Quote:
Originally Posted by montewilson
Hi Alex - the mount is where you will sink or swim. I would suggest an EQ5 or EQ6 as a good start. The "6" is probably far more than you need to start with but look at the style at least.
Then get a small scope say 60 - 80 mm. An ED-80 comes to mind.
Learn how to polar align it (which is not simple and will take you a few weeks to become whip-ass at it) then you can use the camera mounted next to or on top of the scope and take some wide field shots with your existing lenses.
This will give you some cool wide field shots and much encouragement. You could consider getting an autoguider or a webcam-software based autoguider and take longer exposures.
When you have all that beaten, get an adaptor to attach your camera to the scope and a field flattener. You may need to get another small scope (not a really high quality one) to use as a guide scope as the main scope will be busy.
Can I suggest you join or at least meet with one of the SEQ Astro clubs? There are some great and active ones in your area. Go out on a dark sky night with them and see what they are using. You will find it is not far from what I have suggested.
This advice is what will make the difference between you staying in this hobby and having magazine quality pictures or leaving astronomy. We've seen it so many times before.
PS I started more or less like this with film in 1992 and my early widefield shots with a 50mm lens gave me so much pride and satisfaction and 16 years later I am still taking pictures.
Good luck!
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Well said Monte,
I started with prime lenses then moved up to an ED80 with an 'adequate' mount (Synscan EQ5), I have recently had a minor epiphany so to speak in that I have returned to the basics, albeit very good basics...same mount but Canon 40D and Canon EF 70-200mm f4 L lens. I hope to return to my widefield imaging roots and produce the images I wanted to initially!!!
Softly Softly Catchy Monkey!!!!!!
Doug
