Come join the friendliest, most engaging and inclusive astronomy forum geared for beginners and advanced telescope users, astrophotography devotees, plus check out our "Astro" goods vendors.
Come join the friendliest, most engaging and inclusive astronomy forum geared for beginners and advanced telescope users, astrophotography devotees, plus check out our "Astro" goods vendors.
We all started somewhere! We are a friendly bunch! Most of your questions can be posted here, but if you are interested in Astrophotography please use the new Beginner Astrophotography forum. The response time will be much better.
So , I bought the AVX .
After watching Astronomy Photographer of the Year Awards 2021 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_DkA-q9Rm10
.
I want to skip using the rebel camera we had lying around, and get a CCD type
.
I Downloaded the Celestron program for tracking and camera...
Can someone guide me to a good tracker and camera...?
I'm guessing a cheap camera will be over 1K ?
I need to research a System set-up before I buy.
What are YOU running ? For what results ?
.
Thanks
I'm only an iPhone photographer, but I follow EAA and astrophotography in case I decide to jump in someday. FWIW:
- You can get very good results with a DSLR. You might want to experiment with your Rebel before buying something else.
- ZWO and others sell decent cameras for only a few hundred bucks. But if you want a cooled, etc. cam, prices can be well above $1,000.
- I'm not sure CCDs are readily available anymore. I believe almost all vendors have gone to CMOS. MallinCam might still sell CCDs.
============================================================================= I drink tea, I read books, I look at stars when I'm not cursing clouds. It's what I do. =============================================================================
AT50, AT72EDII, ST80, ST102; Scopetech Zero, AZ-GTi, AZ Pronto; Innorel RT90C, Oberwerk 5000; Orion Giantview 15x70s, Vortex 8x42s, Navy surplus 7x50s, Nikon 10x50s
is that an 8'' mak or newt ? i see you have a finder scope on it, that should be enough for a guide scope .
it's hard find a cheap guide camera other than the asi 120 , i have a pro star which is like touptek clone ,they don't seem to make them anymore
it is very simple to make a guide scope, all you need to do is take the back end off on your finder scope and make an adapter
a camera like this should be suitable for guiding , i find them more suitable for achieving focus on guide scopes that use 1.25''
if you have a decent web camera that you want to modify, that will work too, some retailer were selling the 1.25'' adapter that you glue to an pc webcamera for diy guiding https://www.bintel.com.au/product/binte ... m-adapter/
Please read this post. It will answer so many of your questions. viewtopic.php?t=523
The AVX Mount is your tracker. I would suggest you start with your DSLR attached to either your telescope or a camera lens. A guide scope can be anything from a 50 mm finderscope to a 70 mm El Cheapo you can find sometimes on Craigslist certainly on AM and CN there are some available.
Most of what you need is the free software that's explained on that post. You are very close to having all you need already. You don't need to spend a lot of money to start learning a lot of information.
∞ Primary Scopes: #1: Celestron CPC1100 #2: 8" f/7.5 Dob #3: CR150HD f/8 6" frac ∞ AP Scopes: #1: TPO 6" f/9 RC #2: ES 102 f/7 APO #3: ES 80mm f/6 APO ∞ G&G Scopes: #1: Meade 102mm f/7.8 #2: Bresser 102mm f/4.5 ∞ Guide Scopes: 70 & 80mm fracs -- The El Cheapo Bros. ∞ Mounts: iOptron CEM70AG, SW EQ6R, Celestron AVX, SLT & GT (Alt-Az), Meade DS2000 ∞ Cameras: #1: ZWO ASI294MC Pro #2: 662MC #3: 120MC, Canon T3i, Orion SSAG, WYZE Cam3 ∞ Binos: 10X50,11X70,15X70, 25X100 ∞ AP Gear: ZWO EAF and mini EFW and the Optolong L-eXteme filter ∞ EPs: ES 2": 21mm 100° & 30mm 82° Pentax XW: 7, 10, 14, & 20mm 70°
Searching the skies since 1966. "I never met a scope I didn't want to keep."
I guess I'm looking for a tracker / guide scope without involving toilet paper.
.
I see programs... Don't I need guiding first ?
I guess I was looking for it all to be compatible first , then computer fun.
I thought someone with a AVX could just tell me what they were using so I could research it.
Instead...I get a toilet roll.
.
I'll keep searching , I'm not in a hurry, just want it right.
.
If I ever get the hardware , I'll know where to read about the software.
.
Thanx
First get the AVX connected to the PC (sorry, I don't have experience of the AVX but had the Skywatcher NEQ6...) Apparently the PC has to connect to the hand controller though on the AVX through a USB to serial cable (research this exactly yourself).
There are several ways to control the scope using the PC - using Cartes du Ciel works really well. It's a bit of a learning curve but there are lots of the web to help you with all of this.
Try using APT (astrophotography tool). Connect your DSLR (don't bother with the special astro cam just yet...) and APT connects to your AVX. Try using DARV (drift alignment) to get your polar alignment dead on and hold off on guiding until you've sorted this out and comfortable controlling the AVX with the PC and also taking images with the DSR. Guiding just gives another layer to think about which you don't need while you're learning...
Thanks for explaining that... Hmmm, but I'd still like to avoid the rebel camera... I don't know it , and upgrading ahead would save the learning.
.
I saw a guy on CN when I was searching the web for someone who had my similar equipment...
I joined the forum , I'm going to see what he's using , his nebula picture was very nice.
.
Since I've never been to one of those star parties , I figured this might be a good way of getting previews of possible results, with certain equipment
that fits my budget.
Should be easy...Three main things AVX , 6" Newtonian , and veiw their photo's
.
Gotta Fly...
.
