[trackerau (Gavan)]

First off I agree with Malcolm and Karl

I started down this path some 18 months ago when I jumped feet first into a shop in Melbourne and said "I want to take photos like those on the wall", and I had no equipment at all.

Since then I have done nothing but upgrade, renew, trade, sell and replace equipment, look at the list on my signature, and take the occasional picture. My fault, I took the salesman's advice.

To cut a long story short I found another store in the burbs and what I have now is what I should have started with:

NEQ6 mount (room to grow)
102 refractor
Meade LPI – for planetary work
Laptop - Control, Capture, Processing pictures
Software – Control, Capture, Processing pictures

80mm as Guide scope – used for guiding during long exposures
QHY5 Guide camera – again used for guiding during long exposures
DSLR – to take pictures – can be used as normal camera as well.
Laptop - Control, Capture, Processing pictures
Various Software applications – Control, Capture, Processing pictures


OTA - The 4” would be a good start.

MOUNT - The NEQ6 – Pro is heavy but not over the top. I have a broken collar bone and still manage to set it up. This will easily cope with a 9.25” SCT, the HEQ5 may be a bit light for this. I started with the HEQ5 Pro great mount that worked really well but I have upgraded scope for deep sky images and had to upgrade the mount as well.

GUIDING – Although the tracking is very good on the mount I found though trial and mostly error that you need to guide the mount to avoid oval stars in long exposures, the ED 80 would be a suitable OTA with a guide camera attached. The QHY5 is the same as the Orion Guide camera but cheaper.

SOFTWARE - Most software that controls the mount requires a serial port or a USB – serial adapter and most are written for Windows, I don’t know much about Macbook can they use windows stuff now?
For capture and processing there are lots of different programs available many freeware others are $$$$.

LAPTOP - An important issue is battery life (if you are away from 240) so smaller screens are the go.

CAMERA – What do you want to do Planetary or deep sky?
Deep sky - I had a canon 40D prior to starting down the dark side so I used it to start out. It comes with its own pc control software for live view and timed exposures; I haven’t modified it and can use it as a normal camera.
Planetary – I have a meade LPI – rather cheap ($100+) and does a good job.

Learning curve – HUGE


I hope this helps