Very new, but very passionate - any help?

[Monofoot]

Hi guys, firstly - sorry if this is posted in the wrong place. 

I've just ordered a Canon 600D to start doing some astrophotography and it arrives tomorrow - I'm stoked. I've been wanting to get into astrophotography for a while now and I'm so happy to finally be pulling the trigger.

The last item on my shopping list is a solid beginner telescope which would couple well with my Canon 600D. The research I've done is all pointing towards a newtonian reflector.

My primary goal here is to take some pictures of stars and planets with the Canon 600D attached to the telescope. I've been looking at the Sky-Watcher 114/900 as it's relatively cheap, which I think is great for someone just starting off - but was wondering what your opinions were seeing as you've all been through this before. Do you have any other recommendations? I'd like to keep my budget up to £300, and that's stretching it really.

Thanks for taking the time to help!

Edited April 23, 2020 by Monofoot

[happy-kat]

Welcome. It's great to feel excited that's a very nice camera you are getting.

You can have fun starting astrophotography with your camera for example creating star trail images are possible, with software which is free StarStax or Sequator.

The sky is continually moving so if we are looking to take other images turn we need a tracking mount.

Tracking mounts either move in tiny left right up down movements and are called altaz mounts for short. 

Or are tracking Equatorial and these move in an arc following the Earth's rotation.

The main difference is with an altaz they are going to limit the length of exposure that can be taken with a camera because if you take too long then stars get elongated and are not then nice sharp points of light.

But EQ mounts whilst give longer exposures are more expensive and these to vary in what they can achieve astrophotography wise.

As there is a start you can make with just your camera and the I assume kit lens it comes with, I think I'd ask what is more important visual observing or imaging?

Edited April 23, 2020 by happy-kat
Typo

[Monofoot]

7 minutes ago, happy-kat said:

Welcome. It's great to feel excited that's a very nice camera you are getting.

You can have fun starting astrophotography with your camera for example creating star trail images are possible, with software which is free StarStax or Sequator.

The sky is continually moving so if we are looking to take other images turn we need a tracking mount.

Tracking mounts either move in tiny left right up down movements and are called altaz mounts for short. 

Or are tracking Equatorial and these move in an arc following the Earth's rotation.

The main difference is with an altaz they are going to limit the length of exposure that can be taken with a camera because if you take too long then stars get elongated and are not then nice sharp points of light.

But EQ mounts whilst give longer exposures are more expensive and these to vary in what they can achieve astrophotography wise.

As there is a start you can make with just your camera and the I assume kit lens it comes with, I think I'd ask what is more important visual observing or imaging?

It's tough. I really want to say both, but I think imagining is more important - I really want to capture how impressive space is.

Would an altaz mount work on a standard camera tripod? If that's the case, I could really get one of those and use that on the camera just to see how it goes - might save me a few hundred quid in the long run.

[happy-kat]

Have a look at the star adventurer of you've an already sturdy tripod that might be an option.

https://www.firstlightoptics.com/skywatcher-mounts/skywatcher-star-adventurer.html

Though you might also need a wedge and a counter weight depending on what you might already have available, those those are included in the Pro bundle which I did not link too.

This is an associated thread on imaging with that mount. But this is imaging only no visual use.

https://stargazerslounge.com/topic/303949-imaging-with-a-star-adventurer

This alternative idea can do visual if you add a telescope at a later date but also imaging with your camera and lens either as it comes in altaz mode within those possible but limited eventual exposure length or with free firmware update on EQ mode. Quality appears to vary but buy from a reputable seller and you should get returns cover. Needs really a smart phone or tablet to use the free controller software.

https://www.firstlightoptics.com/sky-watcher-az-gti-wifi/sky-watcher-az-gti-wifi-alt-az-mount-tripod.html

With either example you might need a tripod depending on what you already have, a wedge, counter weight, and perhaps a ball head. Not sure if you'd need anything else.

What ever you might be deciding there is no rush the sky is not going anywhere and it is better to read and learn more before spending any money so you buy once.

Edited April 23, 2020 by happy-kat

[happy-kat]

Or if into making things you could make your self a barn door mount for your camera either manual or motorised. There's an example in my signature.

Edited April 23, 2020 by happy-kat
Correcting swipe errors

[Monofoot]

32 minutes ago, happy-kat said:

Have a look at the star adventurer of you've an already sturdy tripod that might be an option.

https://www.firstlightoptics.com/skywatcher-mounts/skywatcher-star-adventurer.html

Though you might also need a wedge and a counter weight depending on what you might already have available, those those are included in the Pro bundle which I did not link too.

This is an associated thread on imaging with that mount. But this is imaging only no visual use.

https://stargazerslounge.com/topic/303949-imaging-with-a-star-adventurer

This alternative idea can do visual if you add a telescope at a later date but also imaging with your camera and lens either as it comes in altaz mode within those possible but limited eventual exposure length or with free firmware update on EQ mode. Quality appears to vary but buy from a reputable seller and you should get returns cover. Needs really a smart phone or tablet to use the free controller software.

https://www.firstlightoptics.com/sky-watcher-az-gti-wifi/sky-watcher-az-gti-wifi-alt-az-mount-tripod.html

With either example you might need a tripod depending on what you already have, a wedge, counter weight, and perhaps a ball head. Not sure if you'd need anything else.

What ever you might be deciding there is no rush the sky is not going anywhere and it is better to read and learn more before spending any money so you buy once.

Been watching some Youtube videos on this now - it looks perfect, thanks a lot for that and it's something I'm probably going to pick up instead.

 

Thanks!

[happy-kat]

If you want to read more about the whys then the book Making Every Photon Count is a good read.