Celestron Nexstar 8SE or Dob?...decisions, decisions???

[TWIGGY15]

Hello everyone,

I am thinking about buying another scope as it seems I might not be getting the results I was hoping for with my Nexstar 4GT.

So I was thinking about getting a Nexstar 8SE (imported) or a GoTo 8"-10" Dob in the next couple of months.
My decision will be purely based on astrophotography (planets primarily, possibly DSO's).
Im using a modded Toucam as my camera.

So my question is;
- which of the 2 would you choose? (based on performance, not cost)
- would I really NEED a GoTo Dob?
- would you suggest something else?

As always, opinions and input is always welcome and appreciated.

Thanks
Twiggy

[barx1963 (Malcolm)]

OK Twiggy. What you have to remember is that both a go to dob and the 8SE are alt az mounted. That means that although they can track an object, they will still not be able to get around field rotation.
These scopes are designed primarily for visual use, which also means the tracking is adequate for that but not super precise.
All that means that only short exposures are possible, which is OK for bright objects (Moon, Jupiter etc) but no good for DSOs
So if I was going to choose I would say get neither, you will probably end up frustrated.
For astro imaging, especially DSOs you need to investigate an equatorial mount, and as a rule get the best one you can afford.

Malcolm

[Gurutronic (Ernie)]

Twiggy, I have a Nexstar 6se which uses the same mount as the 8se and, while I love the mount and how accurate the goto and tracking can be, wouldn't really recommend it for astrophotography. I've done a little using my Cannon 60d on planets and the moon, but DSO's are pretty much out of the question.

The mount IS versatile however and can be lots of fun to use. I also use it to track the sun with a PST, and also use it with a Stellarvue 80ED when I feel like some wide field views.

If you are really set on photography and 8 inches of SCT, you might want to consider the C8-SGT.

[dannat (Daniel)]

You could do planetary with both options, DSO's you will find it quite difficult without an EQ mount (or wedge for the 8se)
The 8" sct on EQ mount from celestron is an option as suggested

[2stroke (Jay)]

Get a eq and save yourself the pain. If it was just planets then i would go the 10" alt/az dob, though you may be able to pull sort subs with both systems. I guess i would go a 8" newt and a HEQ5 or if i had a bit more cash a eq6 and 10" newt. Later add a coma corrector for dso's and ya set to go. It all comes down to your wallet , if i was loaded a c14 on a g11 or something hahah would rock.

[traveller (Bo)]

Hi Twiggy and welcome to IIS.
I had an 8SE on the single fork mount. It was great for visuals and very portable. Good goto and set up is a 5 min job. I also managed to do some webcam planetary stuff, but that I am afraid is the limit of the mount.
AFAIK, Celestron does not make a wedge for the 8SE as it is simple too heavy for its fork mount.
So grab a Dob if you are into visuals only, 8SE if you want good goto and some planetary webcam work. But if you want any form of DSO work, then you will need a good EQ Mount (HEQ5 and EQ6 as suggested).
If you have a budget of $2000, you can get a brand new EQ6 mount with a second hand ED80, which is good for visual and provides a great platform for AP work later.
I have and ED80, and the views from the ED80 is comparable with the C8 OTA. That's because the faster ratio (f7.5 compared with f10 of C8) gives you a slightly brighter image and the ED glass gives good colour correction over mirrors.
HTH.
Bo

[TWIGGY15]

Thanks for the advice and opinions.

It looks like I'm gonna have to do some more research.
Lucky I'm not in a major hurry.

It seems that everyone is suggesting an equatorial mount...
I've heard (and read) that even the most experienced people still can't get them set up right, or they take a lot of patience and time to set up.
That's what I like about the nexstar series, it takes 5mins to setup.

I hate it when I look outside and see no clouds, so I set my gear up and what not. Then by the time I'm ready to start, all the clouds roll on in.
I would hate to take an hour or more to set up everything only for the clouds to come in.
I know, I know, it's part of the hobby and all.

I've never really looked at mounts before,
so what are the differences? (EQ2, EQ5, EQ6, ect.)

Cheers

[traveller (Bo)]

The difference between the EQ mounts is their payload capacity, tracking accuracy and of course price. Forget anything below an EQ5, as cheap mounts provides a false economy (you will soon have to upgrade if you want to do AP work).
HEQ5 or NEQ6 Pro are the current crop of entry level AP mounts. They can be had for 1200-1500 and are reasonably portable. From there, you can spend the equivalent of a small car to get a monster sized EQ mount.
If you get a chance go to a star party and see the different mounts and ask lots of questions re set up etc.
The other advantage of HEQ5/EQ6 mounts is that they can be tethered to a computer, so setting up can be made easier.
Bo

[Gem (Grant)]

Only go for the equatorial mount if you really want to image. However, you will get frustrated with a modded toucam eventually... DSLR are much heavier than a webcam, so if you are set on astro imaging look at a HEQ5 or so. However, the heavier the eq mount the better it is and the less you use it (since it is heavier)....

If you want to look at stuff more, go the dob.

[zzkenc (Lokie)]

if you want SCT... and still like the idea of nextstar SE (fork mount) - go CPC for more support or else go CGEM for better support with the mount. It took me a long time to decide between CPC or CGEM, in the end I went with CGEM as I can have differnet scopes on the same mount