Show us your equipment!

[Wilso]

Very nice!
I love the old scopes and mounts .
If you haven’t already looked check out Dave Trott on YouTube, he show cases a lot of classic scope and mounts.
Cheers

[pt1280 (Peitao (Markus))]

I just got my new setup running smoothly and took my first proper image. 8 inch F5 newt on an iOptron GEM45 and a Touptek color version imx571 apsc camera attached. It's been quite the step-up for me.

[AdamJL]

Perfection! That is a stunning image.

[pt1280 (Peitao (Markus))]

Continuing from my last thread...

Began the hobby two years ago with a SkyRover 72ed apo and a modded Canon 6D/unmodded Sony A7r3 on an iOptron CEM25p on my bortle 7 city balcony, with the aim for it to be nice and portable. Slowly moved on to a ZWO183mm, Sharpstar 150 f2.8 HNT, iOptron GEM45 and QHY168C, all aimed to be portable and efficient, but eventually, the focal length just doesn't cut it and now driving my 8inch f5 newt around...

Originally Posted by pt1280

I just got my new setup running smoothly and took my first proper image. 8 inch F5 newt on an iOptron GEM45 and a Touptek color version imx571 apsc camera attached. It's been quite the step-up for me.

[pt1280 (Peitao (Markus))]

Originally Posted by AdamJL

Perfection! That is a stunning image.

Thank you! This setup really works like a charm! Hope we get more clear skies!

[kkk26 (Chit Ko Ko)]

Rare and lovely scope, only Schmidt-Cassegrain made by Takahashi. The focal ratio is f/12. It was produced in 1989-1991. And said to be only one hundred TSC-225 in the world. I didn't even know this scope exists until accidentally owned it and really love it. Mighty planet killer.

Aperture: 225mm
Focal Length: 2700mm
Focal ratio: 12
Weight: 20lbs

[Hans Tucker (Hans)]

Originally Posted by kkk26

Rare and lovely scope, only Schmidt-Cassegrain made by Takahashi. The focal ratio is f/12. It was produced in 1989-1991. And said to be only one hundred TSC-225 in the world. I didn't even know this scope exists until accidentally owned it and really love it. Mighty planet killer.

Aperture: 225mm
Focal Length: 2700mm
Focal ratio: 12
Weight: 20lbs

Soooo envious. Breaking the 10th Astronomers Commandment ... "Thou Shall Not Covet Thy Peers Equipment"

[croweater (Richard)]

Originally Posted by kkk26

Rare and lovely scope, only Schmidt-Cassegrain made by Takahashi. The focal ratio is f/12. It was produced in 1989-1991. And said to be only one hundred TSC-225 in the world. I didn't even know this scope exists until accidentally owned it and really love it. Mighty planet killer.

Aperture: 225mm
Focal Length: 2700mm
Focal ratio: 12
Weight: 20lbs

Wish I could accidentally own a scope like that

[Crater101 (Warren)]

Originally Posted by kkk26

Rare and lovely scope, only Schmidt-Cassegrain made by Takahashi. The focal ratio is f/12. It was produced in 1989-1991. And said to be only one hundred TSC-225 in the world. I didn't even know this scope exists until accidentally owned it and really love it. Mighty planet killer.

Aperture: 225mm
Focal Length: 2700mm
Focal ratio: 12
Weight: 20lbs

That's a really nice bit of gear....


Realised I hadn't thrown my hat in the ring here, hence the attachment.


- Skywatcher "Skymax" 150mm/1800 Mak-Cas on HEQ5 "Dual" Mount, Bluetti EB55, Lacerta power regulator to a Prima Luce Dew heater strip.

- Skywatcher "Startravel" 120mm/600 Refractor on unpowered EQ3-2 mount.



You can tell I'm primarily a visual type, can't you? Image taken prior to the arrival of the somewhat rroublesome Skywatcher Star Adventurer GTi.

[nikanj (Andy)]

I'm new to the forum though I've been lurking for a while. Thought I'd share my modest setup.

Skywatcher 130 PDS
Skywatcher NEQ6 Pro
QHY294M
QHYCFW3
ZWO LRGB, HA, OIII and SII filters
SvBony SV106 60mm Guide Scope
ZWO ASI120MM Guide Cam
Baader MPCC MKIII
ZWO EAF

The 130 PDS is maybe the cheapest astrophotography scope on the Australian market but such amazing performance. Highly recommended.

[Rory]

I'm new also and have been in the hobby for about 3 months. I started with untracked and now have put together this little rig. I love it. It works well when it is dead calm, but is quite susceptible to wind. What is everyone's opinion on upgrading to a larger mount? how much could I expect this to help or should I focus on shielding the rig from the wind?
Cheers,
Rory


SA GTi
Evolux 82ed
ZWO guide 30mm
120mm
2600mcp
AA+
Eaf

[Rob72 (Robert)]

I’ve been in & out of visual Astronomy since Halleys comet last graced our skies & have had some decent equipment set ups leading up to this present cluster of metal & glass elements. I’m thoroughly enjoying rock solid stability & visual clarity that I previously hadn’t reached or achieved.

Content

[dikman (Richard)]

Rob, not only does the gear look nice but that is a very atmospheric photo, it captures the feeling of a sunset on a lonely outback road in the middle of nowhere.

[KG8]

Originally Posted by pt1280

It's been quite the step-up for me.

Well it's paid off, believe it. I've seen some nice amateur stuff and those pictures are right up there. f5, that's fast
Love that mount too. I've been out of the loop for a few years and sold off my big stuff, EQ6 & 5, I just kept a Celestron C6 on a cheap $400 altaz mount. I'm an EP user only. But that red mount looks space age, I'll search your posts and see where you picked it up, they are 4 grand here in OZ are they? And what newt is that pt?


Again, well done mate.

[Rainmaker (Matt)]

Picked up a little Grab&Go scope for my outreach astronomy sessions at Mt Stromlo…….

[DJ N]

Originally Posted by Rainmaker

Picked up a little Grab&Go scope for my outreach astronomy sessions at Mt Stromlo…….

Ooooh…. Very nice Matt. It will be interesting to hear how the views compare to the TOA, especially on lunar and planets.

Hoping you get some nice clear skies.

All the best

Daniel

[AlexN]

First astro rig since 2012...

Exceptionally happy with the results so far, I've produced 1 completed test image with the rig so far, ~5hrs worth of 5 min subs on M45 - which was the best M45 I've ever managed...
I've now started my first real long integration project and have amassed 10hrs of luminance on my target without a single trashed sub yet...

First light test image - M45

The Rig:
Losmandy G11 Gemini
Askar 65PHQ
SBIG ST-8300M with
FW5 CFW (Baader L, R, G, B, 7nm Ha)
ASI120MM Mini
SVBony 30mm f/4 guide scope
2x Cheap aliexpress dew heaters

Not in the pic, but part of the rig now:
MeLE Quieter 3c MiniPC
ZWO EAF
Touptek ATR3CMOS10300KPA (IMX294 colour camera)

The plan is that the ST8300M will get a full 3nm narrowband filter set, and I'll use the Touptek camera for colour targets, and shoot 3nm narrowband with the ST8300M.
As both cameras have a very similar sensor size and image scale, I should be able to blend narrowband data from the ST8300 into the colour images should I desire, and long term, perhaps get another 65PHQ and run them side by side for double the data collection on any given night. We'll see!

For now though - I must say I'm a very happy boy with the setup, it performs perfectly (as you'd expect, running a G11 with 5.4kg on it)...

Hopefully by the end of december I'll have the 30+hrs on my current target and have my first real project to show for it.

[Rainmaker (Matt)]

Originally Posted by DJ N

Ooooh…. Very nice Matt. It will be interesting to hear how the views compare to the TOA, especially on lunar and planets.

Hoping you get some nice clear skies.

All the best

Daniel

It’s been cloudy since I got back home with this scope. It’s a William Optics Gran Turismo 153 F7.8. @ 1188mm, beautiful build quality and as a bonus it has the Feathertouch FTF3545B-A focuser and Baader Clicklock visual back, Baader Vario 60/250 finder…

[AlexN]

Originally Posted by Rainmaker

It’s a William Optics Gran Turismo 153 F7.8. @ 1188mm, beautiful build quality and as a bonus it has the Feathertouch FTF3545B-A focuser

That's a sensational bit of gear there!
I'd be very keen to get a hold of one of the original LZOS lensed WO FLT-110's or WO FLT-132 scopes from the mid 2000's... They were amazing! I can only imagine the GT 153 is SUPERB!

[FlashDrive (Poppy)]

Matt ....very nice Scope

William Optics make some beautiful Scopes.

Col...