Dream astrophotography gear

[Fofommp]

Just a random question to get opinions.
If your bank account suddenly flexed with $20,000, what’s the first stupidly awesome astrophotography thing you’d waste it on before responsibility (wife) kicks in?

[joshman]

right now? Transport and a few years of dark sky hosting for my current setup.


EDIT: Make that a Full frame camera and filters, then transport and a few years of hosting with whatever is left.

[Leo.G]

An APO triplet around 120mm, a strain wave head, good tripod and reasonable OSC camera.

[TrevorW]

A very expensive telescope mount, as a good mount makes the world of difference :)

[Bart]

I second Trevor with a quality mount. A good second hand AP or a Software Bisque, 10 Micron, etc. would give good service, or new if you can afford it.

[DJT]

A mount…..always the mount…if it’s a good one, you should never notice that you have it

Astrophysics and SB..hang around for trump to continue trashing his economy and you might get a half decent exchange rate in the near future or get one second hand

Always the mount..

[Peter Ward]

Ditto.

A stable accurate mount will allow any good optical system approach its potential....as the atmosphere buggers up the rest.

The converse is rarely a problem.

Optically, if you want a superb instrument, then *anything* from Astro-Physics will not only perform brilliantly, but if well cared for, will appreciate in value ;)

[Crater101]

An observatory, with whatever is left over going to the best mount I could afford to put in it, as has already been mentioned.

[toc]

I would probably get an Astroworx 10" F4 reflector, or a Beamtech CDK250 :).

My current mount (iOptron CEM70) already tracks at 0.3-0.5, but might be tempted to get an CEM120.

[AstroViking]

This might blow the budget a little bit - a 200mm, F12 Nikon on a matching Nikon equatorial mount....

Anyone care to suggest a suitable camera for this beast? :lol:

V.

[N1]

Now we're talkin'
ASI178 should work well in this, and keep the budget excess down...

[N1]

I'd be able to buy the ingredients for, and take some time off, to try and put together, a coronagraph that can actually capture the Sun's corona (https://www.cloudynights.com/topic/817821-new-coronagraph-christened/).