Starting over

[that_guy (Tony)]

Well, thats it for me guys... I'm starting over from scratch.. selling everything taking 2 months off to think everything through.. This thread will hopefully get me through... these are the list of things i want in a telescope set up...
My budget is $1350
Right now, I have a 10" dob, and HEQ5 mount, just recently sold my ED80. I want a set-up which is good visual telescope (DSO, faint fuzzies and such). but I'd want to do some Astrophotography as well as some video astronomy... my current thoughts are...
1. 12" Dobsonian (Solid Tube) and after a while get a G11 or something or rather to do some piccies
2. 6" Achro Refractor on HEQ5 for visual as well as vid astron
3. 8" SCT on Wedge and drive for visual as well as Vid astron and photography
4. You tell me
*NEW ADDITION*
5. 12" Meade Light Bridge and later on buy an EQ platform

[DavidTrap (David)]

Remember every time you buy and sell you're losing money... Pace yourself - don't try and achieve everything at once. The stars aren't going anywhere.

Steer clear of fork mounted SCT's on a wedge for astrophotography - stick with a GEM. (I've made that mistake already) I've seen good results with an alt-az SCT for video astronomy though.

DT

[that_guy (Tony)]

Yep, taking it all slow david... The 12" Lightbridge on Andrews is real cheap atm 1199 posted anywhere in aus. It may be good for visual and later i could get a EQ platform... however thats another investment. So, I'm open minded... I have time

[jenchris (Jennifer)]

I intend to prove anyone wrong who tells me you can't photo with a fork SCT on a wedge.
Why would they bother selling them if they didn't work?

[andrew2008]

You have some pretty good gear. A 12" dob is going to show little that your 10 can't. The HEQ5 could carry the ed80 and be a good video setup. The 80 with a Gstar will show more visually than a 10 and allow photography.

[that_guy (Tony)]

Well, I decided to take andrews and Shells adive (on fb) Just HALT everything, the selling the buying the whole smackos.. im just going to try and enjoy everything and in a few months time if i realise its not for me, then ill try another approach Like david said, the stars arent going anywhere Taking it slow, not going to buy and sell anything

cheers
tony

[DavidTrap (David)]

Originally Posted by jenchris

I intend to prove anyone wrong who tells me you can't photo with a fork SCT on a wedge.
Why would they bother selling them if they didn't work?

May the force be with you! (I didn't have the patience.)

DT

[astroron (Ron)]

Originally Posted by jenchris

I intend to prove anyone wrong who tells me you can't photo with a fork SCT on a wedge.
Why would they bother selling them if they didn't work?

I have had one for twenty years and they are a pig to balance for astrophotography and manouver with camera gear on.
That's one of the reasons I no longer do imaging

[strongmanmike (Michael)]

Originally Posted by jenchris

I intend to prove anyone wrong who tells me you can't photo with a fork SCT on a wedge.
Why would they bother selling them if they didn't work?

I used a 12" LX200 GPS on a fork mount and wedge for a few years with pretty reasonable results, never understood all the fuss ...the optics are just not upto speed for wide field high res deep sky was all.

Here are a few prime focus shots through the 12" SCT fork mount and wedge

NGC 1365

NGC 1232

M104

B86

Mike

[Suzy]

Hi Tony, it's a very confusing time for you right now isn't it, and I sympathise.

You already had the best of both worlds : a scope for visual and a scope for imaging. Though your income at the moment doesn't allow for the expensive on goings of imaging, my point would be to keep it simple and enjoy the process at an entry level. From what I've come to know, I don't think there would be a too much difference between a 10" & 12". I understand that you can't see a whole lot from where you currently live with your 10", but if you were prepared to take out the 16" to a dark site once a week, then why couldn't you do that with the 10"?

With this hobby, we all fall in to the trap of wanting more, however, knowing your limits and being happy and making the most of what you have keeps us sane. If I were you, I'd keep what you have, and then one day as you're experience, patience,and income grows you will be a better judge of it all. If I were you, I would keep what you have, and make these decisions one day far down the track. Let's not forget that within this same year you sold your 8" to get the 10" as well (sorry, don't mean to rub it in).
Be happy with what you got Tony, at the end of the day, you are still a beginner, stay put there for a while, so much to learn yet.

As David said, the stars are always going to be there, and I'm glad you're taking good advice in taking your time. Leave things to aspire to get one day, if we had everything we wanted straight away, we will have nothing to appreciate, nor look forward to. The 10" dob escapes the clutches of sales-dom again .

[multiweb (Marc)]

Originally Posted by jenchris

I intend to prove anyone wrong who tells me you can't photo with a fork SCT on a wedge.
Why would they bother selling them if they didn't work?

+1 . I know of one person who image with a LX90 on a wedge with PHD and a Canon 40D. He guides better than me on my G11 at times. So nothing to shy about fork mounts. They're pretty good too.

[RobF (Rob)]

I'm a firm believer in finding "sweet spots" for price and performance. You really do already have incredibly capable gear there Tony. The next step up to high quality intermediate/advanced gear is expensive - a good mount alone won't leave any change out of $5000, let alone adding a better OTA, cameras, software etc. Its also easy to waste a heck of a lot of time whenever you change something in your rig just getting to know what works with your latest configuration. Many people spend so much time doing this it limits productivity.

There's just so much you can do and learn with what you've got there, on the visual and photographic side. Agree you should slow down and smell the roses.....

All we need is to be able to actually SEE some sky now......

[tlgerdes (Trevor)]

Hey Tony,

Is that a baby I see in your bath water?