I have a fever!!!

timatworksg · Post by **timatworksg** » Fri Aug 13, 2010 9:49 pm

@cloud cover

Good to see that your weighing in your options. I do agree too that a Newt is a better compromise. SCT/Maks are difficult and sometimes troublesome when it comes to AP. The faster f/ratio helps. Probably why I end up abusing my 80ED more than my SCT 8 for AP. My SCT ends up more visual Ob's. I am considering upgrading to a 4" refractor for future AP for that closer shots as I image mainly with my DSLR. A dedicated Astrocam with it's larger CCD makes bigger images than a DSLR on a 80mm scope. But I'm so used to DSLR shooting....hehe.

And yes,...visual or AP the mount is a worthwhile investment. But alot will depend if you wish to set up mainly from home or intend to grab and go as well. The bigger the mount...the harder the desire to 'Go'! Also why I am currently happy with my set up of the GP and 80ED for AP and extra weight added for the 8" when I visual...which maxes my GP!! But I can still grab and Go my GP easily in a roller bag.
There are some nice lighweight Newts which are cool! I'm still far from deciding if I wanna upgrade to a Newt or Refractor...but for now I like the wide field images I get with my DSLR and 80mm.

Astrobargains?....I'm sure Joo Beng is more than willing to help. I love tinkering when I'm there! And he's such a great person to chat with really!

Hmmm...an 8" newt sounds nice...hmmm.

orly_andico · Post by **orly_andico** » Fri Aug 13, 2010 9:58 pm

Astrobargains doesn't stock most of the items, they are ordered on demand with a 2-4 week lead time. Due to the low volume of sales of something like a CGEM, Astrobargains probably can't keep extra stock lying around. So if it was broken he would have to ship it back.

So there would still be a long wait and Joo Beng would need to factor in the risk of having to ship back at his cost. If the problem is in the handbox or motor controllers, it's likely not locally repairable.

whereas, a Japanese mount or an Atlas is much less likely to be broken out-of-the-box. Well that's just me.. :-)

timatworksg · Post by **timatworksg** » Fri Aug 13, 2010 10:05 pm

Yeah..luck of the draw...you can even order a book and it can come damaged! Though it takes way longer at least Joo Beng makes a good mediator as compared to a blind order.

orly_andico · Post by **orly_andico** » Fri Aug 13, 2010 10:09 pm

This is why I prefer "stone age" mounts. Like a GP-DX, or that Tak EM-10. The only thing that could break is the electronics, and there are so many third-party drives which bolt onto a GP-DX.

I'll probably look for a (naked -- no SS2K or Starbook) GP-DX myself.. it's not much beefier than my GP but the extra 6lb payload should be enough to carry the C9.25 more stably.

fizzy123 · Post by **fizzy123** » Fri Aug 13, 2010 10:11 pm

Hi Kelvin,

I have no experience doing imaging, but from my own experience and personal opinion, why not postpone the idea of doing astrophotography? Not that I want to cast aspersion on your plans, but it will be better if you learn the skills of observing first and be a skilled, keen-eye observer.

I recently came into contact with one ex-singastronian that started the hobby the same time as I did. He accquired a C5, C8 on a CG5 mount, but yet, he wasn't patient enough to learn how to do basic polar alignment, let alone drift alignment. To make matters worst, he accquired a CCD camera, but wasn't sure how to use well. Thus he told me that he quit astro as he thought of the hobby as too complicated a chore for him.

It is in my opinion that ÿour "fever" stems from the desire to see more objects and to achieve greater visual quality for the image. So rather than jumping into an EQ mount, why no get a dobsonian instead. I would recommend the Orion XT8 with/without DSC. Their dob have this little knob at the front, thus allowing you to move the scope more easily and the opticals are commendable. Thus after learning all the necessity, you can simply accquire a sturdy EQ mount and carry on with astrophotography from there.

orly_andico · Post by **orly_andico** » Fri Aug 13, 2010 10:17 pm

fizzy.. sounds like me! :-P

the trouble with visual is that training yourself to see is hard. there's more instant gratification with imaging.

Post by **weixing** » Sat Aug 14, 2010 12:13 am

Hi,
IMHO, if you want to get a decent scope that is not that expensive and is suitable for both visual and Astrophotography, get a F5 Newtonian with 2" focuser (most coma corrector is in 2" format and you can easily upgrade the factory 2" focuser to a very good 2" focuser). A F5 Newtonian got the following advantages:
1) Newtonian had no CA,
2) Coma can be easily corrected with a coma corrector,
3) F5 is fast enough for Astrophotography, but not so fast that coma become very obvious when use visually without coma corrector.
4) Collimation is not as critical as a F4 Newtonian.
5) Eyepiece requirement is not as high as an F4.

Most 8" F5 Newtonian will come with 2" focuser, but 8" F5 Newtonian is quite bulky and heavy, so will demand a lot on your mount and might not be so portable. On other hand, a 6" F5 Newtonian will be much lighter, shorter and more portable, but not easy to find one with 2" focuser (the only I know of is the 6" F5 Newtonian with 2" focuser is from Orion).

Just my S$0.02.

Have a nice day.

orly_andico · Post by **orly_andico** » Sat Aug 14, 2010 5:21 pm

Here is a long thread on Atlas vs CGEM:
http://www.cloudynights.com/ubbthreads/ ... /fpart/all

As an aside, EQMOD (which is what the Atlas is famous for) was written by a member of my astro-club back in Philippines, Raymund Sarmiento.

I will be going to the Philippines in two weeks, I'm thinking of asking Raymund if he's selling his Atlas and if he will autograph it for me :-) might have collectible value hahahaha!