Equipment Suggestions

[DaddyG]

I think I want to jump straight into astrophotography, ideally I'd love to do planets and deep space if that's doable with one setup?!

I already have a Nikon d5100 and d5500 to take the images on and my budget ideally under £1k but that's reviewable!!

I'm in Redcar, but would like it to be portable so I could go to dark locations when possible.

Suggestions gratefully received and thanks in advance

[PeterCPC]

There is no setup that would be suitable for planetary and DSOs. Before you jump in I suggest reading - Making Every Photon Count. https://www.firstlightoptics.com/books/making-every-photon-count-steve-richards.html

[AstroNebulee]

1 minute ago, PeterCPC said:

There is no setup that would be suitable for planetary and DSOs. Before you jump in I suggest reading - Making Every Photon Count. https://www.firstlightoptics.com/books/making-every-photon-count-steve-richards.html

+1 for making every photon count, I really informative easy to understand book, essential for astrophotography beginners

[The Lazy Astronomer]

Unfortunately, planets and DSOs require different set ups. For planets you want large apertures and long focal lengths (so something like an SCT or mak), but for starting out on DSOs you'd want something like a small refracter.

So, you are going to have to decide which interests you more and go from there.

 

[DaddyG]

Cheers was hoping for a one fits all!!

Making every photon count is ordered so will read that asap.

As a newbie to all things skyward would starting out on planets etc be easier and help me gain knowledge  and practice I'm guessing it would need less editing after too?

 

 

 

[AstroNebulee]

32 minutes ago, DaddyG said:

Cheers was hoping for a one fits all!!

Making every photon count is ordered so will read that asap.

As a newbie to all things skyward would starting out on planets etc be easier and help me gain knowledge  and practice I'm guessing it would need less editing after too?

 

 

 

As lazy astronomer said a little refractor and a mak are the two scopes to aim for ideally. Both planets and DSOs require a good level of processing but planets and Luna are easier I find in my very short experience. I use a zwo asi120mc-s for planetary and lunar imaging on my skymax 127 az gti (also my dslr for lunar imaging full disc also on my skymax 127). Then just my dslr at the moment for DSOs, shortly to be used with an evostar 72ed and star adventurer. I used to have a sw 150p on eq3-2 which could just about fulfil use on DSOs and planets, it's not an all rounder by any means but it's close to me anyway. I had to sell as it wasn't portable for me in a flat. You will need a good mount and tripod for AP so that's another thing to consider, clear skies. 

Edited March 21, 2021 by LeeHore7

[PeterCPC]

1 hour ago, DaddyG said:

Cheers was hoping for a one fits all!!

Making every photon count is ordered so will read that asap.

As a newbie to all things skyward would starting out on planets etc be easier and help me gain knowledge  and practice I'm guessing it would need less editing after too?

 

 

 

The requirements for planetary imaging are totally different to DSO imaging - no need to guide for a start. So in that respect planetary can seem easier but it's still a challenge to get good results. At the moment you are going to be limited to Lunar imaging anyway due to the planets positions.

[The Lazy Astronomer]

2 hours ago, DaddyG said:

Cheers was hoping for a one fits all!!

Making every photon count is ordered so will read that asap.

As a newbie to all things skyward would starting out on planets etc be easier and help me gain knowledge  and practice I'm guessing it would need less editing after too?

 

 

 

I would say planetary is easier to get started with, but getting really good images is difficult, and relies heavily on very good seeing. Also bear in mind that there's only really 3 planets worth imaging, whereas there are literally hundreds of DSOs.

The other thing is, because planetary and DSO imaging are so different from each other, there aren't really any transferable skills between the two (aside from maybe practice in mount set up, and to some extent, some elements of post-processing), so don't get into planetary thinking it will help you that much with future DSO imaging. 

[DaddyG]

Ok thanks for the quick replies, I have seen a Celestron Netstar SLT 127 with extras for sale near me and think I may go for viewing whilst looking into astrophotography.

I know it's going to be costly enough so don't want to buy anything that's not suited!! And am guessing the number of telescopes you need is always

n +1!?

 

 

 

 

[The Lazy Astronomer]

18 minutes ago, DaddyG said:

And am guessing the number of telescopes you need is always

n +1!?

Unfortunately, yes!! 😅

[Jonny_H]

47 minutes ago, DaddyG said:

Ok thanks for the quick replies, I have seen a Celestron Netstar SLT 127 with extras for sale near me and think I may go for viewing whilst looking into astrophotography.

I know it's going to be costly enough so don't want to buy anything that's not suited!! And am guessing the number of telescopes you need is always

n +1!?

 

 

 

 

I started off last year with a single telescope and a mount and was quite strict with myself about buying wisely so that I didn't have to buy anything else.......

1 year later, another scope on order and a much lighter wallet 😩

It's all worth it though and you will love it!

[Clarkey]

I started with nothing last January. I got a 200p for visual with an HEQ5 which I used for a couple of nights before the AP bug got me. Now I have a collection of scopes and mounts plus my own kid-free astro cupboard for everything else. (My profile below needs updating with a new Alt-Az and another guide scope).

Oh yeah. I'm now skint 🤣🤣