Building a new setup - advice

[Earthserpent]

Hi all,

I've been out of the game for almost 6 years now and want to get back into ap. 

Budget: £20,000

Bortle: 4

Doesn't need to be super portable but I'm also not looking for a permanent observatory setup.

I already have a CEM60 so I'd like to use that if possible as the mount. I've only ever really used refractors so I suppose I'd like to stick to those BUT if a reflector seems like the clear choice I have no issue learning how to use them.
I like a focal length of around 800mm, and something relatively fast. 
 

Feel free to think out loud.

Thanks

Edited September 6 by Earthserpent

[Elp]

That's a fairly generous budget. What do you like imaging as this is the most important thing to consider?

Being a low bortle, I also assume your immediate LP sources are next to none existent?

Edited September 6 by Elp

[Earthserpent]

25 minutes ago, Elp said:

That's a fairly generous budget. What do you like imaging as this is the most important thing to consider?

Being a low bortle, I also assume your immediate LP sources are next to none existent?

Hey thanks for the quick reply - I'm looking to image nebulae, galaxies etc. as I said I really like the 800mm sweet-spot. 
I'm in the countryside but there are some nearby large towns and London rears it head in the far distance. 

[vlaiv]

You probably want something like 6" APO with suitable reducer and ASI6200mm camera + 2" set of filters and a filter wheel

[Elp]

I was going to suggest a RASA11 or even an 8 for wider FOV. Nothing will really come close to the speed. If you want a better resolution (and longer FL) maybe an RC or large Newtonian. As your budget is reasonable you could get a decent truss tube RC. Refractors I find easier and more likely to be used, as yours will be permanent or near enough size doesn't really matter so much. Askar have disturbed the typical scope prices from other vendors (maybe at the cost of prime quality), their latest triplet range has 103/120/140/185/203mm at least (Their FRA range is the best, then PHQ, then maybe the triplet apo), try to find a similar price per size from another vendor.

If looking at a RASA, personally I'd rather go Edge HD for its flexibility, visual and AP use native, planetary imaging native, decent FL reduced and F2.2 or so with a Hyperstar lens which isn't really difficult to use. For imaging only the RASA would be better but it's a fixed FL.

Edited September 6 by Elp

[Earthserpent]

On 06/09/2024 at 14:11, Elp said:

I was going to suggest a RASA11 or even an 8 for wider FOV. Nothing will really come close to the speed. If you want a better resolution (and longer FL) maybe an RC or large Newtonian. As your budget is reasonable you could get a decent truss tube RC. Refractors I find easier and more likely to be used, as yours will be permanent or near enough size doesn't really matter so much. Askar have disturbed the typical scope prices from other vendors (maybe at the cost of prime quality), their latest triplet range has 103/120/140/185/203mm at least (Their FRA range is the best, then PHQ, then maybe the triplet apo), try to find a similar price per size from another vendor.

If looking at a RASA, personally I'd rather go Edge HD for its flexibility, visual and AP use native, planetary imaging native, decent FL reduced and F2.2 or so with a Hyperstar lens which isn't really difficult to use. For imaging only the RASA would be better but it's a fixed FL.

Thanks for the recommendations! My first thought was also RASA but I don’t know if I could live without a filterwheel haha

 

Right now I’m considering a premium newt (impossible to find) or a used deltarho or CCA-250

[Elp]

Maybe not quite premium enough but theres always the Sharpstar hyperbolic astrograph, or a Tak Epsilon.

[Earthserpent]

Yeah I’ve been warded away from the sharpstar.

 

It sounds petty, but I just can’t stand the yellow of the epsilon!

[CraigT82]

With that budget I’d be tempted to buy a Mesu and a pair of 120mm fracs (Esprit?)  and run a dual set up. OSC on one and mono with Lum/ narrowband filters on the other. 

[GTom]

That sort of budget implies a permanent pier + garden observatory or "observatory". Splitting it in three (scope, mount, accessories) unless you seriously overpay for some collectors item, the sheer scope weight will put you back actually moving it out and use it. For reference: a C14 non-edge costs approx £8k.

I'd actually go for a 20" f4 Truss Newtonian on a Mesu e200. Strictly observatory pieces both.