[rollmebackagain]

To start with, I'll briefly explain where I am with astrophotography: Definitely a beginner. I've got an SLR that I've played with a number of times, making star trails mostly. I've been wanting to branch out for a while and spring for something that can let me take longer exposures to capture the milky way or nebulas, etc. Clearly I'm going to need to get a good tracking mount, but I've never actually seen one before, so I'm unsure of what I'm doing and don't want to make the investment and realize I don't have the right stuff. I've got a number of questions that I need some help with, so any help would be greatly appreciated!

1) Someone mentioned getting an "astro cam" - is that different than a normal camera? Do most people attach an SLR body to a telescope?

2) What's the different between these:
- An SLR with a 300mm lens and a 2x extender (so 600 mm focal length) and the aperture setting is f/2.8 (though the extender steps that down one stop), with a 77mm lens diameter
- An ED80 telescope, which will have a 600mm focal length, f/7.5, and an 80mm lens diameter
Is there any real reason to invest in that telescope then? Does the wider aperture on the SLR with the same focal length and basically same lens diameter make it better?

3) Can you mount an SLR directly onto a mount (thinking I'll start with an EQ6) to take wide angle shots?

4) What equipment do you need to mount an SLR onto a telescope?

5) How long does it typically take to set up an equatorial mount for an evening of shooting? How do you make sure the camera/telescope is axially aligned with the mount?

6) Any advice on the best canon lenses for wide-angle shooting? Should I be looking for one that has a really wide aperture - recommendations for the minimum aperture I should go with?

If there's something here that you think I just don't know to ask about, any advice is welcome! Thanks!