Going for it

[Kieken]

Well, after a long period of posting irritating topics about mounts etc on forums I think I know what I'm going to order within a couple of weeks. You all probably know that I was searching for equipment for taking pictures of galaxies and nebula. Well, I think I'm done with searching for stuff. I'll give you the equipment that I'll buy so that you guys could give a final opinion on it.

Mount: Orion Atlas EQ-G (for a testresult, click here (http://www.astrosurf.com/demeautis/ep/eq6gotomicl.gif)).
Scope: 8" f/5 newt
Guidescope: don't really know yet but would a 80mm f/11 be good enough.

The camera that I want to use is a canon AV-1, an "old" SLR.

All this would cost me 2200 euros (2500~2600 USD or 3500 AUD)

Comments are welcome.

[h0ughy]

way to go mate, i have done something very similar http://www.iceinspace.com.au/forum/showthread.php?t=4730

[seeker372011]

Sounds like very sensible choices..lots of good reports about the Atlas.

So its going to be film rather than digital astrophotography?

[Starkler]

35mm film is going to need a large secondary to fully illuminate.
Have you done the calcs to see if the scope is up to it ?

[Kieken]

@ Seeker: Yep. A DSLR what cost me another 1000€ (1600AUD or 1200USD) and I don't have that amount of spare money :). Maybe for Christmas next year. :)

Starkler: Not really, I actually don't know how I should do that. Orion states that the 8" F/5 is ideal for both visual use as astrophotography so I think it'll do fine.

But I have another question now, one about the resolution of the image. When you have a large focal length, your image will have a larger magnification then with a small focal length, right? But what calculation do you have to do to know the resolution you're shooting with?

[Kieken]

Ok, finally bought something for imaging. I've found an EQ-6 with Skysensor 2000 PC, dual dovetail and batteries and stuff for 1.100. I simply couldn't resist it so I bought it. Normally it should be mine in 10 days :).

[[1ponders]]

sounds like you're off to a great start Kieken. Excellent!!

To work out your field of view the easiest formula is:

FOV=57.3 X (w/F) deg

Where w = length or width of your film frame (22.7 X 34 mm) and F = Focal length of your scope. So using a F of 1000mm your field of view is 1.4 deg X 2.1 deg.

This formula is accurate to about 1% and if from Michael Covingtons book "Astrophotography for the Amateur"

You can use this formula for any imaging field, be it film of ccd chip. You just need to know the dimensions of your chip or film.

[g__day]

Kieken,

Two questions:

1. Where are you getting it from and what sort of price for the GoTo Mount?
2. How is it different from a normal EQ6 + Skyscan Goto?

[Kieken]

@ 1ponders: thanks for the formula, this will certainly come in handy :).

@ g__day: 1.) I'm buying it from an astrophotographer who's pulling the plug on his hobby. So it's second hand. If I would have to give a price to the mount alone I think it'll be 700~800 euros (since I'm getting a lot of extras with it). So it's almost cheaper then a regular EQ-6 here in Europe and that with the Skysensor :). But he's going to show me almost everything I need to know about it + he's going to show me that it still works when I'm going to pick it up.

2.) The Skysensor is the original Goto from Vixen and if I understand it right the Skyscan and other versions of it are copies (sort of). This EQ-6 had the SS2k PC placed by a german company so normally it should work pretty decent. I've looked at some other mount done by the same company and they all show nice PE (somewhere around 12").

[GrampianStars]

:thumbsup: good choice I have the Vixen GPDX with SS2000 for my field mount with WO-ZS80 rock solid

[Kieken]

Guess what, someone else offered more. So today I had to fill my day with buying food and clothes with my mom (pick up my dinner jacket so that's something positive, right? ;) ).

The other buyer was going to pick the mount up today and since I haven't received a mail wether he really did show up I'm still pretty anxious. If he did not come I still get the mount for my price otherwise I'll have to save and wait a bit longer.

[g__day]

Good luck, hope you get what you want for the price you agree, gazumpers annoy me too!

[Kieken]

Well, the other buyer did not show up yesterday. I'm starting to think that this was a move to get me paying more.

Anyway, now I've got a little problem. My dad had to move some appointments that he made but since it tunred out this way I don't know wether he's willing to bring me their soon. This is not so good especially when you now that I want to pick it up myself (just in case something does not work).