What telescope to buy?

[Mark-mck]

Hello ladies and gents.

Well i'll start off by saying i'm new to the whole astronomy shindig, so as such have absolutly no idea what telescope i need or want. this is where you guys who know whats what come in handy.

I'd like something that i can use for viewing and after a while astrophotography, do i deed a refractor, newt, dob? or any of the other type's available.

From the research i've done thus far i gather that the mount will be crucial if i intend on eventually going into astrophitography. but other than that i have no idea.

Any and all advice would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks.

Mark

[barkis]

Have you a spend figure in mind? Not being nosey, but it will help to make a decision in selecting a variety of options for you.

Then you choose the one that appeals the most to you.

Ron.

[Mark-mck]

Thanks Ron

Budget.......... i'm gonna have to say around £1200 - £1500, i could go a little further but £1500 is really the most i want to spend, unless you can guarantee phenomanal results.

[rowan46]

Hi mark, if you are sure that astrophotography is the way you want to this book may help you along the way. it will tell you what sort of equipment you need and how to go about using it. Books - Making Every Photon Count - Steve Richards. If you read that first you will have a better idea of what questions to ask. different telescopes have different attributes , strengths and weaknesess. consequently we will need to know a lot more info, what sort of things will you be photographing. how portable does it need to be and most importantly what sort of budget you have at your disposal. It isn't quite as simple as sticking a camera on the end of a scope.( although with some targets it is ) I would suggest you learn a little about visual astronomy first this will give you some of the knowledge to build on later. But of course this depends on your patience . I won't reccommend a scope till you are sure of whatr sort of. budget you have. If you are determined to do imaging of dso's this is the first thing you should budget for . as most imagers suggest it to be the minimum mount Skywatcher - Skywatcher HEQ5 SynTrek

[Mark-mck]

Hi Rowan.

I ordered "making every photon count" earlier this evening, hopefully it'll be here in a day or 2.

I do think that astrophotography is probably the best way for me to go as i work shifts so won't be able to get out every clear night (as i'll be working some night's or tucked up in bed by the time the stars come out) so hopefully the photography route will give me something to do whan i cant get out at night and visualy observe (if that makes sense). that said i would idealy like a setup which would enable me to do some visual astronomy to start with.

And budget wise £1200 - £1500 idealy but could stretch a little further. i've considered the option of only spending a few hundred pounds on a starter set up but would rather just delve straight in and buy someting thats going to last a fair few years.

Thanks.

[ollypenrice]

It might be cheaper and more rewarding to go for a decent sized (6 to 8 inch) Dobsonian reflector for visual use and a small, fast apo refractor for imaging. The 'one scope fits all' is a bit of an elusive beast... If you went for a small refractor for imaging, the HEQ5 would do as a mount and the difference in price between that and the bigger HEQ6 would pay for most of the Dob, or all of it if you bought second hand. Plus it would be a lot easier to hump about.

Olly

ollypenrice's Photos

[Moonshane]

It might be cheaper and more rewarding to go for a decent sized (6 to 8 inch) Dobsonian reflector for visual use and a small, fast apo refractor for imaging. The 'one scope fits all' is a bit of an elusive beast... If you went for a small refractor for imaging, the HEQ5 would do as a mount and the difference in price between that and the bigger HEQ6 would pay for most of the Dob, or all of it if you bought second hand. Plus it would be a lot easier to hump about.

Olly

ollypenrice's Photos

I am no imager but agree with this. oh, and don't worry about not getting out every clear night as there are not so many of them in the UK anyway that I bet you'll manage most of them!

[G2EWS]

Hi Mark,

From one newbie to another hi.

I have just gone through the same experience of choosing which scope. The only difference is my main interest is astro photography.

Steve - Steppenwolf - who wrote the book has been very helpful and pointed me in the right direction. See my original thread:

http://stargazerslounge.com/equipment-help/126811-these-requirements-can-you-advise.html

Another useful article is here:

Astro-Baby Astronomy Website

Click on 'General Articles' then 'A Beginners Guide To Astronomy part 1'

I found this a very helpful read.

A second book to buy as suggested to me and I am enjoying reading is Bill Bryson's A Short History Of Nearly Everything.

Hope that helps from another newbie who has absolutely no idea. But what a great and helpful site this is!

Best regards

Chris

[Moonshane]

A second book to buy as suggested to me and I am enjoying reading is Bill Bryson's A Short History Of Nearly Everything.

totally agree on this for general background on lots of astro stuff. this is the book that got me back into science reading - thanks Bill!