I'm new, what should I buy?

I'm looking for scope suggestions for someone starting out. Also I would like to be able to take pictures with my Canon EOS 400D digital camera.

I have spoken to a few people already and they suggested something in a 6-8 inch size. Do I need to get a motor tracking system for taking photos?

I have been looking at telescopes.com and they seem to have a range for under $500, which is about my limit for now.

Could I get a few suggestions of brands and models.

Hi.
An 8 inch SCT is a great starter scope, however, with a budget of 500e, then maybe something like a 6 inch reflector or an meade ETX or maybe a 4 refractor would be inside that cost.
As for getting images of the planets/moon you don't need tracking, but it does help. If you want images of clusters and galaxies, you need a serious telescope and a serious mount system which is probably outside the 500e budget.

The real thing here is to shop around, if you do you can save alot of money.

What does SCT stand for?
Are there any good shops for scopes in Ireland (Dublin area)?

What does SCT stand for?
Are there any good shops for scopes in Ireland (Dublin area)?

Schmidt-Cassegrain Telescope, it is a folded design of the popular Newtonian reflector. A reputabe Meade & Celestron dealer in Dublin goes by the name of Andromeda Optics. Their site is under reconstruction, but you can contact them at info@andromedaoptics.com.





Hope this helps!

Seanie.

I've seen the Schmidt-Cassegrain Telescopes mentioned before. I had been looking at Newtonian type scopes. A few models I was looking at were:

www.telescopes.com/products/celestron-om...reflector-56510.html
www.telescopes.com/products/orion-astrov...reflector-36980.html

Any comments on these models?

One more technical question, do the motor control systems brand specific or are they interchangable?

One more technical question, do the motor control systems brand specific or are they interchangable?

Many are interchangeable, but the one important thing to keep in mind is the load bearing capacity. Now, having said that, if you have a perfectly (or almost) balanced equatorial telescope, you can construct a motor that will run the mount off a 1.5V dry cell battery. I have tried it, and I have also seen it done.

The standard of mount and drive design are commonly designated EQ-and a number. So, an EQ3 mount will have, and require, more power than an EQ2, therefore will be able to drive heavier and larger telescope setups (often referred to as OTA's, Optical Tube Assembly). Most of the common commercial telescope mount manufacturers have these mounts (Celestron, Meade, Tal, Gemini, Losmandy). Another version is the CG-series.

Seanie.