#Skywatcher 200P with EQ5 mount - for a cheap price???

60 messages · Page 1 of 1 (latest)

strange basalt
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Hello!

Before we go any further thank you for reading this long post.
I'm considering buying a new setup for the upcoming season of good dark nights. I have a small beginner telescope and mount which I bought for about 200 dollars total, which is now broken and I wasn't fully satisfied with its results.
With me considering studying astrophysics or astronomy I've then been very interested in astrophotography and amaetur astronomy for a good few 4 years now. I've been watching a bunch of astrophotography videos, espesically astrobiscuits videos and now I'm ready to take it to the next step, a big step for a complete beginner and noob.

I've found some articles on facebook market place, and this one sparked my interest the most: (Beware facebook marketplace article is in Danish!)
https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/669604205678023/?ref=search&referral_code=null&referral_story_type=post&tracking=browse_serp%3A5a9160de-0b02-478a-b588-06256e7ec802

Now this setup which I've linked is I believe a Skywatcher 200p with a Sky-watcher EQ5 Equatorial mount (link to affiliated danish website) https://www.kikkertland.dk/kikkerter/283-alle-monteringer/535-sky-watcher-eq5-aekvatorial-montering. The seller is selling it for 4100 danish kr, about 643 USD dollars, he explains that the entire setup costed 7898 kr, 1239 USD dollars. This seems like a total bargain, but is it?
I believe he bought this EXACT package...
https://www.kikkertland.dk/kikkerter/48-spejlteleskoper/478-sky-watcher-explorer-200p-stjernekikkert-med-eq5-montering

To me, the mount looks like a Sky-watcher EQ5 Equatorial mount but it could also be the EQ3-2 mount, which I am not interested in then.

For my setup I'm looking for a telescope that could do raw viewing of the night sky, BUT also astrophotography which I am... totally new to.
What the hell do I buy? I see a bunch of fancy setups and wonder how much I need. I know I need a motor that can follow the earths rotation, but what else is essestial? (other than a power supply of course).
Is this needed? Or can I go buy a cheaper "up-grade-kit" so that I don't have to spend another 650 USD for a motor...
I need a camera as well, no idea what I should go for, I'm considering just a normal astrophotography dedicated camera.

Thank you again for reading it all,
Kind regards,
Vienn_na from Denmark

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Skywatcher Explorer 200P | Stjernekikkerter | Kikkertland.dk

Danmarks største udvalg af stjernekikkerter. Explorer 200 - et supergodt teleskop til visuelt brug såvel som til astrofoto. Levering fra dag-til dag.

lusty wren
strange basalt
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Damn did not notice that, might just be better off buying it new at that point

lusty wren
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as for a motor, you can buy something called onstep and attach it to the mount but i must warn you:

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the EQ5 will SCREAM for help if you put the 200p on there

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its a crime its even sold together

strange basalt
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Right, so no it is not a bargain then I suppose

lusty wren
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Whats your budget and what are you expectations?

strange basalt
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Crazy that they sell it as a combo then, well thanks for the heads up

lusty wren
strange basalt
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A small budget of maxium about 1500 USD dollars, which isn't much considering I want a telescope that can both view raw and do astrophotography well.

lusty wren
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Whats your bortle?

strange basalt
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About a 6 or 7 if I remember correctly

lusty wren
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Would you rather have a rig thats perfectly capable of good astrophotography and sorta good for visual or one thats great for visual and ok for astrophotography?

strange basalt
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Sorta good for visual meaning I might be able to see some bright deep sky objects, but nothing that "fancy". Looking more towards astrophotography honestly.

lusty wren
lusty wren
# lusty wren

@strange basalt you see that faint blurry smudge at around the center?

strange basalt
lusty wren
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Thats M27 this night in B5 with a 75% moon near horizon, so more like B6

lusty wren
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this one is accurate

strange basalt
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damn thought it was way higher

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nevermind it says low confidence

lusty wren
lusty wren
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point being you will have similar skies like mine

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i can tell you my 5'' (130mm) scope is doing PLENTY even with the moon up

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tonight was insanely satisfying, you can see a LOT of things, most notably binary star systems, star clusters of any kind and the brightest galaxies

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though any DSO that isnt an open cluster is a smudge so take note of that

lusty wren
strange basalt
lusty wren
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Onstep costs about 1k DKK so you can add that onto whatever the local suppliers want to have for the 130pds and eq5

lusty wren
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Its the one i use

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its the absolute best beginner AP scope

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and even professionals use it because its just.. great!

strange basalt
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Awesome might seriously consider that then, but do you recommend I buy the marketplace article post and just use the EQ-5 mount and try to sell the 200P telescope?

lusty wren
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do you have woodworking skills?

strange basalt
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Nope lmao, my practical skills are... well terrible

lusty wren
strange basalt
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Sorta yeah I have a good bit of contacts

lusty wren
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though that does include taking the thing apart

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which can lead to disaster

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tbh id just put the extra time and effort into making a better ap rig

strange basalt
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could lead to diaster yeah

lusty wren
strange basalt
lusty wren
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the resources it takes to build it will take away precious budget from your main rig keep that in mind

strange basalt
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How much you recon it'll take away?

lusty wren
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200 prolly fo sure

strange basalt
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Well I can try to ask around then I might contact you again regarding that matter

strange basalt