Advice and help

[Mehraj Anik]

Hello everyone,

Just joined this awesome forum and finding everything so simple and guided (of course its not so simple out there in the space), I am loving this place reading everything! But to get more out of this, now I am planning to get one Skywatcher for me.

My budget is very limited, £200 which can be pushed upto £250 but I need some accessories for imaging as well. Also I need a motorized telescope.

So options are:

1. Skywatcher Explorer 130p

• Magnifications (with optics supplied): x26 & x65
  
• Highest Practical Power (Potential): x260
  
• Diameter of Primary Mirror: 130mm
  
• Telescope Focal Length: 650mm (f/5)
  
• Eyepieces Supplied (1.25"): 10mm & 25mm
  
• Parabolic Primary Mirror
  
• 0.5mm Ultra-Thin Secondary Mirror Supports
  
• Red Dot Finder
  
• EQ2 Equatorial Mount
  
• Aluminium Tripod with Accessory Tray
  
• 30% more Light Gathering than 114mm
  
  

2. Skywatcher Explorer 130p Supatrak auto

• Magnifications (with optics supplied): x26, x52, x65, x130
  
• Highest Practical Power (Potential): x260
  
• Diameter of Primary Mirror: 130mm
  
• Telescope Focal Length: 650mm (f/5)
  
• Eyepieces Supplied (1.25”): 10mm & 25mm
  
• X2 Barlow Lens
  
• Red Dot Finder
  
• SupaTrak Heavy-Duty Motorised Multi-Speed Auto-Tracking Alt-Azimuth Mount
  
• Power Requirement: 12v DC Power Supply (Tip Positive) or AA Batteries (not supplied)
  
• Aluminium Tripod with Accessory Tray
  
• 0.5mm Ultra-Thin Secondary Mirror Supports
  
• 30% more Light Gathering than 114mm
  

I have been to widescreen center in London (Dorset street, near baker street underground) just to have a look and get some idea. A (very helpful) gentleman called Simon Benett added me another option.

3. SKY-WATCHER EVOSTAR-90

• Magnifications (with optics supplied): x36, x72, x90, x180
  
• Highest Practical Power (Potential): x180
  
• Objective Lens Diameter: 90mm
  
• Telescope Focal Length: 900mm (f/10)
  
• Eyepieces Supplied (1.25"): 10mm & 25mm
  
• x2 Deluxe Barlow Lens 1.25"(with camera adaptor)
  
• 6x30 Finderscope
  
• 1.25"/31.7mm Star Diagonal
  
• Multi-Coated Objective Lens
  
• EQ3-2 Deluxe Equatorial Mount
  
• Built-in Polar Alignment Scope Holder
  
• Aluminium Tripod with Accessory Tray
  

Now I need your suggestion about what to get. I have read some of your advices in this section for "beginner help and advice". Skywatcher is pretty much the first option among all the new stargazers, also highly recommended. But if there is anything else, please suggest so. e.g. pros and cons, aligning complexes, portability options, power for motors etc

I am a complete newbie and do not have a single clue where I am getting into. Hope that makes me insane enough to ask some stupid questions!

I have got some Sony Alpha dslrs (I am actually a photographer). I have a plan to mount them on one of these options and take photos later. I'll try to take some lunar and celestial body's photographs first and later some deep sky when I'll know what to look and where . My question is, how good these options are for deep sky photography? I know its not very good. I need at least a 6" for better photography, yet, I was just wondering ...

What type of accessories I might need to mount my dslr on one of these? e.g. T rings, (t mounts?) I have also read in some threads that some stargazers had problem focusing with a dslr mounting on an explorer 130p. Is it possible to solve that? How about mounting a dslr on Explorer 130p Supetrak Auto? Do I still face that problem?

For option 1 and 3, I'll need motors. What type of motor would be better? Whats the difference between single axis and dual axis motors? Which I might need? Whats the difference between RA motor drive DC motor drive?

I am living in London, so if any stargazer is around me, meeting him will be a great help.

Finally, I am not very fluent in English neither well educated with your culture (I am originally from Bangladesh), so my apologies, if I was wrong anywhere or offensive.

Thanks in advance for helping me out.

[Orion_the_Hunter]

Hi Mehraj & welcome.

Sorry I can't advise you with your telescope choice.

Your English is good though!

[ronin]

Only one of your options makes sense for any form of photography, the one with the motors.

Be very much aware that astrophotography is very different from "photography". When have you taken a photograph that has a 30 minute exposure on something that is moving?

One exposure is not enough, you may need 20 of them to get anywhere.

If you do photography then look at the cost of a fast lens, say a 400mm f/4 or f/2.8 prime. Well you need something in the same price range as a telescope or better.

Ever wondered why Canon/Nikon/Sony etc use lens and not mirrors? (Better quality images)

The 130P is the scope, same scope, same problems, does not matter if the mount is autotrak or not.

An autortrak mount is intended and built for the scope not for the additional weight of a DSLR and attachments. There is no safety margin in the mount for extra weight nor for astrophotography.

[matteboy]

Hi Mehraj

Just a suggestion and others on here will be able to advise better on this but with that 'scope would a webcam be a better starting option for imaging? (Got to weigh a lot less than the DSLRs!) Possibily starting with the moon & planets, getting used to the sky and then invest in a mount that's dedicated to astrophotography using the DSLRs you have.

I second the comment on your English!

Watch out, it's a slippery slope, they say...

[rowan46]

Hello mehraj welcome to sgl. I have to agree with Orion above. imaging with that set up is not feasible. You could probably get some pictures of the moon but nothing else wiil satisfy you as a photographer. all you will get is frustration and disappointment especially as I assume as a photographer you are used to taking a good picture. the first prerequisite for long eexposure astrophotography is a mount capable of good tracking or being guided. it may be you can pick up a mount with those properties second hand at that price, But its unlikely, then you will need a scope with a nice fast optical system, a guide scope, guide camera, cables rings and things to attatch it all to the scope. Brantuck one of our moderators has just mentioned putting his system up cheaply and it is. But that cost him £1000. The scopes you mentioned will be fine for basic visual work. But the only thing of any use for photo work in the list is the barlow and the evostar. And the evostar is only suitable as a guidescope. if you are determined to go down the imaging route you will need to up your budget considerably. I apologise if its not what you want to hear. but as a photographer you know that equipment limits your options. with astrophotography that is even more the case.

[ollypenrice]

Hi there.

Yes, long exposure photography is impossible without a mount costing far more than your budget. Sorry but that is the simple truth.

However, fast frame cameras (webcams and others) can shoot moon and planets without the need for a superbly accurate mount. This is your best way into imaging.

Olly

ollypenrice's Photos

[Ad Astra]

Hello Mehraj!

Welcome to SGL, I'm sure you will find lots of good info here.

I teach astronomy and beginning astrophotography, allow me to offer you some simple advice that more or less mirrors what others have said here.

1. Astrophotography is a totally different skill set from observing and operating a telescope and tracking (equatorial) telescope mount - and to be successful, you must master the telescope, learning the basic constellations and your way around the sky, and learning how to operate a computer-controlled tracking mount. That's a lot to learn - a very steep learning curve, as we say in education!

2. Astrophotography is about the mount first, the optics second, and the camera third. For a photographer, I'm sure this seems backwards - but it makes sense if you think about it for a minute. For photos in low light, you need a fast lens with plenty of aperture - the same with scopes - but the light level is so low, that you need long exposures. Some of the fancy photos you may have seen on this site require stacking many images together - some with as much as as hour of exposure time. Some planetary photos may need hundreds of very short photos to stack! To understand why this is about the mount - think of how much mechanical precision it takes to move a 5-10 kg tube up to a meter long with millimeter precision, and then track a moving object so smoothly that there is no observable vibration in the photo - even after many minutes of open-lens exposure time!

3. Manufacturers primarily make scopes and mounts for visual use, where the demands for precise tracking and vibration free movement are much less. Most commercial scopes are "under-mounted" for photography - this means that many people upgrade their mount when they are ready to jump from visual work to photos.

My recommendation? Start out with a simple newtonian - either a Dobsonian (non-motorized) mount or a tracking equatorial mount (more difficult to learn, but easier to use in the long run). Learn the sky and how to use the scope. You can try some lunar photos with your DSLR, even some easy planetary work with a simple webcam.

If you really want a system that will go from visual to photographic with good results - I wouldn't recommend anything less than a Celestron CGEM-800 - an 8" schmidt-cassegrain telescope on a beefy, computerized mount that accepts autoguiding and direct outside computer control. This is about $2500 to start, plus accessories, eyepieces, and a camera adapter to mate your DSLR to the scope.

I hope that helps. Best advice I suppose it to visit the local astro club. There will be plenty of people there who do both visual work and photos. They can show you their equipment, tell you what they like (and dislike!) about it, maybe even give you a go at the eyepiece. For saving money - there is nothing like trying it before you buy it, and asking the fellow who already owns one. The local astro club is perfect for this.

Cheers,

Dan

[Mehraj Anik]

Hi Mehraj & welcome.

Sorry I can't advise you with your telescope choice.

Your English is good though!

Thanks for your complement! I feel very confident!

Be very much aware that astrophotography is very different from "photography". When have you taken a photograph that has a 30 minute exposure on something that is moving?

One exposure is not enough, you may need 20 of them to get anywhere.

If you do photography then look at the cost of a fast lens, say a 400mm f/4 or f/2.8 prime. Well you need something in the same price range as a telescope or better.

Ever wondered why Canon/Nikon/Sony etc use lens and not mirrors? (Better quality images)

The 130P is the scope, same scope, same problems, does not matter if the mount is autotrak or not.

An autortrak mount is intended and built for the scope not for the additional weight of a DSLR and attachments. There is no safety margin in the mount for extra weight nor for astrophotography.

Thanks for your comment, I really appreciate. I have never shot anything on a longer exposure which was moving and I know its hard to shoot them and all the stacking procedures make this even harder. But I really want to start, dont know where? I know that the lenses and these telescopes holds almost the same price tags, but only a dslr lens wouldn't be enough so I wanted a scope with one of the tracking mounts knowing that its not gonna be really good, but hey, why not give it try? The only reason I am going for Explorer 130P is this one's got parabolic primary mirror. That's the only good thing I guess!

So what would you reckon to go for? or is there anything else that could help me more than these? Or you can just tell me how good these options are for viewing, at least??

Hi Mehraj

Just a suggestion and others on here will be able to advise better on this but with that 'scope would a webcam be a better starting option for imaging? (Got to weigh a lot less than the DSLRs!) Possibily starting with the moon & planets, getting used to the sky and then invest in a mount that's dedicated to astrophotography using the DSLRs you have.

I second the comment on your English!

Watch out, it's a slippery slope, they say...

Yes now I am thinking to get one of them. Also I have found some CCD cameras. I dont know how much they are gonna be though. And thanks for the comment on my English. Gives me a boast (at least )

And again I am gonna ask you the same question, which of these options would be better for me to see the sky and beyond?

Hello mehraj welcome to sgl. I have to agree with Orion above. imaging with that set up is not feasible. You could probably get some pictures of the moon but nothing else wiil satisfy you as a photographer. all you will get is frustration and disappointment especially as I assume as a photographer you are used to taking a good picture. the first prerequisite for long eexposure astrophotography is a mount capable of good tracking or being guided. it may be you can pick up a mount with those properties second hand at that price, But its unlikely, then you will need a scope with a nice fast optical system, a guide scope, guide camera, cables rings and things to attatch it all to the scope. Brantuck one of our moderators has just mentioned putting his system up cheaply and it is. But that cost him £1000. The scopes you mentioned will be fine for basic visual work. But the only thing of any use for photo work in the list is the barlow and the evostar. And the evostar is only suitable as a guidescope. if you are determined to go down the imaging route you will need to up your budget considerably. I apologise if its not what you want to hear. but as a photographer you know that equipment limits your options. with astrophotography that is even more the case.

Thanks for your comment and of course this is exactly what I have to hear (although its a very little disappointing). Isn't there any mounts in my options that I mentioned above? So I can start with? If no, then I got to wait till next pay day which will eventually add up around hundred more quids. And then get something better. And how do I get to see Brantuck's system? please guide me Also if you tell me about GUIDE CAMERA and GUIDE SCOPE topic, I'd really appreciate that. I am a complete nutter you see

Oh God this photography is so hard! I haven't even seen the sky neither tracked a single star, I am already dead

[JamesM]

Hi Mehraj and will have to agree with Dan and others above. The great thing about astronomy is that there is plenty to learn, and by that I mean to enjoy. There's no rush as the stars aren't going anywhere and focusing on the observing side in the short term will serve you well when you can invest in a more significant setup for deep sky imaging. There is a scottish guy on here called Stuart who does some amazing wide field photos which I guess could inspire you as you already have the kit to do the same. Check out some of the recent 'Picture of the Week' compilations to find his work - in my eyes these are also a great form of astro imaging.

Good luck on choosing your kit and also agree on the idea of joining a local astro group to view some kit and talk to those who are currently practising the 'Dark Art'.

James

[Mehraj Anik]

Hi there.

Yes, long exposure photography is impossible without a mount costing far more than your budget. Sorry but that is the simple truth.

However, fast frame cameras (webcams and others) can shoot moon and planets without the need for a superbly accurate mount. This is your best way into imaging.

Olly

ollypenrice's Photos

I have been hearing this simple truth since I have joined this forum and now this is the most hurtful one to bear!

Can you please provide me some links where I can get to see this cameras? Thanks for your time.

Hello Mehraj!

Welcome to SGL, I'm sure you will find lots of good info here.

I teach astronomy and beginning astrophotography, allow me to offer you some simple advice that more or less mirrors what others have said here.

1. Astrophotography is a totally different skill set from observing and operating a telescope and tracking (equatorial) telescope mount - and to be successful, you must master the telescope, learning the basic constellations and your way around the sky, and learning how to operate a computer-controlled tracking mount. That's a lot to learn - a very steep learning curve, as we say in education!

2. Astrophotography is about the mount first, the optics second, and the camera third. For a photographer, I'm sure this seems backwards - but it makes sense if you think about it for a minute. For photos in low light, you need a fast lens with plenty of aperture - the same with scopes - but the light level is so low, that you need long exposures. Some of the fancy photos you may have seen on this site require stacking many images together - some with as much as as hour of exposure time. Some planetary photos may need hundreds of very short photos to stack! To understand why this is about the mount - think of how much mechanical precision it takes to move a 5-10 kg tube up to a meter long with millimeter precision, and then track a moving object so smoothly that there is no observable vibration in the photo - even after many minutes of open-lens exposure time!

3. Manufacturers primarily make scopes and mounts for visual use, where the demands for precise tracking and vibration free movement are much less. Most commercial scopes are "under-mounted" for photography - this means that many people upgrade their mount when they are ready to jump from visual work to photos.

My recommendation? Start out with a simple newtonian - either a Dobsonian (non-motorized) mount or a tracking equatorial mount (more difficult to learn, but easier to use in the long run). Learn the sky and how to use the scope. You can try some lunar photos with your DSLR, even some easy planetary work with a simple webcam.

If you really want a system that will go from visual to photographic with good results - I wouldn't recommend anything less than a Celestron CGEM-800 - an 8" schmidt-cassegrain telescope on a beefy, computerized mount that accepts autoguiding and direct outside computer control. This is about $2500 to start, plus accessories, eyepieces, and a camera adapter to mate your DSLR to the scope.

I hope that helps. Best advice I suppose it to visit the local astro club. There will be plenty of people there who do both visual work and photos. They can show you their equipment, tell you what they like (and dislike!) about it, maybe even give you a go at the eyepiece. For saving money - there is nothing like trying it before you buy it, and asking the fellow who already owns one. The local astro club is perfect for this.

Cheers,

Dan

Thank you so much! You know what, I'll print it, frame and then going to wall mount it in my room and read it everyday!

But my little brain couldn't understand, why would a tracking equatorial mount be hard to learn? Really dont know. And also is there anything in my options (mentioned above) that'd be good for now, just to know the sky and little photography? If there is, suggest me one please.

And about local astro club ... I dont know how to find them. I have been looking for one for ages, but now it seems like here is none

[Mehraj Anik]

Thanks James for your kind comments. I guess I'd rather start to learn for now and then upgrade to astro-imagers kit when I'll have a chance and mostly, when I'll be ready.

for now, the problem is, which one to buy! As you have known my budget and options both, I was expecting a solid answer. But I know how hard it is just to say which one to buy, as you become sort of liable for that purchase. I have faced it before and its a curse! I guess now the only option left for me is to find a local astro club. Wish me luck on that

PS I think I've found Stewart, full name Stewart Watt from Scotland. Please let me know If I am wrong. But this is genius ! Thanks for telling me about him

[rowan46]

Mehraj the 130p is a very good scope to start to learn the stars it will work with a webcam and pictures of the moon and planets are possible google morgans webcams. you will also need a nosepiece and ir filter I think the whole package is somewhere about £40. And as for your english yours is at least as good as mine and your typing is a whole lot better. Do read the stickies and come back with any more questions 50 posts and a months membership gets you access to the for sale board. hopefully you will have saved enough to pick up a bargain. If you don't want to blow any of your hard earned cash on a scope you probably want to upgrade. why not get a set of binoculars and study the stars while you are saving. it will give you something to do whilst you are accumulating posts to access the for sale board and leave that little bit more cash to pick up a bargain. many astronomers have a pair of binoculars as well as a scope. so its not an unnecessary luxury. I forgot to add there is a book on deep space photography which you may find interesting to read which will give you sonme good tips on the sort of equipment to get and why you should get it here's the link

http://firstlightoptics.com/proddetail.php?prod=makin_every_photon_count

[NickK]

The reason for the cost of the mount for astrophotography is, as others have stated, due to the accuracy required.

Most astrophotographers attempt to get their tracking as close to perfect as possible, for example:

1 arcsecond is the angle made by the approximate diameter of a ten pence piece three miles away (ie 24mm at 4.8KM)!

The same measurement can apply to stars and nebulae that you're photographing. Any wobble of the scope will cause a shift of many arcseconds which will come out as streaky stars and blurred objects on long exposures.

For example, the 'amateur' high-end £10,000 Paramount ME mount has a 7 arcsecond tracking accuracy out of the box (ie before any error compensation is applied) and under 1 arcsecond after error compensation is applied (called PEC)!

A £1,000 EQ6 mount will, with a good alignment give ±15 arcseconds (ie 30 arcseconds in total) of error. With PEC error compensation this can get to ±5 (ie 10 arc seconds).

The EQ6 is considered, by many, to be a "budget" astrophotography mount! Although I've seen plenty of photos with EQ5 Pros and even modified EQ2/3s!

All this accuracy depends on the focal length of the scope - the less focal length and lower f-ratio (means shorter exposure time) the less accurate the mount needs to be.

I've probably confused you with the talk of arcseconds but as you can see the degree of accuracy required!

[Mehraj Anik]

So many friendly suggestions!! I feel good thinking I dont have to pick one as best! Thanks Rowan46.

Just googled morgans camera. Found a SPC880. But thats just a 1.3 MP camera, how good the quality would be?? I have also googled for photos shot with that camera, those are really nice! But how?? Stacking?

... 50 posts and a months membership gets you access to the for sale board. hopefully you will have saved enough to pick up a bargain. If you don't want to blow any of your hard earned cash on a scope you probably want to upgrade ... ...

Your idea sounds very good, but I am so impatient! Already planning to get more money to get An explorer 150p ... even if I need to starve to death

[rowan46]

So many friendly suggestions!! I feel good thinking I dont have to pick one as best! Thanks Rowan46.

Just googled morgans camera. Found a SPC880. But thats just a 1.3 MP camera, how good the quality would be?? I have also googled for photos shot with that camera, those are really nice! But how?? Stacking?

Your idea sounds very good, but I am so impatient! Already planning to get more money to get An explorer 150p ... even if I need to starve to death

exactly right you use a free computer programme to stack one frame on top of another

[Mehraj Anik]

1 arcsecond is the angle made by the approximate diameter of a ten pence piece three miles away (ie 24mm at 4.8KM)!

Oh my GOD ... that angle is so closed to 0 [zero]

Thanks for clarifying this. Now I understand why all the motors and mounts are not able to take good photos. Also there is an issue of quality telescopes but this little accuracy plays a great role. Wow!! so many little things ...

[Ad Astra]

Hi Mehraj!

I teach people beginning astronomy for a living, and start hundreds of people off in the hobby every year. Here is what we do in my astronomy class:

Every one starts off with a 150mm Dobsonian, very similar to your 150PL Dob. I have 12 of them in service on three campuses, some have been in service for more than 10 years and still work great. Light weight, relatively compact (they store in 40x40cm of floor space), these set up in literally seconds and everyone from kids to grandparents can use them easily. This is an Altitude-Azimuth mount - it moves only up-down [altitude] and right-left [azimuth] - and it is very simple and easy to use. Push the tube, point it at your target, and focus. No motors, cables, gears, batteries, or computers; you pay for the optics and nice views, not for fancy accessories. The 150 will perform about as well as a substantially larger scope in urban areas and is great for planets, the Moon, and will show many hundreds of deep sky objects like nebulae, clusters and even some galaxies.

Yes, you can move up to a bigger scope (200mm), or a fancier mount (Equitorial mounts have to be aligned properly to celestial north to track properly, this can take some practice!), but nothing will teach you about the sky and operating a telescope like this will. It is a great value for the money.

Don't forget you will want to budget for a few accessories like a low power lens (32-40mm for deep sky objects), a high power lens (5-7mm for lunar and planetary work), a lunar filter (the moon is impossibly bright in a good scope!) an accessory case and a red LED flashlight, along with a decent star map. You can download Stellarium planetarium software from Stellarium - highly recommended.

You can also click HERE and join my astronomy class on SGL! Lots to do and learn!

I hope that helps,

Dan

[Mehraj Anik]

Hi Mehraj!

Every one starts off with a 150mm Dobsonian, very similar to your 150PL Dob. I have 12 of them in service on three campuses, some have been in service for more than 10 years and still work great. Light weight, relatively compact (they store in 40x40cm of floor space), these set up in literally seconds and everyone from kids to grandparents can use them easily. This is an Altitude-Azimuth mount - it moves only up-down [altitude] and right-left [azimuth] - and it is very simple and easy to use. Push the tube, point it at your target, and focus. No motors, cables, gears, batteries, or computers; you pay for the optics and nice views, not for fancy accessories. The 150 will perform about as well as a substantially larger scope in urban areas and is great for planets, the Moon, and will show many hundreds of deep sky objects like nebulae, clusters and even some galaxies.

Dan

I really did not get which scope you were talking about. The one I am considering now is a Skywatcher Explorer 150P with EQ3-2(?) mount. But you were talking about one which had an Alt-Azimuth mount. Which one is that? I am sorry for my less knowledge about this

Also could you please tell me how do you know which one is either Newtonian and Dobsonian. Also if I go for 150p, which motor I might need? As you have said, motors will be good to track but not to learn, I am thinking to get only the telescope with the mount excluding motors. Later when I'll know how to handle a scope, I'll certainly buy one tracking device.

once again, thanks very much for the invitation to your course and also for Stellarium. I am currently using an iPhone app called Starwalk, very handy and the iPhone digital compass make it more useful. Dont know if you have seen it or not, but certainly worthy to have a look!

[Ad Astra]

I really did not get which scope you were talking about. The one I am considering now is a Skywatcher Explorer 150P with EQ3-2(?) mount. But you were talking about one which had an Alt-Azimuth mount. Which one is that? I am sorry for my less knowledge about this

Also could you please tell me how do you know which one is either Newtonian and Dobsonian. Also if I go for 150p, which motor I might need? As you have said, motors will be good to track but not to learn, I am thinking to get only the telescope with the mount excluding motors. Later when I'll know how to handle a scope, I'll certainly buy one tracking device.

A Newtonian Reflector is a common, simple design with the main mirror at the bottom of the tube and the secondary mirror near the front - the eyepiece is off to the side near the front end of the tube. Such a telescope can be mounted in two basic ways.

1. An Alt-Az mount (up-down, left-right) such as a 'Dobsonian' is very simple and the telescope tube sits inside a simple box that allows it to move as I have described. Check on the FLO website - I'm sure they have pictures.

2. An Equitorial mount (moves in circles, capable of tracking the stars, scope is mounted on top of a tripod and 'EQ head') is more complex - it moves in circles instead of simply left-right/up-down like the Alt-Az variety. The advantage, of course, is that when you line up the polar axis with the celestial north pole in the sky, the natural motion of the mount follows the circular paths of the sun, moon, stars and planets as they move across the sky.

An EQ mount will allow you to use a motor to track the sky (useful at high power, essential for photography, but not really necessary for most visual work). This motorized drive will only work properly when the scope is correctly aligned, however. An astro club mate would be very helpful here in teaching you to line up your scope properly. Once you learn the trick of it - it is very simple and takes only minutes to get it good enough for visual work.

Need I say that astrophotography is an entirely different activity? Photography requires much more precision in alignment, tracking, and vibration-free setup than simple visual work ever will. Best advice is to let that go for now and learn to use the scope and find and observe things in the sky first.

Dan

[Mehraj Anik]

Thanks Dan for telling me about these mounts and reflectors. So I think, Skywatcher Explorer 150P with EQ3-2 mount is a Newtonian. Please do correct me if I am wrong. And going for this one without motor. Do you think its a "sort of" good decision for a starter?

Also I have found one astronomy club but they are charging £70 for joining! I feel pretty lost now!

[Ad Astra]

This should be fine for you - let us know how you do!

Dan