Telescope Size / Aperture Guide - How big of a telescope do you need for visual / astrophotography?

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3 жыл бұрын

Thinking of a larger telescope? Have you wondered how large of an aperture jump you need to make to make it worth while? Weather your thinking of a scope for visual or astrophotography this video will be a great to get you the first hand experience needed to steer you in the right direction regarding telescope size.
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Пікірлер: 75

@juandavidbarrada 3 жыл бұрын

That is a pretty impressive telescope collection! Thanks for the video. With this great content, I’m sure soon you’ll have thousands of subscribers!!!

@AVTAstro 3 жыл бұрын

Thanks for the kind comment!

@stevenpettifer3452 3 жыл бұрын

Great Video. I am just starting in astronomy. About a year now. Started with a 4 inch refractor and now have a 16 inch dob. I like to look at globular clusters and galaxies. Looks like I did the right upgrade. Thanks Vlad.

@AVTAstro 3 жыл бұрын

Wow, very nice road to success going from a 4" to 16"! We live in a truly golden age or astronomy having such advanced gear available to most folks!

@GregLloyd76 6 ай бұрын

Vlad, really agree with all your comments. I like you realistic assessments of what different scopes can deliver. Same with your 24” dob video. Very realistic assessment of what it’s like to deal with a scope of that size and what it can deliver. Thanks for the videos

@AVTAstro 6 ай бұрын

Thanks for the feedback! I really appreciate it and happy you found the info useful.

@DavesAstrophotography 3 жыл бұрын

Nice collection of gear in your cave! It's amazing how quickly things accumulate.

@AVTAstro 3 жыл бұрын

Thanks! Yeah they add up quick. When my wife asks me how many scopes I have I tell her the truth: "I don't know". LOL!

@GarnettLeary 3 жыл бұрын

Good explanation

@AVTAstro 3 жыл бұрын

Thanks, I apreciate the feedback!

@astroblast9352 2 жыл бұрын

Totally agree with your thoughts. I've topped out at 10 inch for my situation. Adding night vision had made up for smaller aperture. 16 inch dobs are very nice. However, I'm more of a refractor fan. 5 inches is the sweet spot for me for refractors.

@AVTAstro 2 жыл бұрын

Night vision is one thing that I would love to try some time!

@astroblast9352 2 жыл бұрын

@@AVTAstro it's pretty cool. It's not as good most of the time compared to EAA, but it's real time and easy to use. In light pollution it reminds me of dark sky views with glass. Some objects are better some are not. But it does give a big boost to what you can see in light pollution. It's very visual observing like to me. Can use alt/AZ mounts no problem. Hopefully you can try it at a star party sometime.

@MikeLikesChannel 3 жыл бұрын

I live in a pretty light polluted Bortle 7, with intermittent access to a Bortle 3/4. As such, my scopes gotta be pretty portable. The Celestron 6SE and my 8” Dob have been pretty delightful choices.

@AVTAstro 3 жыл бұрын

Yup that size scope is very easy to transport. Good to hear you like the scopes👍

@brandonm6907 3 жыл бұрын

Great video. One question as I am just getting into astronomy again since I was a younging. I am looking at 3 different scopes. The Celestron 11" HD, the celestron 8"se and the Celestron 6" vx Refractor. Id like to see great detail in all the plants as well as deep space stuff. Out of the 3 which would you suggest unless you have other recommendations. Thanks!

@AVTAstro 3 жыл бұрын

Hi, welcome back to the hobby! Out of the scopes you have listed the 11" HD will be the best scope for what you are trying to observe. The only downside to it is that it is heavy so might not get used as much. The 8se might be a better choice if it's your only scope as it's just much more portable and will get more use. If you are totally visual the only other scope I would think of is a 12" Dob. Hope this helps, Vlad👍

@brandonm6907 3 жыл бұрын

@@AVTAstro Thank you for the input!

@PureAwareness76 10 ай бұрын

Hi, great vid 👍 What do you think, is a 70-80mm APO good for visual? With a Barlow good for planets? Can't decide between a 127 Mak and the WO Zenithstar 73. Thnkx 😊

@AVTAstro 10 ай бұрын

For visual its more of a wide field scope for me at around 80mm. For the planets for me it's not enough aperture. I personally need at least 102mm. Reason? Image is too dim at high power.

@nicdelillo Жыл бұрын

Hi Vlad. Thanks. In case you are running out of power (emergrncy situation) Would the sct like the nexstar be usable in manual mode for visual ?(I mean no power, hand driven) I know you have shown frictions in other videos, but I wonder if in practice is usable

@AVTAstro Жыл бұрын

No the Nexstar SE line is not usable un manual mode unfortunately.

@nicdelillo Жыл бұрын

@@AVTAstro Thanks Vlad. What would you consider a good mounting in combo of a mak/sct 5-8inch that could be used both with automatic tracking and manual use.. I have spot the AZEQ avant, with possibility to put a motor on, but not sure if viable and if there is somthing better from others brands. Would be nice to have in one mount the possibility to switch from star hoping and manual tracking, to go to (without having to go for a Dob with go to for the same experience)

@marvhalsey7544 5 ай бұрын

Wow! I have access to a 30" dobson in my club's observatory. I'm not licensed to run it, but have viewed some great planetary objects. Io transit, etc. I do have access, and can run my club's C14 EDGEHD. It has shown me my first observation of the Ring etc. My question is what EPs are necessary for great planetary visual viewing with a C14? And what filters do you recommend? Thanks for all you contribute to amateur astronomy! Marv

@AVTAstro 5 ай бұрын

Hey Marv, sounds like your club is packing some serious scope heat! Wish my club had that. eyepieces for the c14 on the planets I would recommend the Baader Classic Orthos. They are about as sharp as they get and less than $100 per unit. AgenaAstro affiliate link: bit.ly/49Riydl Filter wise I personally prefer the planets unfiltered most of the time, but when I do use a filter its the Baader Moon and Skyglow filter. With a c14 the image is likely going to be too bright at lower powers. So unless your seeing is really good and you can use over 300x you will want a polarizing filter to dim down the image.

@jimmyjango5213 Жыл бұрын

Coming from a 300mm (12") Dob, I think 400mm (16") Dob will be the way to go with respect to your comments about transport. Skywatcher do a collapsible 400mm that makes transport a breeze and no other scope bigger than that has that capability with the quick setup of their extendible tube design - I like easy. That light gathering ability almost double the 300mm should be delicious.

@AVTAstro Жыл бұрын

Sounds like a good way to go👍

@amarbirk8987 2 ай бұрын

Hi Vlad.I was going to get an 8 inch dob,but since seeing your opinion,looks like it will be a 12 inch dob lol. Thanks,great info on the channel Vlad

@AVTAstro 2 ай бұрын

Glad to help. And good choice on the 12"!

@jaybee7075 2 жыл бұрын

Hi there thank you for the info, from what I gather if I want to observe deep field and planetary as a noob a 10 in CT that you have would be a good start yes? or would you recommend another type I am new I currently own a 2.5 skywatcher and I am already wanting more and my budget is low so I kind of looking for an all rounder at the mo till I upskill

@AVTAstro 2 жыл бұрын

Well I would try to get at least a 8". That is a budget friendly aperture but still shows a lot of what can be seen especially on the bright DSO!

@jaybee7075 2 жыл бұрын

@@AVTAstro awesome thank you for your advise

@JamesAdams-ev6fc 3 жыл бұрын

I like your telescope collection. I own four scopes: a Meade 80 mm APO, an Explore Scientific 152 mm Mak-Newt, a 130 mm Stellarvue, and a 203 mm R200 SS reflector by Vixen Optics. The main problem is that I live in a very light-polluted part of Florida and my backyard is small. I'm hoping to move soon!

@AVTAstro 3 жыл бұрын

Very cool, yeah having a darker sky is about the nicest "accessorie" you can get👍

@PureAwareness76 10 ай бұрын

Hi, great! How do you find, is a 70-80mm APO good for visual? With a Barlow good for planets? Can't decide between a 127 Mak and the WO Zenithstar 73. Thnkx 👍

@JamesAdams-ev6fc 10 ай бұрын

Hi. A 70-80 mm APO is great for the moon and for wide angle viewing of the Milky Way. With a SAFE solar filter it is good for solar viewing but you have to be sure of the filter. Never look at the sun without safe filters. A 70-80 mm APO is also great for large objects like Andromeda and the Hyades. And finally, it is great for daytime viewing of birds, etc. @Petrusss8

@PureAwareness76 10 ай бұрын

@@JamesAdams-ev6fc Thnx 👍

@scguy681 2 жыл бұрын

So for VISUAL use on planets -- what kind of scope is best for detail and what size in that choice.? Be nice to get a pic ro something that is reflective of the what you will actually see.

@AVTAstro 2 жыл бұрын

That really depends more on you local seeing conditions then the scope honestly. Also it depends a lot on you weather you will be wowed! I have given many, many people thier first view of say Saturn. Some people are floored to see just the rings, others are like:"what's the big deal". I'd suggest going to a star party and looking through scope scopes👍

@Pain87Killer 3 жыл бұрын

so i kinda need some help...between a N114/500 and a N76/900 what should i pick? ...both are the same price...

@AVTAstro 3 жыл бұрын

Not sure what you are referring to. Send me some links.

@jimpoop 2 жыл бұрын

What camera were you using? I have an asi533 and I want to make some prints.. I just don't know if I even can with it's resolution

@AVTAstro 2 жыл бұрын

Looks like that camera has a resolution of 3008x3008! The ASI 294MC Pro that I use has a resolution of 4144x2822. So ac you can see you have essentially the same resolution but in a square vs a rectangle. I think your prints will come out awesome looking if you order them from someone that knows how to do astro prints!

@jimpoop 2 жыл бұрын

@@AVTAstro awesome! I'll give it a shot! I'm looking to upgrade soon but am trying to decide if going mono is worth it, or if I want to just get a really nice osc.. but for now, I'll try with the 533... Clear skies!

@jimhackney4727 Жыл бұрын

Hi Vlad. I would really like you to clarify something for me regarding focal ratio and focal length please. I'm not a complete newb. I've been observing for over 13 years and I have 4 telescopes ranging from 80mm to 8". I also understand the importance of aperture, focal length, and focal ratio. However, I can't wrap my head around one thing so I'm turning to you. I do not do EAA yet, but I'm gearing up to do so. I understand that I need a fairly fast focal ratio for the camera, preferably f5/f6 or faster. I also understand that I need a longer focal length for a better image scale for viewing planets or small galaxies. But I consistently hear I can't use too long of a focal length for EAA because it will make for a slow telescope (f10/f12). So the fix is to use a focal reducer. Ok, but doesn't that reduce image scale and effectively remove the benefit of a long focal length?? Is it just about trying to find a happy medium that satisfies both requirements? Please help me to understand. Thank you Vlad.

@AVTAstro Жыл бұрын

Very good questions/concerns you have! So the just of it is that you gain the ability to get faster exposures(or get the image of what your trying to see faster) with lower f/ values. The potentially BIG disadvantage is that when your done with the ~100 large objects in the night sky that are large enough to be seen well at those lover f/ values you will be observing things at a few pixels across! I do EAA with a 12" SCT at f/10 all the time because I'm done with the 100 big objects(a long time ago). I want to see the small stuff in detail!!! Just depends on where you are on your journey, I guess.

@jimhackney4727 Жыл бұрын

@@AVTAstro Ok I think I get it. Basically use a fast scope for everything you can as it makes the process quicker and easier, but eventually you will have to use a longer focal length due to target size. At that point you just have to track better and take a slightly longer exposure or stack more exposures. Of course aperture helps in this instance too. Thank you Vlad.

@anata5127 2 жыл бұрын

106 APM-LOMO; 9-1/4” Edg and 15” UC Obsession. These will do everything for visual and astrophotography.

@AVTAstro 2 жыл бұрын

I'd be pretty happy for life with that lineup!

@anata5127 2 жыл бұрын

@@AVTAstro Great. Now, I will need step by step getting all of these.

@michaelfrazier9537 2 жыл бұрын

I want to be able to see the planets, Saturn, Jupiter, etc. Also, I would like to be able to see some nebula and other things. I can afford the Celestron NexStar 6se. But, the NexStar 8 would be great, but the price tag is a little out of my range right now. I currently own a Meade MTX 80.

@AVTAstro 2 жыл бұрын

There is an advantage to the 8", but on that mount honestly I would prefer the 6" anyhow. Go for it!

@michaelfrazier9537 2 жыл бұрын

@@AVTAstro Thank you so much. There is a man about 2 hours from me that is selling a NexStar 6se for $800, but it comes with lots of extras. Again, thank you so much!

@Astronurd 2 жыл бұрын

I settled for an 8” Dobsonian, a 5” Maksutov and a 5” apo. I still find myself scanning the sales sections for scopes.

@AVTAstro 2 жыл бұрын

Yeah that will probably never end... LOL.

@PureAwareness76 10 ай бұрын

Hello, nice. And which is the best for visual? The Mak or the APO?

@Astronurd 2 ай бұрын

@@PureAwareness76 The 8" dobsonian.

@user-ss6zt2mo1l 3 жыл бұрын

I had a 16” Nightsky DOB. It was huge. I only took it a handful of times out to a dark sky. It was not a quick break down scope. If you are under 40 and in great shape it’s doable. You really need a van with ramps to move it by yourself. I sold it 2 years ago. I miss it. I have a 10” DOB now that works for me but I still want it back lol. I had a spinal injury and found it difficult to move. Great collection you have ! Great video

@AVTAstro 3 жыл бұрын

Thanks for the feedback! Bummer you had to get rid of the 16". But I totally understand the unfortunate fact that our health kind of dictates what scope we can handle. A few years ago I was doing home hiking with a couple of buds in Idaho and took a bad step on a slippery bolder. Thank God I did not break anything but I did tear up my leg pretty bad and strained my back. I could not handle anything more than a 80mm APO for months because of the back pain...

@user-ss6zt2mo1l 3 жыл бұрын

@@AVTAstro yeah I had a collapsed T8 in my back. It took about 18 months to heal. But I have the 10” DOB and a 6” I built back in 1988. I can pull it out quickly. I have always had Dobs. I was thinking of just getting some Rings and a nice equatorial mount. Crazy right? Probably be better doing an 8” cass and doing that. If love to try the 10” on an equatorial.

@natem7440 3 жыл бұрын

What brand is your 5 inch mak? ES?

@AVTAstro 3 жыл бұрын

It's actually a highly customized Meade ETX-125 OTA. It's my grab-and-go/camping scope. Love the little thing!

@natem7440 3 жыл бұрын

@@AVTAstro highly customized? Over the stock one? Care to elaborate? Flocking in the tube?

@AVTAstro 3 жыл бұрын

It has the plastic back replaced with a Wegat Back that allows you to use standard SCT accessories. The focus knob is 3d printed. The scope is wrapped in matte white vinyl and has a custom set of rings with handle/vixen dovetail. And to top it all off it has a $3 custom made dew shield made out of craft foam;)