Explore Scientific 3x or 5x Barlow/ Focal Extender

[nephilim]

I'm looking for some advice on planetary imaging. I'm slowly building up my AP set up (just saving for the last few pieces) but in the meantime i'm looking at trying some lunar/ planetary imaging.

I've just bought the Evoguide 50ED & ZWO ASI 120MM-S camera as my guiding setup but would like to try it out with the Moon/ Planets (and get used to using everything before I start with DSO imaging) I'm looking at getting the above Barlow/ Extender but unsure which version would work best, either the 3x or 5x. Firstly, would this work well in the first place for planets (Saturn/ Jupiter) & secondly would the 5x be too much for UK skies.

Tia

Steve 

[vlaiv]

Since 50ED is F/4.8, in principle you should use x3 focal extender since you have mono camera.

x5 could possibly be useful for color camera of that pixel size.

However, 50mm of aperture is going to provide you with very small images of planets. Really small images. Jupiter will look like this at best:

You'll get much better image with your 8" scope (from signature). Again - use x3 barlow there as it is also F/5 scope. With that scope, you'll be able to get images that are x4 in size of above tiny Jupiter. Something like this:

(with better detail of course - this is taken with 100mm scope).

[nephilim]

25 minutes ago, vlaiv said:

Since 50ED is F/4.8, in principle you should use x3 focal extender since you have mono camera.

x5 could possibly be useful for color camera of that pixel size.

However, 50mm of aperture is going to provide you with very small images of planets. Really small images. Jupiter will look like this at best:

You'll get much better image with your 8" scope (from signature). Again - use x3 barlow there as it is also F/5 scope. With that scope, you'll be able to get images that are x4 in size of above tiny Jupiter. Something like this:

(with better detail of course - this is taken with 100mm scope).

Thanks for replying Vlaid. I need to remove the 200p from my signature as I sold it a while ago. 

I'm not too concerned with the image size (I'll take your advice though & buy the 3x) the main reason for trying this is so that I can start learning about how my new set up works using unfamiliar software (ASCOM, NINA, ASTAP, DSS, Sharpcap etc). Ive just started getting back into all this after 4/5yrs away & theres a lot of new things to learn & old things to relearn (Polar aligning, Plate Solving, Framing, focus, capture and so on).
 All the kit ive bought is brand new to me & i've a steep learning curve ahead, anything I can do to help that along will be time well spent. Ive around 3 months until I have everything I need to start DSO imaging (just the main scope & camera to buy) so starting out with some Lunar/ Planetary/ Widefield will set me off on the right path.

Thanks again

Steve

[happy-kat]

I used a 1.6x with the evoguide and got a nice Moon, right now I can't recall whether I used DSLR or neximage 5 I think it was likely the latter.

[happy-kat]

Check out the resources fov calculator

[nephilim]

37 minutes ago, happy-kat said:

Check out the resources fov calculator

Thanks Kat, I'd totally forgotten about that & i'd only recently used that calculator for my main imaging scope & camera. I'll be using my guide cam (ZWO ASI 120MM-S) which is a dedicated planetary cam anyway. I'll check it out now 😃 

Steve

[happy-kat]

https://stargazerslounge.com/topic/316821-as-close-as-the-tube-got/

a x2 barlow may even be too much, check out my image shot with it on the Moon

[nephilim]

3 minutes ago, happy-kat said:

https://stargazerslounge.com/topic/316821-as-close-as-the-tube-got/

a x2 barlow may even be too much, check out my image shot with it on the Moon

Its also too much for mine & I dont fancy diving straight in with mosaics 😂 With no barlow its a nice fit, Jupiter will be small with a 2.5x but workable.  M13 fits in very nicely with a 2.5x.
The main purpose of this is just to get used to using all my gear for the first time. I'm saving up for my main imaging scope & camera at the moment but that wont be until around Jan/Feb so i'm wanting to use the time in between to learn how everything works, practising PA & using NINA, i'll also be using ASCOM & Stellarium to control my mount for the first time so i've alot to get my head round. I'm still on furlough until the new year so this is the perfect time to do it.