong please let someone correct me.

I think it's a workable setup but as it stands but it's not ideal.

I think the EQ 3-2 is undermounted for the size and weight of a 150mm Newtonian. Also the newtonian is F5 with a focal length of 750mm and that's less power than what you'd want to be operating at for planets. Image scale would be very small. As it stands for a 3.75nm pixel camera you are at about 1"/ pixel and you could do better to push it up to F15 (~0.33"/pixel) with a 3x barlow.

Personal thought is to go with a longer focal length Mak or SCT. However your 150 newt would perform very well for DSO photography later on if you upgrade the mount.

[JokubasJar]

On 19/09/2020 at 20:48, Owmuchonomy said:

FLO's service is second to none.  Regarding your shopping list I would suggest for planetary imaging to reconsider your scope choice predominantly to obtain one that can achieve a much better image scale.  Critical to planetary imaging is focal length.  For example planetary imaging is routinely conducted at long focal lengths; in my case around 4.6 metres.  That may be difficult to achieve with the scope you have chosen so just check a few calculations first.  Scopes often used include the SCT or Maksutov designs which can achieve longer focal lengths in a relatively small compact design.  You should also aim to achieve a f/ of roughly 4 to 5 times your pixel size of the camera.  For example if the pixel size is 3 microns then a f/ of around 12 to 15 would be ideal.  This can be achieved with the use of barlow lenses or Powermates.

I have actually changed my mind an I going for a 224mc instead of 120mc-s. The 224mc has a pixel size of 3.75, times that by 4.5 and you get around 16. With a 2x Barlow the effective f number of the 150pl becomes 16. So would a 2x Barlow like the Celestron X-Cel 2x solve my problems? I am on kind of a budget.

[JokubasJar]

On 20/09/2020 at 00:35, nfotis said:

May I suggest a Skymax 127 or 150 instead of the Newtonian scope? For planetary, moon and solar observation is offering a refractor-like view and long focal length (1800mm).

Check with this site, compare the field of view possible with various cameras and eyepieces (a 7-8mm eyepiece with the Skymax 127 should give nice planetary views):

https://astronomy.tools/calculators/field_of_view/

FLO has excellent reputation, and they are fast and helpful (hoping to order stuff soon from them). A general problem is equipment availability, due to a spike in Astronomy interest and low rate of deliveries.

 

Hope this helps,

N.F.

 

 

I am on kind of a budget and the Skymax 150 is almost twice as expensive. The 150pl is significantly cheaper (it also comes with a eq3 mount). Could a Barlow like the X-Cel 2x fix this? With the Barlow the f number goes up to f/16.

[Alan64]

I hear you, friend, but we wouldn't want you to choose the wrong equipment.  Consider...

When imaging the planets, or deep-sky objects, no matter, a telescope with a large aperture is not required.  Rather, it's the camera's sensor that collects the light for the images being desired.  I take instant snap-shots of the planets, and I hope to get better at it...

I simply held a point-and-shoot camera up to the eyepiece, then snapped the shot.  I know that you're wanting to take it to the next level, and with a planetary-camera.  I've thought about doing that myself.

The 150PL, a 150mm f/8 Newtonian, is a fine telescope in its own right, but when used for astro-photography I've only seen it done with that telescope attached to a much larger mount, an EQ6-class equatorial mount at that.  When imaging, the mount is more important than the telescope.  This is because when using your eyes and eyepieces, the eye doesn't mind the shaking and wobbling of the telescope.  A camera, however, is a robot, and will not tolerate even the slightest of wobbles.  The images would be soft at best, or blurred at worst...

https://www.firstlightoptics.com/maksutov/skywatcher-skymax-102-ota.html  ...or the 127mm, but certainly no larger.

https://www.firstlightoptics.com/skywatcher-mounts/skywatcher-eq5-deluxe.html

https://www.firstlightoptics.com/sky-watcher-mount-accessories/single-axis-dc-motor-drive-for-eq5.html

There are also go-to kits, with automatic-tracking for the Maksutov...

https://www.firstlightoptics.com/maksutov/skywatcher-skymax-102-synscan-az-goto.html

For use with a "smartphone" app... https://www.firstlightoptics.com/maksutov/sky-watcher-skymax-102-az-gti.html

A hand-controller may also be used with that kit, and purchased separately.

I, personally, am in earnest to hear, to read of your success in this.

Edited September 27, 2020 by Alan64

[JokubasJar]

9 hours ago, Alan64 said:

I hear you, friend, but we wouldn't want you to choose the wrong equipment.  Consider...

When imaging the planets, or deep-sky objects, no matter, a telescope with a large aperture is not required.  Rather, it's the camera's sensor that collects the light for the images being desired.  I take instant snap-shots of the planets, and I hope to get better at it...

I simply held a point-and-shoot camera up to the eyepiece, the snapped then shot.  I know that you're wanting to take it to the next level, and with a planetary-camera.  I've thought about doing that myself.

The 150PL, a 150mm f/8 Newtonian, is a fine telescope in its own right, but when used for astro-photography I've only seen it done with that telescope attached to a much larger mount, an EQ6-class equatorial mount at that.  When imaging, the mount is more important than the telescope.  This is because when using your eyes and eyepieces, the eye doesn't mind the shaking and wobbling of the telescope.  A camera, however, is a robot, and will not tolerate even the slightest of wobbles.  The images would be soft at best, or blurred at worst...

https://www.firstlightoptics.com/maksutov/skywatcher-skymax-102-ota.html  ...or the 127mm, but certainly no larger.

https://www.firstlightoptics.com/skywatcher-mounts/skywatcher-eq5-deluxe.html

https://www.firstlightoptics.com/sky-watcher-mount-accessories/single-axis-dc-motor-drive-for-eq5.html

There are also go-to kits, with automatic-tracking for the Maksutov...

https://www.firstlightoptics.com/maksutov/skywatcher-skymax-102-synscan-az-goto.html

For use with a "smartphone" app... https://www.firstlightoptics.com/maksutov/sky-watcher-skymax-102-az-gti.html

A hand-controller may also be used with that kit, and purchased separately.

I, personally, am in earnest to hear, to read of your success in this.

Would a Skymax 150 pro and an eq5 mount be a better option?

[Alan64]

7 hours ago, JokubasJar said:

Would a Skymax 150 pro and an eq5 mount be a better option?

The EQ-5 mount would be the barest minimum for your purposes, nothing smaller.  The EQ-5 is the sweet-spot among all sizes of equatorials.  It's large enough to support a wider range of telescopes, for imaging as well, yet small enough to be manageable; portable at that, when disassembled.

In so far as the 150mm Maksutov, the longer the focal-length contained within...

...the closer to the planets, and other.  The Sky-Watcher 150mm has an 1800mm focal-length, 600mm longer than the 150PL Newtonian, and the EQ-5 will support it, but not as well as it would this one...

https://www.firstlightoptics.com/bresser-telescopes/bresser-messier-mc-127-1900-maksutov-cassegrain-ota.html

The Bresser 127mm f/15 has a full, effective 127mm of aperture; that of the Sky-Watcher 127mm: 118-120mm.  In addition, the Bresser has a 1900mm focal-length -- 100mm longer than that of the Sky-Watcher 150mm -- thereby even closer still.

I have that same Maksutov...

No pesky spider-vanes to muck up the images further, and the tube is short, both apparently.

Just as the EQ-5 is the sweet-spot among equatorials, so a 127mm Maksutov is that among the varying apertures of the design.

For any modified-Cassegrain, Maksutov or Schmidt, a dew-shield is mandatory...

You want to keep dew, insects, dirt, pollen off of the meniscus, the "lens" at the front.  I didn't even take my own outdoors until I got a dew-shield.  I made one out of black art-paper initially.

Fun fact: The manufacturers and their vendors make absolutely no mention whatsoever of a dew-shield within their advertisements and listings; not even within the "Suggested Accessories".  Yet one is needed, badly, direly, and absolutely.

Users of Maksutovs, a closed telescopic system, generally set the telescope outdoors for an hour or so prior to observing or imaging.  That allows the telescope to acclimate per the outdoor conditions, and for best results.  Some even store the telescope outdoors, protected of course, and to be ready to go when they are. 

Then, if not the Bresser, consider the Sky-Watcher 127mm.  After all, its focal-length is 1500mm, 300mm longer than that of the 150PL Newtonian. 

A 150mm Maksutov is a good bit heavier, cumbersome even, and requires an even longer acclimation period.

Edited September 27, 2020 by Alan64

[nfotis]

On 27/09/2020 at 03:24, JokubasJar said:

I am on kind of a budget and the Skymax 150 is almost twice as expensive. The 150pl is significantly cheaper (it also comes with a eq3 mount). Could a Barlow like the X-Cel 2x fix this? With the Barlow the f number goes up to f/16.

In general, for planetary observation and imaging, you need as much focal length as possible. Many use a 2x Barlow even with the Skymax 150 and longer scopes, in order to discern a disk with their camera/sensor.

The Skymax 127 (or the similar Bresser) are OK for observation with a suitable eyepiece - a Barlow isn't really needed, except if you need good eye relief.

Hope this helps,

N.F.