Date
21 - 26 of 26
need learning aids for astrophoto
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Don,
Thanks for pointing out my error, I should have read the original post. Yes, a 12" will make the difficulties that I experienced with my 10" Meade all the more challenging, but I believe that it is still possible, just probably not from where you'd want to start... Regards, Geof |
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fastqx .
thanks, all of you who responded to my plea. yep, i'm overwhelmed. not just by the tsunami of new issues to think about, but also by everyone's kindness and generosity. one day i hope to be less overwhelmed, but i'll always be grateful. dick fast atlin bc On Tue, May 5, 2020 at 8:33 AM Geof Lewis <geoflewis@...> wrote: Don, |
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No worries Geof! Another challenge Dick is facing is his location. Atlin is in the NW corner of British Columbia near the border with Alaska pan handle. This is on the lee side of the coastal mountain range. Seeing conditions will be a challenge for long focal length astrophotography. We here in Calgary Alberta face the same problem being on the East side of the Rockies. That's why I stick with wide field. Keep safe. Don Anderson
On Tuesday, May 5, 2020, 09:33:35 a.m. MDT, Geof Lewis <geoflewis@...> wrote:
Don, Thanks for pointing out my error, I should have read the original post. Yes, a 12" will make the difficulties that I experienced with my 10" Meade all the more challenging, but I believe that it is still possible, just probably not from where you'd want to start... Regards, Geof |
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Hello Dick Yes there are a lot of things to consider when getting into (or back into) this hobby. however it can be quite rewarding and mentally stimulating. When you set your equipment priorities, the mount is the most important, just like the foundation of your house!. Get a good mount. Everything else is secondary. For the scope, you want a reasonably good scope with a solid well made focuser that can carry the weight of you imaging train without sagging or flopping around. If you go with a refractor, try to get an Apochromatic (APO) model. There are lots of well made APOs in the 100mm aperture range on the market for a reasonable price. For cameras, the choices have never been wider. If you choose to go with a dedicated astro camera, there are some great reasonably priced CCD cameras out there. The newer CMOS dedicated cooled cameras are relatively inexpensive, some are less than a good new DSLR and a lot lighter as well. If you go that route, don't try to get one with a really large sensor. Large sensor cameras require a scope with a large image circle and these are really expensive. Take your time and do your research. There are several astro related blog sites like this one out there where you can get good information and lots of opinions! Remember to start small and work up. Just some more food for thought! Don Anderson
On Tuesday, May 5, 2020, 09:41:46 a.m. MDT, fastqx . <fastqx@...> wrote:
thanks, all of you who responded to my plea. yep, i'm overwhelmed. not just by the tsunami of new issues to think about, but also by everyone's kindness and generosity. one day i hope to be less overwhelmed, but i'll always be grateful. dick fast atlin bc On Tue, May 5, 2020 at 8:33 AM Geof Lewis <geoflewis@...> wrote: Don, |
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Worsel
I agree with Mike that a DSLR is a good option to consider. I would offer a different take on the following.
2. IMO a DSLR is a good choice if you're just starting out. But I think buying a cooled CMOS astronomy camera is a better choice if your budget allows. Consider: A) A CMOS camera is powered from the USB (usually USB 3.0) cable, not from an internal battery that might not last through an imaging session. I power my DSLRs with the AC adapter, not a battery. This works in an observatory, off 120VAC (mains) or the field, if you have a large capacity (amp-hours) battery and inverter B) A cooled CMOS camera has lower noise than an uncooled DSLR. Some of the newer DSLRs have very low noise. Read up on the new Canon Ra, about which Sky& Telescope and Astronomy are raving. That said, the cooling available in many astro cameras is an advantage. C) ZWO offers an off-axis guider (OAG) that mounts in between the OTA and the imaging camera. A small lightweight (and inexpensive) camera screws into this OAG. You can easily add autoguiding without needing a separate guide scope and camera. (I use a separate guider for specific reasons related to my imaging goals.) I image with an Astrodon MOAG, which sits between the camera and the scope, and a DSLR. Bryan |
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>>>
Some of the newer DSLRs have very low noise. Read up on the new Canon Ra, about which Sky& Telescope and Astronomy are raving. That said, the cooling available in many astro cameras is an advantage. The Canon RA is $2500 you could get a very nice cooled astronomy camera for that price. shoot, you could get a very nice cooled astronomy camera for less than 1/2 that price it's a nice camera for sure. I think it's more geared for casual astronomy users who also want to shoot terrestrial and maybe already own some canon glass. If i were starting from scratch and focused on astronomy, i don't think this direction would be my first choice. Brian I agree with Mike that a DSLR is a good option to consider. I would offer a different take on the following. --
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