Want to get in to astrophotography

[LeighH]

Hi all, I have been lurking for a while now and decided to register, as title I want to get in to astrophotography, planets, nebula, galaxies, I already have a Canon 6D as a keen amature photographer.

After much searching on astrobin I have picked out the Sky-Watcher Explorer 150P and Sky-Watcher Evostar 80ED as possible scopes, thoughts on my choice?

Now I will also need a mount this is where I am unsure, GOTO mounts just go to objects? or actually track for long exposures? are they any good mounts under £300?

Thanks

[happy-kat]

Welcome

What camera lens do you already own?

Might be able to by pass looking at two scopes or even bypass and focus on the mount.

Goto mounts track as well.

 

[Astrid]

Both are great choice, the only difference being in the portability: the 150P is a bit harder to transport than the 80D but since it is bigger (the diameter is almost double) it can collect more light, which is essential in AP, but at the same time with long exposures you can solve this problem.

There are both Reflector/Newtonian (150P) astrophotographers on this forum and Apochromat (80D) astrophotographers, so you will find both opinions here. 

The important thing in AP is the mount, if you want to do long exposures you need a RA/DEC motor or a GO-TO mount and a sturdy mount. Check the max payload capacity. For the 150P and the 80D if you can't spend 1000GBP  I recommend the EQ5. A very very good and portable AP mount and that doesn't cost too much, and very good for people just getting into the hobby. The HEQ5 is kinda expensive and it is not worth spending too much when you are just starting. The EQ3-2 is good too, but the payload capacity is 5KG... (compared to 10KG for the EQ5 pro)

 

 

Conclusion: in my opinion, the best choice within your budget would be a manual EQ5 and buy some RA/DEC motors separately https://www.firstlightoptics.com/equatorial-astronomy-mounts/skywatcher-eq5-deluxe.html and https://www.firstlightoptics.com/astronomy-mount-upgrade-kits/enhanced-dual-axis-dc-motor-drives-for-eq-5.html

You'll get some tracking errors, but this setup is the best especially if you just want good beginner results without any fancy stuff. 

Edited December 1, 2020 by Astrid

[carastro]

Astrophotography as you will discover a completely different kettle of fish to day time Photography.

No, there aren't any good mounts for less than £300 that will do anything other than planetary imaging, or at a push a few widefield images.  Photographing planets is quite different to Deep sky objects, for two reasons, they need high magification (long focal length) and are captured using a video sequence and the frames are stacked, and this can be as little as a couple of minutes.  Deep sky photography is done over many hours using long exposure.  Since the Earth is rotating, long exposure would mean that the stars will become elongated in the images (trail) if you did not have a good mount capable not only of tracking the night sky but being able to guide (tweaking the tracking for better accuracy).   You also require a different telescope for Deep sky imaging as you will want a faster focal ratio (shorter focal length to planets).

Mount wise you need something like an HEQ5 minimum.  Though I believe there are some EQ5 versions that work well if your scope is not too heavy.   

The Skywatcher Explorer 150P that you have suggested, I did have one at one time and did image with it, but many reflectors will not allow you to get focus because the mirror is not in the right place.  There are PDS versions of the skywatcher newtonians, and I believe there is a Skywatcher 150 PDS where the primary mirror has been moved up the tube to allow focus with a camera.

HTH

Carole 

 

 

Edited December 1, 2020 by carastro

[vlaiv]

Hi and welcome to SGL.

Let's start from the end:

7 minutes ago, LeighH said:

are they any good mounts under £300?

No.

Or rather, not new ones. Closest to this figure will be simple star tracker that you can use to do long exposure images with your camera and lens that you might already have.

Have a look here:

https://www.firstlightoptics.com/star-tracker-astronomy-mounts.html

These will require a tripod - maybe you have one - if not, factor in cost of sturdy one in your budget.

10 minutes ago, LeighH said:

or actually track for long exposures?

You only need tracking mount to do long exposure astro photography or planetary imaging. Btw, these are two totally different things and require different equipment and different approach to shooting and processing.

However, you want to be able to guide for long exposure astro photography at some point - particularly if you decide for telescope such as 150PDS (don't get 150P - get 150PDS - it is version optimized for imaging).

In principle, you could save a few quid by using this approach:

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

+

https://www.firstlightoptics.com/sky-watcher-mount-accessories/enhanced-dual-axis-dc-motor-drives-for-eq-5.html

and that will give you both tracking and guiding capability, or you could motorize mount yourself if you are capable DIYer - there are a few projects out there that utilize stepper motors and arduino controllers to do the same.

15 minutes ago, LeighH said:

Now I will also need a mount this is where I am unsure, GOTO mounts just go to objects?

GOTO mount is just handy way to have it all:

- motors for tracking

- guiding interface

- interface to a computer so you can control both telescope and camera via laptop - this is preferred way of doing things for most people.

16 minutes ago, LeighH said:

After much searching on astrobin I have picked out the Sky-Watcher Explorer 150P and Sky-Watcher Evostar 80ED as possible scopes, thoughts on my choice?

If you are serious about long exposure imaging, the these two are good choices to start with. 150PDS will be a bit harder to get along with than 80ED simply because it is larger and has longer focal length and requires collimation. Alternative is 130PDS which is closer to 80ED in both size and focal length.

Above all - for using anything like these two scopes, you need a good mount. Good mount is really the foundation for any sort of astrophotography.

This is minimum:

https://www.firstlightoptics.com/equatorial-astronomy-mounts/skywatcher-eq5-pro-synscan-goto.html

(or above DIY approach)

Or, recommended for a beginner with above scopes:

https://www.firstlightoptics.com/equatorial-astronomy-mounts/skywatcher-heq5-pro-synscan.html

Maybe first - get a good book on this topic to understand what you are getting into?

"Make every photon count" is often recommended as a good book to get you into subject and explain things.

[LeighH]

Thanks all, that's given me some more to think about, but I have noticed FLO sell this kit for £639 the P-DS version as suggested by carastro  https://www.firstlightoptics.com/reflectors/skywatcher-explorer-150p-ds-eq3-2-eq3-pro-goto.html with an EQ3 PRO GOTO, I know you all said EQ5 but would they really sell it as a kit if it was no good?

[happy-kat]

Are you also planning visual observing or is your thought primarily imaging?

[scitmon]

I would be inclined to perhaps start off with just using your camera + your existing lenses and get https://www.firstlightoptics.com/skywatcher-star-adventurer/skywatcher-star-adventurer-astronomy-bundle.html

If you get the astrophotography bug, then you can save up for sturdy mount (minimum https://www.firstlightoptics.com/skywatcher-mounts/skywatcher-heq5-pro-synscan.html) and ed80/150pds.  Mount stability is so important, if you compromise it will become a frustrating exercise and will put you off for good.  

Edited December 1, 2020 by scitmon

[LeighH]

Primarily imaging, just found this https://www.firstlightoptics.com/reflectors/skywatcher-explorer-150p-ds-eq-5-pro-goto.html could manage that, I like the idea of Star Adventurer 2i mount but don't want to buy and then spend again later to upgrade.

I know this will be learning curve but I have a lot of time on my hands

[vlaiv]

8 minutes ago, LeighH said:

Primarily imaging, just found this https://www.firstlightoptics.com/reflectors/skywatcher-explorer-150p-ds-eq-5-pro-goto.html could manage that, I like the idea of Star Adventurer 2i mount but don't want to buy and then spend again later to upgrade.

I know this will be learning curve but I have a lot of time on my hands

If you get into astrophotography - it is just best to embrace the fact that it's going to cost, and cost a lot

You will spend later again, and again and again

For example - if you purchase above setup - you will soon learn that there is annoying star deformation in the corners of each of your images - and that is quite normal for reflector type telescope (don't think that other option is without flaws and won't require additional spending as well). You want to remove it - get coma corrector - $$$.

You are happy with your coma corrector, but it is not quite doing its job - you learn that correction depends on distance to sensor. You'll need some extensions and distancing rings - $ (not as much as coma corrector but a few bob).

Hold on - your stars are not round again - they are elongated. You read it is due to poor polar alignment. You purchase either software or electronic device to help with polar alignment $ or $$$ - depends which route you take.

Stars are not round again. Not polar alignment error? What could it be? Periodic error? You learn that it can be helped with periodic error correction - so you spend some time learning and doing that. Things improve but you are still not happy. Of course, next reasonable step is to guide your telescope - guide scope + guide camera + laptop = $$$.

Finally you are happy with shapes of your stars - they are not quite as tight as you would like or others achieve, but they are round and you are happy. You notice that your images are really noisy - somehow other people manage cleaner images. You start spending on processing software $$ in hope that it will denoise your images properly.

What? Not as much help as you hoped? How to solve that? Of course - cooling, DSLR is not cooled and can't be properly calibrated, you want dedicated astronomy camera that has set point cooling. $$$$

Calibration? Why is it not working (well this part is just to depict the fun of climbing steep learning curve - not so much as showing spending side of it).

Light pollution is your next limiting factor. What, there are these expensive filters that help - $$$.

Mono + filters and narrow band is better option - $$$$

What do you mean my mount is rather basic and rudimentary for all the other gear I have, well, such is life - $$$$$

And it just goes on and on

I've written above not to discourage you but rather to prepare you for what is coming. You don't really need to take that route, but in all likelihood you will - or at least similar one.

Get a book - read about it all so you know what is coming. Take evasive action to dodge worst of it and just enjoy the ride

 

[LeighH]

Thanks vlaiv sounds like my boat, spend spend spend $$$

[Nicola Hannah Butterfield]

I would say consider the mount first, NEQ5 or EQ6, I have the EQ5 I got with a package I got cheap on eBay back in Jan, the mount had some damage, I think it had been dropped at some point, got it and a SW 200P for £150, played with that till I saved for the NEQ6  a few months later, and they are worlds apart in terms of stability, build from the ground up I believe the saying goes, NEQ5 for a little more portability.  That said I learnt a little about stacking using very short exposures, 1/4's on the static EQ5 mount, and as @vlaivsays you want to keep getting better overcoming one obstacle at a time.