No worries, busy time for sure! I'm pretty new to Telescopes myself, my family got me my XT8 for my First Father's day this year. I've done a ton of research since then, and am always excited to share knowledge. Not a lot of people I know share my hobbies, so you can private message me anytime and I'll have fun giving advice or discussing it.

If you don't buy the XT8 off Craigslist, I'd recommend from their [Clearance page](https://www.telescope.com/2nd-Orion-SkyQuest-XT8-Classic-Dobsonian-Telescope/p/102342.uts). It's mostly returns that they've thoroughly inspected and come with a 1 year warranty. That's how I got mine and it was in New Condition, usually around 25% off.

Planets like Jupiter and Saturn are easy, they are typically the brightest objects in the sky so you really only need a phone app to tell you what days they will be in the night sky. I really like the Stellarium app, I paid for the full version but I think the free is still really good. Deep space objects (called DSOs) are things like Nebula, Galaxies and Star Clusters. Finding these can be like finding a needle in a haystack with how big our night sky is. For this I would highly recommend the book [Turn Left at Orion]( https://www.amazon.com/Turn-Left-Orion-Hundreds-Telescope/dp/1108457568/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=turn+left+at+orion&qid=1575054480&sr=8-1 ). Apps can help find these things, but looking at a phone can make you lose your night vision and you don't pick up as much detail in these DSOs. It is recommended to only use red light when using a telescope which doesn't hurt your night vision, eventually you'll want a red flashlight, [I use this one]( https://www.amazon.com/Celestron-93588-Astro-Vision-Flashlight/dp/B0000665V5/ref=sr_1_2?keywords=celestron+red+light&qid=1575054716&sr=8-2 ) which works best if you put opaque tape over the clear window in front to diffuse the light.

As far as finding objects goes you'll use a couple of things. Every telescope has a finder scope of some sort. The XT8 has a red dot finder scope, which is a little window you look through on the outside of the scope and it superimposes a red dot on the object you're looking for. So if you put the red dot on the moon say, and then look through your actual eyepiece you should be looking at the moon. It's similar to a rifle scope. For DSOs you will do what is called Star Hopping. You find a bright star that is near by what you are looking for. Then you find dimmer stars that you can still see with the naked eye. Usually I find two stars that are on either side of the object then estimate where the object should be, put my red dot here and then do a little scanning with the telescope until I find what I'm looking for. Use a low magnification lens (like the 25mm) to search. There's more scientific ways to do it, but it works for me every time. Takes some practice. It's also confusing in that if you move the scope one way, it might make the image in the scope move the opposite direction. It takes practice and patience, but with time it becomes 2nd nature.

The included 10mm and 25mm are pretty good for planets and the moon, but will fall short for DSOs. If you're willing to spend another ~$100 dollars right out the gate on accessories I'd buy a [zoom lens]( https://www.amazon.com/Celestron-93230-24mm-1-25-Eyepiece/dp/B0007UQNV8/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=8-24+zoom&qid=1575055505&sr=8-1) that allows you to change the magnification and an [eyepiece that provides higher magnification]( https://www.amazon.com/SVBONY-Telescope-Eyepiece-Accessories-Astronomy/dp/B07JWDFMZ4/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=svbony%2B6&qid=1575055611&sr=8-1&th=1) (get the 6 mm option) than the zoom or the provided lenses. Later, if you want to spend another ~$130 on more options at eyepiece I'd by the 9mm option from the 2nd link there and a [wide angle lens]( https://www.amazon.com/Agena-Super-Wide-Angle-Eyepiece/dp/B00YO60I9E/ref=sr_1_2?keywords=agena+32&qid=1575055724&sr=8-2) that makes it easier to find objects by showing more of the night sky. When in comes to eyepieces, make sure you know the math of magnification. You take the Focal Length of the scope, 1200mm for the XT8, and divide it by the number in mm on an eyepiece. I.e. a 12 mm eyepiece would be 1200/12 = 100x magnification. Don't bother with Barlows, a Zoom takes care of that by giving you an infinite spectrum between 50 - 150x and the 6 mm gives your 200x. That is plenty for basically all viewing conditions.

The [Moon Brightness Filter]( https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B076MP3T66/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1) is nice if the Moon hurts your eyes to look at, but it might be worth just looking at the moon first before spending the $20. You can't actually hurt your eyes looking, but it can definitely shock your eye. Also, higher magnification always means dimmer so zooming in can naturally act as a filter. I wouldn't bother with other filters. Most are crap and don't contribute much.

In summary: To really feel prepared when going out for the first time you should have a book that you studied ahead of time for what you want to look for (The book is broken down by Season and what is viewable during that time) and a red light to see the book. The provided 25mm will be okay to search with, and the 10mm will let you see more of it, but you will want something better soon like the zoom or the 6mm Svbony lens. Make sure your Telescope is [collimated]( https://lovethenightsky.com/telescope-collimation-for-complete-beginners/) and your finder scope is lined up with your scope (the Telescope manual walks through this, do it during the day). Bring chairs and warm clothing. Lastly bring your patience. Hope this was helpful with how long it was, and I hope you and your kiddo have a ball!

Glad I could help :-)

> deep space photos

Oh, that's a whole different topic :-)

Imaging is complex, expensive and more sources for headaches when getting started.

See https://www.reddit.com/r/astrophotography/wiki/what_telescope - Great resource to chose the right gear.

While the 127 SLT works fine for some planetary imaging and some snapshots of other bright targets, it's not a good set for DSO imaging.

For serious deep-sky imaging, you need a mount that doesn't only track, but also counters field-rotation, e.g. an equatorial mount.

The SLT mount is a simple AltAz (Altitude Azimuth, Updownleftright) mount and not suited for long exposures due to field rotation and the (relatively) low precision.

The Maksutov has a "slow" aperture ratio, long focal length, and isn't exactly the first choice for deep-sky imaging.


While cheaper equatorial mounted and motorized sets are available, stability is key. E.g. a Celestron 130EQ-MD makes no sense. A NEQ3/CG4 is better suited, but does not really make sense long-term. E.g. Orion Sirius, (H)EQ5. The Orion Sirius wih GoTo costs well over $1000. Without a telescope. The manual CG4/NEQ3 costs $250-$300.

Combining terrestrial, stargazing AND imaging will result in a major headache. :-) In this case a decent apochromatic refractor might be the only thing that can cover all bases to some extend, but for visual, you really need aperture.

 

If you are unsure what route to take, get something smaller/cheaper first. Observe, get to know the do's and dont's of observing and imaging. Find out what you really need beyond what sounds good on paperont the screen :-)

 

> deep space photos

As you already seem to have a DSLR or similar, you can actually do some nice wide-field without even using a telescope.

• https://www.reddit.com/r/telescopes/comments/2ttydz/300_budget_looking_for_a_telescope/co2ivce/
  
  
• Longer focal lengths require guiding etc.
  
  
• Of course it's possible with the 127SLT to take some snapshots of brighter deep-sky objects, but not nearly as great as something like a 130pds/150pds reflector on a EQ5/EQ6 type of mount.
  
  
• For imaging questions aside the basics I am probably not the ideal person to ask, also see /r/astrophotography for advice.
  
   
  
  > eyepieces
  
  For a 127/1500 Maksutov, there are several choices.
  
  A zoom-eyepiece is great for day-time use, but as with many zoom-binoculars/spotting-scopes, dedicated eyepieces tend to give you better contrast. Also zoom eyepieces have a narrow apparent field of view at the lower magnification, only 40° or so, making them poor overview eyepieces.
  
  Short version:
  
  
  Kit eyepieces 10mm & 25mm for now, consider a 7-8mm^1 2 for planets and a 15mm^123 to fill the gap. A 32mm for a bit move overview.
  
  Zoom eyepieces are usually available in 8-24 or 7-21mm 1 2, but only the Baader Zoom offered a bit more field of view on the lower magnification. For day-time use a zoom is nice sometimes, but you can usually get 2-3 better fixed-focal-length eyepieces for the same price that perform better in the long run.
  
  Long version:
  
  
  
• 32mm Plössl,
  
  
• $20-$30: The largest field of view with a 1.25" focuser.
  
  
• Some other 5" Maksutovs offer a 2" focuser/diagonal allowing some more field of view. Even simpler 2" eyepieces cost $70 and up though.
  
  
• A 40mm Plössl is available too, but has a narrow apparent field of view, effectively not showing more than a 32mm Plössl.
  
  
  
• A 7mm will give you a bit over 200x. So perfect for observing moon, planets, double stars, ships - under decent conditions.
  
  
• 7mm Plössl already have very short eye-relief. Plössl are the type of eyepieces included in the eyepiece kits. The longer ones >10mm are OK. Are you wearing glasses?
  
  
• The HR Planetary clones, e.g. $49 7mm 58° afov are decent. Better are the BST Explorer and dual-ed eyepieces - But for a bit more you can also get a larger apparent field of view.
  
  
• If you want to spend a bit more, you can get a 7mm Luminos ultra-wide-angle (82° apparent field of view)
  
  
• A 6mm can work, but things will already get pretty dim, and 250x magnification only works if atmospheric seeing is great (which it usually isn't).
  
  
• One or two in-between.
  
  
• Either just use the kit eyepieces,
  
  
• Get a 15mm Plössl or wide-angle eyepiece, 123
  
  
• or get some of "gold-line"^Link for example. These no-name eyepieces are sold by several names and the brand name Orion expanse. The whole set probably makes little sense. 15mm to fill the gap of the kit eyepieces. 9 and 20mm if you want to replace the cheap kit eyepieces. 6mm is a bit too much already.
  
  
• At Aliexpress you can get a long eye-relief "gold-line" 6mm eyepiece for $18, at Amazon $40 or so.
  
   
  
  Here is an overview for eyepiece stats at 127/1500. The magnification, true field of view, and the exit pupil
  
  (True field of view: Extend your arm, extend your index finger. It covers a width of 1° in the sky: Twice the full moon- even if it seems larger when over the horizon. At higher magnification, you just see a fragment of that in the eyepiece)
  
  (Exit pupil = amount of light exiting the eyepiece, under 0.5-0.6mm it gets too dim. 2-3mm is ideal for many deep-sky objects; 1-2mm for some of the smaller nebulae)
  
  25mm: 60x Magnification / 0.86° field of view / 2.1mm exit-pupil
  
  10mm: 150x / 0.33° fov / 0.8mm EP
  
  32mm: 46x / 1.1° / 2.7mm
  
  15mm: 100x / 0.5°-0.81° depending on the eyepiece / 1.2mm
  
  7mm: 214x / 0.26°-0.33° / 0.59mm
  
  More magnification is always tempting, but it will make things dimmer. Crude simulation. So usually you can see more details with less magnification, even if the planet isn't view-filling.
  
  Atmospheric seeing^YoutubeExample often limits magnification to <=200x. The image wobbles, the higher you magnify, the blurrier and more apparent it becomes. For day-time over the horizon, this might be way more apparent, restricting you to 100-150x. You have probably seen the effect of heat-haze/heat-shimmer over a hot road or field, and that moving air is exactly what makes day-time observing at high magnification problematic.

1. An 8" dob is definitely a bit much for a 7 year-old, but as long as it's for both of you, it's a good purchase. The most complicated part of owning a dob is collimating the optics (just making sure they're all aligned properly). There are plenty of tutorials on how to do this online. It will take a tiny bit of practice, but once you do it a couple of times, it's easy.
   
   
2. Get this eyepiece set. Don't bother with a barlow. The 9mm that comes with that set will replace the 9mm Plossl that comes with the telescope. It's much, much easier to look through and offers a wider field of view. That set is a good spread of focal lengths for that scope, and will compliment the 30mm nicely.
   
   
3. Does that even matter? Yes. You will be fighting condensation on the finder scope like crazy. I recommend buying a pack of those chemical handwarmers and just strapping one to the underside of the viewfinder with an elastic band, and maybe also one to the eyepiece of the view finder as well. That will keep it above ambient and keep the condensation off it.
   
   
4. Yes, several things to know:
   
   

• Obviously, never ever point the thing at the sun unless you have a visual rated solar filter that sits over the FRONT of the scope. You cannot put a solar filter at the eyepiece, it must block the light before it enters the scope.
  
  
• The biggest limiting factor to seeing lunar and planetary detail is the atmosphere. It bends and distorts light just like water in a swimming pool does when trying to view items on the bottom. Some nights are steady and planets are super crisp with tons of detail, other nights are abysmal and the planet looks like an amoeba. It takes patience and some luck to get a night of good atmospheric "seeing" as it's called.
  
  
• You also need to make sure the telescope is thermally acclimated to ambient temperatures. If the mirror is warmer than the outside air temps for whatever reason (e.g. stored in a hot un-insulated shed all day), then the heat coming off the mirror will distort light on the way to the mirror, and again bouncing off of it. If you store the scope in a cool air conditioned space, when you bring it outside in the hot humid air, the mirrors will instantly fog up and the scope will be unusable.
  
  
• It's best to view the planets when they are the highest in the sky. This is known as their transit time - when they cross the southern meridian in the sky. If you try to view them when they're low on the horizon, atmospheric seeing will be worse, and the atmosphere will act like a prism and badly scramble the light, obscuring fine details.
  
  
• The full moon is the least interesting phase to view because lighting is very flat. Best to view near 1st or 3rd quarter so you can see the moon illuminated from the side, where you will see deep shadows on craters, mountain ranges etc.
  
  
• If you buy the eyepiece set I linked to, the 9mm and the 6mm will be your planetary and lunar eyepieces. The 9mm is at the low-end range of planetary magnification and can be used when the atmosphere is very turbulent. The 6mm will be useful when the atmosphere is steady. Eventually you can get something between 3mm and 4mm for very high magnification, but it will only be useful on very rare nights unless you have particularly stable air.
  
  
• I recommend getting the book Turn Left at Orion, which is a good guide to get familiar with the night sky and using the telescope.

The telescope is definitely going to come with a collimating device of some sort. I've only ever used a laser collimator, so I'm not sure how hard other collimating devices are to use. It never takes me more than 5 minutes to collimate my dob though.

I would get a 2x barlow (this one is pretty nice and also cheap), and some gold-line eyepieces. They're recommneded often on here because they're not too expensive but still pretty good. I would maybe get maybe the 15 mm and 6 mm. Those combined with the scope eyepieces and the barlow should give you all the magnifications you could want.

Whether a solar filter is worth it is entirely up to you. However, just note that if you don't want to put in $100s of dollars, you're pretty much limited to something made with Solar Filter Film or a basic glass filter. The views you get from that are definitely nice, but it might not be what you're expecting. You'll see something like this with those filters.

If the scope doesn't come with a 0 magnification red-dot finder scope, you might want to get one. Telrads are considered one of the best one's on the market (and I love mine to death), but they can be a bit pricey. A cheaper red dot finder scope (like this one) should also serve you just fine.

Besides that, I would definitely recommend getting the book Turn Left at Orion. It's essentially the complete beginners guide to all things Amateur Astronomy. It's absolutely fantastic.

One small other thing I can think of is a red-light flashlight (like this). It's definitely not necessary, but it's nice to be able to look at things in the dark without losing your night vision too much.

Ok. All the recent Canon cameras can take a cheap interval timer, which allows you to do star trails, nightscapes and wide field pictures. It will also be necessary for deep sky images, but that that you'll also want some way to track the movement of the earth. Pentax's K-r and K-5 can take a GPS unit that does this, which is nifty. But you're limited in the focal length and time you can expose for. A more robust solution is a German equatorial mount, like for a telescope, but you wouldn't need a telescope. If you get a sturdy one, that can track for a long time. But it's heavy and requires some setup. The K-5 can also take the cheap inteval timer, but for the K-r, you'll need one of those, and this http://www.gentles.ltd.uk/gentled/trigger.htm, which someone on here just recently told me about. It uses the IR port of the K-r for shooting. It looks cool but I haven't heard about any first hand experience with it.

As far as lenses go, as I said elsewhere, the Canon 18-55 IS is decent. Their 10-22mm is also good for really really wide angles, but expensive. The 50 f/1.8 is cheap and great optically, but at 50mm, you can only image about 12 seconds without trails, unless you point towards the north star(or south celestial pole). Since the stars move less there, you can image longer. You can use many old prime lenses to save money like M42 screw mount, Pentax, Nikon, or Olympus with just a metal adapter. But you can't use old manual focus FD mount Canon lenses, they wont focus to infinity. If you get a Pentax, you can use all old k-mount lenses, and m42 mount lenses with a cheap adapter as well. Old prime lenses are usually much better than the old zoom lenses.

To save money you could also get a used Canon XS better yet an XSi. They are both decent for astro. You definitely want Live view to help in focusing, which they both have it.

Some good concrete advice here: http://www.backyardastronomy.com/Backyard_Astronomy/BAG_Blog/Entries/2009/12/10_I_Want_to_Shoot_Deep-Space_Objects!.html
here http://astropix.com/HTML/I_ASTROP/TOC_AP.HTM . For more stuff. Also have a look at the cloudynights.com forums' astrohphotography section.

Let me know what further questions you have.

I wrote an article on intro DSLR kits on Amazon. I wouldn't bother unless you bundled them with your camera.

They're definitely crappy extra toys, but they may help you learn more about photography (by showing you how things make your image quality worse); but they also were kind of fun at the beginning and encouraged me to get out and shake the bugs off and dig into learning how to shoot good photos (and how extra toys don't really help). Everyone takes shitty photos at the start anyway, so you're not missing much; and it's not a ton of extra money over grabbing a body/kit lens/good SD card; but if you already have your camera kit, you can skip it for sure.

DO NOT USE THOSE TRIPODS!

Those are strong enough for point and shoot cameras at most. Especially with a telephoto lens, the tilt arm is likely to fail and it'll fall on sensitive optical mechanics. Those are in the $10 price range. Spend at the very least closer to $30 on a tripod, and a $100-ish tripod will be a safe, and useful tool to use with your precision imaging equipment.

tl;dr - Sure, it's a waste of a little money, but they can be kind of fun toys. Burn the tripod.

Stuff I'd suggest getting:

• 2-3 nice SD cards: Class 10, 32-64 GB each
  
  
• Another few cheaper (but still fast) SD cards: 4-8 GB
  
  
• Solid tripod. $30 or $100 is well worth the money
  
  
• Rocket blower. Avoid touching the lens, whenever possible and never touch the sensor. A lens cloth should be plenty. Avoid being tempted to use a wet cleaning kit on the lens or the sensor if possible
  
  
• I love my big, cheap camera bag. I have 3 lenses, and a speedlight and this is perfect for me. I wear it across my chest and carry it on my lower back where it's out of the way and easy to deal with 95% of the time.
  
  
• An Intervalometer that matches your camera
  
  
• Manual flash that can tilt & swivel
  
  
• Flash triggers are fun and work great with those cheap $10 tripods. Check Strobist.com for great tutorials and inspiration
  
  
• Flash gels can be fun creative tools too. Can you tell I'm getting into playing with off-camera speedlights?

Not a problem. I'm not an expert on that type of scope either, which is why I linked and mentioned the other sub, but the general consensus is that they are decent entry level scopes that will give you a good start in the hobby, but leave you wanting more over time, and it seems $50 is about what they are generally worth, so I think you made the right call to get into the hobby and figure out if you like it or not.

You didn't mention anything about eyepieces, but I would assume it came with 1 or 2 plossl or kelners, likely around 25mm for 40x magnification. I would recommend getting one of the "gold line" eyepieces this sun always praises. They have great eye relief and about the same FOV as a plossl, so they are great for higher mag when plossls force you to damn near touch your eye to the eyepiece.

I generally wouldn't recommend an eyepiece kit, as they are generally not that great with overlap of ranges and being bundled with other useless filters and stuff, but this one is a bit better, though I would suggest getting only 1 or 2 of the eyepieces in the kit anyway (the 6mm for sure, maybe the 9 or 15 as well):

https://www.amazon.com/SVBONY-Telescope-Eyepiece-Accessories-Astronomy/dp/B01MR78I42/ref=pd_day0_hl_421_9?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B01MR78I42&pd_rd_r=38600535-6f7e-11e9-8571-61275becdf34&pd_rd_w=lYs1c&pd_rd_wg=Ezw2r&pf_rd_p=ad07871c-e646-4161-82c7-5ed0d4c85b07&pf_rd_r=JGJ2X0WVDD2MC1DZSXRQ&psc=1&refRID=JGJ2X0WVDD2MC1DZSXRQ

The 6mm will give you 166x, 9mm 111x, 15mm 66x, and 20mm 50x. I'm getting these values by dividing your focal length (1000m) with the eyepiece focal length. Again, I'm assuming you already have a low power eyepiece around 25mm, so a 20 won't be much different. The 15mm or 9mm will be medium mag, which I like to use on larger objects like the Orion nebula, and the 6mm will let you zoom in on small objects, which based on your pic of Jupiter is probably something you are interested in.

In general, the mag limit of a telescope is about 2x the aperture in mm, but with the spherical mirror, you have have focusing issues before getting to that point, so I wouldn't recommend going further than the 6mm.

Eyepieces will transfer well from scope to scope, so if you are at all interested in continuing the hobby, I think it's well worth it to start getting slightly better eyepieces early.

• I'm probably posting a cliche photography gift here but I absolutely love mine: Lens Mug
  
  
  
• Can't go wrong with a BlackRapid Strap
  
  
  
• If your brother takes a lot of landscapes and doesn't already have this must have tool in his gear which he should: Camera Remote Timer
  
  
  
• If he's always on the go and seems struggle w/ carrying his tripod everywhere, I recommend getting him a Gorilla Pod
  
  
• If he doesn't already have a great backpack for travelling while he is shooting his landscapes, I recommend Amazons Backpack for holding his gear. It's essentially a generic version of Canon's basic backpack.
  
  
  You can also find some fairly cheap "like new" film cameras on Craigslist along with some film.
  Film cameras are the best and it will probably be very nostalgic to the person you are gifting it to.
  
  
  I'm making the assumption that he has a Canon DSLR but you can find most of this gear if he has something like a Nikon, Sony, etc... One thing I love to receive to as a photography gift is more batteries! I use to shoot a lot of landscapes and I could never have enough of these.
  
  Anyways, hopefully you find something for your brother! Good luck!

There are some ~ $500 options that might be good for a photographer that already has a camera.

You can do /r/landscapeastro with a basic tripod and a wide angle lens. The Rokinon 14mm and the Rokinon 24mm are great lenses for Milky Way (widefield) astrophotography. With the camera locked down on a tripod you can do long exposures up to 30 seconds or so. You can shoot multiple exposures and stack them to reduce noise and bring out details. The lenses I linked to are fast and wide and have aspherical elements that makes them good for astrophotography.

The trick with shooting individual objects with a telephoto lens is that as the stars "move" across the sky during the night that motion is magnified in the viewfinder, so you have to shoot 1 or 2 second exposures so that the motion doesn't cause the stars to trail.

If you want to shoot with a telephoto lens you need a tracking mount. The motorized mount slowly moves the camera at the same rate as the sky, keeping the subject still in the viewfinder. This allows for longer exposures and better results.

There are some interesting low cost tracking mounts for cameras with lenses up to 300mm. I haven't used these (ended up getting a bigger mount) but I've seen some good results posted on the forums.

/r/astrophotography and /r/landscapeastro

SkyWatcher S20510 Star Adventurer Astro Package

Vixen Optics 35505 Polarie Star Tracker

iOptron SkyTracker Pro Camera Mount with Polar Scope, Mount Only

I was looking at this type of light duty tracking mount and what I didn't like is that you can't go "up" size-wise from there.

The next step up is a medium duty tracking mount like the

Celestron Advanced VX Mount

What I like about getting into a mount like this is that it can handle a decent size (and quality) telescope if you want to add that later. It uses the German Equatorial Mount (GEM) design that all top-of-the-line mounts use. So you're getting into a better class of mount that has tighter mechanical tolerances. You can use it with wide or telephoto lenses on your camera for now, and with a nice telescope later.

I recently bought a big ol' Atlas EQ-G tracking mount. It's $1500 new but I found a used one for $700. It didn't come with a tripod so I got a used Meade Field Tripod ($150) and an adapter plate ($120) so it was about $1,000 for that particular mount setup. I plan to use that with my Canon 400mm telephoto lens and expect to get decent pictures of Andromeda galaxy, Orion nebula and other deep sky objects (DSO). I need to tap some threads in the tripod and DIY a spreader and I'll be good to go. I guess my point is I got a heavy duty mount that will work with my existing gear and with a good sized telescope in the future. Worked for me, ymmv.

Check the classifieds at Cloudy Night forums for used equipment.

https://www.cloudynights.com/

Good luck!

A telescope is not out of your range if you know what you really want and can save for it. I have a "smaller" one, but having a larger diameter opening allows you to capture more light and peer deeper in to space. You should get what you want and strive to save for it. I want to go bigger, maybe an XT10 computerized.

My telescope is good, in fact it over-preformed every time I went out. The one gripe I have about almost almost every inexpensive telescope is that it is not motorized. We live on a spinning rock in the galaxy so the telescope needs to be constantly adjusted. All you do with the motorized is find 3 stars and it can take you on a tour of the universe. It does a lot of the work for you so you wont accidentally lose what you were looking at.

I'd also recommend buying some filters, It helps when you look at the moon or nebulae.

Also, instead of swapping eyepieces for closing in on objects, this zoom lens is extremely helpful. With just a twist you can go from 8mm to 24mm. I own that exact model and it's great, plus you cant lose

It seems expensive, but if you really want it, you'll find ways to save and get it. I hope this helps and when you DO make a final decision I'd like to know what its is.

Billions and Billions

Wow! You did an excellent job of explaining how DSLR users can easily get into astrophotography. Those are some great example pics too. I like the details like the icons for the equipment needed for subject you are discussing. I agree this should go in the sidebar here.

While following the links you provided I noticed that Gary Seronik, who wrote the howto on the barn door tracker, has posted another simpler design on his blog. I haven't built one yet but it's on the ToDo list.

And wow, that Dark Skies Finder site is amazing. Thanks a bunch for that link. I am thinking of heading to South Dakota to get me some dark skies. Any advice on getting a shot of an aurora? Go further north I suspect.

I'm not sure if you use affiliate links to Amazon but I like that method of supporting a web site. I'm using a $15 knock-off timer/trigger that you might want to link to. It's not fancy but it doesn't need to be.

Also, thanks for posting the Photoshop tutorials in 1080p. Great job. Subscribed!

8SE owner for over eight years, let me see if I can tackle some of these questions.

1. I found the foam the OTA came with fit perfectly into an igloo cooler. I used this to store and transport it before finally upgrading to a JMI case.
   
   
2. You can defocus a star to see if it needs collimation.
   
   
3. It really shouldn't require much in the way of maintenance.
   
   
4. No clue, but feel free to ask me if you have specific questions.
   
   
5. Humidity can promote fungal growth, probably not a bad idea to throw a silica packet or two in your case. I've taken mine 4-wheeling, left it out overnight in the desert, etc and never had any issues.
   
   
6. I absolutely love my Hand Control Mounting Bracket, it makes it much more pleasant to use. My JMI Motofocus takes care of any vibrations during focusing, and a Telrad made alignment much easier. I did eventually upgrade to a 50mm RACI finder as well. You'll probably want to pick up a dew shield and/or dew heater strips depending on where you live.
   
   Enjoy and clear skies, there's no need to be nervous about your new telescope!

Basically, yes, but you'll also need a few relatively cheap things to make sure you have power and a way to mount the camera to the scope. And you can definitely go much cheaper (especially on the camera). I just had the camera prior to getting into astrophotography because I do photography as well.

To answer your question, the only other thing I purchased separately that was involved in my setup for this shot was the battery pack that powers the mount, a T-Ring, and a T-Adapter that allows me to mount my camera to the scope.

Power Tank

T-Ring

T-Adapter

Again. You can go much cheaper on the camera and can actually just use a webcam to shoot the video that you'll stack into a still. Registax is free. Autostakkert is free. And there are free photoshop alternatives. You'll also want to use this program called BackyardEOS to shoot the videos at 5x zoom (My computer was acting up for this shot, so I didn't use it this time around) but it's well worth the $30 I think I paid for it. You can get even clearer shots like this one I got a while back. The program allows you to digitally zoom in at 5x using and use only a part of the camera's sensor. Please let me know if you need any other information. I'd be glad to help. Hope this helps some!

Thanks so much for the reply, yeah the scope is normally set up about an hour before I want to use it :)
Yes using the focus dose help sharpen the image or make it worse but compared to some of the Pics I have seen people post of the sky from there scope (the same one or next moble down) the images always look a lot clearer and always seem to be of objects at a far greater distance than good old Jupiter lmao.

Am I right in thinking that a 2x barlow will help with this a bit?

Is this set worth getting or is it a bit OTT for this budget scope?

Again thanks so much for getting back to me so quick and thanks for the help and advice :)

You said you live in the Berkshires, which google says is in Massachusetts, there's a partial solar eclipse which will be visible in your area on August 21 at around 1:30pm and ends at around 4:00.

You can buy a solar filter. Here's a link for one that should cover the aperture.

https://www.amazon.com/Solar-Filter-Telescopes-Binoculars-Cameras/dp/B00DS7S52W

Be very careful when looking at the Sun, make sure there are no holes in the filter by holding it up and making sure no bright points peek through. Cover up the aperture securely. You might have to aim it by eye and making adjustments with the hand control but use a low power eyepiece and I think it won't be too much trouble.

Set your telescope to tracking Solar, and have a great couple of hours!

Glad you're loving the telescope, I've had the same one for almost a year and I absolutely love it. I'd recommend you get rechargeable batteries because in my experience, it uses them up like crazy, or maybe I just stay out at night for too long. :)

Also, you could buy a camera to attach to it. Decent ones are a few hundred dollars, I'm not sure which would be best for you. It depends on the objects you'd want to photograph.

Anyway, Jupiter and Saturn will be pretty high up in the night sky for the next few months, so you could see those. Although for the next few days the Moon might create a problem.

I've found the best nights are super black with no moon. Have a dark sky preserve near you? If you're in the northern hemisphere, the weekend of May 26-28 would be excellent for some night sky photos if skys are clear. Moon rises at 6am, milky way rises at roughly 2-3am, so 3-4 am would be an excellent time to start taking some pictures.

You might know all of this, but some basics: I always start with a super high ISO (16000 is max on the 80d) to frame the picture, then actual shots are always max aperture. I explained in another comment how to focus in the dark. Once you've framed what you want, drop that ISO way down and set the exposure up to your lens' max (500 rule). Vary the ISO from 400-3200 to find the balance between noise and light. That's the basics of getting a night shot.

For more advanced: The best photos are a stack of multiple light (basically high ISO) shots and dark (low ISO) shots. Since noise from ISO is random, taking multiple shots will average out the noise to an unnoticeable level, while start light will shine through. One caveat: the earth rotates, so the starts will move in your frame of reference. You could either ignore the slight trails/misalignment or build/buy a star tracker. You can build a barndoor tracker for like $30 (all manual) or purchase one on amazon for ~$300 (iOptron is usually a solid brand)

One of the best intro lenses for land(star)scape photography is the Rokinon f/2.8 14mm. It's all manual, but is a sharp, fast lens at under $300. I own one but my primary lens is a Sigma 18-35mm f/1.8 lens (designed for APS-C cameras).

Start basic before spending lots on trackers/tripods/lenses, that first time you capture the milky way is exhilarating. for more, check out /r/astrophotography

Here is an approximate eye (iphone) view of Saturn through an Orion 80A which is about double the cost of the Goscope. The Goscope view will be similar size but likely slightly dimmer and fuzzier due to lower quality optics.

Jupiter will look something like this. On a really clear, dark night you may just make out the two most prominent cloudbelts.

The moon always looks great through anything, though I would recommend you get a moon filter unless you want to be dazzling yourself. Old man moon is very bright.

These are just approximate views to help you get an idea of what to expect. Hope it helps.

Jupiter and especially Saturn looked underwhelming for me in my telescope, but after cleaning up my eyepieces's lens and secondary mirror with just a wet and dry paper towel my quality was greatly increased. Weather conditions like heavy wind and humidity can also affect the view pretty badly. Collimating your telescope properly is something you probably hear all the time, but it really does make a big difference. As for eyepieces, the Celestron Omni has served me well but I've upgraded to a "Baader Planetarium 8-24mm Hyperion Clickstop Zoom Mark IV Eyepiece" (what a mouthful). The views are noticably better and the zoom feature is so, so, soooo convenient. It's especially handy for showing friends and family who are not into the hobby, as you don't have to change the eyepieces constantly for them. It runs for about 300 dollars which is a big asking point, but there are cheaper alternatives like the Celestron zoom eyepiece (https://www.amazon.com/Celestron-93230-24mm-1-25-Eyepiece/dp/B0007UQNV8) which are only 65 dollars. I would recommend getting one of those, a decent 2x barlow (shouldn't be more than 40 dollars), and a dedicated large eyepiece (in the 30-40mm range). That's all you really need for casual observing by yourself or to show friends and family.

Hi, cool idea, but:

I would strongly consider not looking for a new telescope with that budget. It's possible you can pick up a used one, but if you don't know your way around them, that way is fraught with issues.

A lot of people also end up disappointed with lower-end scopes because they expect to be able to see much more (you most likely won't be able to see the rings of Saturn or the moons of Jupiter, that sort of thing).

Some ideas:

• if the person has a telescope or some knowledge, how about offering to contribute to a telescope purchase? Or buying accessorries like an eyepice, some filters, or a good green laser collimator? I recently bought a Telrad sight and love it.
  
• a decent set of binoculars is a pretty neat thing to have, and more versatile than a telescope - my old military binoculars that I always keep in my car surprised me by letting me see the Pleiades really nicely
  
• some good astronomy / stargazing books (the Backyard Astronomer's Guide, for example]
  

I'm using a Orion Maksutov Cassegrain 90mm, https://www.telescope.com/Orion-Apex-90mm-Maksutov-Cassegrain-Telescope/p/9820.uts on a dobsonian mount, it's small enough to fit in my backback but has powerful magnification (has a 1250mm focal length).

I use a t-adapter to mount my camera right to the scope, no eye piece is used. it's called "prime focus" mode, it's simple and the light from the telescope falls directly on the film (or image sensor if youre using digital). Best way to go by far in re image quality.

HOWEVER, to get started, I think there is no better way than using ANY scope you can buy, and using your iphone/android with a camera mount: https://www.amazon.com/Gosky-Universal-Phone-Adapter-Mount/dp/B013D2ULO6/ref=zg_bs_3426051_1?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=YWC66GBKMH57CV86FY3W this approach is called "afocal imaging" which is fancy speak for "holding your phone against the eye piece"

Digital astrophotography is 10x easier than film astrophotography because you get instant feedback and can make adjustments on the fly. I do film because I love the "light falling on film" aspect of it. But I started out on digital and 99% of my astro-gear is digital.

re which telescope: really pick whatever you can find, and don't go to large. A 90mm reflector or reflector will be able to see the SAME exact things as a 135mm reflector...only REALLY large scopes can see very far into the universe, and large scopes require large 5 thousand dollar tripods to track the objects correctly for imaging...so it's all a moo point

any of these scopes + your phone would make a great set up: https://www.amazon.com/s?k=90mm+telescope&ref=nb_sb_noss_2

oh and check out craiglist, soooo many people get into telescopes for a month then sell them later dirt cheap.

love discussing this stuff, dm me if you have any q's

TL;DR: 220 for scope plus a t-adapter

This refractor on a CG-4 EQ mount looks to me like a good starting point for astrophoto for less than what you want to spend. You have to add motor drives, a polar finder scope, a camera adapter, and T-ring to connect your camera but then you are good to go.

There is a version of this setup using a 150mm reflector as the imaging scope that has given very impressive results. "Jarrodnb" has posted his images here over the last several months. Whether to go with the refractor or the reflector is probably a matter of preference. The reflector gathers more light and has a shorter f/ratio, both of which enable shorter exposure times.

I don't think you can get an imaging setup with autoguiding like the CG-5 for the money you are looking to spend, but a lot of people may say that it is needed for decent results.

I am using a wedge-mounted Celestron 8 I got on Craigslist along with a second hand Canon 400D, and so far I have this image of M13. It's FAR from perfect but I enjoyed the process of making it.

Im super happy with the scope overall. When you use it you should either put the scope on a table or something or have a stool to sit on because its pretty short. The eyepieces that came with it work great and give super clear images.. you can see saturns rings and the bands on jupiter well with the 10mm but for amazing views of the planets you should pick up this 2x barlow. http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0000XMWQW/ref=oh_o01_s00_i00_details. So you get 182x with the 10mm.

Planets are easy to find with just the finder scope but for DSOs its hard to tell where you are looking for star hopping so I just ordered a telrad which used in combination with the finder scope should help a lot. If you have any questions Ill be happy to help.

Oh ya and theres a eyepiece cover thing with a little hole it it that is for collimation so dont lose it. Heres where I learned to do it http://www.skyandtelescope.com/howto/diy/3306876.html

So I took the dslr out tonight and after messing around with the ISO and shutter speed, it worked great.

The SL2 I believe can shoot in crop mode in RAW with digital zoom. Needless to say the more you zoom the harder it is to track, but with just a 2x shorty barlow Jupiter was about the size that you saw in my first Jupiter post.

The specific T ring that I have is this one: SVBONY Metal 1.25 inches T... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0114BB908?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

It also has an attachment that you can drop an eyepiece into so I'll also try that without a barlow and see what happens.

Again I'm not experienced enough to tell you if an astro camera is better quality or easier to use but I was pretty happy with the way this came out on the first go around, and I still feel like I have a great all purpose camera.

You don't need a filter during totality but you need a special solar filter up to and after totality or you'll fry you camera. I bought this filter and I am making a rig to pop it on and off quickly. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00DS7S52W/ref=cm_sw_r_other_apa_VPFIzbVG6AYXP

This video might also be helpful if you have not shot the sun before

https://youtu.be/S_nnEDwv19k

Have Fun and Good Luck!😊

> I screwed up the settings by accident, but it's not that bad.

Here's an honest critique, not to be mean, but you seem to have an interest in taking good photos. I started on a Canon 60D, which shares the same image sensor as the T4i. All of my images of Cleveland were shot with that camera.

This picture has two/three things technically wrong with it; focus, blur, and grain. You can solve all three of those issues by shooting on a tripod.

Shooting on a tripod will allow you to take longer exposure than if you were shooting handheld (because it doesn't move). Because you can shoot longer, you can also stop your aperture down a bit. Most lenses are sharper when the aperture is slightly closed a bit (around f/5.6 - f/8, but vary's depending on lens). You will also be able to lower your iso, which will help avoid noise/grain issues.

Also, when shooting longer exposures, its best to avoid any camera movement or interaction at all. You can buy a "remote shutter release" to avoid touching the shutter button. Also, use "mirror lockup", to avoid movement from the mirror swinging when a picture is taken.

I encourage you to read how to take clear nighttime image, find a solid tripod, and attempt to retake the picture. Part of the fun of photography is growing in your skill and this is a great opportunity to do so.

As u/schorhr mentioned... Field of View (FOV) can play a big role in this. Wide field eyepieces are usually advertised for nebulae and star fields and stuff like that, but they improved even planetary viewing for us immensely since it was easier to locate the object to begin with, a more enjoyable view (better overall opening on the EP), and an easier task to keep it centered in view.

Assuming a dob with a focal length of ~1,200mm (like Orion, Apertura, etc.) you'd want a ~6mm EP to hit a magnification of 200x:

• Economy 6mm 66° EP
  
  
• Very Nice 6.7mm 82° EP

What is your price range? Does size of the scope matter? Do you want tracking abilities?

Some good brands would be Orion, Meade, and Celestron.

Astronomy is not necessarily about getting the best and most expensive scope. The telescope is only a tool. You need to have realistic expectations on what you're going to see. Also, you want a telescope that you will be able to use. If its too big and clunky to bring outside easily, a smaller telescope will be much more useful.

I would recommend buying a simple reflector to start off.

Here's a cheap, tabletop reflector.
Very affordable, very portable. I wouldn't go any cheaper than this.

Although, depending on how much you want to spend, you can get This tracking dobsonian. 600 bucks, 8 inch. Could be what you're looking for.

I would just hop on the bandwagon and get a classic XT8.

You also need to do some research on what kinds of eyepieces you want. Thats a whole new world you need to know, on top of getting to know telescopes.

Personally I have a classic XT8 accompanied with a Celestron 8-24mm zoom eyepiece.

After all thats done, go grab some free astronomy software, and once thats done, start exploring the skies!!!

For a Cell phone, just hold it up to the eyepiece. For extra stability, you could get an eyepiece adapter. With few exceptions (newer cell phone cameras are getting sophisticated enough for long~ish exposure on bright objects), the only objects you will be able to snap will be planets and the Moon.

For a DSLR, you will need 2 components, a T-Ring which acts as a lens attachment (and you will need to find one for your specific camera brand), and a T-Adapter which will allow the camera to insert into the telescope like an eyepice. Given you are going to an actual observatory, they likely use 2" eyepieces, so a 2" T-adapter will probably be needed.

You should also make sure they are OK with you taking pictures like this. I help run a local public observatory (ie no research, just open nights for the public to look up) and we host monthly photo nights, but setting up the scope for photography requires changing the focus and if you are taking photos that means you'll be tying up any lines behind you for several minutes. On the other hand, if this is a private observatory and you don't have to worry about lines, then great. I would call ahead to make sure either way - maybe they already have the adapters you need

Things you'll want:
This book: http://www.amazon.com/Turn-Left-Orion-Hundred-Telescope/dp/0521781906/ref=sr_1_3?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1324830331&sr=1-3

Teflon pads as it is likely the pads on your dob suck and will make moving it suck as well.

A high field of view set of optics. I recommend any of the following (I have an 8" dob, you want a good wide-angle eye piece as it makes viewing a pleasure. Magnification is far from all important, esp. with a small telescope).

• http://www.universityoptics.com/eyepieces.html
  
• http://www.optcorp.com/ProductList.aspx?uid=30-718-1044-1046 (Baader planetarium)
  
• When picking out eye pieces, consider the magnification you'll get with your telescope (equations found online), the eye relief (bigger tends to be easier to use, basically how far your eye needs to be from the lens to be in focus), and the field of view (just how much of the sky you'll see).
  
  You need to collomate your telescope. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Collimated_light. Basically, your telescope's mirror is likely very off center. A dobsonian like what you have is two mirrors, the main mirror (the big one), and the little post mirror that reflects light off the main mirror into your eye piece. You need a laser collomator that will shine a light from the eye piece into the telescope. If your telescope was properly collomated, the laser would bounce off of the post mirror, hit the dead center of the main mirror, reflect back onto the post mirror, and back into the collomator. Look online for more information.
  
  Lastly, you probably want a Telrad. It makes pointing your telescope very, very simple, and almost eliminates the need to use a finder scope. http://www.amazon.com/Telrad-Finder-Sight/dp/B0000ALKAN (you don't need any accessories for this. Its wonderful).
  
  Happy stargazing!
  
  Edit: feel the need to qualify why I suggest Teflon pads. your telescope moves around on two axises, up and down, and left and right. Unlike a "conventional" refractor telescope (the ones that we think of as a good "my first telescope"), a lot of weight is placed on those bottom pads. If you replace the pads that came with your telescope's base with teflon pads, it will make it a lot easier to move it along that particular axis, asthere is less friction.

Reposting from last week's thread:

>Two questions, somewhat dependent on each other. First, out of these two scopes, which is the better option? They pretty much can be taken to the same focal length and ratio (I think) given reducer/barlow and their apertures are the same. Orion ED80 f/7.5 or Astro-Tech AT80EDT f/6. I guess the main difference is one is a doublet and the other a doublet? How significant is the color correction on a triple compared to triple? (Keep in mind cost for second question).

>Second, which mount? I'd likely eventually upgrade to some autoguiding. Explore Scientific EXOS2GT Motorized Equatorial GoTo or Celestron Advanced VX Computerized Mount or maybe you guys have another suggestion?

>I do have a budget, not too certain what it is though. Which would be the better compromise, better scope or better mount?

Also, how much would an autoguiding setup benefit either of these setups? Would it be better to get the cheaper scope and get autoguiding or not?

With $100-150 you could probably either (1) get a nice tripod and try to take some wide-field shots of the Milky Way or certain constellations from a dark location (i.e. very far from Chicago) or (2) Get yourself an okay-ish telescope and take lunar and planetary shots. I took this and this with a ~$120 telescope + $35 barlow lens + $10 camera adapter and a very similar camera, and while they're definitely far less impressive than what most people on this sub can do, they were a lot of fun to take and (imo) a great way to get into the hobby. I'd recommend paying a bit more for a better telescope since this one is definitely not ideal, even for this price range. Unfortunately, AP gets expensive really quickly, so you'll most likely have to shell out at the very least a few hundred dollars to get some nice and crisp space shots. It's probably better to pay more now to avoid later feeling the need to upgrade your equipment immediately, especially if budget isn’t a big issue. I say this as someone who’s been using the same cheap equipment for several years, though, so it definitely depends.

Edit: The t3i also has a really great crop video mode that’s perfect for planetary photography, if I remember correctly.

If you’re trying to photography the Milky Way or galaxies/nebulae/etc, going for a sturdy tripod (and then eventually getting a sky tracker for ~$300 to really kick up your shots, if you enjoy the hobby) might be the move to get your feet wet without breaking the bank. Check out the “What Telescope?” page on the wiki for more info, but I’m not sure how recently it was updated. Hope you can find the equipment that’s right for you

Lol my bad, I totally misinterpreted your original question.

Doing it with a camera is a bit more complex, but it isn't hard! Any basic DSLR would work. I'm most familiar with Canon, so like a used Canon t2i or something would work for you. Someone else can maybe chime in with other suggestions. Hopefully any camera you would get would come with a lens. Prices might be all over on this. You just need any camera with an auxiliary shutter port.

You'll also need something like this: https://www.amazon.com/Neewer-Shutter-Release-Remote-Control/dp/B003Q9RERY/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1537801810&sr=8-1&keywords=neewer+intervalometer

That device is called an intervalometer and it lets you take pictures repeatedly and at set intervals.

Finally, you'll just need a tripod for the camera. You probably don't need a super fancy one and can get one for less than 30 bucks on Amazon.

Put the camera under an umbrella or get a water cover for it, again, less than 20 bucks.

You'll need an SD card to store your photos on too.

Finally, once you have all of your photos taken, you need software to put the time lapse together. There is a ton of time lapse specific software out there, and you can snag that, or you can use Lightroom and some of the available plugins for it to create your final video. I've always used Lightroom in the past and it works pretty well but if you find yourself doing this on a regular basis you might wanna invest in the specialized software.

Hope this helps!

if you're okay with having an absolute potato of a spotting scope because you're only shooting at 100~300 (like I am as well), I have a "Celestron Upclose 20-60x60mm". you can usually find them on ebay for sub $100, I got mine for like $35.

​

obviously to read wind and see hits nice and clearly you should get a much much better optic, but, if you just want to see hits on a shoot-n-c target without walking downrange this does the job. the ocular focus on mine is loose by now (its base came unglued and rotates if you don't restrain it), but for $35 I'm not arguing.

​

you can also pick up a cell phone mount for pretty cheap on amazon, which helps because you don't have to plant your face next to the optic and futz around getting the right eye relief.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B013D2ULO6/

​

granted...I can arguably see the target just as well with my Tract FFP 4-20 mounted on my tikka. I'm kind of wondering whether it was worth it, but it's handy when I don't happen to have brought the Tract for the day.

Thank you so much for the help! Watched a few youtube videos on it and that also helped, thank you for the suggestion. If you wouldn't mind checking this and letting me know if I need anything else if you have any time, I would highly appreciate it.

mount

Telescope tube rings (Does the size matter, like is there a way to tell if it's good for the telescope or not? this is my telescope

mounting plate

[T-Ring adapter] (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0140U9IWQ/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1) (The camera I am using is a Nikon D750)

camera adapter

And possibly this autoguider

Once again, thank you for the help.

Hi and thanks for posting!

There’s actually some depth to this - but the basics are pretty easy.

First - you want a mount.

Gosky Universal Cell Phone Adapter Mount https://www.amazon.com/dp/B013D2ULO6/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_DjXDCbK4SMB9N

That one works nicely for me! Nothing wrong with a blue tooth shutter control if you can find one either. Keeps you from vibrating your own shot by touching the phone to take the picture

Second - remember that you’re trying to get your camera to see what the eyepiece is projecting. Your life will be much better if you use an eyepiece with a large field of view - typically longer focal length (lower magnification) eyepieces have wider fields of view (unless you’re prepared to spend a decent amount).

Third - no filters during photography - not even a “moon” filter. Adjust the exposure levels on your phone if you can (I posted the nightcap camera app for iPhone earlier- it’s amazing), to brighten nebulae or dim the moon. There’s nothing wrong with a little post processing (that’s where things get interesting)

As far as post processing goes... that can range from a little photoshop magic to either taking video (or a lot of photos) and “stacking” the frames/photos on top of each other. This brings out an insane amount of detail that would otherwise be lost.

A few computer programs i want to try, once I have a working computer (I destroyed mine a bit ago, been modding this sub from an iPad lol) are PIPP, autostakkert, and registax.

If I missed anything you had a question on, lemme know!

Edit: nightcap let’s you take long exposures like a DSLR camera... really worth $3 if you have an iPhone 👍🏻

Thank you so much for your time. I think I'm going to to go with the Onesky. I really meets nearly all of my needs right now.

I don't know how I haven't seen the Onesky before, it never came up on my google searches. Also I guess while reading through this subreddit I ignored ABW because I didn't recognize the acronym, and had never heard of the maker. I think the mobility of the Onesky is really right up my alley, and the aperture is better than most of the other mobile scopes in this range. I think the 8" or 10" dobs will be a bit too big for my liking, and I'd probably use them a little less often because of that. Also, the dobs are much harder to store in my apartment (which is definitely a factor).

From most of the review I have read, a Barlow is strongly recommended for the Onesky. As the scope is a great value, and I have some wiggle room, is there a eyepiece set or any other accessories that you think would really enhance this kind of scope?

I was looking at the Celestron and came upon this Gosky set. Any thoughts/experience with either of these?

I'm assuming she wants a scope for identification use, with the ability to take pictures when she wants. I was in the same position last year.

If she has a decent cell phone, I'd honestly skip the camera and spend more money on a nicer scope. You can get an adapter like this that'll help her get nice shots through the scope with her phone. Better optics almost always trumps the use of a camera, really. It sucks not being able to ID something because you simply can't see it clearly enough. I'd also really try to find something that doesn't use interchangeable objectives; entomology typically requires a lot of switching mag, so physically removing and replacing the objectives each time could get pretty tedoius.

All that said, I like my Amscope a lot.

For eyepieces, I'd consider this goldline set...

SVBONY Telescope Eyepiece Fully Mutil Coated 1.25" Telescope Accessories Set 66 Degree Ultra Wide Angle HD 6mm 9mm 15mm 20mm for Astronomy Telescope https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01MR78I42/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_YCtVBb4T6TJV1

This sub often recommends goldlines to beginners because they are very solid with pretty good views for the price range. The entire set is a nice range of focal lengths. If someone breaks or damages an eyepiece, a replacement wouldn't cost too much.

And maybe a telrad finder?

I don't believe hooking it up to a monitor is a real option. The options that do exist would be relatively expensive and the results would still be pretty poor.

Have you looked for a local astronomy club that would be willing to help? Most clubs love doing public outreach projects and events. Or a local college/university that might have an astronomy department?

1. Get the collimator
   
   
2. Get the collimator
   
   
3. Get the collimator
   
   See the pattern?
   
   Edit:
   Ok more info. Your telescope is a reflector just like mine. There are two mirrors, one at each end of the tube. Your eyepiece has to be lined up correctly with the front mirror, and the front mirror and back mirror have to be lined up properly. The collimator (Celstron calls it the collimation eyepiece) helps you to line up these optics. Without doing this first your experience is going to be like mine was, very disappointing. Unless you're incredibly lucky most everything will be blurry, or smeared to some degree. Once you have collimated the scope properly everything becomes much much sharper. The effect is kind of like shining a flashlight on a wall. If the flashlight is lined up properly the light is sharp and round, if the flashlight is at an angle to the wall the light becomes distorted, stretched out and oval shaped. This is similar to what I experienced with my scope. It's well worth the extra 30 bucks.
   
   Get yourself a set of eyepieces of various sizes. Celestron has a decent entry level one for about 130 bucks I think. This will allow you to really get the best use of your scope once it's collimated.
   
   Have fun!
   
   Edit 2: Here is the collimation eyepiece and here is the eyepiece kit

The biggest bang for the buck is a tracker. It makes your pics 50x better. Even an older camera like the 30D with a kit lens on a tracker is better than a sweet 6D with a fast prime lens on a tripod.

Allow me to refer to my comparison of exposure times. Again ;)

With a modest telephoto lens you are limited to a couple of seconds exposure. Compare that with what you see at 60 seconds in my example above.

Tracker's are pretty simple. Add an intervalometer, so you can get a lot of vibration free photos.

​

​

Hey, sorry i'm a little late to the party. I just got the same telescope last week, and it is awesome! I just picked up a couple things.

• A 2x Barlow Lens
  
  This One.
  
  and
  
  
• A Moon Filter
  
  This One
  
  The moon is still fairly bright with the filter, so you may want to get the 25% instead of the 13%, although im happy with it.
  
  I also got this sky chart, but it's obviously not that necessary. Keep in mind, i'm still a newbie, so take my recommendations with a grain of salt. Have fun! :)

Oh man!!! Something like this?! https://www.amazon.com/dp/B003Q9RERY/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_YsFxDb33SQZJT

I didn't even realize that was a thing!! Of course it is now that I think about it... I was trying to take pictures of lightning and I literally sat on my porch for an hour taking 15 second exposures manually hoping to get lightning in it. This is super exciting and not crazy expensive. I assume I can use this method also for taking astro shots? Ive been doing it manually for too long... Thanks for the detail!

Really not purpose built, but what I'm using in this setup is an HP Elitebook with a microsoft 720p webcam (is actually the roommate's) literally just duct taped onto an Emarth 20-60x60. Alternatively to a laptop and webcam is to use your phone with something like this.


Better results could be had with better equipment, but it worked well enough for my purpose. Two side notes: For outdoors, reducing the camera's exposure settings helps reduce washout. The other thing is shoot and see type targets work well.

Thanks :) This orion shorty seems pretty popular, is there something better around the same price or is this pretty much the standard first barlow? Also would you recommend a moon filter?

Thanks for the reply! :)

Sometime tomorrow I'll be sure to check out both of those sites, and if I find the time I'll also be sure take some more photos to post as well. Although research is definitely something I should do more of... As you said.

Additionally, there's a stand of some sort in our garage which appears to be a Celestron Advanced VX. Lots of weights and other accessories as well, most of which having never, or hardly been used.

What's your current setup? What parts comprise a "S4 on a stick?"

Because there are special followspot yokes for Source Fours. City Theatrical makes one that I think is garbage, as you NEED to thread it onto a pipe and cheseborough that to another pipe, and generally add another pipe to stabilize everything. I have also seen another kind that has no markings and they've been there longer than the house ME, so he doesn't know what brand they are. But they kind of look like this, with a clamp on top to make it easier to use them in a catwalk.

You should also have an Iris in there already.

And then some handles.

And then a telrad, which are pretty cheap because City Theatrical doesn't make them.. And I can speak from experience, having a telrad makes a huge difference for your spot ops. I have high school actors who have never done tech before run spot, and they were a hot mess before we got the telrads. But now, you would never know that opening is their third time running spot.

If you say that a 26º already works pretty well, why the need to change it?

Using source fours as spotlights is done all the time in professional places. Just because it doesn't come with a stand and say "FOLLOWSPOT" on the side of it doesn't mean it's a bad choice.

> The main reason for making a post and not taking the suggestions from the sticky post is because I am looking for something that has a camera or camera mount or something like that so we can photograph what we see. I have no idea how this is done so I don't know if I am overreaching but I would appreciate any recommendations.

Unfortunately astrophotography works nothing like daytime pic snapping does. It's a complicated and involved process, and often requires significant equipment and time investment. It's not something I would suggest for a complete novice to start with.

Instead, an AWB OneSky is well within your budget, leaving you also with enough for some extras, like a planetary eyepiece (the 6mm one, and the 9mm is also good if you want to upgrade the kit eyepiece later). Also, don't forget to get the missing manual!

And you'll have the perfect starting kit!

Here is a very specific idea:
A new edition of "The Astrophotography Manual: A Practical and Scientific Approach to Deep Sky Imaging" by Chris Wodehouse is coming out December 16th. I have heard from friends I trust that the 1st edition was very good. So I am waiting till the 16th to get the second edition myself. Thought it might make a cool gift as your match is unlikely to have it. Just not sure if the 16th is too late. $60

Other ideas:

• A Telrad is much better than a finder scope IMO, and can be easily adapted to any scope. Should be under $50 with shipping.
  
• 100 Best Astrophotography Targets book. $38+ shipping.
  
• Astrobin Premium Subscription Not sure how feasible that is as a gift, but it's a nice service for image hosting astrophotos. $36.
  
• Download one of their Astrophotos (if you can find a high quality version) and have BayPhoto make a metal print of it.

You might want to start with a simple compound microscope and get a cell phone adapter to view with. A stereo microscope is great but it's difficult to view "together". Buying a microscope used will cut the price a lot, but beware the objectives could be dirty and need cleaning. also, high magnifications like 1000x can be difficult to use, because of low field of view, high light levels required and may be difficult for a kid to focus. A few hundred dollars isn't going to cut it for those magnifications. Stick to a scope that has 4x, 10x and maybe 20x objectives.

This type of basic microscope is great for learning, has LED lights for both reflection and transmission viewing, works on batteries, easy to use. https://www.amazon.com/TELMU-Microscope-Magnification-Illumination-Microscopes/dp/B07DQQKJNZ/

Cell phone adapter I've used with great success: https://www.amazon.com/Gosky-Universal-Phone-Adapter-Mount/dp/B013D2ULO6/

This is exactly what I was looking for. Seriously, thank you for taking the time to write this out.

I think I'm going to get a decent 8-24x zoom eyepiece so that I can get an "o.k" look at everything on different magnifications on a budget.

But I'm going to get one nice eyepiece along with that for ideally planet viewing. So I'm looking at either a 5mm or a 9mm Celestron LX (I'm not a die hard Celestron customer, they're just easiest for me to get online here in Canada). I thought I read that really low focal length eye pieces aren't good for shorter focal length telescopes.

I'll be getting a decent barlow eventually (when the budget allows). So I'm kind of torn on the 5mm or 9mm, since I'll have the 8mm option on the zoom piece. Do you think the 9mm Celestron LX will be a much better view than the 8mm on the zoom? If it's barely noticeable, I'll get the 5mm. But I like the idea of having a nice eye piece in the magnification I'll be spending 90% of my time in.

I'm probably over complicating things... I'm a student with a low paying job though. I've gotta get bang for my buck and buy smart.

Appreciate the response! Those do seem like very good recommendations. I believe I have decided on this one: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0038QYRDO/ref=crt_ewc_title_dp_3?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER. I already have a mount that the poster who suggested this one said would work with it.

Think I will be adding on these two lenses as well, unless you have a better suggestion?

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B005G4HT6I/ref=crt_ewc_title_dp_2?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0007UQNV8/ref=crt_ewc_title_dp_5?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER

​

And you're right, I know I will eventually get the "bug," and I will eventually get something that would be considered higher end, but that would be for me and me alone. This is something I want to share with people, and if I'm at a music festival and someone on LSD knocks it over, I won't be out thousands, just a couple hundred, but it would be well spent it to blow some peoples minds.

I don't know of any tutorials off hand but you could just google "timelapse photography".

My setup was a tripod, Canon T1i DSLR, 8mm fisheye lens, and a cheap intervelometer.

A lot of newer cameras have timelapse functions built into the camera. GoPros, for instance. Otherwise you need an external intervelometer to trigger the camera shutter at whatever intervals you want to use.

My goal was to make a video about 1.5 minutes long so I made sure to use an interval that would equate to at least 30 frames per second in the final video, in order to have a smooth looking video. I shot for about 5 hours and came up with about 3500 individual photos.

To make a video out of those photos I used Adobe Premier and they make it pretty easy. I think(it's been a while) you just drag and drop them into the editor and it automatically creates a video clip which you then export.

To make the star trail photo I used a free program called Star Trails that stacks each photo on top of one another but only adds in differences between them. Photoshop can do this as well.

That one will work, but there are many less expensive options that are the exact same product, just branded differently.

I have this version, (as you can see, it's the same product) - only $18 - which works beautifully for any kind of intervalometry (time lapses) and also, the main button will trip the shutter remotely. If you have the camera in bulb mode, it's great for fireworks, since you can hold the shutter open as long as you like.

If you don't need any kind of intervalometry or programmability, but need to be able to hold the shutter open manually, this one is even cheaper yet. It's the one I use for fireworks.

Congrats, and welcome to the club!

This time of year, definitely Orion nebula, Andromeda and Jupiter.
In Spring, Mars and Saturn should look nice through that 10" dob!

Also, if I may impart a tip. Invest in a Telrad finder. Seriously. They ROCK.

http://www.amazon.com/Telrad-Finder-Sight/dp/B0000ALKAN

If you plan to do a lot of Lunar observing, I'd suggest a Lunar filter. The moon is VERY bright through an eyepiece.

Lots of people use the 8" for pics. I have one, but I don't have a good enough camera yet. From what I've read and seen, it really is just as easy as buying a t-ring and the adapter.


This:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0000665V6/ref=ox_sc_act_title_3?ie=UTF8&m=ATVPDKIKX0DER

And this: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0000XMUKK/ref=ox_sc_act_title_2?ie=UTF8&m=A1MX591ICBLWRE
(assuming it fits your camera)

Should be all you need. However, if you don't have one of them motorized mounts, you won't be getting the best pictures of up close stuff. For me, Jupiter leaves the scope in about 20 seconds max. Then again, I view it through my bedroom so the scope sits on carpet. And I have the springs on, so maybe that's messing with it too.


Anyway, I hope I helped. Can't wait to see some pics!


Edit: what kind of camera do you have? I'm in the market for one.

You could also get the AD8 and get a Telrad and slap it on next to the Right Angle Finder that it comes with. I like that on my 8" dob because the Telrad gets me there, then I use the Finder to get a medium look at where I'm going, recenter, then move over to looking through the eyepiece. To each their own, though :).

Edit: Although the price of the High Point Scientific one is pretty tasty. Their base model is now coming with the dual speed Crayford Focuser and fan and 30" eyepiece, that's the lowest I've seen for a bundle of that type. Will leave you lots of cash for getting that Telrad, Turn Left at Orion for teaching you how to find stuff, a planosphere, and a couple extra eyepieces (the 6mm "gold line" 66 degree eyepiece is a local favorite, it will be by some very random brands like this, often taking forever because they ship from China. Really I just go on cloudynights.com and find something that looks cool like this.).

Thanks for the reply. My parents got this scope for our oldest son (22 now). I used it more then he did. I was amazed by how much I could see of Jupiter. Yeah it was fuzzy but I could make out the cloud bands and the red dot.

And thanks for saying that the gold line is the SVBONY brand. I see it was mentioned in the faq but when I searched it it brought up SVBONY. I thought that was some boot leg china stuff, well I guess it kind of is, you didn't touch with a 10 foot pole. So would this be a good "kit" to start with?

Thank you for the reply. I was looking at getting the goldline eyepieces(which are the ultra wide I think?). I'd like to get a kit if possible. Would These Eyepieces be sufficient or would you recommend something else? I didn't see any kits with the ones you linked me. I'm just trying to make sure I buy the ones that will be right for me because it seems I wasted money with the plossl set from Celestron, so I'm just going to sell it on eBay. Any kit suggestions would be great so I can view everything I'm wanting to ASAP (I go to Nags Head the last week of August and want to have them by then). Thank you for any replies and suggestions. I greatly do appreciate it!

If I were to order from the site the scope came from I dont see the "gold line" ones people are recommending and that is in your sources.

They have the Orion eyepieces. The Expenase and the bit more expensive "Edge On".

I don't mind splurging a bit more for the 6mm since I imagine that will be a lot of my initial viewing.

Then they have the Q70 for the wider field. Says "pre order" but I'll see if they have it.

They don't seem to sell the Telrad but amazon.ca has it. I assume I would also need to buy some kind of base?

Thanks for all your help!

EDIT: For the 6mm would it also be better to pay a bit more and go 2" on that as well? I dont mind the bit of extra money but sometimes more isn't always better I imagine. Thanks!

Thanks for the detailed information. Helps a lot. Please read my comments below.

1. I already have this intervalometer. Forgot to mention that.
   
   
2. I have this tripod. Do I still need those mounts you mention?
   
   
3. I use Photoshop and Lightroom for processing photos. Of course, they don't do any special processing. The price on the Pixinsight looks a bit steep for now. I might look into purchasing it once I actually start taking good photos :)
   
   
4. The polar scope looks expensive too. For now, if I can get by with the bare minimum, I would prefer that. How bad will it be if I don't use this?
   
   
5. Is there a reason I can't use longer lenses with the Vixen Polarie? The longest lens I have is the 250mm, but I would be okay shooting at 100 too.
   
   Other than milky way shots, and maybe some nice night landscapes, what else could one do with a wide angle tracking? Those equatorial mounts are way out of my budget.
   
   I did look into some manual screw barn door trackers, but thought the Vixen Polarie would be way better than those.

Jupiter & Saturn 7/8/2019 - Chicago, IL Area

Taken with my Skywatcher 8" Flextube 200P Collapsible Dob Telescope

Canon EOS Rebel T1i (500D) @ 3200ISO mounted via T-Ring EOS to 1.25" Adapter

SVBONY 2x Barlow

Captured with "EOS Camera Movie Record" using LiveView 5x Zoom for a 1:1 pixel ratio on my laptop

Videos Processed & Stabilized with PIPP, for Jupiter 4903 total frames, after PIPPing 4182 frames, Saturn 2027 frames

Stacked with Autostakkert 3.014, best 60% all settings used HERE for Jupiter

RegiStax 6 wavelets, RGB Align, RGB Balanced, wavelet settings HERE or in main pic

Slight contrast, brightness & shadows/highlights edits in Photoshop

Imgur Gallery HERE

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This was my first ever attempt at Astrophotography with my new 8" Dob scope and I think it turned out very well! Seeing conditions where not optimal and I was in a light polluted park with lights all around and no shroud around the scope, but still the pics came out impressive to me! Please let me know which image you like the most, 1-4, and if you have any tips or comments let me know! I cant wait to get back out there and get some more pics!

Do not buy Celestron's cheaper Newtonian telescopes! They have really bad mirrors that they try to hide by using a "Corrector Lens" in front of the Secondary Mirror to "Correct" the bad mirror. That "Corrector Lens" though is really bad too and dosen't correct anything!

The images are really blurry even at lower magnifications and the lens makes collimation a nightmare. Both the Astromaster and Power Seeker lines have these bad Newts. The Omni XLT Family and the Celestron Cometron 114 AZ happen to have good optics. The Cometron 114 AZ might actually what you are looking for.

Here It has good optics and a decent mount. It's also in you budget. Probably should get new eyepieces though, the ones it comes with are ok, but you could do better.

Edit: Some good high power eyepieces will allow you to see the planets. One like this would be a good investment.

Get a moon filter for next time - pretty cheap and makes for some fantastic moon-viewing as it reduces a lot of that extra light.

Fun fact that I didn't realize (I was looking at it a couple nights ago) is that the side visible in your photograph actually comprises the locations of the moon landings. Pretty neat!

I own a Canon DSLR. Do you know if it is possible to buy an attachment so I can use the camera I already have or would I need to buy a special camera to use with a microscope?

Thanks for all of the help so far. If I could upvote you more than once, I would.

Edit: it looks like I would be able to get a T-mount for my camera and then a T-adapter maybe? Is that correct?

EDIT: What kind of scope do you have? I ask because the advice below only applies to Newtonian reflectors; collimation is a different procedure for refractors and Cassegrain telescopes.

While a collimation cap is a very cost-effective tool, I would highly recommend a cheshire collimating eyepiece (AgenaAstro, Amazon) if you can afford one. It works the same way as a collimation cap, but it also has thin wire crosshairs. These allow you to align the optics to a much higher degree of accuracy, or at least make it much easier to do so.

I find that an affordable laser is more trouble than it's worth (you have to collimate them before you can collimate your scope!), and reliable lasers are way too expensive (start at $120). I got a cheshire and it works great; it really is the quintessential collimation tool.

I'll second that the Rokinon lenses are cheap and excellent. You'll be limited in exposure length by the 600 rule (600 divided by focal length), otherwise you'll get star trails. So for example at 35mm you won't be able to take longer than 600/35 = 17 second exposures. For longer exposures you'll need a star tracking mount. The cheapest options:

• Nyx Tracker - $89
  
• Star Adventurer - $320
  
• iOptron SkyTracker - $280
  
• Polarie Vixen - $400
  
  Of these, it seems that the Star Adventurer is the best performing at ~40 arcsec of periodic error. At the other end of the spectrum the Nyx Tracker gets roughly 1/3 that performance, but it's still good enough to take 10 min. exposures at 10mm / 5 min. exposures at 20mm / 2 min. exposures at 50mm. [A disclaimer - the Nyx Tracker is my product, designed as a budget option for those testing the waters or those that want a portable, light, rugged, easy to use option].

Hey guys, I have an Omegon N 150/750 EQ-4 Telescope (German site). I also got my hands on a Canon EOS 350D.

On astroshop.de, they point out, that an DSRL probably isn't best for that telescope and an webcam would be better.
Does that apply to planetary and DSO imaging? I will definitely do not but I hope to get especially decent DSO shots.

Should I use an Adapter like this one (or do I even need to buy all these parts?) for my 350D or would I be better of using an mobile phone adapter like this one for my Xiaomi Mi A1 camera?