Okay, so let me see if I've got this right. I should go with an 8" or 10" Dob for now. Then, when I've become proficient with that, I can put the same scope on an equatorial mount. When I become familiar with that, I can buy a drive for it and begin to contemplate astrophotography. Does this sound right? How hard/easy is it to move the scope to an equatorial mount? How much is a good mount (astrophotography-capable) for an 8" or 10" scope? Thanks for your time, I owe you all a beer!!
Last Question....maybe
Started by tom0011, 08/23/2002 01:53AM
Posted 08/23/2002 01:53AM
Opening Post
Posted 08/23/2002 07:45AM
#1
Tom,
Since you seem determined to do astrophotography, it would probably be easier and cheaper to simply get an appropriate SCT and be done with it. Of course, you'd then be settling for a telescope that is a jack of all trades but a master of none.
Dave Mitsky
Since you seem determined to do astrophotography, it would probably be easier and cheaper to simply get an appropriate SCT and be done with it. Of course, you'd then be settling for a telescope that is a jack of all trades but a master of none.
Dave Mitsky
Chance favors the prepared mind.
De gustibus non est disputandum.
Posted 08/23/2002 01:33PM
#2
Hi Tom,
I was in the same boat you were in not too long ago.. I wanted it all.. I first bought a good pair of binoculars so I could research scopes. After researching it became quite evident that astrophotography would be way out of my budget. It also became quite clear that I would need more than one scope... I ended up buying an 8 inch f6 dob to satisfy my deep space curiosity. I just absalutely love it and I don't think I will ever sell it. I have lots of trees around my back yard so my wife bought me a nice big wagon with air tires to cart it around with.
My next step is to buy a refractor on an eq with a motor drive as a second scope. ( next year ). I intend to do a little astrophotography with it. ( The pictures won't be great but my intention is to learn with it). Then maybe in two or three years the competion for Apo's will have driven the price down and who know's what kind of mount for astrophotography the makers will have come up with by then.. mmmmm maybe ccd imagers would be down in price too???
Get yourself a scope with enough aperture and learn the sky. It will soon become apparent what type of objects you favor and what you don't. ( It became evident right away that I prefer galaxies and globulars )Scopes don't lose that much in value especially if you buy used. Then you could get a scope geared to what objects you like to take pictures of the most and it will have given you time to read and research all you can about astrophotography and maybe get to some star parties and look at some other setups.
Good Luck and sorry for rambling.
Mark v
I was in the same boat you were in not too long ago.. I wanted it all.. I first bought a good pair of binoculars so I could research scopes. After researching it became quite evident that astrophotography would be way out of my budget. It also became quite clear that I would need more than one scope... I ended up buying an 8 inch f6 dob to satisfy my deep space curiosity. I just absalutely love it and I don't think I will ever sell it. I have lots of trees around my back yard so my wife bought me a nice big wagon with air tires to cart it around with.
My next step is to buy a refractor on an eq with a motor drive as a second scope. ( next year ). I intend to do a little astrophotography with it. ( The pictures won't be great but my intention is to learn with it). Then maybe in two or three years the competion for Apo's will have driven the price down and who know's what kind of mount for astrophotography the makers will have come up with by then.. mmmmm maybe ccd imagers would be down in price too???
Get yourself a scope with enough aperture and learn the sky. It will soon become apparent what type of objects you favor and what you don't. ( It became evident right away that I prefer galaxies and globulars )Scopes don't lose that much in value especially if you buy used. Then you could get a scope geared to what objects you like to take pictures of the most and it will have given you time to read and research all you can about astrophotography and maybe get to some star parties and look at some other setups.
Good Luck and sorry for rambling.
Mark v
Posted 08/23/2002 02:47PM
#3
Actually a Dob will get you into looking at the sky, which is presumably the point. If you're *positive* you want to get into photography immediately, go halfway and get an 8" SCT like the LX90. The ability to accessorize is nearly endless with those, and with dedication and experimentation you can get pretty reasonable results.
While you *can* eventually put an 8" Dob on an EQ mount, due to size and weight it would need to be one monster mount. Most who really get into this hobby have more than one scope, and Dobs are great to start with because they're rock-simple and a little buys a lot of aperture -- you'd get plenty of use out of it while saving up for your dream astrophoto-ready machine. (This is exactly what I'm doing now. I have an XT8 and I'm on the AP waiting list for a 130.)
While you *can* eventually put an 8" Dob on an EQ mount, due to size and weight it would need to be one monster mount. Most who really get into this hobby have more than one scope, and Dobs are great to start with because they're rock-simple and a little buys a lot of aperture -- you'd get plenty of use out of it while saving up for your dream astrophoto-ready machine. (This is exactly what I'm doing now. I have an XT8 and I'm on the AP waiting list for a 130.)
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