Thoughts and suggestions?

[Dwood180]

Hi guys,

I have been tossing up between these telescopes, I'll be using it for viewing planets and deep space and eventually I would like to get into astrophotography. I'm still pretty new to this and would appreciate any help you can give.:)

http://www.celestron.com/browse-shop/astronomy/telescopes/cge-pro-1400-hd-computerized-telescope

Or

http://www.celestron.com/browse-shop/astronomy/telescopes/cgem-dx-1400-hd-computerized-telescope

[BeanerSA]

First telescope? That's a lot of money to spend on a first telescope!

[RobF]

At almost 4m focal length, that would be a beast to maintain good tracking. Most beginners struggle at over 1m FL.
On the other hand, you'd have plenty of zoom factor!

Might be worth looking up Ron Wodalski's freeware CCDCalc - will show you the sort of FOV you could expect with scope and camera combinations.

[Dwood180]

This will be my second telescope, my first is a little SkyWatcher 76mm Dobsonian Telescope I got for Christmas.

[Amaranthus]

That is not a good 2nd telescope, unless you're seriously into planetary imaging. Something like an 8" or 9.25" SCT would suit better as a general purpose instrument. I have an 8SE and with a 0.63 FR it is very flexible.

[raymo]

Barry is spot on. The top of the range 9.25" SCT is a great all rounder,
and cheaper and lighter. The 14" tube is a heavy beast to lift onto the mount single handed without putting blemishes on the tube or the mount.
raymo

[Dwood180]

Would you suggest CGE or CGEM for a 9.25?

[raymo]

The CGEM takes a wider dovetail, which is less prone to flexure.
If you were prepared to fork out for a 14" I suggest that you get the
9.25" Edge HD for the best optics that Celestron make.
raymo

[Shiraz]

if you are aiming for astrophotography and looking in that price range, get a decent mount and then think about what scope to put on it. If you like Celestron, the CGEPro is their best mount by far, although it is big and heavy. As others have said, an 8 or 9.25 scope might be a better bet initially, but a solid mount will last you through many scope changes.
http://www.cloudynights.com/page/articles/cat/user-reviews/cge-pro-review-r2502

Other mounts in that general class are the (smaller and lighter) Losmandy G11, which would be a great combo with an 8 or 9.25 SCT - or an EQ8, which is a fairly close relative to the CGEpro.

[rustigsmed]

yep 4m FL is huge, i'm not against spending a lot on a first or second telescope. it can be more efficient that way than taking intermediate steps.

maybe consider an eq8 with a 12" f/5 newt on top. still got the aperture for planetary details but much more forgiving on guiding with a shorter FL (1.5m), you can do planetary imaging by adding a 5x powermate.

[Dwood180]

If I was to purchase this one http://www.celestron.com/browse-shop/astronomy/telescopes/cgem-925-hd-computerized-telescope what accessories would you suggest I get with it?

[Amaranthus]

If you are serious about doing imaging in the future, you need to consider if you're happy to go down the Hyperstar route at f/2 for the 9.25" HD scope. You won't want to be DSO imaging at f/10. The alternative is to get the 8" version, and also buy a f/6.3 focal reducer/field flattener.

[Dwood180]

I think I might go with what you suggested, any tips on where the cheapest place to purchase is?

[Amaranthus]

For Celestron in Australia, probably Telescopes Direct or Andrews Communications. I got my Nexstar 8SE at the former (a bit over a year ago), and it was delivered promptly and well packaged.

I suggest you consider getting a C8 OTA and putting it on an AZ-EQ6 mount. Then you'll have a terrific mount for both visual (in Alt-Az) and AP (in EQ). I have this combination of scope and mount, and I love it!

[Dwood180]

National geographic looks to be cheaper then those websites, any reason to not go through them?

[Amaranthus]

Not if you can get it cheaper there, no. Australian Geographic (which I assume you mean) is usually more expensive, but if they've got a mark down, go for it. You won't get an AZ-EQ6 mount there, however.

But at least give yourself a few days 'cooling' off to really check your options - this is a big purchase and worth carefully balancing your options (any system will have its pros/cons).

[Dwood180]

I'm going to do a few weeks more researching before I purchase anything yet, thanks for all the advise :) it would be great if we had a shop around here that had them all set up so you were able to get a good idea on size and portability ect.

[barx1963]

You are a few years too late, Star Optics was on the Gold Coast, but it close 4 or 5 years ago. Sirius Optics in Brisbane is one and Astro Pete's also in Brissy ( I believe?) but as I am in Vic not really sure what they have on their floor.

Malcolm

[RobF]

Make sure you get a decent dew heater if buying a SCT. Game over if it dews up.

Any reason you'd avoid a refractor (typical imaging starting point), or a Newt?

[Camelopardalis]

If you're in the market for a C8, go for the Edge HD version as it gives a flatter field and no coma compared to the standard version, which is a bonus for both visual and photography!

For planetary imaging though, I'd probably want a bit more aperture and focal length...no single scope will do everything optimally :D

[Dwood180]

If I were to buy a telescope for visual use only (planets and DSO) what would be the best telescope for that?

[raymo]

For visual only, in my opinion, for a person with limited knowledge
of the night sky, a collapsible Go To dob [ between 10 and 16"],
according to your budget and strength, and whether it will need to be
portable. Anything larger than 12" is a big beast.
raymo

[Camelopardalis]

It'd be best to go to a local astro get together and see the options, there's quite a significant difference in size and weight of the mainstream Dobs even between 10" and 12", much to my surprise. Of course, custom lightweights exist, at a price. But it's best to find the size that's right for you before you buy.

When faced with a similar choice a few years back, I ended up with a C11...similarly, a lot smaller and lighter than a C14, and at 12.5kg is not the heaviest single component in my setup...that would be the EQ6 mount head :sadeyes: but I also use that for my experiments with imaging with a small refractor :D

[Dwood180]

So after some research I think I have decided on this one http://www.opticscentral.com.au/skywatcher-10-go-to-computerised-dobsonian-telescope.html#.VQLo7KbXeJI what do you guys think?

[raymo]

Good scope, but why would you pay $2000 when you can get one from Andrews for $1500?
raymo

[madwayne]

Looks to me the $1500 unit at Andrews is an 8", 1999 for the 10". Still pretty good value either way for such a good instrument.

Darren - you'll be restricted to short single exposures with your Dob assuming you can focus it. My Orion 12" solid tube doesn't come close to focus with a DSLR or a one shot color CCD. Eyepieces will be your next purchase item. Check the packages available and make sure you have two or three Plossls included. You'll want something like 6-8mm, 10-15mm and around a 25mm should get you started. If they're not included the vendor you go with will have them and should do you a good deal with your purchase. Once you settle in with them then you start on the eyepiece purchasing roundabout where you can spend nearly as much as your telescope on a single eyepiece, Televue Ethos as an example.

Good luck with your purchase decision.

Wayne

[raymo]

I apologise for the misinformation; my brain must be getting as dim as my eyes.
Regarding focusability, the advantage that SW Newts have is that they
will all allow prime focus photography, unlike many other brands.
raymo