Telescope Setup Advice/Recommendations for Beginner?

[Wissel]

Hi all, I'd like to buy the Missus a telescope for Xmas and whatever else she would need to connect her Canon 100D and be able to photograph the stars. The thing is I know nothing about this and could really do with some recommendations on what to buy. Ideally not spending more than around £200.

Processing wise I know she will need stacking software. I have the full Abode suite, any recommendations for a good piece of software that will do this?

The main thing I could do with help on is which scope and what I need to connect her camera.

Help!

 

[artyman]

To photograph stars a tracing mount is the principal requirement, I doubt you will get that within your budget. Probably get better results using a normal telephoto lens and a barn door tracker.

 

[Jannyfox]

As Ken said you need a mount that tracks, and has at least one, preferably two, drive motors to do that. You might get one of the Skywatcher equatorial mounts for your budget. Google Skywatcher. Like a tripod, the beefier the mount the better. You won't get the scope to put on it in your budget, so as Ken also said, better to start just using a normal lens and get a scope later. To attach camera to scope is simply an adaptor with the correct lens mount and a tube that fits in place of the scope eyepiece, so you use the scope as the camera lens. To put the camera on a mount without a scope it's a bar which replaces the scope's mounting dovetail with a tripod head on it. Any decent telescope shop should be able to supply the correct one for the mount.
For stacking Deep Sky Stacker is a good one, and it's free.
Has your OH done any astrophotography? If she has, she probably knows a lot more about it that you do. Rather than risk getting the wrong thing you'd be better off giving her the money to put towards the setup she wants. Not quite the same surprise, I know, but it worked when my OH got me the mount I have.

 

[Wissel]

Thanks for the replies guys.

I ended up going for a Celestron Astromaster 90EQ after taking a little advice. This was for a few reasons with one being it's suitable for terrestrial viewing as well. We live by the sea with a panoramic view of St Austell bay and always have ships etc in view.

I also bought the 2x barlow and EOS adapter, aware that this will not really photograph the stars but should be good for a few moon shots etc.

The missus hasn't really done any astrophotography to date, apart from a little when we've been out at night with our cameras (although we got some good shots of the Milky Way last year). This will just be a starting point I think to see if she enjoys it. If she does then I'll look into getting her a better scope and mount.

Quick question. Is it worth getting any filters for the scope?

Once again, cheers.

 

[arad85]

Filters: no - although possibly a ND filter for looking at the moon. The 'scope has too small an aperture for gathering enough light to see the more esoteric objects, so pointless buying more esoteric filters.

Astrophotography is 90% mount. You need to spend bigish money to get something to take photos like those often shown on Sky At Night. With the 'scope you've bought you will be forever fighting correct polar alignment, f-stop (it's an f11 lens and you want *light*), and mount rigidity. Better to just enjoy it as a telescope rather than losing hair trying to take photos IMHO.

First on my list there would be a decent star map. You are going to have to navigate your way around the sky and a 1m scope is going to have a really narrow FoV.