Is it possible to buy a first telescope suitable for astrophotography for under £250?

[BeginnerBecky]

My boyfriend desperately wants to get into astronomy and has used a friend's telescope (no motor) a few times and loved it. He is also an amateur photographer and has a high spec SLR digital camera.

I would like to suprise him with his own telescope for Christmas but I dont know where to start. As he is a photographer, once he has got to grips with the telescope I assume he would like to look in to some astro photography and I dont want to buy him a telescope that then isnt compatible or any good at photography meaning he then has to buy another one within a year.

• Is it possible for me to buy him a telescope for under £250 that will show good quality images as well as being compatible with an SLR Sony digital camera in the future?
  

I have seen this camera below and think it looks like good value and it has a GOTO system which might be good for a beginner to help him find particular objects.

Sky Watcher Sky Watcher 70mm computerised SynScan AZ GOTO telescope astronomy starter kit

• Is it possible to use a telescope equipped with GOTO, manually ie to switch the GOTO off and find the object yourself?)
  
• If I dont get a GOTO one, does he definately need one with a motor if he wants to attempt photosgraphy later on?
  

There is this one as well that does not have GOTO but does have a motor.

Sky Watcher EXPLORER-130EM 130mm (5.1") f/900 Newtonian Reflector with RA motor drive

I would really appreciate any suggestions people have as I am totally clueless and I really want to get a good one, i just cant afford more than £300 (if you can suggest one under £200 that would be even better and my bank manager would love you forever!)

Thanks

Becky

[Bizibilder]

I would suggest you steer clear of "goto" and other fancy gizmo's - you will get far more for your money buying a straightforward telescope and a GOOD mount. This:

Reflectors - Skywatcher Explorer 150P EQ3-2

is in within budget (or the PL version). A camera adaptor and "t ring" will set you back about a further £30 (see FLO site at the top of the page).

This set up would be exellent for visual astronomy of the Moon. planets and Deep Sky Objects and could, if you bought a motor drive later, be used for some limited photography. I say limited as you really need a mount alone that will set you back £600+ to start serious astro photos!! That's the price without the scope!

Sorry to be a bit of a downer but the truth is that astro photography can be very expensive! A good scope such as the one above will, however, allow you to get some "basic" photography done. By the way you could simply put the camera on the mount and take wide field photo's - all depends on what lenses you already have for the camera.

[shaunster]

you can buy just the telescope second hand maybe with nothing else, for serious astrophotography its a lot of money

With your budget id buy a nice DOB and enjoy it and save up for the photography

[brantuk]

Hi Becky and welcome to the group

If he has a DSLR camera allready then half the job is done. You'd just need a connector (T-1.25" or T-2") to connect to the scope.

If he's a keen photographer and gets into astro photography then he'll want to image solar system and deep sky objects. So you'd need an equatorial mount rather than alt/az mount, and it will need to be capable of tracking accurately.

For telescopes the general rule is "the bigger the aperture the better". However - the two basic types of scope are refractor and reflector. Refractors tend to be much more expensive than reflectors for the same size aperture. E.g. a 6" reflector costing £200 may be as much as £600-£1000 for the same size refractor (depending on make and quality).

For £200-£300 I would suggest you look at the Skywatcher 130P EQ (M) or the 150P EQ (M). The "P" is for parabolic and the "M" is motorised (at least right ascension).

Also consider the second hand market (e.g. For Sale section on this site). There are some good bargains around and astronomers tend to keep their equipment in pristine condition.

Hope that helps

[LukeSkywatcher]

I agree with brant. Either the SW 130P or the 150P are both considered to be very very good "starter" scopes. Obviously you (he) will want as much apeture as possible so the SW 150P would offer that bit more.

As brant pointed out..........both scopes are motorised with at least the "RA" which is really the basic motor axis needed for photography.

Secondhand is also a very good idea (you will need to have 50 posts here before you can buy anything in the "For Sale" section). Us astronomers treat our gear as if they are a member of the family so you can be assured that if you go down the road of buying secondhand that the scope you buy will be in absolutely as close to NEW condition as is possible. The only "damage" may be a couple of scuff marks along the legs of the tripod where it has been highered and lowered.

Is it possible to use a telescope equipped with GOTO, manually ie to switch the GOTO off and find the object yourself?)

I believe so. I dont use any Go-To scopes but i think you can switch it off and use the scope manually.

If I dont get a GOTO one, does he definately need one with a motor if he wants to attempt photosgraphy later on?

If he is in ANY way serious about photography and would like to try astrphotography then the answer is YES. As i said above the VERY least he will need is a RA motor. This basically allows him to follow any object he is imaging as it moves across the night sky from east to west (thats the direction everything in the night sky travels).

[Steve922]

You are likely to get a flood of advice, much of it contradictory! :-) Here';s my two-pennorth....

Steer clear of GOTO - it uses up money better spent elsewhere.

Your choice of the 130EM is a good one. From this and the rest of your mail, you seem very sensible and have been surfing the net before posting. Good on yer.

Steer clear of anything which is not an Alt-Az mount. Buying one with an RA motor fitted will be a lot cheaper than having one fitted later.

I give another vote for second-hand equipment. StarGazers really look after there kit. I don't recall ever buying anything used which I could tell wasn't new. Google Astro Buy Sell.

Once you've decided on a scope, call FirstLightOptics (FLO top of page) and ask about the camera adapter - how to mount your fella's camera to this scope. FLO is a dealer who is well respected on this Forum, not because they sponsor it but because of long term, repeated good service.

Good luck.

Steve

[barkis]

You are likely to get a flood of advice, much of it contradictory! :-) Here';s my two-pennorth....

Steer clear of GOTO - it uses up money better spent elsewhere.

Your choice of the 130EM is a good one. From this and the rest of your mail, you seem very sensible and have been surfing the net before posting. Good on yer.

Steer clear of anything which is not an Alt-Az mount. Buying one with an RA motor fitted will be a lot cheaper than having one fitted later.

I give another vote for second-hand equipment. StarGazers really look after there kit. I don't recall ever buying anything used which I could tell wasn't new. Google Astro Buy Sell.

Once you've decided on a scope, call FirstLightOptics (FLO top of page) and ask about the camera adapter - how to mount your fella's camera to this scope. FLO is a dealer who is well respected on this Forum, not because they sponsor it but because of long term, repeated good service.

Good luck.

Steve

"Steer clear of anything that is NOT an Alt Az. Mount?"

"Fit an RA motor later"

Are you sure that's what you meant to say Steve.? .

Ron.

[Cornelius Varley]

Steer clear of anything which is not an Alt-Az mount. Buying one with an RA motor fitted will be a lot cheaper than having one fitted later

I think you contradictated yourself. Do you mean "Steer clear of anything which is not an Equatorial Mount"

Peter

[BeginnerBecky]

Thanks for all the advice so far everyone. I have had a brief chat with Andrew about telescopes to find out what he wants from one.

So many people have said that a GOTO scope is good for making things quicker and easier but can up the price and take the fun out of finding the objects yourself. When I spoke about it with him he thinks that the GOTO might be good for him being a total beginner and finding things quickly when he doesnt have time and that he can always turn it off and use the scope manually when he wants to learn how to find things himself.

If I do get one with GOTO, what are your thoughts on this one?

Reflectors - Skywatcher Explorer 130P SynScan AZ GOTO

It seems to have a bigger mirror diameter than the ones I was looking at before which seems to be a good thing!

Also, I never thought about this, and it may sound like a silly question but are telescopes portable? eg: can we use them in different places without a lot of hassle? We have a spare room which he can use but my mum also lives on top of Epsom Downs where there are some amazing views and we thought it would be nice for him to be able to take the telescope there.. do they need a lot of setting up / adjusting if you take them to different places?

[barkis]

Welcome to SGL Becky, the Alt-Azimuth mounted telescopes are very simple to use.

An equatorial Mounted telescope, although good ones for astro photography are very expensive if you want to do it to a very high standard. They are quite complicated to understand, and will take a while to get your head around.

If you just want to go out on a good starry night, and view the skies gems, then a simple Dobsonian mounted telescope will serve you better, and no frustration will spoil the enjoyment for you.

Ron.

[LukeSkywatcher]

So many people have said that a GOTO scope is good for making things quicker and easier but can up the price and take the fun out of finding the objects yourself. When I spoke about it with him he thinks that the GOTO might be good for him being a total beginner and finding things quickly when he doesnt have time and that he can always turn it off and use the scope manually when he wants to learn how to find things himself.

Much as it pains me to say anything good about Go-To (i am old school), i guess the fact that you (He) can switch it off and search manually is a good thing. Least he has an incling to get "back to basics" and there is no better feeling for finding something under your own steam. Its a VERY rewarding feeling.

Portability is a totally personal thing. There is no right or wrong. Its down to the user.

[Steve922]

Are you sure that's what you meant to say Steve.? .

Ooops - from screw-up land comes my correction. I'd definitely go for an equatorial mount with an RA motor already fitted. :-)

Thanks guys (is their a red-faced smiley? )

Steve

[barkis]

Ooops - from screw-up land comes my correction. I'd definitely go for an equatorial mount with an RA motor already fitted. :-)

Thanks guys (is their a red-faced smiley? )

Steve

Don't worry about it mate, we all make gaffs at one time or another.

It's called being human. Anyone who hasn't made a mistake, hasn't ever made anything.

It wasn't to correct you anyway, merely to prevent the OP from being confused.

Ron.

[Bizibilder]

If you want simplicity - ie you can put the scope down anywhere and start to use it then the:

Reflectors - Skywatcher Explorer 130P SynScan AZ GOTO

Is actually a very good idea! As is has an "altazimuth" mount ie it goes "up and down" and "round and round" it doesn't matter where you put it or in what direction it is facing. You will have to "align" it to at least one or two stars and then it will simply find and track objects for you. The disadvantage is that you won't be able to use it for much photography. Don't forget to factor into the price that you will need a power supply (usually a 12v battery of some sort). DON'T buy a branded "powertank" - they are ridiculously expensive!!" Something like this:

3in1 Portable Jumpstarter : InCar Battery Chargers and Compressors : Maplin

But without a compressor! - sorry the link just adds that!

Will do - you will need a battery charger as well if you don't already have one. By the way these Maplins battery packs are often on offer at under £20!!

Hope this helps.

[ronin]

Hi, more confusion I suspect.

Astrophotography and a Dobsonian mounted scope do not go together. OK for visual work, you have to locate everything and they do not track.

An Alt/Az mounted goto can do photography but again limited. Main points are that the object in view will rotate during the exposure (blurred image over time). Next point is the mount was designed to hold the scope not the scope and DSLR. Fitting a webcam (smaller) is an option.

An equitorial mount is what is needed for astrophotography, and you would really need a substantial one. Which are above your budget. Also the equitorial must have a set of motors, needed to track the object. As to the scope a refractor is the chosen scope of most, reflectors in their various types come next.

One thought that comes to mind is what lens has he for the camera(s)? Wondering is mounting a DSLR and camera lens on an motorised equitorial mount could accomplish something.

Have a look at a post on this forum for images taken with a William Optics Megrez 72.

[RikM]

I have the SW 150P on a basic EQ3-2 with dual axis drives and a T-ring with a Canon 300D. As a first 'proper' scope, with a hint of astrophotography it is great. It is large enough that you can see loads of cool stuff, yet small enough that you can transport it easily and set it up nice and quickly. I initially looked at the 130 PM and was advised that the focuser is a bit too light weight to hang a DSLR on. I don't know if that's actually true, but I went for the 150P and haven't regretted it for a minute. If you're interested, search for a couple of my posts in the deepsky imaging section for an example of what you can do without any real clue what you are doing.

Rik

[ollypenrice]

Starting at the beginning of your thread I would say this; all sorts of budget packages offer you the promise of astronomical photography but cannot really deliver the goods. So the answer to your original question is dead simple. No. For a photographic mount alone you are looking at £650, without a telescope and a shedload of other stuff. The budget is at a couple of thousand. I'm sorry, but if your man likes photography he is going to have standards and look at the images out there. That is the brutal truth and the bad news.

Now the very good news! Don't start out in astronomy with astrophotography in mind.

Instead start by looking at what is out there. This is an age in which incredibly good telescopes on good simple (non photographic) mounts are remarkably affordable. Before battling with photography, get aquainted with the sky and with the fact that our viewing platform, the Earth, complicates things by moving. 80 percent of astrophotography is about compensating for the movement of the Earth.

If you remove photography from the equation then a start in astronomy becomes relatively simple and affordable. The idea of buying stuff that you later upgrade is really a nonsense. As you grow in astronomy you change your equipment. I have done it many times and have not yet finished doing so, much as I would like to believe otherwise!

Forget photography to start with and then come back to astrophotography if you really feel the need. I do feel the need and it is my main activity in life!!

Olly

[dph1nm]

Hmm - not sure I agree with most of the sentiments on here. My thoughts are:

1. You CAN do great DSO astrophotography with a simple alt-az mount. I have a Celestron Nexstar SLT102 (300 pounds when I bought it) and it is amazing what this can do coupled with a DSLR.

2. An unguided EQ mount will not give much longer exposures than an alt-az (unless you pay silly amounts of money). Basically both are limited to 1-2 mins.

NigelM