Skywatcher explorer 130M EQ newtonian

[gabs]

Hi all,

 

does anybody know if the below scope is be good for astrophotography ?

 

here the link :

 

Skywatcher Explorer-130M 130mm f: Amazon.co.uk: Camera & Photo

it seems to have an equatorial mount and motorized but not so sure about the Focus and is not a GO TO scope.

The draw tube seems to be quite long and I am wondering if you can get a good focus with that.

 

In addition can a DSLR be used on it , obvs with a T ring adapter I guess ?

 

if someone has experience of using this scope for imaging I would be grateful to read any feedback.

 

Thanks in advance.

 

gabs

 

 

 

 

[Nightspore]

 

It's not bad for visual and is about f/7. The primary is spherical. The focuser is barely adequate really and a bit wobbly.

 

 

I believe there's an f/5 version which would probably be better for AP. The f/5 has a parabolic mirror.

 

 

It's a pretty good entry level Newtonian for visual. It does have a T-thread on the focuser. I usually had a Baader helical focuser threaded into it. I wouldn't recommend it for AP.

[Nightspore]

I wasn't impressed with the motor drive and rarely, if ever, used it. 

[gabs]

5 minutes ago, Nightspore said:

 

It's not bad for visual and is about f/7. The primary is spherical. The focuser is barely adequate really and a bit wobbly.

 

 

I believe there's an f/5 version which would probably be better for AP. The f/5 has a parabolic mirror.

 

 

It's a pretty good entry level Newtonian for visual. It does have a T-thread on the focuser. I usually had a Baader helical focuser threaded into it. I wouldn't recommend it for AP.

Thank you,

 

as I have already a scope for observing I was thinking to get something with an equatorial mount .

You responded to all my questions.

thanks you so much

[Nightspore]

You're welcome. I wasn't that impressed with the EQ2 or its tripod either. Eventually one of the legs collapsed and I replaced it with an EQ5.

 

 

There is or was an f/5 TS Optics (GSO) Newtonian that might be good for AP. It also has a T-thread and a Crayford focuser.

 

 

I have the 150mm f/6 version, which I use on a Sky-Watcher EQ5. 

Edited May 6, 2021 by Nightspore

[gabs]

6 minutes ago, Nightspore said:

You're welcome. I wasn't that impressed with the EQ2 or its tripod either. Eventually one of the legs collapsed and I replaced it with an EQ5.

 

 

There is or was an f/5 TS Optics (GSO) Newtonian that might be good for AP. It also has a T-thread and a Crayford focuser.

 

 

I have the 150mm f/6 version, which I use on a Sky-Watcher EQ5. 

Thank you I will keep in mind for my next purchase when I will be ready for that!😊

[Nightspore]

You're welcome. The GSO Newtonians have been sold under a variety of brand names, including Altair. 

 

https://www.altairastro.com/altair-60-edf-doublet-refractor-telescope-450-p.asp?v=0&variantid=646

 

These are supposedly good for AP.

 

 

Amazon are stocking Orion ST80's again:

 

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B000OZ9H1O/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

[gabs]

Thanks you def the Orion is much cheaper I need to have to both to see difference and spec.

Gabs

[Nightspore]

Basically the ST80 is an inexpensive Synta achromat. IME the CA isn't that bad and I believe many use the ST80 for AP. My ST80's are for visual grab and go, particularly when the seeing is dodgy. Although mine have aftermarket focusers.

 

 

The 60 EDF is an ED doublet with Ohara FPL53 ED glass. Mine has a Strehl ratio of 0.961. I haven't seen any CA on mine. It gets out a lot as it's easy to set up.

 

 

I find that the ST80 is fine for rich field or splitting doubles. But the 60 EDF is a true all-rounder. There is a 72mm version, but it's heavier at around 2.5 kilo I believe.

[gabs]

Maybe I am wrong but as far I know the ST80 can be used only as  a guide scope .. where now I understand  that it can be used for AP if its on a equatorial mount.

 

am I wrong? 

Edited May 6, 2021 by gabs

[Marmot]

Hi 

Now first of all let me state that I am not into AP and therefore my knowledge in that area is limited to say the least.

However, I have recently been researching similar scopes on the net and therefore I make the following remarks from what I have read rather than experience:

The link you provide refers to the explores 130m  which I believe is about F7. From what I hear people saying, for AP a faster scope may be preferable.

Skywatcher also do a Explorer 130p which has a shorter tube and is F5.

They also produce a Explorer 130p-DS which has a very slightly different spec to the above which is meant to make it more suitable for AP.

These different models are stocked by FLO who are always very helpful.

 

the only reason I have read up on this is that i recently made a ‘used’ purchase purely to get hold of the mount (EQ 3-2) However, mounted on it was a Skywatcher explorer 150p F5 which I was researching to try and see what it was and what it may be worth etc.

[gabs]

6 minutes ago, Marmot said:

Hi 

Now first of all let me state that I am not into AP and therefore my knowledge in that area is limited to say the least.

However, I have recently been researching similar scopes on the net and therefore I make the following remarks from what I have read rather than experience:

The link you provide refers to the explores 130m  which I believe is about F7. From what I hear people saying, for AP a faster scope may be preferable.

Skywatcher also do a Explorer 130p which has a shorter tube and is F5.

They also produce a Explorer 130p-DS which has a very slightly different spec to the above which is meant to make it more suitable for AP.

These different models are stocked by FLO who are always very helpful.

 

the only reason I have read up on this is that i recently made a ‘used’ purchase purely to get hold of the mount (EQ 3-2) However, mounted on it was a Skywatcher explorer 150p F5 which I was researching to try and see what it was and what it may be worth etc.

Thanks Marmot,

 

that confirm my first idea that the 130m is not good for what I need however in some forum and videos I saw people used as a beginners scope for AP. That is why I am asking here.. I fully trust on your and other opinions.

 Thank you so much.

[Nightspore]

18 minutes ago, gabs said:

Maybe I am wrong but as far I know the ST80 can be used only as  a guide scope .. where now I understand  that it can be used for AP if its on a equatorial mount.

 

am I wrong? 

 

I think it can be used as a guide scope. I believe some have used it for AP, although it would need a stable GOTO or EQ I should imagine.

 

Basically it's an achro', so there will be some CA.

[gabs]

Let me think how much I get it a full package adding an equatorial mount go to.. I hope I don’t need to crack a bank

[Nightspore]

Also, I believe the ST80 and 60 EDF probably need a field flattener for AP. 

 

https://www.altairastro.com/altair-flattener-for-60edf-refractor-278-p.asp

 

 

[Nightspore]

2 minutes ago, gabs said:

Let me think how much I get it a full package adding an equatorial mount go to.. I hope I don’t need to crack a bank

 

AP isn't cheap. The only camera I own is on my phone lol.

[gabs]

7 minutes ago, Nightspore said:

 

AP isn't cheap. The only camera I own is on my phone lol.

I have a good camera but I don’t have a good scope for AP I have a Go To Meade 80 without equatorial mount.

Very good for observing but I can’t take long exposure with it.

 

sooner or later I will find a solution that doesn’t cost me all my salary! 

[Nightspore]

10 minutes ago, gabs said:

I have a good camera but I don’t have a good scope for AP I have a Go To Meade 80 without equatorial mount.

Very good for observing but I can’t take long exposure with it.

 

sooner or later I will find a solution that doesn’t cost me all my salary! 

 

An ST80 with a reducer/field flattener might be a relatively inexpensive option. Visually the CA isn't particularly obvious until over around 80x. 

[Nightspore]

Found this:

 

 

[Nightspore]

And Dion's video:

 

 

[gabs]

17 minutes ago, Nightspore said:

Found this:

 

 

Brilliant thank you !

[Padraic M]

9 minutes ago, gabs said:

sooner or later I will find a solution that doesn’t cost me all my salary! 

Hi Gabs, unfortunately I'm not sure you will! AP is an expensive business no matter which way you go. If you don't have the budget at the moment, you will need to make big compromises, and some of those just will not be practical. In some cases, you will be better to save your money and wait for the 'correct' purchase rather than buy something now that won't do the job, and can't be upgraded in the future. This particularly applies to the mount.

 

I haven't owned the Skywatcher 130 that you show above, but my first scope was an equivalent Celestron Astromaster 130EQ with motor drive (Amazon lists it as a 'Similar Item' on that link). The mount looks very similar to the one you posted. A couple of points (that may or may not apply to the Skywatcher):

- Many Newtonians are not suitable for AP, because you can't get focus with many cameras. The 'snout' cameras such as the ZWO ASIxxx Minis may work, as they can fit inside the eyepiece holder, but an SLR or any of the other dedicated astro cameras just can't get focus. You can use a Barlow, but a 2x Barlow increases the FL of this scope to 1800mm which is VERY long for AP, and only makes any mount issues way worse. When it comes to FL, less is more for beginning AP. (I wish I'd known that at the start!)

- That scope has a spherical mirror, so you will get aberrations which (I believe) can't be corrected. A Newtonian that is specifically designed for AP will have a parabolic mirror and a low-profile focuser (e.g. Skywatcher 130 PDS) 

- Newtonians can be very nice scopes, but they are big and (relatively) light, and on a flimsy mount they catch the slightest bit of breeze and vibration. That's why some people call them 'sails'!!

- That mount is likely to be very flimsy and will suffer from vibrations. You will struggle not to get star trails. Even the movement of the motor drive is likely to cause vibrations. For visual observing with my Celestron, I had to be careful not to touch the eyepiece when looking through it, otherwise the target bounced around the FOV. I never managed to get a photo through the eyepiece, and I tried lots of arrangements. Believe me, your current level of astrophotography is way better than what I managed to do through the Celestron! 

- The motor drive is analog - as in, you can tell it to go faster or slower, forward or backward, but you probably can't set it to any defined rate such as Sidereal. That means you will have to constantly adjust it as the target moves, and that's not good given the point above about mount vibrations. I never used my motor drive. Also, with the MD attached, you can't use the RA slow-motion cable any more, so I really don't get the point of it at all.

- You can't autoguide as there's no connection either for ST4 or EQMOD.

 

I could go on. I used the Celestron for about 12 months for visual, tried AP and failed miserably; and eventually spent money and got a HEQ5 and an APO refractor. The Celestron has been in the attic ever since.

 

All of the AP advice for beginners/improvers is to get a good mount. Generally a HEQ5 or similar is seen as the bare minimum, and they're not cheap. You could possibly go for an EQ3-5 and keep your payload weight low. There's a lot of merit in looking at the ST80 even though it's not an AP scope - consider it as a reasonable, light, cheap new lens for your SLR. You will probably replace the stock focuser with a better one, which can be done at any stage. Yes you will get chromatic aberration but it's really cheap and may satisfy you for now. The ED80 would be a better bet but it's more expensive.

 

I'm familiar with the kit you currently have, and maybe the best advice is to buy a good EQ mount; use your SLR with your best SLR lens for now; and buy a new scope when you have some more money to spend. I don't think the ST80 would be a bad buy as you would get into 'proper' AP for small money, but definitely you will upgrade as soon as you can. I also don't think that you will get much use out of your current scope as the focuser looks a bit iffy ?? 🙂 Sorry!

 

If you were to get the ST80 now, you could decide in a year or so to get either an ED80 (as a replacement for the ST80) or a 130PDS (as an alternative scope - one refractor and one Newtonian).

 

Hope that helps!

[Carastro]

First of all I don't think the telescope and tripod you posted up are suitable for imaging.  You can get a fairly cheap good telescope for imaging in the form of a Skywatcher 130PDS £229. 

(Make sure it is PDS or you won't get focus with a camera).  Assuming you are happy to collimate it regularly.  People swear by this imaging scope. 

 

Then look separately for a mount.   Some people seem to manage on an EQ5 but I would not get anything less. 

 

Secondly I would not shop on Amazon, or Ebay or any such like retailer, but either a proper Astro retailer.

 

I would suggest trying on this site for second hand equipment most of us use it.  Skywatcher stuff is hard to get new at the moment due to the effects of the pandemic etc.

 

https://www.astrobuysell.com/uk/

 

 

[Nightspore]

23 minutes ago, gabs said:

Brilliant thank you !

 

You're welcome.

[Nightspore]

18 minutes ago, Carastro said:

 

 

Secondly I would not shop on Amazon, or Ebay or any such like retailer, but either a proper Astro retailer.

 

 

 

 

 

Amazon aren't so bad and they have a pretty good returns policy. Before Brexit you could buy a lot of TS Optics and Baader equipment from Amazon. 

 

I'd normally prefer an astro retailer but we live in strange times. That and Amazon probably are evil lol. Unfortunately they know where I live ...

 

 

On the positive side, DDG PE gives them a C+!