best telescope for astrophotography 2019

#Best telescope for astrophotography 2019 pro#
#Best telescope for astrophotography 2019 plus#

For planetary imaging, you typically want a long focal length and a large aperture. Traditionally, this is a short-tube refractor, preferably a semiapochromatic or apochromatic one. For DSO imaging, you typically want a fast focal ratio, a short focal length, a short tube, and a low weight. You don't necessarily need or even want a large aperture, depending on what mount are you using, and what types of images you are trying to obtain. The requirements for photographic astronomy are different from the requirements for visual astronomy. Don't rush into it and make sure you do your research to find something that works for you. Remember that you will eventually need an autoguider if you want longer exposures. Then you can pick and choose what OTAs you want for the mount. Focusing on the mount first is good advice. An OTA that is good for DSO imaging is probably not going to be good for planetary imaging, and vice versa. It really depends on what you wish to image, and what quality of images you wish to obtain. Although w a much larger diameter telescope I just might I’m mostly home so travel is not that big of an issue. I’ll check out your list and heed warning on C8. I’ve considered building an observatory in the back yard. I’ve captured some nice images but want to make the next step up to see the details of Saturn and Jupiter, deep space if possible. I have been using an ETX105EC & a Unitron 152 with an IPhone Mount. I wasn’t sure what details I should include. That's how I began and I still drag out wide field images I made just a few years ago like this and say 'wow' that was a good shot! There are many ways to dive into AP bit by bit starting with just a tripod and a DSLR. I wish I could say I have a set up worth $1500.īut don't be despondent.

#Best telescope for astrophotography 2019 plus#

Next a guide camera setup, probably another $200 or so plus guide scope.īear in mind a laptop, software, power supply,cables etc.Īdd the camera adapters and the other accessories and your $1500 is blown. The images won't matter too much until you dive deeper into image quality and it will take you some time to figure out how your DSLR works with it.You should get decent results from the get go. Then you will need a scope, likely a 80 mm f 6-7 ACHRO or APO that the mount can handle. Mine has been a trooper and does good work. They have a poor and in my estimation an unjustified reputation.

Probably the best, cheapest mount capable of guiding is the Celestron AVX if you are fortunate to get a lucky quality one for $900 new currently. You can buy the best scope in the world but it will be worthless on an inadequate mount.Īstrophotography is a challenging pursuit and is not cheap. The first recommendation for DSLR or any other astrophotography is to not worry about which scope to get, 'nice' or not. It is difficult to get good images of everything with just one single lens.Įdited by Nicole Sharp, 13 August 2019 - 06:54 PM. For a DSLR camera, it's best to think of telescope OTAs as simply additional lenses for a DSLR camera system. Ultimately you will probably want multiple OTAs (and multiple cameras) to be able to image different objects with the right lens and the right camera. A C8 in general is a fairly versatile instrument for Solar-System imaging, but could struggle with DSO imaging without a HyperStar.

Remember that you may need to travel and set up in a hurry depending on your location and the weather, so portability might be a consideration as well.

#Best telescope for astrophotography 2019 pro#

I would consider the 'best' telescope to image the Mercury transit with an APS-C DSLR camera to be something like a (reduced) C8 (2032/203) Schmidt-Cassegrain or a 1000/200 Newtonian on something like an iOptron CEM25P, Celestron Advanced VX, Orion Sirius (HEQ5), or Orion Sirius Pro (AZ-EQ5). Most people get DSLR cameras for DSO imaging, but you may want to plan for the upcoming November 2019 Mercury transit as well. Ultimately the best telescope is going to be whatever telescope you will use the most.ĭSLR astrophotography is also very broad.