Finally, I got my first telescope đ
It’s a Skywatcher Explorer 130P on a azimutal GoTo mount. Supplied with 10mm and 25mm eyepieces, a 2x barlow lens (I don’t know about the quality…) and a moon filter.
I was looking for a beginner newtonian telescope, if possible with GoTo. In my opinion it’s a very comfortable function. The alignment is very easy and is done in 2 or 3 minutes. If Polaris is in sight, it’s very fast aligned (it can be aligned whitout Polaris). In the actual season (spring/summer) you can select Arcturius or Vega as first star, second Polaris and your alignment is finished đ
With the PAE correction utility (Pointing Alignment Enhancement) the alignment becomes very accurat.
It’s also a cool feeling, when you can select your object of desire, press “View object” and wait until the telescope is moving to the right spot đ
This is not really the first telescope I ever used… I could use a Meade LX10 8″ Schmidt-Cassegrain for the last 3 years from a workmate. But (unfortunately đ he wanted it back last year.
On the Meade LX10 I also shot my very first pictures of the moon with my smartphone… đ
2 comments
Hello Karol
I am an expat living in CH for about 50 years. Originally from the SF Calif. area. I am very glad to have found your website. As a beginner interested in astro, I can use all the help and info I can get. I have a SW 150×750 PDS and also now a new Orion 150×1800 Mak for the solar system. I am impressed with all of the help available on the web.
I read you have used a Meade SCT. My son has an old one from about 1983, model 2080, 8 inch, that we deforked and put on rings. We have a SW synscan Eq5 mount. I was thinking we should take it apart and have the secondary mirror recoated. Do you have any feeling for whether this is worth doing. I really do not know about the quality of the main mirror. Would cost about 40 plus postage to the UK. I like the idea of keeping the old stuff going.
I am attracted now to going light using a camera for DSO with maybe a SW Adventurer tracker. I do have a Eq1 with motor drive from TS that may be just as good. Any advice on this?
I have very little experience in photographing the stars. And almost none in stacking etc. I bought Affinity recently and used the stacker feature once. Seems easy but I do not I know how results from Affinity compare to more complex processing. I doubt that I will ever want to spend hours for exposure time and spend a lot of time processing.
Regarding cameras, I have a Sony Nex 5n, which I like a lot for its size. Also a Canon 1100D. I wonder if modifying the filter is worth it for me. Have you ever done this yourself?
This astro hobby is a bit complicated with such a variety software and equipment from the good old Chinese. I like the opportunity to pass experience on to others, as your website does so well. I recently made a couple of youtubes on using cameras with telescopes, one on using eyepiece projectors and the other on FOV related to FL. Making both of them I learned quite a lot, like the teacher keeping one day ahead of the class.
Thanks and regards, Irving
Hi Irving
Thank you! The time I used the Meade I had absolute no experience. To be honest, I even didn’t knew how to align an equatorial mount proper. So I can’t say anything about disassembly to recoat the secondary mirror…
I used the Star Adventurer fo a long time and had a lot of fun with it up to 400mm focal length, of course guided in RA. I guess an EQ1 is very similar so give it a try đ
Yes, software and post-processing is a really big chapter. I’m also a fan of quick and easy processing and keep my process as simple as possible. I use PixInsight for stacking and the main processing. Then Lightroom for the finish.
In deed, my EOS 70D is modified. But not done by myself. The IR filter was removed and the difference to before is really huge! I recommend to modify a DSLR for astrophotography!
Best regards and clear skies
Karol