Advice needed on equipment

[Guest BigTfromNotts]

Hi All

As some of you are aware, I have a Skywatcher 150P on a stabdard EQ 3-2 mount. I have had this set up for around 18 months.

I have been thinking about upgrading for a while, with my intention to get a a HEQ5 Pro first, then possibly a C8 OTA in the future. I did want to try my hand at AP hence my reasoning on this type of set up.

Today, I was made an offer on my existing set up - scope; mount and standard 10mm & 25mm EP's - of £175. To buy new from FLO would be £290.

This seems a reasonable offer, but would mean (to replace it) I would have to buy a complete set up in one go.

So, with the limited resources I have at the moment, I was looking at the following:

http://www.firstlightoptics.com/advanced-series-goto/celestron-c8-sgt-xlt-goto.html

Or

http://www.firstlightoptics.com/se-series/celestron-nexstar-8se.html

I am dubious about buying Celestron, due to some threads I have read on SGL, with regards to their alleged non-existant after sales service after the warranty has expired. I.E. Allegedly it is etremely difficult to get spares.

I would like other options, however, due to the small car I have, I am limited to a OTA of less than 900mm in physical length, and I do want a 'GOTO' mount.

The NexStar looks as if it would be easier to set up than the C8 with the CG5

So the question(s) I have are:

Do I refuse to sell and follow my original plan and buy the HEQ5 and use my 150P until I can afford the C8?

Do I sell and get one of the above?

If I sell which of the above do I go for? -, it will probably be after Xmas before I get a replacement

Which would be the better for AP? for both planetary/lunar and DSO's

Any advice would be much appreciated.

Cheers

Tony

[+RonC]

I run a 200PDS on a HEQ5 Pro and love it, my advise would be to hang on to the 150p and get a HEQ5 Pro when you can! If you take the other route you my regret it and end up buying a HEQ5 pro further down the line!

[Brantuk]

I had exactly the same scope - 150P on EQ3-2 and I got £180 when I sold it - which I thought was reasonable - I'd had it from new for about 18 months like yourself.

If you want a stab at AP I'd skip the 8SE cos it's alt/az and only has a single arm anyway - dual arm is better in my experience. You really need to be EQ for imaging. The C8 is a very nice Sct (I had the CPC800). All Celestrons 8" Sct's are basically the same OTA and optics just on different mounts and made of different materials (alloy, carbon fibre, etc). You can pop a .63 reducer in for AP - this also makes a nice deep field observing scope too - and of course on it's own the scope makes a great planetary scope all round.

So which way to go will depend entirely on budget. If moneys a bit tight and you can afford the HEQ5 then hold onto the 150P and use it on that till you can afford the 8" OTA. I wouldn't go for the CG5 GT cos these OTA's aren't entirely lightweight unless you go carbon fibre. Getting the HEQ5 also gives you time to consider if the jump in aperture to 8" is enough of a difference and provides an upgrade path. Personally I think you'd be happier with a 925 which is optimised for visual infinity focus with 2" eyepieces and a more noticeable jump from 6".

You're allways welcome to have a gander through our 925 if you need a visual reference Tony. Hope that helps.

[red dwalf]

i have a Celseston 8" sct and a heq5 pro mount, if your thinking of getting into ap, then get the heq5, you can buy second hand ones for arouind the £500 mark, there`s one for sale on astro buy and sell if it hasn`t aready gone,then you have a good mount which will take a 8" sct and a guide scope, the 8" sct does make a good allround scope, f10 so is good for planet imaging, or add a focal reducer. either a 6.3 or 3.3 and use it for dso imaging.

when you get more into ap then you may want a small 80mm apo, which again the heq5 will handle with ease with a camera and guide scope.

the celestron gt5 gt mount is not a bad mount and new you do get a 2 year warranty with it, but when it`s slewing at high speed it can be alittle noisy, it`s fine when tracking or slewing at slower speeds.

i also like the software in the handset better than the heq5, it aslo has a Sun menu where the heq5 does not.

if you buy a 8" sct you won`t be dissapointed, if you want to look at my set up your more than welcome if you`ve not seen one before or are not certain of anything.

[Guest BigTfromNotts]

Many Thanks for the replies.

Think I will heed the advice given to me and not sell yet.

I will get the HEQ5 when funds are permitting, probabably soon after Xmas, but before the next Brian Cox Stargazing Live extravaganza (demand will be up, supply will be sparse and prices will increase again.).

I would like to see the 8" SCT in acction, so the next time i see you at a Belper / Sawley meet, I would be grateful for a demo Rob.

I would also like to see the 925 in action, so again Kim, next time I see you at a meet meet, I would be grateful for a demo. Would a 925 be OK on a HEQ5 for AP?

Cheers

Tony

[Brantuk]

"Would a 925 be OK on a HEQ5 for AP?"

The mount and tripod weigh in at 15.6kgs and the OTA is 9kgs. It'll be fine for observing - but for imaging you'll be pushing the top end of the mount capacity by the time you add in weights, cameras, guiding etc. But there are folks who've done AP in this combination for years with no probs. You'd just need to have it very well balanced and keep the ancilliary gear as light as possible - eg finder guider, or OAG etc.

(have a word with Merlin66 on sgl - he's got loads of experience using this combo for ap)