3k to spend on atrophotography setup from almost scratch

[dizzy2003 (Michael)]

30 years ago I had a tal 1
5 years ago I bought a 8 inch collapsible dob

I've done some planetary photography with the dob and a dslr 550D with laptop and a lot of messing about manually tracking while using backyard EOS (then image stacking etc)

I now have 3k approved from the SO to step into astro photography, nebulae and galaxies are my main interest.

I'm thinking a 80mm refractor ED doublet, and a heq5, hopefully second hand.

am also hoping to squeeze in a guiding setup (I have a laptop)

Ideally I would go second hand market and I'm refreshing the forums every few hours. The new market seems to be out of stock everywhere.

Am in SW brisbane.

so any other thoughts on alternatives?

[JA]

Hi Michael,
There are a few options along the lines you are looking at in the telescope/mount classified section of the forum.

Best
JA

[mura_gadi (Steve)]

Patience...

You're in a good location for 2nd hand telescopes if your willing to travel a little. Don't discount gumtree for your searches as well.

I missed a 16" Orion goto in Sydney for $100 a few weeks ago on gumtree... I tell myself it was either stolen goods or a hate sale from an X' to console myself for missing it by a few hours according to the seller.

Maybe leave a request with astro anarchy, they can have some good deals on ex demo stock and such.

[xelasnave]

HEQ 5 and a 6 inch Newtonian (If you can get one) and you should be able to get a guide camera and guide scope as well for the price of an 80mm maybe...look in Beginner's Astro photos at what Startrec , Martin, captures in Sydney with a six...he is now using a great camera but his earlier work with the six and a DSLR should help you see the virtue of a six.
Alex

[dizzy2003 (Michael)]

Originally Posted by xelasnave

HEQ 5 and a 6 inch Newtonian (If you can get one) and you should be able to get a guide camera and guide scope as well for the price of an 80mm maybe...look in Beginner's Astro photos at what Startrec , Martin, captures in Sydney with a six...he is now using a great camera but his earlier work with the six and a DSLR should help you see the virtue of a six.
Alex

Yeah I havent totally ruled out a newt and infact a newt was originally my plan but then I saw a lot of good stuff online about small refractors and the easy of use and low weight does appeal.

Will check out the pics.

[jahnpahwa (JP)]

550 on that unreal 5" make newt in Brissy
1300 on the neq6 in melb
1090 on the 183mm pro
All in classifieds now.

200 or so on 1.25" lrgb zwo filters.

APOD ready.:thumbsup :

[dizzy2003 (Michael)]

Originally Posted by jahnpahwa

550 on that unreal 5" make newt in Brissy
1300 on the neq6 in melb
1090 on the 183mm pro
All in classifieds now.

200 or so on 1.25" lrgb zwo filters.

APOD ready.:thumbsup :

Yeah I'm patiently waiting for a local mount to show up.

[dizzy2003 (Michael)]

Originally Posted by dizzy2003

Yeah I'm patiently waiting for a local mount to show up.

HEQ5 Pro mount aquired for $850.

$2150 remaining.

[raymo]

It just occurred to me that if you are wanting to do galaxies/nebulae, you
would be better off with the greater focal length of a Newt [900mm and up] as many galaxies are quite small.
raymo

[dizzy2003 (Michael)]

Originally Posted by raymo

It just occurred to me that if you are wanting to do galaxies/nebulae, you
would be better off with the greater focal length of a Newt [900mm and up] as many galaxies are quite small.
raymo

What your saying is I need 2 scopes maybe 3..


planning on starting out with a F6 ish scope, theres plenty to learn and shoot then get something higher later for the smaller galaxies later down the line.

[Startrek (Martin)]

My recommendation ( I’m an avid newtonian reflector imager and observer )

My first Astro rig with current prices -

6”f6 Bintel GSO newtonian reflector $399
Replacement dual speed focuser $199
Saxon HEQ5 mount $1,549
Powertech 12V 7.5A power adapter $45
Canon 600D DSLR second hand $300
Baader MCCP mkIII coma corrector. $360
Canon T ring adapter. $39
Canon cable 5m. $60
BYEOS - frame , focus and capture software $75
Laptop ( assuming you have one )

Total Cost $3,026.00

Some images attached from Bortle 8 skies in Sydney with above set up 2018 to 2019 ........

Cheers

[Startrek (Martin)]

Originally Posted by Startrek

My recommendation ( I’m an avid newtonian reflector imager and observer )

My first Astro rig with current prices -

6”f6 Bintel GSO newtonian reflector $399
Replacement dual speed focuser $199
Saxon HEQ5 mount $1,549
Powertech 12V 7.5A power adapter $45
Canon 600D DSLR second hand $300
Baader MCCP mkIII coma corrector. $360
Canon T ring adapter. $39
Canon cable 5m. $60
BYEOS - frame , focus and capture software $75
Laptop ( assuming you have one )

Total Cost $3,026.00

Some images attached from Bortle 8 skies in Sydney with above set up 2018 to 2019 ........

Cheers

Forgot to include a Laser collimator and Cheshire $200

Free software
Stellarium and EQMOD for Goto and navigation ( add $60 for a USB EQ direct cable )
Autostakkert 3 and Registax 6 for planetary imaging stacking and processing ( BYEOS has a planetary mode for planetary imaging )

Processing software , your choice but I use Startools cost $45

[dizzy2003 (Michael)]

Those pics sure do help your cause

I especially like sombrero and M83.

I have a laptop and a canon 550D and t ring. and have used BYEOS for the free month (did some planetary hand tracking with an 8 inch dob ) will need to buy a full copy though.

Its a bit unfortunate you found the need to replace the focuser. in terms of adding to the price.

I like the ease of a refractor though, no big mirror to cool, no air currents in the tube, no collimation, no obstruction and spines, much easier to manage, just the price is aperture and errm money.

Currently a 6 inch newt is my fallback plan if I have to buy new.

Mike

[dizzy2003 (Michael)]

ES ED80 triplet with field flattener purchased for $780 including postage.

HEQ5 $850

power supply+ some extension cable $50

Synscan usb to rj45 $37

Total so far $1,717


remaining 1283.


will a zwo 30F4 guidescope be ok I wonder..

https://www.bintel.com.au/product/zw...v=0ef0e30bd401

maybe the Orion 50mm would be better

https://www.bintel.com.au/product/or...v=0ef0e30bd401

[jahnpahwa (JP)]

Looks like you've got it coming together nicely!! I'd go the Orion, especially if you think you might go longer in focal length for smaller apparent-size targets in future
I'd sticking with your DSLR, you're crusing it in! I'd throw some small dollars at a sharpcap licence straight up, and also pixinsight if you have $250 or whatever it is left over.

[dizzy2003 (Michael)]

Originally Posted by jahnpahwa

Looks like you've got it coming together nicely!! I'd go the Orion, especially if you think you might go longer in focal length for smaller apparent-size targets in future
I'd sticking with your DSLR, you're crusing it in! I'd throw some small dollars at a sharpcap licence straight up, and also pixinsight if you have $250 or whatever it is left over.

I havent been able to get sharpcap to work with my canon dlsr
will have to pay for the BackyardEOS license as that did work.

will have to give pixinsight a trial first, I have some of my own homebrew image processing software I want to try too.

[dizzy2003 (Michael)]

as is tradition its endlessly rainy in Brisbane since everything arrived.

[dizzy2003 (Michael)]

Finally got some clear sky to get my first image

60 1 minute subs untracked canon 500D


10 or so flats and darks and flat darks and biases

stacked in DSS.

I just stretched the image out a bit in paint.net

The 'bad' image is the same stacked shot processed in startool.
First attempt at using startool, totally overprocessed it but it did show theres some details there.

Hopefully the pics are attached

Edit- uploaded a tweaked version of the paint.net one and the images got reordered

[Wilsil (Wilco)]

The second image looks strange.
Is that one using Startool?

Did you get your DSLR working with SharpCap?
I am using SharpCap 2.9 with my Canon EOS-M6 and it works perfectly for polar alignment.

[xelasnave]

Excellent effort.
Get more subs ...you can never have too many...and I can see you rung all there was to be got in that second image...you are on your way..I must say you have hit the deck running and I would be very happy if I were you...I am having no luck with Orion for some reason...

It's like anything ..practice practice practice...

Having a lot of subs helps as they can vary night to night but what I do is ...well lets take the last object...I had about 750 subs..one minute mainly..I went thru three times picking the best, then the best and then the best...ended up with 327 ...it is really hard to disgard a sub but you have to be hard..if you have to think should I keep it you should throw it out... but for me I find the extra effort well worth it...the difference between the two images was really noticable the 327 won hands down.

And the other thing to remember dont worry too much as to what others may say..one can only do ones best with what you have and where you are..and don't be in a hurry to improve this or that just get the best out of what you have...and you have good gear thats for sure.
Alex