My List for the Beginner Amateur astronomer with intension to do astrophotography

[Russe]

My List for the Beginner Amateur astronomer with intension to do astrophotography. These are all my own specs and my own personal views... This should give you a clue on what's needed and how much things cost...

Mount
- HEQ5 Pro - 760£ new

Cameras
- Canon DSLR body (I went for cams with live view, started with 450D) - 150£ used
- CCD webcam (SPC900) - various prices, used 70£ with mono chip, 15£ Unmodded with colour CCD
- QHY5 guide camera - 150£ used

Telescope
- Newtonian with small f/ratio (CAVE: needs to be able to achieve focus with your camera, eg SW 130P-DS not 130p or 130m) for DSO's - 165£ new for 130pds
- Mak/Cas 127mm for planetary AP - 250£ OTA (CAVE: only 1.25")

finderscope
- 9x50 - angled or straight through (longer focal length on straight one) - 50£

Eyepieces - often come with scope - buy 1x<10mm and 1x between 10-20mm and 1x >25mm (various prices - approx 40£ per EP gives you a decent EP making you happy initially - I have 8mm, 15mm, 28mm, 32mm) ~120£

Laptop
Dell Mini 9 with upgraded RAM and new SSD hard drive (250£) - keeping on running in Windows XP and not planning to upgrade - this laptop is for out in the field

Desktop computer - for photography editing - ?price - I trust you'd have one already

Filters
UV/IR filter for webcam - 15£
Astronomik LP clip filter for Canon - 118 Euro

Adapters
M48 T ring for Canon 15£
M42 T ring for Canon 21£
T - mount adapter - 22£ for 2"
T - mount adapter - 17£ for 1.25"
9x50 finderscope adapter for guide camera - in my case 39£ (Varies greatly)
webcam adapter to 1.25" - 13£

Cables
AC cable for Canon - 8.50£
AC cable mount - 28£
RS232 to USB adapter (synscan to computer connection) - 8£ (cheap ones didn't work, I tried)
Cables for guidecam - come with camera

Other
0.9 Coma corrector for Canon - 97£
Cheshire eyepiece - 25£
Laser collimator - 24£
Allen key set - 20£
Lens for camera - Canon 50mm f/1.8 - 60£
Camera bag for Canon - 6£
EP and equipment aluminium case - 25£
Case for telescope - don't have one
AC powered USB Hub - 10£
17Ah - car jump starter battery as power supply in the field - 18£ - (on offer by maplins)
Multiple cigarette lighter adapter - 8£
WIFI gamepad (for ASCOM/EQMOD control of mount) - 30£
Bahtinov focusing mask for you scope - 16£ for Mak and 16£ for 130pds
15m Extension lead from house to garden 12.50£
multiple power adapter 3£
Small water level - 5£
Camping table - 10£
Red torch - 10£
Thermo underwear - 15£
Chair and pillow - 10£

Programmes
Sharpcap - free
APT - 12.50 Euro
Stellarium - free
Stellariumscope - free
ASCOM/EQMOD - free
GIMP - free
PIPP - free
Alignmaster - 15£
Polaris viewer - free
PHD (guiding software) - free
Registax - free
DSS - free
various drivers - free

[Russe]

I forgot books:

Making Every Photon count

Backyard Astronomer

Turn Left At Orion

[Russe]

And Whiskey.

[Jim Steele]

Pretty comprehensive list there, I'm strictly a visual observes but +1 for the whisky. Need something to warm on those cold nights

[jason.p]

I started totting that all up but got depressed and gave up:o

Seems like seriously deep pockets are required!!

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[m37]

You forgot filter wheels and roll-ups !

[Russe]

You forgot filter wheels and roll-ups !

True, I've got a filter wheel - and colour filters - worth ~ 170£ - but I can't use it with the DSLR on a Newtonian. Unless I find a flat 1.25" adapter... But with a coma corrector in place, frankly, I wouldn't know HOW to connect it.

The wheel would fit on a Mak/SCT/Frac though. No trouble with focus there. Nor Coma.

[Russe]

And what are roll-ups?

[macg]

How do you light the roll ups without losing your night vision?

Or is it just like the compromise i practice?

Nice list BTW.  +1 for the Whiskey

Might want some intermediate lists so it doesn't scare every new comer.

[Russe]

How do you light the roll ups without losing your night vision?

Or is it just like the compromise i practice?

Nice list BTW. +1 for the Whiskey

Might want some intermediate lists so it doesn't scare every new comer.

I found my list to apply for intermediate AP'ers?!

Lol

Ahm, again ... Roll ups??? What's that?

[nephilim]

How do you light the roll ups without losing your night vision?

Or is it just like the compromise i practice?

Nice list BTW.  +1 for the Whiskey

Might want some intermediate lists so it doesn't scare every new comer.

I  roll in the dark but lighting them is a tricky one as even closing ur eyes & guessing where the end is means u still get the flash from the lighter, when at a dark site I use the car lighter as its near enough red light

[macg]

I have tried closing my eyes, but i have come very close to igniting my beard, and that would really ruin my night vision.

I have settled on closing the favoured eye and lighting out of the good eyes vision around the corner of my nose.

less facial conflagrations that way.

[Russe]

Aaaaaah!!!!!! The penny dropped!!!!!!

[macg]

Sorry Russe,

If we had told you the penny would have been worthless..

[Jesterowl]

make the roll ups long enough and you wont burn your face

[nicks90]

when observing I try to limit myself to my e-cig. no naked flames and bright embers to ruin my night vision.

[Gumph242]

Not that lighting cigs is an issue for me anymore un/fortunately, but how long does it take on average to get your eyes readjusted after sparking up?

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[nicks90]

if you expose both eyes to the flame - which is only 6" away - you may as well go inside and stare at the kitchen lights for 5 seconds.......

[themaninthesuitcase]

As someone currently 1/4 of the way into making every photon count before I buy anything I find this list both a helpful window, and rather scary.

Then I remember I also am a wildlife photographer and that this list is far less scary than my other one.

[Gumph242]

As someone currently 1/4 of the way into making every photon count before I buy anything I find this list both a helpful window, and rather scary.

Then I remember I also am a wildlife photographer and that this list is far less scary than my other one.

I was also scared/put off by this list of kit as well. But in the good book (Making every photon count). There is a much more manageable list of minimum kit you need - phew!

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[Russe]

I was also scared/put off by this list of kit as well. But in the good book (Making every photon count). There is a much more manageable list of minimum kit you need - phew!

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I guess you wouldn't need to guide initially and you could do only webcam photography. That'd make it cheaper...

Otherwise I think this stuff here is pretty much basic...

[themaninthesuitcase]

I guess you wouldn't need to guide initially and you could do only webcam photography. That'd make it cheaper...

Otherwise I think this stuff here is pretty much basic...

Some of it many will have already, I have various laptops and computers lying around to use at the scope or for editing and I also have a fairly high quality DSLR I can use to get started.  I also picked up a webcam for £3 I intend to modify to use for planetary imaging until I feel the need to upgrade (which will probably be about 3.4 seconds after processing the 1st images).

[SHARKuk]

For anyone new dont let this list put you off, you dont need all the items Russe has listed to start astrophotography. The list he has is something you will just naturally work upto and not items you need to rush out and buy to start takeing good pictures. Russe already stated this is his view and that is fine of course, if your going to start taking photos dont worry about going out and spending £1500 right away as it's not needed to start.

Last year I left my lifetime love hobby of video gaming, dont hate me hehe.. In my search for a new hobby I decided to give Photography a go, after reading a few things I decided I wanted to focus on Macro photography. I was told before I even bought anything I would be looking at around £1500 to £2000 layout to do this type of photography, I bought £250's worth of kit which included a second hand Canon 450D and set out. Although I was totally new to photography and have never (apart from the ones set in mobile phones) owned a camera took some pretty good macro shots. Obviously they where bottom of the scale but I was up and running for a fraction of the price.

Thanks for the list Russe .. THIS IS NOT me trying to cause any trouble I really value your opinion I just think that people well into a hobby sometimes forget how they started out. I would really love to see the bare minimum items list you had when you and other memebers started out with.

Daz ..

[nicks90]

i have done astrophotography for less than £100

£85 for a celestron astromaster 130 with eq3-2 with ra motor

£3 for a tesco webcam

film canister - free

gaffer tape to attach camera to canister - pennies

laptop - already had it

software - free

being pedantic, i know. sorry

[Russe]

I started out with a Mak on an Alt/Az mount and a 15£ webcam & IR filter. Wobbly, wobbly...

Worked though to a reasonable level. And was good fun too.

But, I wish I hadn't gone down the route of a rubbish mount and would have liked to chose a different scope from the start.

Trial and error has cost me more than this list contains...

In the end, the only really expensive thingy, is the mount. And compromising on that is all about being able to work on DSO's or not.

Guiding comes only after a proper mount.

Coma corrector you'll need for a Newtonian.

And the adapters you'll need to connect things...

Otherwise - you could easily spend 10x the amount...