Quote:
Originally Posted by RobF
The reality is that many people don't want to spend an arm and a leg on top quality astro gear, and you can make do with a lot less than top notch as long as you understand and expect certain limitations. You can learn to understand and manage those limitations and do things at data collection and post processing to increase the chance of achieving your goals. Not everyone is worried about APODs (nice though!), and the PMX, FSQ, 16803 rig can wait until we win lotto anyway  |
Too true Rob. Sometimes we just need to take a step back and realise how incredible our 'beginners' equipment is when compared to that of a professional 30-40 years ago.
No one would argue that the results that people got back then were any less valid, just because they had simple equipment by today's standards. Yet somehow we talk ourselves into some sort of inferiority complex when imaging with modern, but 'simple' equipment, which, in the right hands, would easily blow away anything you'd be able to produce 30-40 years ago.
I have very little time for people (I won't mention any names or vendors) that say you should just give up on this hobby if you can't afford a coma corrector, a CCD, a proper mount, this filter or that filter.
Just enjoy the ride and capture some fresh photons of amazing things only a fraction of people on earth have captured photons of before. Whether you use a webcam or a CCD, it's easier and more affordable than it has ever been!
Cheers,