I'm going to cry, I can't decide!!!!!

[Mav359]

Hi guys

(mans up!!!)

Right here's the deal, I'm fortunate enough that I have a job that once a year pays me a nice bonus, bring on the 14th

So having had a basic relector for years and being completely hooked on it and astronomy, space and so on I've decided to invest in a large setup, great I hear you cry but I've chopped and changed what I want to but so many times my heads starting to spin.

So.... Heres the plan

I want to do some planetary & lunar observations as well as DSO observations as well. I'm also hooked on the idea of astrophotography.

I had settled on a CPC925, no EQ mount which for the astrophotography wouldnt be great. So then i settled on a C.9.25 on a CGEM mount, "nice" many of you shouted until I mentioned the astrophotography again. I had planned to mount a ED80 on this.

Now Olly has advised against it, I've seen some of his pictures, WOW so I'd be silly not to listen and I've checked Peter Shah's site and again brill but he doesn't use a SCT either... The C9.25 is well liked here so what do you use it for?

Brains starting to hurt, for what I want to do should I stick with the SCT? There's a 14" DOB on FLO by sky watcher, is that a better option or is there something else all together?

Please help, I'm starting to feel sick!!!

[code][code]

[Catanonia]

Try a nice ED120 refractor. Great for DSO and good for planets as well as the moon.

Best of both worlds.

BTW : I have mine for sale in the sale section lol

Seriously though, a refractor like this on a GEM gives great DSO and also gives you the option of planets. It is not as good as the C9 as lower FL, but will barlows it certain does pull its own weight.

[anth]

Hi

I have recently just purchased a cpc925 and it is a dream to use, really easy to set up and transport. I havnt done any astrophotography yet because it is a fork mount but you are able to buy a wedge for the cpc which will make AP allowable. I was advised against buying a c 9.25 on a cgem mount for portability and setting up reasons. I can see why now, the cpc 925 although easy to set up is a beast and is probably the limit of my carrying capabilities. If you are thinking of travelling to sites or just popping out into your garden to observe then I think the cpc is the best buy. However if you have your own observatory/shed then its not a problem and you can leave your scope/mount out there all the time.

Hope this helps

Anth

[ollypenrice]

The C9.25 is a stunning scope for visual and for planetary imaging. However, hard work for deep sky, and wedges - well, I intensely dislike them but let others have their say.

If you want visual and imaging why not the MN190? It is simply astounding for imaging and very competent visually by all accounts. The focal length is reasonbable and guidable.

I am considering a C11 Edge so I am not anti SCT all the way, but I have a Takahashi mount (don't ask the price and don't tell Monique!!!) that can gude at long focal lengths. I had an unsuccessful time with a wedge mounted Meade though.

Olly

[Mav359]

i was thinking the CGEM GOTO mount rather then the wedge, do you not think that would do the job?

I get the impression from what you are saying that the SCT is a harder skill to learn but might be worth it?

Time and patience i got!!!

Ive looked at the MN190, what mount would you suggest? Also after looking at Peters site the Orion's as well, they are much more expensive but are they worth it.

I dont mind paying extra now rather then get it wrong and have to spend again later

[Psychobilly]

A decent wedge is a big chunk of the cost of a reasonable Skywatcher EQ mount.. unless you make your own

I made the fork mounted SCT mistake and it hardly ever got used for imaging as my main interest turned out to be wide field DSO's... so The SCT was just used to piggy back a STR and teleguider...

I have used it with a DMK for lunar and a tiny bit of planetary.. and also a bit of planetary nebulae work at f6.3 and f10 and did try it at f20 once...

Billy...

[perrin6]

How bout get a small refractor or small newt on a lightish (ie cheap!) mount for DSO photography - you don't need huge aperture with long exposure photos, then a catadioptric for visual.

[ollypenrice]

The MN190 would be fine on an EQ6. I don't know the CGEM. A new mount is coming soon, too, the iOptron ieq45. Might be good, who knows?

The issues with SCTs for DS imaging are guiding at that f length, mirror shift, focus (you need a Crayford aftermarket) optical imperfection off axis and vignetting. If I buy another one it will just be for the spring galaxy season when all the classic objects are small and need long fl. It would get less use than any of my present instruments. The most used scope here is the smallest, the FSQ85. Camera lenses are great fun, too.

The superb AO8 that Peter uses is very expensive because it is so fast, around f3 is it? And it has a flat field over a large area, which is also hard to acheive. This is very much the opposite of the SCT which is slow and optically not optimized for imaging unless you go for the Edge versions and there the f ratio is hopeless (in my view) till they bring out the reducer. Also, Peter is a professional photographer and as skilled as you like.

If spending a bomb there are lots of options. I have no regrets over my Tak FSQ85ED. Great results, I would say, small, easy, fast and aggro-free to use. You just use it. But a more modest equivalent is nearly as good, that's optics and prices.

Olly

[Neo_uk]

Thats what i did too even though i bought a wedge to go with my lx200 10" i could not get on with the fork mount so de-forked it and mounted it on a eq6 pro and im going to piggy back my sw ed80 pro on to it for dso imaging.

Would love a wo ftl110 triplet for dso imaging though but guess i need to save a bit more for one .

chris

[ollypenrice]

Thats what i did too even though i bought a wedge to go with my lx200 10" i could not get on with the fork mount so de-forked it and mounted it on a eq6 pro and im going to piggy back my sw ed80 pro on to it for dso imaging.

Would love a wo ftl110 triplet for dso imaging though but guess i need to save a bit more for one .

chris

Honestly, there are so many people I know with this experience that I continue to give the same advice despite risking upsetting fork SCT owners. It really is time to call the manufacturers to account. Can you realistically expect the telescope to guide well enough for imaging or not? Many people find the answer is 'Not.'

Since the scope-mount makers do not make autoguiders as part of the package they have a nice loophole; it is not our fault if you can't autopguide to do DS imaging. Well I say, Yes it is!

Olly

[adamsp123]

I have tried many different designs of scopes for astrophotography, IMO the one I use now and enjoy the most using is the SW 190 Mak Newt, solid, fast photographically, flat field so no corrector needed and nice focal length.

Having said that there is much to recommend a suitable ED or triplet refractor with an appropriate flattener.

However the most important item for photography is the Mount! it is so easy to get well wound up by the scope choice where the really important item is the mount, OK you need a nice imaging scope to go on top but work from the bottom up in your equipment choice....oh and BTW if you don't have it get Steves' book - "Making every photon count" a must IMO for the beginner in AP, and it will save you money in the long run

[ollypenrice]

Agree with all of the above.

Olly

[Mav359]

if i went with a SW EQ6 mount and the SW 190mn would i still need the ED80???

Also was looking at the Orion CT10 F4.8, has anyone had a play with these??

[Mav359]

Thats one decision made, Steves book's been ordered. No if i just decide on the scope!!!!

[RobH]

M101, taken with a 14 inch fork mounted LX200gps @ F6.3 & Atik 16hr.

That said....it was an absolute pig to get it to guide well, but it can be done.

I'd go for the Mak Newt 190 on a GEM if I were you.

[Mav359]

Ok guys i think you've swung me....

A Mak Newt 190 & ED80 on a EQ6 mount.

After a search i found that Barkis has this setup so i've PM'd him for his thoughts, what do you guys think? Do you not think the Orion CT10 is worth the extra?

Thanks a lot for the advice guys really appriacate it all.

[ollypenrice]

M101, taken with a 14 inch fork mounted LX200gps @ F6.3 & Atik 16hr.

That said....it was an absolute pig to get it to guide well, but it can be done.

I'd go for the Mak Newt 190 on a GEM if I were you.

Staggering image, Rob. Never seen that one before but not everyone would pull that off...

Olly

[brantuk]

That M101 is awesome Rob