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View Full Version here: : 3k to spend on atrophotography setup from almost scratch


dizzy2003
23-12-2020, 04:47 PM
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
24-12-2020, 04:09 AM
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
24-12-2020, 06:31 AM
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
24-12-2020, 06:31 AM
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
24-12-2020, 05:29 PM
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
24-12-2020, 05:39 PM
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::thumbsup::thumbsup :

dizzy2003
26-12-2020, 05:50 PM
Yeah I'm patiently waiting for a local mount to show up.

dizzy2003
27-12-2020, 11:03 PM
HEQ5 Pro mount aquired for $850.

$2150 remaining.

raymo
28-12-2020, 01:17 AM
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
28-12-2020, 11:48 AM
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
28-12-2020, 12:13 PM
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
28-12-2020, 12:50 PM
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
28-12-2020, 09:59 PM
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
29-12-2020, 05:46 PM
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/zwo-30f4-guidescope-2/?v=0ef0e30bd401

maybe the Orion 50mm would be better

https://www.bintel.com.au/product/orion-mini-50mm-guide-scope/?v=0ef0e30bd401

jahnpahwa
30-12-2020, 11:56 AM
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 :thumbsup:
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
30-12-2020, 11:25 PM
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
08-01-2021, 06:26 PM
as is tradition its endlessly rainy in Brisbane since everything arrived.

dizzy2003
14-01-2021, 06:27 PM
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
14-01-2021, 06:39 PM
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
14-01-2021, 06:58 PM
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

jahnpahwa
14-01-2021, 07:05 PM
You are well, wellllll on your way! Great job 👍👌

dizzy2003
14-01-2021, 07:07 PM
Agreed, no idea what I'm doing with startool yet.

no joy with starcap, but its fine with my guide cam for polar alignment

dizzy2003
14-01-2021, 07:10 PM
Thanks,

You just quoted my philosophy of life. :)

Do what you can, with what you have, where you are.

Theodore Roosevelt


If I was brave I would leave the rig out all night capturing. Having said that M42 goes behind my roof about 11pm.

dizzy2003
14-01-2021, 07:14 PM
Thanks.

next is figure out guiding. well specifically why goto goes a bit crazy when I use eqmod instead of the handset

dizzy2003
24-01-2021, 03:05 PM
Latest Update:

A couple of images from last night

Southern pinwheel 45 1 minute exposures

eta carinae 174 1 minute exposures.

Stacked in DSS, processed in startools

Stayed up way past my bedtime. Was about to call it done when I noticed southern pinwheel was in view. first attempt at a galaxy.

Need to investigate my weird star shapes at some point.

Am eyeing up better cameras.

dizzy2003
24-01-2021, 03:07 PM
the 200K jpeg limit has not been kind

jahnpahwa
24-01-2021, 03:24 PM
hahhaha! its such a killer, hey. BUT its obvious there is good stuff going on here, even the southern pinwheel is showing well there. I think you get 10 images free on astrobin if you're thinking you might like to share some higher red images?

dizzy2003
23-03-2021, 11:16 PM
Well I have to confess I have now added a ASI 533-MC pro to replace my old 500D

Now I just need some clear nights to try it out.

peter_4059
24-03-2021, 08:27 AM
looks like you are about to get a couple of clear nights...