In terms of getting the most details, what do you think is the best telescope for astro imaging planets?
Best telescope for astro imaging planets and ZWO cameras
The 14" Celestrons seem to be optimal in terms of "mainstream" choices -- if you have the seeing, mount, funds, and strength/patience. 11" is easier to handle, though still big, but you'll never hit the resolution you can get with a 14" if that's your main criterion. For 8", some people are happy, but I wanted more. For smaller, check out what you can do in the Small Bore Challenge threads at CN, e.g. Small bore challenge: Saturn w/ 6" or less
Helpful Insightful Respectful Concise Engaging
sct 235mm. not as big as the 14, get the hyperstar for nebula, and you have a great system for both, galaxy, planets and hyperstar for nebulea.
big means, more expensive mount. CGX and 235mm is good and works.
Clear skies
big means, more expensive mount. CGX and 235mm is good and works.
Clear skies
If you have the room and space, permanent setup in a shed, than go for a 14inch carbon Newtonian telescope.
Cheaper but far easier to work with, focus stable and if you want to use it for deep sky imaging it blows the C14 away.
Cheaper but far easier to work with, focus stable and if you want to use it for deep sky imaging it blows the C14 away.
There are a dozen really good planetary imagers known. The majority use a C14. Damian Peach has been published in every astronomy magazine and article you can imagine. His choice of scope, C14. I have a motorized crayford focuser, motorized filter wheel, Televue powermate and a planetary camera hanging off the back of my C14. Ever try to have all that equipment hanging off the "side" of a Newtonian? I do have a friend with a 12 inch TEC Maksutov. He's got the same amount of equipment hanging off the back of his scope. He is quite successful imaging planets. Of course, his scope is worth 25 grand so it should be good. For the money and results, you can't beat a C14. The focal length of a C14 and powermate will give you the image size you're looking for. Newtonians usually have much shorter focal lengths and produce much smaller planet images. A C14 Edge HD is an excellent scope that weighs 46 lbs. A 12 inch Carbon fiber Newtonian weighs over 50 lbs.
Helpful Engaging Supportive
Umh, I have that sort of equipment (sans the autofocuser, yet) hanging off my rather long 10" f/6.3 Newtonian and I have no trouble imaging planets at 0.1"/px. My problem isn't the equipment, is the sky (seeing and so forth). In other words buy the best (whatever that might mean, usually largest) equipment that matches your sky conditions.
Thank you I'm buying the c14 edge. You guys confirmed my suspicions w/o me mentioning the scope I plan to buy. Happy imaging.
I can't afford C14 so I am planning to get 14" dob instead, and later I will add EQ platform to make it suitable for planetary and more
Agreed on C14.
I have a motorized crayford focuser, motorized filter wheel, Televue powermate and a planetary camera hanging off the back of my C14. Ever try to have all that equipment hanging off the "side" of a Newtonian?
Yes, I'm having that. No problem at all and despite your C14 I don't have to refocus every time I'm using it.
Tareq, good choice. You won't regret it. Stick with what's proven to be the best. There's no problem focusing despite what you hear.
Tareq, good choice. You won't regret it. Stick with what's proven to be the best. There's no problem focusing despite what you hear.
14" Dob will do more jobs, visual is one of them, i really have to think about that a lot, so i can try test it for imaging too, but visual should be in my plan also, and later i can modify the scope more to make it better for imaging, after all it is still 14" aperture size, unless someone telling me go with 16" dobsonian, because i am still having my plan for getting 20" build, but it will take very long time, so i don't know which dob is good next to 20", the 12" or 14" or 16"???
I've got a 10" and a 12" newt and in imaging the 12" trumps the 10" about every time the seeing is half decent, so get the biggest aperture you are comfortable with. My bet is a quality 14" to start with and get your feet wet with the various ins and outs of planetary imaging, if that is your end target. Be careful to use thin primaries with good support (18-point to 24-point for larger size, 16" an above). A properly made rocker box will have ventilation fans to ensure fast cool down in the evening.
Helpful
Finally joining Astrobin (what do you think of my kit?)
Hello World. I have been at this hobby now for about 10 years. Started out mostly messing about with Webcams on Planetary using a Mak. Then graduated onto a DSLR (which i modded for Ha) and using a ED. (Was using a Skywatcher EQ5 and 80ED) I milked t...
Relevant - discusses planetary imaging experience and equipment progression over time.