Tax Time, Help me Obi Wan Kenobi(s) you are my only hope...
Hi Folks,
[Start Essay]
OK, here's the deal, I have just done my tax return online and am getting around $1450 back from Aunty Julia and considering the missus said "That's good, you can buy yourself something telescopy with that"...enough said, here I am!
Now, my current crop is a 5" SW135 on an Eq2 which has an RA motor for tracking, not bad for visual but no chop for AP. I also have my 12" SW Collapible dob which is great for visual but I am not very keen anymore to stand in the cold and star hop to find things (M104 is great, but I want to find other things which are a bit harder). I also have a Toucam with mod for long exposure and use of my son's Canon 1000D DSLR which I can control for long exposure from the lappy (have the T ring and EP/ 5 x powermate adaptor already)
SO: Here are my choices for the dosh, feel free to comment on the pros/cons or offer alternate suggestions;
1) Ioptron SmartStar A Alt/Az & EQ mount with GPS = $599 (from Andrews) - has 11lbs (about 5kg) capacity which I thought I could mount my short tube 130mm reflector on and get some goto/AP out of. Due to the fact that its both AltAz AND EQ, it can be used both ways. I can also control this from the Laptop which gives me that warm fuzzy techno head feeling in the nether regions....oooerr!
2) SW ED100 (gold tube) refractor = $899 (from Andrews), older PRO model but has all the bits I need and comes in a nice Aluminium case too, so I can pack it away neatly and not scratch it in transit. This only weighs about 3kgs so it should be ok on the Ioptron.
3) Argo Navis for the 12" dob = $996 (quoted off the Wildcard website with AN unit, serial cable, USB converter and SWDob hardware kit). This gives me push to on the dob which makes life easier for the big light bucket (yeah its not THAT big - but still) although doesnt give me any AP capability
4) Sell the current crop of scopes for say around $1000-$1200 combined (new prices were $1499 + $500) and put what I can get for these with the $1450 to purchase something more kick arse? Suggestions here please. Perhaps an ED on a goto mount PLUS a better CCD AP camera???
Now, if I combine the Ioptron Smartstar A and the ED100 I come up to $1500, which SHOULD give me access to AP and allow me to keep my current scopes (makes 3!) but I am not sure if its up to the chop. I can still do planets via the dob nudge and the webcam, but this in itself is starting to annoy me....
Before anyone suggests MORE aperture by selling everything, this is not going to happen as I am still left with star hopping and field rotation and no tracking as well as a BIGGER dob to bend over and make my back sore. After seeing Rolf's amazing deep sky stuff that he got from a Toucam, I think I can, I think I can....
See my dilemma?
I await thy divine advice with baited breath....
Cheers
Chris
Last edited by Screwdriverone; 10-07-2010 at 10:52 PM.
I suppose it all boils down to what branch of astronomy is most important to you. Few would argue that an Argo is a godsend for a visual observer and after seeing them in action, that's where my tax cheque will be going.
If imaging is going to be more important, then concentrating resources on a really good mount will pay dividends for years, long after the extra cost has been forgotten. Good luck!!
Hmmmm tax time. I know what I am buying, a moonlite focuser for the ED127. Can't make upmmy mind if I get a motorized (expensive) one or a manual (cheaper) one and then buy some filters and a good eyepiece.
OK, the bent of my post is leaning toward AP, since I have been doing purely visual and some pretty crappy attempts at AP with the LE webcam so I think the Goto and tracking of an EQ mount would give me the next step to try using the 130mm with the Toucam to see if the better tracking and EQ gives me some results without breaking the bank or overcapitalising on something that I end up getting dismal results from (or lose interest in)
IF I go to the dark side, then I suspect the first stop would be something like an HEQ5 or EQ6 as I have read enough here in 2 years to know its MOUNT MOUNT MOUNT! BUT, I dont want to spend all my money on the mount and have nothing to effectively put on it. The SW135 tube is OK for visual, but with the built in barlow/correcto may be screwy for AP. Certainly this was the case for planetary. Therefore I assume putting the ED100 on it would give me a quality scope for deep sky AP. Unfortunately the Older ED80's seem to be unavailable as I dont want to spend $899 on the BD ED80 when I can get the ED100 Gold one for the same price?
I like the moniker "good results from modest equipment" such as my dob nudge planet shots, but need to weigh this up against the frustration/convenience factor of having goto with adequate tracking for AP.
I think this might then boil down to whether the Ioptron mounts are good enough for basic to mid level results for AP, something JJJ may know as I think she had a cube and a mini tower in the past?
Too much money spent now may end up annoying me if I lose interest or find "its not enough" to get some results of any worth.
OK, here's the deal, I have just done my tax return online and am getting around $1450 back from Aunty Julia and considering the missus said "That's good, you can buy yourself something telescopy with that"...enough said, here I am!
I'd go with just doing the mount. If you are still unhappy with results you can unload some of the other bits to help fund an OTA. HEQ5Pro SynScan or add a few dollars of your own and EQ6Pro SynScan. When I find out how much I'm getting back I hope to be after a new mount.
Quote:
Originally Posted by AdrianF
Hmmmm tax time. I know what I am buying, a moonlite focuser for the ED127. Can't make upmmy mind if I get a motorized (expensive) one or a manual (cheaper) one and then buy some filters and a good eyepiece.
The motorised ones save the whole rig bouncing around after you adjust the focus. I reckon mine was worth the extra dollars.
You can have a heap of fun with the little Cube. I enjoyed pushing mine to it's limits. You'll be able to put your DSLR straight onto it too and grab some excellent wide fields.
ummm have you read the article I wrote about AP with the Cube? http://www.ioptron.com the images in the article have horrible compression artefacts. I'll try to dig up the originals and post them here.
If, after a while, you find that you want to get "serious" and upgrade, you'll always have it as an excellent little travel mount. (it's powered with either AA batteries , 12volt power supply or mains)
Might be worth pricing out a second hand HEQ5. Then throwing your short tube on to it.
Yep, I'd go that route. You may be surprised what you can do with the SW 135 + 1000d on a good goto mount to get you started. I know I was!
If you have any change left over, go for the best (used) refractor you can afford. An 8" f5 newt on the HEQ5 would also be a good next step, they take super astro pics for the price, and all is readily resaleable if you later want to make the jump to the next level.
BTW, a $95 skywatcher electric focuser is a good investment and can be used with home made brackets on all your newts and maybe the refractor too.
I took this route and don't regret it for a minute.
Last edited by mldee; 11-07-2010 at 01:52 PM.
Reason: added focusser info
Paul, This has no goto.....only basic hand controller. Hmmmm. Same but different to my EQ2 (yes I know its bigger and better, but still.)
I think if I get a new mount, I would want a goto enabled one.
Maybe I could go the HEQ5Pro for around a grand or a second hand one, however, I think I might be disappointed with the SW135 reflector on that.
Still leaning toward the ED100 on the Smartstar A for $1500. Dont think I can go wrong with the ED100...? And as JJJ says, the cube can drive the DSLR easily and pretty much either the ED100 or the SW135 tube. Plus it has all the toys and interfaces I would want to play with.
I already have a Skywatcher electric focuser for the SW135, really helps with eliminating the wobbles, especially with the crappy rack and pinion focuser.
Maybe a troll around the ICETrades might be the go....
Use the scope for video imaging with the Toucam and shoot wide fields with a DSLR and lens.
I think it would be an ideal set up for the casual Astrophotographer.
If I was starting out I'd work toward an EQ6 with an ED80 and a DSLR. You can take some awsome images with this gear and it is quite forgiving. You can also use this gear if you want to progress to something with more focal length as the mount will easily take a heavier load.
I also agree with you - get goto as it will allow you to spend more time imaging rather than trying to find the target.
Use the scope for video imaging with the Toucam and shoot wide fields with a DSLR and lens.
I think it would be an ideal set up for the casual Astrophotographer.
Thanks Jeanette, I remember this from one of your older posts, however, what about the fact the SmartStar A has an EQ mode which tips it over? you think this will still have the same problem?
I assume the VMC is a Mak Cas? of so, then due to my penchant for all things Skywatcher, I may go for a 150mm Skywatcher MAK Black Diamond for the same price as the ED100??? This probably has too long a FL for decent deep sky stuff?? One reason for going the ED80 I suppose, being a shorter FL scope....
Have you gone to the iOptron yahoo group?
It's very active and you should be able to get feed back from someone who has this exact mount.
It's a light weight mount Chris. Really only suitable for small scopes.
I think if you're looking for a good all-round scope which can also take great images you can't go wrong with the Skywatcher 200mm Newt on an HEQ5 for $1400. Then you can sell your other gear to buy accessories (MPCC and focuser).
RobF on this site uses this gear and makes GREAT images!
I think the HEQ5 mount is a good yet still portable mount. If you think you can handle the extra weight/size the EQ6 would probably be a wiser move as you'll be able to put more gear on it and upgrade the scope over time.
This scope does need some minor mods for imaging to achieve focus. And being a newt it does need regular collimation but it sounds like you might have experience with this already.
(it's powered with either AA batteries , 12volt power supply or mains)
