Help with Skywatcher BK1025AZ3

[TimHardy]

Hi All
Just looking for some help I received a Skywatcher BK1025AZ3 for xmas as this is my first scope my questions are.
What accessories would you guys recommend for a beginner with this scope in regards to filters, eyepieces and charts or books?
What things am I likely to see through this scope?
Am I able to take photos with this scope without some form of tracking and if so what sort of shots would work?

my reasons for getting this scope is that we will be travelling and needed something reasonably small also some terrestrial viewing.
Thanks for any help and look forward to read what any might say.
Tim

[MattT]

Hi Tim,
Congats on getting a really nice scope. I have an f5 102 frac and love it.

So....eyepieces.... use what came with the scope, until you have done a bit of research and want something better than that. Better meaning wider fields of view. I presume you have a 25 and 10mm eyepieces???

The 25mm, for wide field views, is where this type of scope is best. I use a Panoptic 41mm eyepiece ($$$) and 2" diagonal for my viewing pleasure.

Great portable scope for astro wide field and terrestrial views.

Photography...no idea, will leave that to others, but the AZ3 isn't a mount to use for astro stuff as far as I know. Moon shots might work :question:

Filters...don't bother with them yet, just use the scope as is.

Charts...only one I use is skysafari 5pro app, on an ipad mini.

I have my 4" f5 on an EQ3 with motor drives on both axes, never use filters or cameras :lol: but do use skysafari :thumbsup:

Matt

[dannat]

the scope will show false colou on moon,planets..a light yellôw #8 fikter will helpwith this, as well as not going over 100x mag

you could tak photos if you bought a t ring for your camera (which brand) & a t-ring adapter, again youll see some violet on high contrast images

[Tropo-Bob]

Hi Tim,

That's a handy scope to cast your eye around the heavens and really give yourself an introduction to stargazing.

This type of scope is very useful for observing large fields at low power. An excellent place to start is to look at the Pleiades (The Seven Sisters) and from there, check out the Orion Nebula. (In the handle of the Saucepan).

To the south of Orion is the bright Constellation of Canis Major. Just point the scope in that direction and enjoy the star fields in the Milky Way. However, if U point the scope at the brightest star in the sky, Sirius, U will quickly understand why many people say these small F ratio refractors give too much false colour. And yes, a light yellow filter can be brought cheaply and does help when trying to use more magnification on brighter objects.

I assume that your scope came with a 45 degree diagonal which is very useful for terrestrial viewing, however, a 90 degree (right-angle) diagonal will make viewing of above objects much easier.

Most of the value in your scope is in the scope itself and not with the supplied Eyepieces (EPs). IMO this is a good thing as you can alway upgrade an EP much more cheaply than buying a new scope. Opinions and personal preferences will vary widely regarding EPs and as such, it would be a great thing to visit an Astronomy Club and 'test-drive' other peoples equipment.

I would recommend: Wil Tirion's BRIGHT STAR ATLAS as an excellent and inexpensive set of charts that will help U find your way around.

Your scope collects enough light to show many object well as well as being light enough to not be a hassle to take it out for the evening. Enjoy your viewing!

[TimHardy]

Thank you very much for your prompt responses very informative. I'm glad it is a great scope in your opinions one day if we stop travelling I may get a bigger one.

[TimHardy]

As I'm not going to be able to attend any astronomy clubs nights in the near future what is a good brand of diagonals and eyepieces in 1.25"?

[WynneP]

Tim,
As someone else has previously suggested, the top priority should be a 90-degree diagonal. The 45-degree diagonal that comes with the scope will be difficult to use for objects high in the sky. Also, a higher-power eyepiece would be useful. A 5mm eyepiece would give 100X, which is probably the upper limit for your scope. Alternatively, a 2x Barlow would also give you 100X with your 10mm eyepiece. If you decide on the Barlow option, make sure it is one suitable to use with a diagonal (some are too long on the scope end). In regard to brands for diagonals, eyepieces and Barlows, Guang Sheng Optical (GSO) are reasonable quality and not too expensive. These are available from Andrews Communications and Bintel (sold there under Bintel brand).
Wouldn't worry about any filters, they won't do much for you with this scope. In regard to photography, you will be limited to the moon (which can be quite rewarding). For this you will need a T-adaptor to connect your camera to the focuser.
Good luck!

[WynneP]

Tim,
Forgot some suggestions re charts:
You don't have to spend any $'s at all - there's much available for free on the Internet. Of course, there are also plenty of nice books available to buy if you want something physical. I suggest the best book to begin with is "Atlas of the Southern Night Sky" by Steve Massey.
A good starting point online is "Skymaps" (skymap.com). This has free downloadable monthly all-sky charts, plus lists of celestial events and currently-observable objects. There are also quite a few free "planetarium" apps for smartphones and Ipads/tablets. A couple are "Stellarium" and "Skyportal". Some enable you to "point" your device at the sky, then detail what you are looking at.
Also suggest you search out the following online: "beginners_star_atlas", "deepskywatch_charts" and "Mag_7_Star_Atlas", for downloadable charts. Various levels of detail are available. For finding objects in particular constellations, "Night-Sky Objects for Southern Observers By Rob Horvat" online, is useful.
Enjoy!

[Tropo-Bob]

I had a look at Steve's book, which I spotted in a bookshop that I happened to be browsing through earlier today. It appears useful, as it provides details on many astronomical objects of interest suitable for beginners.