New Setup with a few questions

[obscured by clouds]

Hey all,


Ok I got the bug. I have not played with a scope for some time. But as I see the very intense pictures that can be taken with 'amateur' equipment I just have to give it a go.

Though I am still a little unsure on the equipment and what it can do, if it will preform as I think it will.

I am looking to find and capture DSI, planets and solar images. Now I dont know the quality that this setup can achieve. I do not want 'To-Go' kind, but I do want to have very fine control over the scope. With the highest clarity that it can be at this level.

So this is what I have found so far that fits with in my set limit, trying to keep it around 1500. Or should I wait till I can up that limit?

Celestron C8-S Schmidt-Cassegrain or Celestron C8-S Schmidt-Cassegrain w/XLT Coatings

Is the coating worth it?

I am not sure of the DSI I should go with or what would be compatible but here are some of the other accessories that I will get right away,


Motor Drive
Deep Sky Imager
Eyepiece and Filter Kit


There are others but I just wanted to get the expensive ones out of the way so I know what I am getting in to. Did I miss something and if so what?

I dont know what programs I should go with since they can be expensive also.


So any suggestion would be great, ANY!

And if you can give me an idea of what this set up can achieve, links to pics or something.

Anyway thanks for your time!:lol:

[glasspusher]

If you plan on getting a Meade DSI, it might also be a good idea to get a Meade scope also. The DSI can guide the scope if its a Meade, but it doesn't play well with other scopes. I had a DSI (an early one) and didn't have much luck with it. The scope I have uses a Dob Driver II as telescope drive and although it can be guided, it must be a SBIG ST4 type fomat for it to work. It didn't help that the DSI I had turned out to have a problem from day one . It took a year and a half for me to realize this. I finally tossed it. But from what I have heard from others who have the DSI and a Meade scope that they get good results from their setup. So for me , I will wait until I get my 20" done and then start thinking about astophotography again.

[ozark1]

I use a Meade ETX (5") with DSI. The results can be excellent. I managed to get a picture of IC1296 (the barred spiral by M57) at magnitude 17.3 even in light polluted skies in Essex.

Anyone interested in using a DSI (or other "Cheap" CCD) should remember that the CCD chip is 1/4" to 1/3" across and is a real pain to get aligned and tracking. With the basic f/15 Mak-Cass, I think that the effective magnification is 420x. The 8" Schmidt-Cass will have the same focal length (not ratio) and have the same magnification. A FOCAL REDUCER is a must. Mine gets me down to 180x.

So if you want an SC or MC type telescope with a DSI, you've got to understand the limits. Forget M31, M33, the North America Nebula, the Horsehead Nebula, M45, the Hyades etc - they are all far too big to image. The combination is good for planetary nebulae (M57, M27, Eskimo, Cat's Eye), planets, small/distant galaxies and small clusters.

If on the other hand you want to photograph the Pleiades, go for something 8" or 10" f/6 or shorter. I doubt you'll have the cash to get a bigger 1" CCD chip which is the other way round.