Help me choose a new scope

[lilcreep]

My wife finally gave me permission to buy some gear for my 30th birthday/christmas. I want to get into astrophotography as well as general viewing. I am still learning what I need and how things work. So far, this is what I think I want to go with. Will this work for photographing DSO, planets, etc?

Celestron c6-sgt
Orion Awesome Autoguider Package

My camera would be a canon rebel XSI plus the appropriate accessories to attach it to the scope.

Should this work? What else would I need?

[HaroldC3]

It'll be too much focal length for photographing DSOs. Usually people decide on one or the other (DSOs or planets) because with planets you want all of the focal length you can get and with DSOs you don't want or need alot of focal length.

So I would say for planetary photography that may be okay (though an 8" would be better) but for DSOs you'll have a tough time even with a focal reducer.

Now if you decide to use the Orion scope for photographying DSOs that would work but then you probably would need another scope for guiding (or use it unguided and restrict yourself to using subs of 1 minute or less).

Also, people usually use a webcam or some kind of imager that has a smaller sensor for planetary photography since they have smaller sensors which adds to the magnification. (I believe a webcam is the equivalent of using something like a 5mm eyepiece, where as a DSLR could be something like a 25mm eyepiece).

[lilcreep]

Thanks Harold. Would a Sky-Watcher PRO 80ED on a cgem mount be a better option for DSO photography with the same orion guider?

[HaroldC3]

Yes that would be a great place to start for DSOs.

Here are some other options as well:

Williams Optics 80mm Doublet: http://agenaastro.com/william-optics...scope-ddg.html

Stellarvue 80mm ED: http://www.optcorp.com/product.aspx?pid=995-13765

I would look used as well as alot of the time you can get more scope for your dollar.

[fogboundturtle]

My advice for any new astrophotographer, spend more money on the mount than anything else. Its the most important part of your setup. Get the widest refractor possible and unless you want to spend hours and hours doing post-processing, its better to have an CCD camera than DSLR. I learned the hard way those truth.