Astro imaging kit ?

[GoNz0]

I have always liked astronomy and have taken a gamble on a Amazon warehouse nexstar 130 telescope, from what I can gather you can strip down the 2" adapter and attach the t-ring to it to allow enough focus as it owuld seem a Newtonian is not the best option for astro imaging , we will see when it arrives! (1st day of prime and they have already messed up my order so the t-ring isnt coming until next week now)

Basically if the telescope isn't up to scratch I will be getting something else.

Wondering what people would choose?

would prefer to keep the cost under £500.

also like the idea of a goto controller.

[g8ina]

Id get a 500mm f5 short tube refractor scope on a goto mount if you want deep sky stuff, or a 900mm f12 if you want to do planetary stuff, again on a goto mount.

You will almost certainly need a 2" extender tube to get enough back focus.

http://www.scopesnskies.com/prod/ant.../sentinel.html

was my last scope, and my moon was done with it.

[GoNz0]

Thanks David, I thought this thread would get a reply from you

any ideas on a good all in one setup that can be a general goto scope and stick a SLR on the end without to much trouble ?

From what I have read Maksutov-Cassegrains or Schmidt-Cassegrain seem to be the best option for me to take in the car to go find a place without light pollution?

[g8ina]

Yeah, the 127mm Mak by Skywatcher are really nice, high f number - f12-f14 ish, so not brilliant for deep sky, too much mag, not enough FOV. Its gonna be a trade off... What do you wanna shoot the most, planets or galaxies, nebulae etc ? Good thing about the Mak is they can be used for terrestrial really well, in fact some spotting scopes are Maks.

I used to have a 8" reflector by Orion, what a beast ! EQ6 weighs a ton

Go talk to the guys at ukastroimaging, they'll be more up to date than me :

http://ukastroimaging.co.uk/forums/i...p?action=forum

[GoNz0]

well the nexstar arrived finally, i now know why it was on amazon warehouse as used-very good.

basically whoever purchased it the 1st time opened the box, looked into the scope and saw a bent spider vane. wrapped it back up and returned it.

30 mins and a rolling pin later the vane is near on perfect again so I will see how it ends up once I get my hands on a collimator and get it all lined up!

£80 off for that, who knows, maybe Celestron will see my side and send me a new vane as I have told them I am more than happy to swap the part myself.

[Saracen]

Congrats on finally taking the plunge. I've been contemplating this for, well, several years.

But my thought process goes like this ...

1) 130SLT is great value for money, and the aperture makes it a good starter.

2) But the 4SE is more user friendly, better goto database, sturdier mount, and the optics design makes it easier to use, and it's more or less the same price. And no collimation worries.

3) But ... it's 90mm, so not as good a light-gatherer.

4) But hey, what about the 5SE? That's a 5" tube, and sucks in about half as much light as the 4SE. Trouble is, it's about £400 more. Ah hell, it's the one I want.

5) But wait, the 6SE only adds £100 or so, and if I get that, I may never want to upgrade from a 6". After all, cost gets really serious from there up, and weight is a big issue too.

So yup, it's definitely the 6SE.

6) But do I want to spend £1000 on a telescope? After all, I'm a neophyte, and it's an expensive mistake if it's the wrong one. So .....

7) .... I need to do some more research.

8) 6 months later, something reminds me about it all, but I've forgotten what I worked out, so .... goto, as it were, step 1.

And that's where I am now, basically, confused.

Mind you, I've spent so much time going round in circles I'm starting to see stars before my eyes. Maybe I don't need a telescope at all.

[GoNz0]

clear sky's for the past 5 nights and now it is bloody cloudy!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ffs

just stumped up for a laser collimator.


tbh I can send this back for a refund if I want to, if I like it but want a little better the 5/6se was going to be top of the list

[Saracen]

clear sky's for the past 5 nights and now it is bloody cloudy!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ffs

Aha, so it's your fault the weather changed, and summer ended. I see.

[g8ina]

Yep, its the astronomers prime directive, buy stuff and cause cloud.

And you start getting "light envy" like Saracen did

Its possibly one of THE most expensive hobbies Ive ever dabbled in.

[GoNz0]

well I was going to upgrade my camera but finally decided to dabble is Astronomy as I have always wanted to since having a cheap scope as a young lad.

even setting up the finder made me smile when i saw a close up of the foot rest on the telegraph pole across the road.

[Saracen]

....

Its possibly one of THE most expensive hobbies Ive ever dabbled in.

I'd have thought amateur radio and photography would both give it a run for it's money. And my hobbies? Yup.

I think I need to get interested in ..... pressing leaves and flower petals.

[TheAnimus]

I think I need to get interested in ..... pressing leaves and flower petals.

I'm thinking of restoring a classic car as an alternative to paying more in to my pension.... At least I'm being honest that it will cost £40k+ over 10 years.

But on topic, every time I see the amateur space photography exhibit at the royal observatory, I think I really want to get in to this, then I remember I live in London...

[Saracen]

I could always look to sell my collection of pressed flowers? Not sure it'll add a whole lot to my pension, but then, it won't cost me £40k either.

[Saracen]

....

But on topic, every time I see the amateur space photography exhibit at the royal observatory, I think I really want to get in to this, then I remember I live in London...

Thankfully, I don't live in London, or even a big city. Still get light pollution though, but having said that, they've been turning most street lights off at midnight here, for a few years, and only then did I really get just how much difference they made, because on a moonless night it's big-time dark, and even when the moon comes out, the quality of light in, say, the back garden is well different, eerie almost. It reminded me a bit of infra-red b&w photo prints.

Nonetheless, as a photographer, I'm used to having to lug gear to where the picture is, and I'm sure you are, too. I guess it's the same for astrophotograhy, though you'd probably have to lug it further than I would.

[TheAnimus]

I could always look to sell my collection of pressed flowers? Not sure it'll add a whole lot to my pension, but then, it won't cost me £40k either.

Are pressed flowers exempt from CGT I am quite seriously considering this, as not only would I love it, but do it right and it should increase in value rather well.

Thankfully, I don't live in London, or even a big city. Still get light pollution though, but having said that, they've been turning most street lights off at midnight here, for a few years, and only then did I really get just how much difference they made, because on a moonless night it's big-time dark, and even when the moon comes out, the quality of light in, say, the back garden is well different, eerie almost. It reminded me a bit of infra-red b&w photo prints.

Nonetheless, as a photographer, I'm used to having to lug gear to where the picture is, and I'm sure you are, too. I guess it's the same for astrophotograhy, though you'd probably have to lug it further than I would.

Yes its a trade off, nature of my work. However I'm looking at buying a holiday place in the middle of no where of a 3rd world country in the mountains... A place I can go to and work remotely from. A friend already wants it for 6 months, I've told him he can for a NexStar 8SE and all the goodies.

I couldn't justify bringing one out there, and it's expensive to ship etc. But I figure that it's a 'fun' thing to charge a friend for rent for, and there should be sod all light pollution out there!

[Saracen]

Are pressed flowers exempt from CGT I am quite seriously considering this, as not only would I love it, but do it right and it should increase in value rather well.

....

Hmmm. You've got me thinking there, back to the days of my accountancy articleship, and CGT studies. If you don't buy the asset, but instead create it through your own work, how can it be a capital gain? So presumably, yes it would be, but as for income tax, that's another thing.

Nice try, though.

....

Yes its a trade off, nature of my work. However I'm looking at buying a holiday place in the middle of no where of a 3rd world country in the mountains... A place I can go to and work remotely from. ...

Not quite sure you've quite grasped the notion of "holiday", there, TA. But keep at it, you'll get it eventually.

Be aware, though, the Nexstar 8SE counts as payment inkind, and is taxable. Mind you, that also means, first, VAT reclaim, and second, capital allowances.

Hmmm. Maybe I can justify £1k on a 'scope, if I do some fast talking at my next tax audit.