414EX and Celestron 6SE

[joecoyle]

Hi

New to astrophotography with CCDs.

My equipment is as follows: Celestron NexStar 6SE, mounted on an Advanced VX mount.

I'm looking to purchase a mono 414EX, will this be a suitable camera for my setup (as a beginner)? 

What additional bits do I need to buy if any? Filters are a given for a mono, but what about a usb filter wheel, T adapters? Spacers? 

Would you recommend a f6.3 reducer?

There's so much I need to think about...

Thanks
Joe

[Chris]

Hi Joe,

Definitely get a focal reducer, getting the scope to track accurately will be easier with a shorter focal length.

Filters are not essential, starting with monochrome imaging makes life simpler.  It may be worth getting a UV and IR cut filter, this will remove the UV and IR light that the scope may not do a good job of focussing.

You don't need to get adaptors to start with, you can use the T to 1.25" adaptor that the camera comes with and fit the camera instead of an eyepiece.

I would get a SCT thread to T adaptor and some T extension rings. The camera has a T thread so you can have everything screwed together. This is a bit more secure.

You didn't mention guiding.  You will need to guide if you want to do longer exposures - more than 30 seconds to a minute.

Another thought, if you get a small refractor - 66mm or 80mm - this will have a shorter focal length and make collecting data easier because of the shorter focal length.  Then get a guide camera and use this as a guide scope with your SCT.

But to start with I'd get nothing but a focal reducer and a UVIR filter.

Chris

[joecoyle]

Thanks Chris - very helpful.

I forgot to mention I will be guiding. I thought about something like the Orion magnificent mini might be a good place to start? No guide rings or additional scopes - just the finder guider?

Another question, which seems to be the big one: I know i said mono originally, but what are your thoughts on the 414ex OSC ? For a beginner?

Is it any better than a dslr to begin with ? Surely it must be otherwise Atik wouldn't sell one?

Obviously mono is where I'd want to end up, but then I've come across this thing called Hyperstar which turns my scope into this amazing f2 and works better with a OSC.... Can it really be that easy? There must be a hidden challenge?

Cheers
Joe

[Chris]

My guide scope is a ST80, rather bigger than the finder based guiders.  I have never used a finder guider so don't have an opinion on how well they work.

I've done very little with a DSLR, the big advantage I see is that you can fit the normal lens and use it for family photos so it doesn't count as part of the Astro budget

I've never used an OSC camera other than a webcam.  It's my opinion that a monochrome camera and filters will be better in the long term.

Does HyperStar work on a 6" SCT?  I thought it was only available on a 9.25" or bigger.  HYperstar could be a good use for a OSC though.

This is mostly saying why I can't help but I'd rather do that than give bad advice.

[joecoyle]

Yeah they do a 6" Hyperstar now, but apparently its a nightmare to collimate each time, so i think ill stay away and go down the mono CCD route.

The DSLR i'm using isn't even mine - i've borrowed my brothers!

[Chris]

The DSLR i'm using isn't even mine - i've borrowed my brothers!

Even better:)
Try taking multiple 30 second exposures of M57 and/or M27 and stack them using something like Deep Sky Stacker.  With  bit of luck you will get something that will impress him.

Chris