Newbie: Astrophotography help

[Munkie]

Im looking at start astrophotography but I anit got a clue where to start TBH.

I have no kit at all apart from my to dSLR's.

So my question is what do I need to make a start etc. Links of items would be good so I know what im looking for

[crazyjedi]

You'll need a shed load of cash if you're out to get some good pics. Emulating the pics you see in books is pretty much impossible without spending tens of thousands of pounds. Good apochromatic refractors are favoured a lot for photography (such as the Equinox-120 PRO) then you'll need a motor driven mount (such as Celestron CGE mounts or CGEM mounts) for accurate tracking of your target. If you want to take long exposure shots to really bring out faint detail you may have to spend more on your mount. It all depends how serious you get with it. The sky is the limit when it comes to the expense of astrophotography (sorry about the pun). To get started tho maybe one of Celestron's Nexstar range MAK's. They're not too expensive for what you get. Look up David Hinds David Hinds Ltd for Celestron Gear

TTFN

[david o]

Before anything else, the first thing you need to do is get yourself a copy of Making Every Photon Count by Steve Richards, steppenwolf on this very forum.

It'll guide you through imaging from the very start, covering everything from kit to techniques, helping you to choose the right equipment and avoid expensive mistakes.

As Rob says, the foundation of any imaging is the mount. Oh, and a fair bit of cash.

That said, before spending much money spend some time getting acquainted with the night sky. Learn your way round the constellations (if you don't already), get binoculars or a 'scope, and enjoy visual observing.

Then, when you've built up experience with the basic "tools of the trade", if you still want to get into AP and cross over to the dark side, you'll have made that learning curve a little easier.

[Merlin66]

You can start by using the DSLR on a fixed camera tripod. You'll probably need a remote control. If you have a Canon the TC-80 controller ( or clone) is the one to go for.

This will allow you to take wide angle sky shots, about 20 to 30 sec exposures and get some experience.... ( This will show the star fields, constellations etc)

Ken

[Munkie]

cheers for the advise guy's

I have a tripod and a remote for my camera already, The camera I have are the Sony a350 & a380, and the biggest lens I have is a 600mm lens.

I will have a look at getting a cheap telescope, but AP is something I really want to do as I have enjoyed stuff like this since I was a kid.

But at the same time I dont really wanna spend ££££ on equipment just to get a photo of a different planet, But I would like the best results I can at not a huge cost, if this makes sense.

Munkie

[GuillermoBarrancos]

The cheapest way to get started is lunar / planetary photography.

You can use a modified webcam for that. And no need for guiding.

With Deep Space Objects you need very long exposures. And so you will need to invest in guiding equipment as well. Adding to the cost.

[MarkF]

I have been researching AP for a few months now ie. what I would need and how to do it, its not cheap if you want to get somewhere near some of the deep space pictures you see here with a telescope. Also everyone has their preference as to what kit is best (CCD, DSL reflector, refractor guided unguided, mount.) In fact it is a minefield, so the first thing to ask how much is not much money as that is very subjective, a couple of hundred or couple of thousand?

My research has shown that the sony cameras can suffer with amp glow, the longer the exposure the warmer they get the noisier the picture the preferred camera is a canon as they suffer less with that and come with software geared towards AP. Its a shame as I have two minolta lens' which would fit a Sony A camera but no DSLR only a 35mm SLR.

You need, if using your existing lenses, something to track the sky with as you are taking moving photographs, the earth rotates so the sky moves as well as the earth orbiting the sun for longer exposures. Something like Astrotrac will give you an idea of what you need to do this.

If you want to add a telescope into the mix things get a bit more expensive, telescope, mount and adapters for your camera to fix to the telescope for unguided pictures which will limit your exposure time due to the errors in mount drive motors.

If you want longer exposures then throw into the mix a guiding setup, an additional telescope a bigger mount a CCD guide camera lots of patience and a big learning curve.

Alternatively as you are now with wide angle lens and limit exposure time for some wide angle shots of the sky, check the galleries out here to see what people achieve using their equipment.

Oh and after all that the post processing technique is quite complicated and requires some software to stack images and something like Photoshop to clean it all up.

I have worked a few prices through, all buying new to get an idea and guided will cost around 1500 - 2000 pounds from scratch and I bet I have missed a few things, that would be DSLR not including a laptop to run it.

[LukeSkywatcher]

Im looking at start astrophotography but I anit got a clue where to start TBH.

I have no kit at all apart from my to dSLR's.

So my question is what do I need to make a start etc. Links of items would be good so I know what im looking for

Get out while you are ahead.

If you have a scope on an driven EQ mount you are OK. All you need is the T-ring adapter to attach your DSLR to your scope.

[Leegsi]

Get out while you are ahead.

If you have a scope on an driven EQ mount you are OK. All you need is the T-ring adapter to attach your DSLR to your scope.

What about a driven Sky watcher 150 with 'T' ring?

[LukeSkywatcher]

What about a driven Sky watcher 150 with 'T' ring?

I assume that is fine.

[RayGil]

I only have a sky_Watcher 130p on EQ2 mount, but I have been doing some photography with it,

My Exploits are on: http://rays-place-on-the-net.blogspot.com/

Sometimes getting the eq2 mount tracking is a real problem, and all the other things like focus at the eyepiece and shake can effect the images, but if you have good clear nights, (which I haven't yet) you can get some reasonable results even with cheap, small scopes and a limited budget.

I have tried the CCT but unless the object is big, like the moon, it's difficult to pick up small objects in the eyepiece, I need more testing with this.

My biggest problem is tracking, but I'm getting to grips with it now.

Hope this helps.

Regards

Ray Gil

[Digz]

Well Ive just got a Skywatcher 250p DS newt on an EQ6 which I aim to use for AP with my Nikon D200. This will be done by connecting my DSLR with a T ring and prime focus - basically using the scope as a big lens. The tracking will allow moderate length exposures and it will be a bit of trial and error to start. My other option will be to piggyback the camera on the scope with a lens to try widefield AP. I know eventually I will end up mounting a second scope and guiding which will require a webcam or CCD. The best advice I can give is to go for the sturdiest mount you can afford to future-proof yourself as much as possible. Other than that I am still learning myself.

[crazyjedi]

My skywatcher 150 gives fine views so on a motorised mount i'd think it'd work well for pics. the mount is all important for pics. A better mount would mean more stability and longer exposure times and hence more detail on you photo's. Even the biggest scope would be hopeless for pics without a decent mount.

[michael.h.f.wilkinson]

If you have lenses up to 600mm you could start with piggyback photography of extended areas, using you telescope as a tracker. This is how I started out. Still have some Fujichrome slides with various comets and star clusters on it somewhere. Planets and the moon are comparatively easy by using a webcam (for preference CCD-based rather than CMOS based, for better sensitivity in the dark).

[ollypenrice]

Ian king does courses (Ian King Imaging) which moght help.

We have a couple of setups here running at over ten thousand apiece but that is absolutely not necessary to get publication quality images. Here's what I'd say was the cheapest way to full on astro-imaging;

-HEQ5 pro mount.

-Small apo refractor, maybe second hand. (WO66, 72, ED80, etc) Keep away from anything with a long focal length and/or slow focal ratio. (Maksutovs, SCTs.)

-Grotty guidescope, very second hand.

-Autoguider like Orion Starshoot.

-Modified DSLR again second hand.

-Laptop (you probably have one anyway)

-Stacking-processing software. We use AstroArt4 here. I think some good ones are free.

-Photoshop at some time.

And a copy of Steve's Making Every Pixel Count.

Even that is not cheap, but it isn't ten grand!