After you have purchased a new telescope and captured some of the most amazing images, you might be wondering what is the best telescope for deep space photography? What do you look for in a good telescope for deep space astrophotography? If you have ever wondered what telescope to buy for astrophotography, this article will give you basic information and recommendations on telescopes, mounts and accessories that are useful in astrophotography.
Astrophotography is a fascinating hobby. Although it can be expensive and complicated, the stunning pictures you are able to capture are absolutely breathtaking. This blog post takes you through what you will need, what to look for when buying your telescope and how to take your very first photograph successfully.
Astrophotography is a tricky business that requires a ton of technique on the part of the astrophotographer. If you want to get into this hobby, you should know what type of telescope you need.
Best telescope for galaxy astrophotography
Choosing the best telescope for deep space photography is difficult. There are more telescopes on the market than ever before, all offering different kinds of features and some targeting different types of amateur astronomers. It can get confusing fairly quickly. However, rest assured that choosing the best telescope for astrophotography is possible, and finding the right scope is key to your photographic success.
That’s why it’s important to understand your needs. There are many types of scopes out there, and the right one for you will depend on your budget and requirements.
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Best telescope for deep space photography
Choosing an Astrophotography Telescope: My Top 5
My goal is for you to find an astrophotography telescope that allows you to capture sharp, colorful pictures of stars, galaxies, and nebulae in your own backyard. With that being said, here is my advice.
What’s the best astrophotography telescope for a beginner? I am often asked this question, and the answer is, the one that provides consistent results. If you plan on using a telescope for photography with your DSLR camera, the following list should help you make your decision. These are entry-level, high-quality telescopes with a proven track record of success.
Choosing your first astrophotography telescope
First things first. I am not an expert astrophotographer, I am just a guy who’s been able to capture some decent images with modest astrophotography equipment in my backyard. I have over 8 years worth of deep-sky astrophotography experience, with countless successful imaging sessions under the stars.
The proof is in the photos, not the specs
I like to see real results using astrophotography equipment, more so than the intricate details of optical performance graphs. The advanced technical traits of a telescope are only useful if the instrument is a pleasure to operate.
Keeping an expensive telescope polished and in the house is not my style. This is an overview of the instruments that I consider to be a contender for the best beginner astrophotography telescope.
The Lagoon and Trifid Nebulae captured using the William Optics RedCat 51.
I don’t believe a beginner should jump into this hobby and buy an expensive telescope for astrophotography right away. Astrophotography requires a great deal of patience.
You need to love the process inside and out to push through the steep learning curve and inevitable frustrations along the way. There is a large emphasis on affordability and value on my list.
If you are looking for a reliable astrophotography telescope for under $500, I’ve got some bad news. Expect to pay a minimum of $1,000 US for a new model. The used marketplace may offer some savings, but be sure to request detailed information about the condition of the optics before purchasing.
If you compare the prices of these telescopes to a telephoto camera lens, they are actually quite affordable.
I consider a small apochromatic refractor to be the absolute best choice for beginners, and that’s what I’ll recommend.
Proven winners for deep-sky imaging
When I was starting out, I searched for reviews, testimonials, and product detail pages for hours before purchasing my first primary imaging instrument. Now, there are more astrophotography telescopes available than ever, making the search even more complex.
When you narrow your search down to entry-level telescopes with high performance, some clear winners in the category of best beginner astrophotography telescope rise to the surface.
Smart choices for those who want results with modest equipment and limited knowledge.
My choices are heavily geared towards the practicality and usability of the telescope in an astrophotography situation. After all, beginners have enough to learn early on and should have the best telescope possible to avoid an agonizing experience in the dark.
These telescopes will grow your interest in the hobby, not ruin it!
I get several emails each day asking which telescope I recommend for beginner astrophotography setups.
This section of the website is long overdue, as it will be nice to have somewhere to direct beginners looking for more information about the telescopes I recommend in my e-mails and messages.
What you Need to Start Imaging
Different vendors will offer various packages for the telescopes listed below. The inclusion of the accessories you need to get started may ultimately be the deciding factor of which telescope you choose.
There are certain accessories that may not come with the telescope you are looking to purchase. Often, this is the reason for fluctuations in price between models with similar specifications. As a rule of thumb, you will need:
A diagonal for visual observation and mount alignment
A finder scope with brackets for visual observation and autoguiding implementation
Tube rings and a dovetail bar, or an integrated dovetail for mounting
A carrying case to protect the telescope during travel and storage
A field flattener/reducer to create a flat field for imaging
Make sure you add these additional items (if necessary) to your overall budget before deciding on a particular scope. It is also wise to confirm the mounting-style of the dovetail saddle on your telescope mount.
For example, the Sky-Watcher EQ6-R Pro features a dual saddle design that allows for both v-style and d-style dovetail bars.
The Power of an APO
The 5 telescopes on this list are all small Apochromatic Refractors. The main reason I am such a huge fan of this type of telescope is its ability to consistently capture high-quality images. With that being said, let’s take a look at the other benefits a small apochromatic telescope has:
Lightweight
Portable
Great color correction
Does not require regular collimation
Adjusts to temperature fast
Wide field of view
Easy to focus
Less condensation/dew issues
The Benefits of Wide Field
A wider field of view is more forgiving when it comes to deep-sky astrophotography. This means that small errors in autoguiding are less noticeable than they would be through an SCT with a long focal length.
The tighter your field of view is, the more precise your focus and autoguiding must be. As an example, the William Optics RedCat 51 has a focal length of 250mm. This is a superb focal length for large targets such as the Andromeda Galaxy.
The Andromeda Galaxy. Canon 60Da DSLR and William Optics RedCat 51.
Many beginners are using crop-sensor DSLR cameras through the telescope. With an APS-C sized crop sensor like you find in the Canon T5i, the focal length becomes 400mm. (250mm x 1.6 Crop factor).
This is a forgiving and convenient field of view when capturing large nebulae such as the North America Nebula or the reflection nebulosity found within the Pleiades.
For many of the refractors listed on this page, a field flattener/reducer (or focal corrector) is recommended to get the most out of the optics. Depending on the size of your camera sensor, you may need a field flattener to achieve a flat field across the entire image.
If you’re using a focal reducer, you can expect to get an even wider image with your DSLR camera or dedicated astronomy camera.
The Apochromatic Advantage
Apochromatic refractors use ED extra-low-dispersion glass to enhance resolution and reduce chromatic aberration. All of the telescopes on this list are air-spaced doublets or triplets.
The manufacturers of these refractors refer to APO’s as ultra-high contrast. They all include light baffles inside of the lens cell to reject stray light.
A field-flattener and/or reducer may be required for a completely flat field of view to the edge of the frame. For each of the models below, I will list the recommended field flattener/reducer to go along with it.
The Best Astrophotography Telescope for a Beginner
5 hassle-free telescopes capable of jaw-dropping deep-sky images using a DSLR camera and a tracking EQ mount.
Let’s get right to it. The compact and reliable refractors below have all proven themselves worthy of a night under the stars. The first telescope on the list is responsible for my than half of the images in my photo gallery.
Explore Scientific ED80
Diameter: 80mm
Focal Length: 480mm
Focal Ratio: f/6
Weight: 5.95 lbs
Glass: FDC1 (Hoya)
Recommended Field Flattener/Reducer: StarField 0.8X Reducer/Flattener
The Explore Scientific ED80 is a superb telescope for astrophotography. This was the telescope that allowed me to capture my first long-exposure deep-sky images including the Orion Nebula, North America Nebula, and the great Andromeda Galaxy.
If you would like to read my Explore Scientific ED80 review, please visit that section of my website for a complete analysis of this telescope’s astrophotography performance.
This telescope is available at OPT
The ES ED80 is an affordable option for beginners, with a high-value return. The package I purchased back in 2011 included a hard shell carry case, diagonal and an illuminated finder scope.
This scopes small size and weight means that it will get plenty of use both visually and photographically. Entry-level mounts such as the Celestron AVX or the Sky-Watcher EQ6-R Pro have no problem carrying this telescope and all necessary astrophotography gear.
“The astrophotos I have been able to capture with this telescope have opened my eyes to a higher level of image quality. I have not been able to achieve images of this quality using a Newtonian telescope.” – AstroBackyard
Explore Scientific also offers a carbon fiber version of the ED80. The CF version has identical specs other than the fact that it is lighter and better at adapting to temperature.
Orion ED80T CF
Diameter: 80mm
Focal Length: 480mm
Focal Ratio: f/6
Weight: 5.5 lbs
Glass: FPL-53
Recommended Field Flattener/Reducer: Orion FF for short refractors
The Orion ED80T CF is very similar to the Explore Scientific 80mm Apo. They share the same focal length, size, and weight, yet use different ED glass. The Orion ED80 is an extremely popular choice for beginners as it offers high-quality imaging performance at a reasonable price.
The Orion 80EDT is available from OPT
Both the Orion and Explore Scientific 80mm models included a built-in dew shield and 2″ dual-speed Crayford style focusers. The biggest deciding factor between the Explore Scientific ED80 and the Orion 80EDT will likely come down to the accessories included, and customer service from each company.
I have had great experiences with both Orion Telescopes and Binoculars and Explore Scientific.
“Fell in love with the feel and looks of this incredible little scope.. First light was just days ago…my target was the lunar surface…the image was razor sharp..the contrast of craters, rills. scarpes, mountains, were breathtaking…” – Orion ED80T CF Review on OPT
Images using the Orion ED80T CF with a ZWO ASI1600MM-Cool Camera
The images above were taken by Chuck Ayoub using the Orion 80EDT Carbon Fiber APO with a cooled CMOS camera. The images were shot using narrowband filters to create false-color images of the Rosette Nebula and Heart Nebula. As you can see, this refractor produces crisp images with a wide field of view.
View Chucks Astrophotography images on Astrobin
William Optics Zenithstar 73 APO
Diameter: 73mm
Focal Length: 430mm
Focal Ratio: f/5.9
Weight: 5.5 lbs
Glass: FPL-53
Recommended Field Flattener/Reducer: William Optics FLAT73
If you have watched the videos on my YouTube channel, you’ll know that my William Optics Zeinthstar 73 gets plenty of use in the backyard. I genuinely love using this compact apochromatic doublet from the backyard and beyond.
