Starting in astrophotography often involves what seems like huge sums of cash so here I want to present gear options that will get you there without buying stuff that will prove inadequate need upgrading and fail to deliver the goods.
I am somewhat inspired by Martin's ( startreck) excellent results using a six inch Newtonian Reflector telescope.
Many folk see a starting point as a 80mm triplet refractor which certainly is a great scope for astrophotos but I would suggest that to start with a six inch Newtonian Reflector will see great photos and a saving of between $1500 and $2000.
Many folk are frightened of a Newtonian Reflecting scope because of numerous intimidating articles, directions and advice on how to collimate a Newtonian Reflecting scope...I say dont be.. and certainly if you go for a scope the same as Martin's which is a F6 I recall, you wont find collimation difficult or maybe not even needed ... Probably by the time it is needed you will be a seasoned astro photographer and you will wonder what all the fuss was about...now if you are using a F4 scope getting it right will require some effort, the sort of effort that sees the many articles on how to do it..
Next your mount..in my view there are only two choices..A HEQ 5 or a EQ 6 pro.
The 5 will take a six inch Newtonian Reflector scope easy..and I have (as many folk have) carried a eight inch Newtonian Reflector scope on the 5 such that I obtained (in my view) great photos, although maybe somewhat shorter exposures than say if you placed the eight on the EQ 6 pro...
If you want to future proof your mount go for a EQ 6 pro..and if you go for the 5 you may want to add belt drive...then the 6 is the smarter option...the price difference becomes much less and the 6 already had belt drive...or being totally realistic start with a EQ 8 r ..only $8000
If I had my time over I would go EQ5 then EQ8, skip the EQ6...but I am now past a six inch or eight inch scope and trying to carry an 11 inch...look at the money I would have saved if I bought the RASA, EQ8 and camera first up..
Now most folk start with a DSLR ...if I had my time over I would pass by the DSLR and go for at the very least a cooled one shot colour but after experiencing narrow band I would start there...but thats so much money you say.. yes but to go dedicated cooled astro camera at the start I would have saved $800 on the DSLR that now sits gathering dust never used and my smart phone side stepping its need for everything not astro...plus at the start you underestimate the absolute need for cooling..and just look at a DSLR photo alongside a dedicated astro camera or narrow band...why waste time getting results that in a very short time you will not be happy with...it is a waste of money.
So start with...Eq5, six inch, and a cooled dedicated astro camera.. even if you go bigger later this rig will always be useful...look at Martin an eight down South and yet his six inch still producing excellent results in Sydney.
Also I have pretty well given up on auto guiding ...mainly because I am following the "lucky' capture approach going for many short exposures which I see as a way forward particularly with the fast RASA but when starting out doing without auto guiding saves money which I contend is better spent on your main camera. In any event I do believe one should go for some time getting the mount to work as best it can before you add auto guiding...my old EQ 6 (I have ywo)after years of tweeking really does not need auto guide at all...
But the main point I want to make is dont underestimate the six inch Newtonian Reflector and put the money saved by not going for a 80mm triplet into a dedicated cooled camera.
And Martin if you are there could you add a photo taken with the six inch..maybe two..a galaxy and a nebula..and please add any observations your experience provides.
Alex