Decent cheap widefield views....

Hello all,

I am hoping to get some wisdom from fellow Astronomers on wide field imaging. I have an 8" LX200 that I am using for imaging, with an ST7XME CCD camera with a CFW8a. I also have a 6.3 and 3.3 Focal reducer. Now I am anxious to image the Orion Nebula, as well as the Andromeda Galaxy.
So far I have managed to image other things decently with the 6.3, but the 3.3 has been not so successful. On Andromeda, the core fills the CCD chip. Now I realize the CCD is small, but it is all I have to work with.
I am wondering if an Orion ST80, piggybacked to my SCT would work? or something equivalent to the ST80..

Thanks
Wayne

Try mosaic imaging. It takes time and practice but thats all you'll have to spend.

I would agree with Klaus, the Orion ED80 would be your best bet. Attached is an image from Ron Wodaski's CCD site that shows the Field of VIew using an 80mm scope at f6 and and ST7E chip. Youwill really like this setup to augment what you already have. Hope this helps! BTW, you could probably use the TeleVue .8 reducer with the Orion ED80 and get down to f4.8 which will almost double again the field of view. With the ST7 chip size vignetting shouldn't be a problem.
Chris Woodruff

Attached Image: