home debate on Astro photography kit - not sure where to start...

[travellerinthedark]

Hello, hoping for some words of experience and pointers towards some kit

For some weeks now the debate in our home has been what kit to start with

We have given great attention to threads, bought and read (and keep reading) Steve Richards book and studied the Sky at Night Guide to Astro photography so far

I think we have it down to this:

A 80mm guide scope (ST80 does anyone know where this can be bought as tube and rings only?)

Guide camera

Guiding software and cables to link the laptop to the mount and camera

DSLR camera

Filters

I've bought a digiscoping bracket for now to play about with our Cybershot to make a start on taking photographs whilst we work out the rest (brain still not agreeing to retain learning and translate understanding into action on ISO, EV and F value)

I've looked at CCD as an alternative option

I'm curious about the LVI Smartguider 2 as it seemed to get a great write up in the Sky at Night.

Where to 'come in' at with all the technical kit available is hard to grapple with

Any comment on kit list and recommendations and words of advice greatly appreciated

Thank you for your time

[brantuk]

I recently got an ST80 for guiding - you can get them as "OTA only" (comes with rings and dovetail) from most good telescope retailers - try FLO.

For a guide camera I'm using SPC900NC. If you get the SPC880 from Morgans they will flash it to emulate a 900. You'll need an adaptor to go with for fitting to the scope like an eyepiece.

Guiding software use Phd - very good and free to download. Stack with DSS (again free) and for cabling you should only need a single active usb cable and 4-port hub. The LVI can be used to good effect for guiding too but I can't comment on filtes cos I don't use them much.

For info on wich dslr - go with Canon and check out the Astronomiser website (also for usb cables and hubs). I'll go get you some links

[brantuk]

Here's some links:

Cheap Philips SPC880 webcam - 49269 - discounts & offers

PHD Guiding

Astronomiser - Automated Astronomy and AstroImaging Solutions

DeepSkyStacker - Free

And here's my setup including the ST80 if you fancy a gander:

Stargazers Lounge - brantuk's Album: Telescopes

Hope that helps

[Psychobilly]

PHD is Donateware.... there aren't evaluation and purchased versions... let your conscience decide how much or how little you donate...

I guess you have missed APT out as the capture app - for Canon DSLR's only that has evaluation and Purchased version...

Peter...

[brantuk]

Thanks Pete - yes I missed out APT wich is £12 for the full license - and yet again confused it with Phd which is free (donateware). Senior moment - I must be losing it lol

www.astroplace.net - APT - Introduction

Also you'll need the ASCOM platform and hub wich can be found here:

ASCOM - Standards for Astronomy

There - hope I've covered it all now lol

[ollypenrice]

I guess two things have not been covered;

-coma corrector (important with a Newt)

-modding the camera. Also important if you want a full range of targets.

Oh, and Bahtinov mask. Absolutely essential.

Olly

http://ollypenrice.smugmug.com/

[swag72]

Thanks Pete - yes I missed out APT wich is £12 for the full license - and yet again confused it with Phd which is free (donateware). Senior moment - I must be losing it lol

www.astroplace.net - APT - Introduction

Also you'll need the ASCOM platform and hub wich can be found here:

ASCOM - Standards for Astronomy

There - hope I've covered it all now lol

I have to say that I don't use either of these and manage OK!

I use a Canon 1000D and use the EOS utility that comes with the camera for focus assisting (looking at liveview on a lappy screen is useful and the mask Olly suggested) and also the timer for exposures. In order to guide the scope, I use Stellarium (free) and a cable connected from the handset to the PC - Came with the mount, but needed to get a serial / USB adaptor.

While I have no doubt that ASCOM / EQMOD and APT would probably work better, I think that my head would explode with much more computer interaction! I like to keep it as simple as possible and as it's not yet broken then it's not getting fixed!!

[Rossco72]

If you are interested in simple and are going to use a DSLR anyway then the LVI or synguider would do away with the need to use a laptop in the field at all.

The guiding is self contained and the DSLR records onto it's memory card for later stacking and processing.

[foundaplanet]

Hello

My partner travellerinthedark put this post up yesterday and I would like to thank you for the suggestions and comments.

Whilst we have recently purchased a very nice scope, mount and eyepieces (primarily I just love looking) I am firmly commited to starting out with the photography in the cheapest possible way until we manage to understand much better what we are doing with the software and the learning of the tracking skills and basically get our heads around the whole process, this does seem like the most sensible thing do considering the vast array of possibilities and the amount of new skills in need of learning.

Our list of things to get - ?

ST-80 Guide Scope

Cheap Web Cam + Adapter

Modified Canon DSLR + Adapter

Bahintov Mask

Coma Corrector

Necessary Cables

Stellarium Scope + Ascom

Regitax (been playing with it)

(Have adobe photo CS2)

(Have Laptop)

Is this enough to get us a basic start and if I am missing anything could you please correct me.

A question for brantuk...... I see in your scope images that you have a power pack the same as ours I wonder what running time you get out of it and how much you are able to run off it. Whilst we will have access to a power cable when at home we do have access to a good dark sky space without power (For the moment anyway).

Thank you................

[foundaplanet]

If you are interested in simple and are going to use a DSLR anyway then the LVI or synguider would do away with the need to use a laptop in the field at all.

The guiding is self contained and the DSLR records onto it's memory card for later stacking and processing.

Thank you for that, we want the simplest start and I think my partner is keen on the LVI.......

[brantuk]

I put the power pack in to drive the mount only. Not tested it with this specific mount yet but I get a good 3-4hrs out of it driving a 12" goto dob for 2-3 sessions before noticing any power lag.

The dew control will come from a mains adaptor cos I think it would shorten the battery life too much.

[dmahon]

If you want an LVI or Synguider, keep an eye on the for sale section here, as they tend to get sold regularly. Personally, I would go the tried and tested route with a guide camera attached to the laptop running PHD. A QHY5 is a great option, but not cheap and you may get away with an SPC900 for 1/10th the price.

[foundaplanet]

If you want an LVI or Synguider, keep an eye on the for sale section here, as they tend to get sold regularly.

It will take me an age to qualify with the 50 posts needed......... lol

[AndyDix]

It will take me an age to qualify with the 50 posts needed......... lol

Reply to a few of the "hello" posts in the welcome section.

I remember how nice it was when people said hello when I first got here.

Ahh see I am up to 55 now

Regards

Andy

[travellerinthedark]

foundaplanet just updated me on our new extended shopping list

thought i'd better log in and add my own note of thanks for all your words of wisdom

...I've a feeling we'll have more to ask of you

[ollypenrice]

If you want an LVI or Synguider, keep an eye on the for sale section here, as they tend to get sold regularly. Personally, I would go the tried and tested route with a guide camera attached to the laptop running PHD.

Yes, why are all these standalone guiders up for sale? I have not put any of my guide cameras up for sale because, well, they work...

Olly

[Rossco72]

To be fair Olly, my LVI works great, but you do need to get the focus just right and use a nice fast scope.