Budget Motorised Mount

[Smeghead]

i am a really keen astronomer and i love photography, but i have some problems.....

1) No Scope

2) unemployed = skint !

3) no idea (well, nearly!)

i have tried taking multiple "short" exposure images using either my DSLR or .avi on another camera and using registax to try and eliminate the "rotational" effect, but without success.

i will eventually need to get myself a mount and scope but will settle for a mount at the moment.

not bothered about "GoTo" as i have a reasonable sky knowledge (and to keep the cost down).

any suggestions ?

thanks for your help

[Lux1]

Why not try a building a barn door tracker. There is plenty of information on the 'net. For instance, - Low-tech barndoor drive

There are many other links to similar information. Such a drive could be knocked together in a few hours for only a few quid.

[RikM]

How about taking some startrail pictures?

[Smeghead]

got the plans for a barn door from the sky at night mag a few issues back and trying to work out if i can motorise it. (maplin & soldering iron to the rescue again!)

as i have a "reasonably" light pollution free(ish) location i'd like to make the most of it

startrail photos .... done loads !

[Bizibilder]

You may be able to get hold of an EQ1 with a drive motor - It will allow you to take long(ish) exposures with a DSLR.

Maybe try the second hand market? There must be a few around that were supplied with smaller scopes that have found use as guide scopes etc. makung the mount redundant.

[Smeghead]

thanks.

are there any astronomy versions of ebay ?

[Digz]

Registax isnt the best software for this kind of work.

Try stacking your exposures in Deep Sky Stacker (DeepSkyStacker - Free)

[Bizibilder]

Try:

U.K. Astronomy Buy & Sell

It may throw something up or the for sale/wanted section of the forum (but you will need to get to 50 posts to see that (I think).