Scope Advice

[Strangelet]

Hi

This is my first post, so excuse me if I get things wrong.

I am wondering if anyone has any suggestions for a new Scope.

It is to be used for both Visual (now) and Photography ( as I become use to it ).

My budget is around the £400 - £500 mark. This is for the OTA only as I already have a suitable EQ mount.

Look forward to your response.

Graham.

[adamsp123]

If you really have a good mount then a Skywatcher Explorer 200P would be a good bet IMO or a 80mm ED refractor, but the Newt gives you more oomph in the visual department, however you will need a flattener for the ED or coma corrector for the Newt if you go into imaging.

[Moonshane]

the answer to your question really depends on the quality of your mount. what mount do you have currently?

I have concluded that apart from the time and skill (neither of which I have for AP) it was far too expensive to get the sort of results I'd be satisfied with. I have therefore stuck with visual.

that said, your mount may be good enough for AP and as you wish to do this from the start (more or less) it makes sense to base your purchases on this.

[Strangelet]

My shortlist was Altair 8" astrograph, 8" skywatcher or even the 10" skywatcher.

I had not thought about a refractor. I had considered the 190mm Mak Newt but thats a bit out of my range at the moment.

Graham.

[Strangelet]

Sorry guys my mount is an NEQ6 pro.

Currently using a 6" skywatcher refractor on loan from a friend.

Graham

[Moonshane]

ahh ... in that case you have a few options. I'll leave it to the others to be specific as I know buttons about AP. with that mount though I'd expect you will have a great time imaging.

as a starter though, I'd have thought you could even consider the 'best of both worlds' with maybe an 80mm ED refractor (Skywatcher do a good one I think which a lot seem to praise) and also perhaps a used 8-10" Dob to do some visual while your mount does the photo business? Save some money for decent eyepieces though whichever way you go and good luck!

[ollypenrice]

The Newts will do both visual and AP as long as you get one with the right back focus for AP. Ask a good dealer like FLO. A small refractor is the easiest for imaging but not very satisfying visually. Always a tough one. Sure you can't run to the Mak Newt?? Your mount can handle it and there are no hidden extras like flatteners, correctors and surprizingly expensive little sundries to join them together at the right separation..

Olly

[Uranium235]

mmmmmm.... mak newt

Another bonus on that one is that it wont attract so much dust to the primary mirror (unlike a standard newt which is a dust magnet). But once you add a guidescope along with all the other gubbins its going to be rather bulky and not exactly grab & go.

Personally, I think you should have both (an 80mm APO and a newt)... but which one first?? Ahhh.... Its a tough choice, but I think the 80ED wins hands-down in terms of clarity and ease/speed of use.

The 150p/200p are quite popular (now with better focuser), maybe you could bung a APO fraccy on top and get the best of both?

In any case, you will need to set aside at least another £500 if you intend to start imaging seriously (dslr, guidecam etc...).

[Strangelet]

Thanks for the replies. I really do like the mak newton and yes it will save on the "extra bits" that you enevitably have to buy. I have a Neximage webcam and a Nikon D40X for imaging but not a dedicated camera. I guess it will be a few months before i need one?

[Deneb]

Just remember if you go for the Mak Newt option, you will need at least a Dew Band Heater with a controller as minimum to eliminate the dew on the corrector plate - thats a must extra.

Nadeem.