I've had it for less than a month, but so far I'm really liking it for the most part. Here are some pros and cons I thought of about this scope to help you out:

Pros:

• It's great for visual observing! With it I've seen the Great Red Spot on Jupiter, moon shadows on Jupiter, the Cassini Division in Saturn, detail in Saturn's atmosphere, detail on Mars's surface, and so much detail on the moon that it almost looks like I could touch it. Deep sky objects also look great through the scope. (I live in a heavily light polluted area and I can still see some amazing things, such as certain nebulas and star clusters.)
  
  
• It's great for planetary photography. (Don't really need to explain this one, as there's an example image in this thread.)
  
  
• If you get it aligned well, the goto function works great! I've had lots of fun using it because it's a great way to discover new objects you haven't heard of before.
  
  
• Because it's a Schmidt-Cassagrian it has a lot less coma than other types of telescopes, which is helpful for both visual observing and photography. (Though you can buy a coma corrector if you get a different type of telescope.)
  
  Cons:
  
  
• Haven't tested this myself yet as I haven't needed to, but the majority of reviews for the 8SE says it sucks down the battery power in less than 30 minutes when it's on. To fix this issue, I bought a power cord, but if you want to take it out somewhere, you'll probably need to buy a power tank. (Or something like it.)
  
  
• This is not an issue where I live so I can't say any of this with experience, but since it's a Scmidth-Cassigrian telescope and has closed optics, dew can form on the corrector plate depending on the weather. (Here's a page about it with more information.) Uf you don't want to buy anything extra to fix this issue I've heard that leaving the 8SE out for about an hour before you use it will get rid of most of the dew.
  
  
• I've had a decent amount of issues with the tracking being finicky, but it very well could be fixable. (Objects tend to go out of frame over time, even when aligned. This happens most often when I tell it to go somewhere, or when I recently moved it with the arrow buttons. I do find that if I leave the telescope alone for a few minutes to let it "catch up" to its new position in the sky it can keep the object pretty solidly in the frame though.)
  
  
• Because of its mount type (Alt-Az) and its somewhat finicky tracking, this telescope is not good for DSO photography. Keep in mind it is definitely possible to get great images of DSOs with it, but it's a lot harder and if photographing them is your main goal then I wouldn't recommend the 8SE. (Here's a thread I found, in which some of the posts go into more detail about the issues I was talking about.) I bought the 8SE mainly for planetary photography, so this isn't an issue for me.
  
  
• With a star diagonal in, the telescope can't point above 70-80 degrees or so, which can be a pain depending on what you're looking at. You can fix this by moving the tube up on the fork arm more. I have heard that makes the tracking less stable because it's slightly off balanced, so I don't keep it that way, but it is an option.
  
  
  
  Hope this helped! And my apologies if you knew a lot of this already.

Basically, yes, but you'll also need a few relatively cheap things to make sure you have power and a way to mount the camera to the scope. And you can definitely go much cheaper (especially on the camera). I just had the camera prior to getting into astrophotography because I do photography as well.

To answer your question, the only other thing I purchased separately that was involved in my setup for this shot was the battery pack that powers the mount, a T-Ring, and a T-Adapter that allows me to mount my camera to the scope.

Power Tank

T-Ring

T-Adapter

Again. You can go much cheaper on the camera and can actually just use a webcam to shoot the video that you'll stack into a still. Registax is free. Autostakkert is free. And there are free photoshop alternatives. You'll also want to use this program called BackyardEOS to shoot the videos at 5x zoom (My computer was acting up for this shot, so I didn't use it this time around) but it's well worth the $30 I think I paid for it. You can get even clearer shots like this one I got a while back. The program allows you to digitally zoom in at 5x using and use only a part of the camera's sensor. Please let me know if you need any other information. I'd be glad to help. Hope this helps some!

Sorry, I didn't provide much background - Here is something I posted in an earlier thread
>
> My current equipment :
>
> 1. Camera : Canon T3i
> 2. Lenses : Tokina 11-16mm f/2.8, Canon 50mm f/1.8, Canon 55-250mm f/4.0-f/5.6
> 3. Tripod : Proline Dolica
> 4. Software : Photoshop CS3 and Lightroom 6
>
> Using these, I manage to get these : Album
>
> I want to further my astrophotography, but realize I would need better equipment to better these.
>
>
>
> Which of these would be best bang for my buck for a step forward with astrophotography?
>
> 1. A tracker : Ioptron SkyTracker OR Vixen Polarie
> 2. A good solid tripod and ball head
> 3. PixInsight software (Is there a cheap or free alternative to a $250 software? I tried DSS, but found it to be inconsistent with results)
>
> I know a good answer to this would be 'everything', but I can't get myself to spend a lot of $$ at this moment. I could spend a few hundred on one of these, and then at a later point re-evaluate.
>
> Thanks for hooking me into this awesome hobby!

Basically, I have already tried my hand at the milky way and the moon. Without a telescope or a longer zoom lens, I doubt I could do planetary photography. Once I convince myself to buy an Ioptron Skytracker, it could open me up to getting shots of the Pleiades cluster, Andromeda galaxy, Orion nebula. Hence my question.

So it just coincidence then, that all three of them are around the same part of the sky?

Hey guys, I've had a problem with focusing on my Orion 8" Astrograph f/4.9 that has plagued my astrophotography experience for over a year now. I'll get right to it.


I have an Orion 8" Astrograph f/4.9 that I use on top of a Dual-Axis Motor Controlled Atlas mount. It's NOT a GoTo mount, but rather just has a controller that allows me to move the scope. There are no plug-ins for anything besides the power cable and controller. I use a Canon T3 DSLR for taking photos.


Here are some pictures: http://imgur.com/a/raItu


I have done pretty well considering I only paid $270 for this setup, in total. It's worth much more than that. I have managed to get some very cool photos, as you can see if you look through my history.


Here's the catch, as well as the problem:


Most of these photos have been taken using a 3x Barlow. The 3x Barlow allows me to get up close and personal with objects such as Saturn and Jupiter. Without the 3x Barlow, I cannot achieve focus.

http://imgur.com/a/A847K


This album shows my problem. When removing the 3x Barlow, I cannot find a point where I can focus my camera. I have tried a number of low-profile adapters, as well as extension tubes and still cannot achieve focus. Here's an example of my frusturation:


http://imgur.com/a/ijGju


Using the extention tubes showed no signs of hope. I wasn't able to see ANYTHING using the extension tubes, not even a sign of focus.

However, using the low-proflie adapters, I could see that I was very close to achieving focus. As my camera moved closer and closer to the focuser, the view was more clear.


If I complete remove all the adapters from my Crayford focuser and strip it down completely, I can achieve focus my holding my camera right up to the focuser. It blurs around the edges, but it works.

If you look at the last photo in this album I just posted, this is what the focuser looks like completely stripped down. Holding my camera up to that with no lens, I was able to take photos like this and this.


What adapter/focuser/corrector do I need so that I can achieve focus without using a Barlow on this telescope/holding my camera by hand up to the bare focuser?


Thanks for all the help that numerous people have offered me over the past while. Though it has been unsuccessful, I have appreciated it so much. Perhaps it is time for me to move onto a GoTo mount and a more modern, adaptable scope.

Edit: Here are some adapters I have tried:

Orion 2" Zero Profile

Orion 5117 Prime Focus Adapter

I'm a beginner to astrophotography and I'm wondering about scopes, mounts, and guiding. I have a Canon T5i with a 18 - 55mm kit lens and a cheap thrift store tri-pod. I also have a Meade Infinity 60mm refractor telescope. The scope hasn't really been useful for anything other than photos of the moon, but I've been able to get some nice shots of Orion with M42 with my lens at 55mm untracked at 4" with no star trails. I'm interested in DSOs, but would also like to observe along with imaging.

Is this a good choice for a Mount? And would this be an aceptable motor and finder for polar alignment? Also is an auto guider necessary if I take the time to set up the polar alignment properly? I saw that the EQ5 is recommended in the wiki, but that is beyond my budget and I don't really care if I don't have a Go-To tracker built in.

I haven't looked too far into scopes yet, but I have a feeling that asking for one that is good for imaging and observing is asking to have my cake and eat it too. Is it best to get something like an 80mm refactor scope for imaging and a 6" or 8" reflector for observing? Could I switch them out and use the same mount?

A car adapter? Mine came with one. As for the power supply id recommend this


Here is what i bought to track with it.
PC interface Cable
Serial Adapter
And finally this, but this is optional to you. Youll probably eventually want to image from your backyard, and if you do youll want this. AC Adapter

Another thing, Unluckily for me and for you, the mount does not come with a polar scope. Do some research to what kind you want, but I got this one

Other than that, Good luck! If you ever want some real time advice come check out the chat room under the useful links tab on the side of the subreddit! Chances are I'll be there, or one of the AP gurus.

Jupiter & Saturn 7/8/2019 - Chicago, IL Area

Taken with my Skywatcher 8" Flextube 200P Collapsible Dob Telescope

Canon EOS Rebel T1i (500D) @ 3200ISO mounted via T-Ring EOS to 1.25" Adapter

SVBONY 2x Barlow

Captured with "EOS Camera Movie Record" using LiveView 5x Zoom for a 1:1 pixel ratio on my laptop

Videos Processed & Stabilized with PIPP, for Jupiter 4903 total frames, after PIPPing 4182 frames, Saturn 2027 frames

Stacked with Autostakkert 3.014, best 60% all settings used HERE for Jupiter

RegiStax 6 wavelets, RGB Align, RGB Balanced, wavelet settings HERE or in main pic

Slight contrast, brightness & shadows/highlights edits in Photoshop

Imgur Gallery HERE

-------------------------------------------------------------------------

This was my first ever attempt at Astrophotography with my new 8" Dob scope and I think it turned out very well! Seeing conditions where not optimal and I was in a light polluted park with lights all around and no shroud around the scope, but still the pics came out impressive to me! Please let me know which image you like the most, 1-4, and if you have any tips or comments let me know! I cant wait to get back out there and get some more pics!

>My budget is around $300. I just can't figure out which tripod is good for AP.

Wow, $300 for a tripod? I think I just never understood why some tripods cost so much. I bought the Amazon Basics tripod for $25 and I absolutely love it. It's extremely light, sturdy, easy to adjust, and comes with a bag and built in bubble levels. I can't think of anything else I'd need in a tripod. And it's on sale right now for $19. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B005KP473Q/ 4.5 star average rating out of almost 5000 reviews - you'll rarely see items with such good numbers. The only thing I don't know is how well it would work with a Star Adventurer, but I'm sure you can find out.

Hi, I want to get into astrophotography. I'm an amateur photgrapher with a Sony A-37. Thing is I'm somehow limited in budget, since a good telescope is like out of my current wallet lol. I'm planning to buy this tracker as a starter, and I'm between buying this telephoto lens or this telephoto lens. I have the 18-55mm lens that came with the camera, I have made some research and for the looks of it, the 18-55mm can get the work done for capturing the Milky Way.

Am I doing a good set up for a beginner? Thanks

Hello everyone. I want to start taking pictures using my DSLR and telescope now that I've moved out to the country side. I currently have the following:

• Orion Apex 90mm Maksutov-Cassegrain Telescope<br />

• Orion T-Ring for Canon EOS Camera
  
• Canon EOS Rebel XTi
  
  I plan on 3d printing a Bahtinov mask to help setup up the camera. Currently have a basic camera tripod but am hoping to get a GEM in the near future. Is this combo any good or should I up the budget for something like this? Any other things I may need to start taking pictures with my setup? Thanks in advance.
  

I'm looking at getting a barlow lens to do some planetary imaging. I currently have a D3300, which I hook up to the scope with a 1.25" T-adapter and a T-ring. If I want to include a barlow in this setup, do I have to get an item that is a T-adapter and barlow, such as the Celestron barlow here, or can I get any barlow and insert it between the telescope and the T-adapter?
Also, is there a big quality difference between cheap barlows? I'm looking to spend <$50. I've heard that the Celestron one I linked is alright, as well as some GSO and Astro-tech barlows, but I'm wondering how much better they are compared to a cheap alternative like this.
One more problem- I have two telescopes, one is an old Meade alt-az goto that works fine with the current D3300 setup, and the other is an old 8" Bushnell dob. With the T-adapter and T-ring on the dob, the sensor on the camera is too far back to focus, even with the focus scrolled all the way in. How would I go about fixing this? Will a barlow make this problem worse, or fix it?
Thanks to anyone who takes the time to read through all this!

I am debating between the Rokinon 16mm f/2.0 and the Tokina 11-16mm f/2.8

I currently use a Canon Rebel T5 and have been using a Sigma 10-20mm f/4 lens for my astrophotography. I have got some excellent shots with it. I am traveling to NZ soon and would like to get a better lens for astrophotography. My problem is I am torn between the better f/stop of the Rokinon and the focal length range of the Tokina. The auto/manual of the Tokina is also a plus for non-astrophotography pictures.

The Rokinon is cheaper too, which seems like a plus.

Help!

I'll second that the Rokinon lenses are cheap and excellent. You'll be limited in exposure length by the 600 rule (600 divided by focal length), otherwise you'll get star trails. So for example at 35mm you won't be able to take longer than 600/35 = 17 second exposures. For longer exposures you'll need a star tracking mount. The cheapest options:

• Nyx Tracker - $89
  
• Star Adventurer - $320
  
• iOptron SkyTracker - $280
  
• Polarie Vixen - $400
  
  Of these, it seems that the Star Adventurer is the best performing at ~40 arcsec of periodic error. At the other end of the spectrum the Nyx Tracker gets roughly 1/3 that performance, but it's still good enough to take 10 min. exposures at 10mm / 5 min. exposures at 20mm / 2 min. exposures at 50mm. [A disclaimer - the Nyx Tracker is my product, designed as a budget option for those testing the waters or those that want a portable, light, rugged, easy to use option].

This book came recommended to me and I absolutely love it. It will specify some good targets for every time of the year.

As far as software, on my computer I currently use:

Backyard EOS (Costs a bit but is more or less necessary for capturing images with a Canon DSLR, you can set up sequences with specified times, mirror lock delays, save frames as flat, dark, light or bias, and even focus with a live view through the camera).

Sharpcap
DeepSkyStacker
Stellarium
Registax
PixInsight
Photoshop

Some cool online resources:
Photoshop DSO processing.
PDF DSO Guide.
Astrophotography Youtube Tutorials.
Forrest Tanaka's Youtube Channel.

> Is there any recommendations for books on getting started in Astrophotography

If you're in the northern hemisphere, this book is a great introduction to a host of enjoyable targets. It also includes brief discussion about the typose/sizes of scopes that may be best used for each target, and some acquisition and processing thoughts and tricks.

Afraid I don't have any input on the other two questions.

keeping the end in mind is a perfect way for being proactive. way to be a hero! I, too, am starting out to do DSOs and astrophotography.
just bought a Orion SkyView Pro 8" Equatorial Reflector and i have had my DSLR for about 2 years now so im quiet used to it. i do not have a mount and need to figure out how to mount my DSLR on top of my telescope..

Any help/advice for me? (i have used the astro view to find stars and planets.. no clusters, nebulas or galaxies yet though. i upgraded to the SkyView8. )

*EDIT: I Just bought http://www.amazon.com/Orion-5338-SteadyPix-Deluxe-Camera/dp/B0069VXY7K/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1394732235&sr=8-1&keywords=orion+camera+mount (i dont know how to make a link.. or a hyper?...anyway, thats what i purchased)

This worked for me on an Orion Sirius/HEQ5:

RS232 male to USB: https://www.amazon.com/TRENDnet-Converter-Prolific-Chipset-TU-S9/dp/B0007T27H8/

This cable goes from synscan controller to the RS232 male: https://www.amazon.com/Celestron-Nexstar-232-Interface-Cable/dp/B0000665UZ

So you plug the trendnet RS232 male to USB into your laptop or PC, install the driver, plug the Celestron RS232 cable RJ11 bit into your synscan controller, then connect the trendnet RS232 male to the Celestron RS232 female. Viola! For me, the RJ11 bit was incredulously easy to become dislodged from the controller even if the RJ11 was clipped in properly. Even if you pulled the cable out just a centimeter, the connection between the mount and PC would be dropped. I solved it by shoving the RJ11 in as far as I could then taping it in place. Of course, YMMV, but I was on the brink of just getting an eqdirect cable until I figured it out.

Hope it helps!

So, I just got a Canon 650D and I'm using a Celestron T-Adapter on my Celestron Nexstar Evolution 8 as my setup shows in this picture. However, I've noticed that my smartphone, yes, my SMARTPHONE is producing better quality photos.

 

Here is a picture of a photo through my Samsung Galaxy S9+ looking down through my 40mm Plossl lens and here is the latest Photo of the moon through my current setup with the Canon 650D.. Now, ignoring that less of the moon can be seen, the actual focus of the moon looks comparable, if not slightly less focused than my smartphone. All I want to do here is capture that amazing view that I get when looking at the moon with my 40mm Plossl with my eyeball. That's it.

 

I was expecting a dedicated DSLR to absolutely smash the camera of a smartphone. What gives? What is the best way to do this? Should I use a camera adapter for my 40mm lens like this one shown here? I kinda' need it to improve the FOV, but will increasing tube distance make this worse? I'm so, so confused here.

At that price, I would definitely buy used. Look on craigslist and ebay for DSLRs with the kit lens included. The kit lens will typically have a range of 18-55mm which is good for milky way. For $200, I bet you could find a Canon T2i or Nikon D3100 with lens, battery, sd card, etc. For milky way + time lapse, you would also need a basic tripod so add another $25 minimum for that. I would suggest Canon, so that you can install Magic Lantern firmware add-on. Magic Lantern adds an internal advanced intervalometer, which is very useful for timelapse.

Please help me!

I have an Orion XT8 and right now I'm just trying to use it with my DSLR to take pictures of the moon and planets.

I have a Pentax K100D and at first I tried this: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0159KORTU with the proper lens to T adapter, but I couldn't get my sensor close enough to focus. I found that if I took out the 2" lens adapter thingy on my telescope and manually made the barlow go deeper that I was able to focus on Jupiter, but I had to hold it manually and it was, of course, shaky.

Then I got to thinking, what if I just got an adapter for the 2" eyepiece mount? So I did that and I got the official Orion 2" camera prime focus adapter https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B008N66XMW but after trying it tonight, I am unable to get my camera sensor close enough to focus on the moon (didn't try anything else).

So, please help me! What do I need to use my camera with my telescope?

Thanks a lot it's been really helpful.

Right now I'm looking at this and this. I'll be good then?

I know it's a 1.25 and you said to get a 2" but right now I'm going cheap. When/if I decide to really start doing things hardcore I'll get the nice stuff.

Sorry was being terse:

The trick is to have the duration of the star-trail stay within the airy disk of the star, to maintain a more oval object than a line. Most of my pure-camera astrophotography was done with 1000ASA monochrome and 3200ASA color film on a camera using a 1.8. 18 seconds was about the limit on the monochrome but the 3200 Konica was so grainy that I could get 23 seconds. The more choke you put on the light path the longer you need to expose it. The 18mp and larger sensors on modern cameras are getting up into the resolution of the monochrome film I used. (I did most the astrophoto at night in the winter in a Bortle 0 location.. where you couldn't see the snow you were standing in.)

So what happens when you use the tighter F-stop is you get less airy-disk to hide trails in and thus need shorter exposures to reduce the "line" effect.

You should run the lens wide open and reduce the speed of the sensor until you get the image you want. Making the f-stop tighter reduces your light gathering in astrophotography and requires either higher sensor settings or longer duration of exposure - Higher sensor settings will create distortion in the histogram and generates more base noise that has to be filtered out by circuitry that isn't designed for astrophotos.

Always run with the aperture wide open using the slowest sensor that will give you the exposures you need. Pushing the f-stop up just makes you need more exposures of shorter duration.

This is where simple clock-drive mounts come in. A clock drive mount doesn't have to be super precise to quadruple your wide-field exposures. Just about any old Tasco motorized equatorial mount will keep a 18 to 55mm lens on-track for a useful period of time, you can usually find em at the junk tables at flea markets. Or you can bust for http://www.amazon.com/SkyWatcher-S20520-Adventurer-Photo-Package/dp/B00Z4HVR7Y/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1457621801&sr=8-5&keywords=tracking+camera+mount+astrophotography kinds of systems that are portable full equatorial and programmable units.

http://www.telescope.com/catalog/product.jsp?productId=9882&utm_source=google&utm_medium=comparisonshopping&utm_campaign=US-googlemerchant&gclid=CjwKEAiA04S3BRCYteOr6b-roSUSJABE1-6BL5yUVvdDtawbpb2N40vTOB9mW1evaEkTnjcIujXmfRoCIIDw_wcB huge link I know. a piggy-back for that is simple enough to cobble with rubber strips and hose clamps and then you just manually keep the star in position for a minute or so.

Lots of cheap options.

Duly noted! Suppose to be clear skies tonight around 8pm est going to give it a try! I also think I need a better lens with a better f stop?

Looking at this lens currently

The Cloudbait link works for me (I was able to get there from your post), so I'd just try it again, although the cached copy is basically the same.

Cost breakdown for just the tracking mount:

• Mechanical hardware (wood, aluminum, nylon, delrin rod, screws, threaded rod, etc.) was roughly $30
  
• Ball Head, $20
  
• Breadboard, $25
  
• Battery, $40
  
• Power leads, $5
  
• Microcontroller board, $20
  
• Motor, $15
  
• Angle block for calibration, $25
  
• Motor Driver Board, $20
  
• Misc bulk components (LEDs, headers, microswitch), $5
  
  So, a little over $200 for everything, although there is definitely room to save depending on what components you get and where you get them. Still is about half the cost and more flexible than a comparable commercial product like this, although mine doesn't look quite as elegant. :)
  
  The entire thing is also mounted on a $200 tripod head and a $200 tripod, but you could get away with something an order of magnitude less expensive--I already had the tripod equipment, so it wasn't an added expense for this build.

Hi - noob here.... just wondering really, if I were to buy something like this : https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0093VH9UQ (or similar) - would that be all I need to get started? - would I just stick it in the telescope's view hole - connect it up to a laptop and run the appropriate software?

I assume I wouldn't attach any of my other lenses to it or anything, all the magnification would be done at the pc level?

​

Thanks!

You want something like this. Basically you need a dovetail that hooks up to your mount (that one is a vixen dovetail, which is popular), then the 1/4" screw for your camera (same as you'd use with a tripod).

I don't think you need to be aware of anything in terms of alignment. The mount will track the stars regardless of the orientation of your camera. Just don't point it at the ground and you should be good to go.

If you have a huge lens (like a big telephoto), then in theory you want to hook up the telephoto to the mount directly instead of the camera (for balance).

I'm nervous to suggest other adapters because I really don't want to make two bad suggestions, but an alternative could be something like [this] (https://www.amazon.ca/Orion-5308-2-Inch-Zero-Profile-Adapter/dp/B008N66XMW). You'd screw one side into your T-ring and then the other side should fit into your 2" eyepiece holder just like a normal 2" eyepiece would. So then you would have Camera->T-Ring->Orion 2" Zero-Profile Prime Focus Camera Adapter->2" eyepiece adapter->drawtube thread.

Before you buy that though send me a picture of the threads on that adapter you bought next to the threading on your 2" eyepiece adapter or anything you have that does actually thread into the focuser. I'd like to see what the adapter's threads are seeing as I have no idea what else it could be.

Budget lens recommendations for mirrorless Sony a6000?

Hi, I have been doing untracked astrophotogrphy with Sony a6000 and Canon FD200mm F4. I will have a barn-door tracker soon.

I find that my FD200mm is a bit old(I bought it used for $35) and there is a problem in pictures it took. Some part of the picture appear to be brighter and some part to be darker. I tried cleaning the lens but it was the same. So I am thinking of an upgrade.

I am wondering if this will be a good upgrade:

https://www.amazon.com/Sigma-70-300mm-4-5-6-Telephoto-Cameras/dp/B000ALLMI8/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1523730434&sr=8-2&keywords=sigma%2B70-300&th=1

It's Sigma 70-300mm F4-5.6 APO. I hear people saying that at 300mm F5.6 the image is a bit soft but I wonder if it'll still be better than FD200mm I have(also people complain about the awkward design and noisy AF and zoom but maybe that's secondary problem for astrophotography).

It is also one stop below FD200 F4 I have, but 300mm will be nice too... What do you guys think?

Any thoughts or recommendations will be greatly appreciated!

Yes indeed, I used a t-ring, which luckily on my scope threads directly onto the scope's eyepiece holder - the scope came with t-threads already on it!

The scope is a Celestron powerseeker 80EQ.

This is where I got the t-ring

Thanks! If you do end up going with this telescope, I'd recommend getting the AC adapter especially if you plan on doing backyard astronomy as it doesn't come with one.
I'm also looking into buying a solar filter eventually.

Thanks for the advice! I was already leaning toward the Star Adventurer, so I think I'm gonna go with that.

With the tripod that I have, how would I attach the SA? Does it just to screw onto a quick release plate?

Connecting the camera: You need an adapter for Canon M to T-mount , like this, and one for T-mount to the telescope. I don't know whether the C5 connection has changed over the past 20 years, but this one will work for the current C5. No eyepiece on the telescope and no lens on the camera, the C5 will act as the camera lens.

That's sufficient for lunar and planetary pictures, assuming you have some sort of tripod.

DSO is harder, take a look at the suggestions in the wiki. The Orion Sirius (aka Skywatcher HEQ5) is pretty much the default recommendation for an EQ mount, but the focal length and focal ratio of your C5 will make long exposures more challenging than with something shorter and faster.

A lower cost way to get started with DSO is to skip the telescope, and instead use a standard lens and a tracker like the iOptron SkyTracker or the SkyWatcher Star Adventurer.

I have this Barlow which, combined with this t-ring adapter allows me to shoot with my Nikon at prime focus with an additional 2x magnification.

I think the way the magnification is going to work is you take the focal length of the telescope divided by the size of your camera's sensor, which is the magnification you'd get with just the camera and the telescope. So with that 500mm focal length scope and your camera's 35mm sensor (although I think the sensors aren't exactly 35mm) then you'd end up with 500/35 which is a 14x magnification. So with the 2x Barlow I linked you'd get 28x, although you'll also have to compensate with the slightly dimmer magnified image.

You will need a T adapter for your eyepiece holder (20$ at most) and a T mount to EOS adapter (10 to 15$). You can find both on Amazon: let me know if you have any trouble finding them (I'm on my phone on a train atm, sorry) see the links above. You can then use the free EOSMovrec software (on Sourceforge) to tether your camera to a PC and use the central part of your sensor to acquire near native resolution 1024x600 video. Beware: the binary Mac version is very outdated, you'll want to use the Windows version (or compile from the source). You'll then want to stack the video (e.g. in Registax).

EDIT: added links.

(Solved)

I'm looking to autoguide with my Canon 7D. I could be wrong but I think I need this adapter to connect the camera to the side by side plate and would the guidescope fit right in the other dovetail rail? All going on a Sirius mount.

Does anyone have experience or own this book?

https://www.amazon.com/100-Best-Astrophotography-Targets-Telescopes/dp/1441906029/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1537816644&sr=8-1&keywords=100+astrophotography+targets

I just picked it up on amazon, and despite being advertised as having full color images (which would be very helpful considering the subject material), all the images are in black and white and look like they were simply photocopied (very poor quality). I sent it back to amazon and I'm waiting for a new copy, but I'm curious if I'm missing something...

I posted earlier about what camera would be good for widefield AP. Just found out my girlfriend has this camera: https://www.amazon.com/Canon-Digital-18-55mm-discontinued-manufacturer/dp/B004J3Y9U6

Would this be good?

I would like to buy this: VITE Metal T-Adapter/2x Barlow Lens 1.25-Inch Fully Multi-Coated APO (Black) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00WW0TC32/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_ctgtxbZXRRZ26 to mount a camera onto my telescope. At this point, I just need to buy a ring that fits that specific camera, correct?

Is there anything else I need to buy?

Something like this. Google "achromatic vs apochromatic" for an explanation.

18-55mm IS II. It was [bundled with the camera] (http://www.amazon.com/Canon-Rebel-T3-Digital-18-55mm/dp/B004J3Y9U6) when I bought it.

Is this something you would recommend upgrading?

What do you think about this contraption?

http://www.amazon.com/Orion-5338-SteadyPix-Deluxe-Camera/dp/B0069VXY7K/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1398007449&sr=8-3&keywords=steady+pix+iphone

Is it worth tinkering with or just go with DSLR?

Does anybody know of any decent cheap telephoto lenses? I've been eying this one, but I'm not sure how well it will perform. Also would it be worth getting the APO version?

I'm using this. Works great, it's solid. DMKFoto Heavy Duty Ball Head with Quick Release Plate https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001BPE3KQ/ref=cm_sw_r_awd_ddBWub135NX6N

I have this for my C9.25 http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00009X3V8/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

It threads onto the back of your scope, and then the camera end t-ring screws on the end of this thing. (Actually, mount it all to your camera, THEN to the scope)

Double check that your scope is supported. I would think it would be.

Something like this is what you're looking for. If you want to use your phone instead, you'll need an additional adapter to thread it on.


In the future, you might consider a DSLR and T-adaptor so you can shoot at prime focus.

The barlow is built into the adapter

The cable you linked won't work. You will need the Celestron serial to rj12 cable then use a 232 to USB cable to plug into your laptop.

https://www.amazon.com/Celestron-Nexstar-232-Interface-Cable/dp/B0000665UZ

I haven't pulled the trigger yet, but I'm leaning towards this one:

http://smile.amazon.com/dp/B0093VH9UQ/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_nS_ttl?_encoding=UTF8&colid=1AVIPHAW1K3YS&coliid=I1D1F5W0IPT12

I connected my T3i camera body to a T-ring adapter. That connects to an orion universal 1.25" adapter. That goes into the 2x Barlow lens, which goes into the telescope.

Orion 05224 T-ring for Canon EOS Camera (Black) by ORION http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0000XMUKK/ref=cm_sw_r_udp_awd_.GPrtb0K3F62G

Orion 5340 1.25-Inch Universal Camera Adapter by Orion http://www.amazon.com/dp/B005HPHKM4/ref=cm_sw_r_udp_awd_yHPrtb02FAHWB

I cannot find a cg-5 anywhere, but what about a CG-4 with a motor?

http://www.amazon.com/Celestron-T-adapter-Schmidt-Cassegrains-Threads-Cell/dp/B00009X3V8

Sorry I'm late with the reply, but the ballhead mount is this one:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001BPE3KQ?keywords=ball%20head%20mount&qid=1451322374&ref_=sr_1_3&sr=8-3

I went ahead and looked up the adapters you would need to hook up to an Orion telescope, the t-ring and the camera adapter. However, this looks like it can total to over $60 for adapters. Apparently the Orion T-ring and a Celestron camera adapter are most frequently bought together. I'm not sure of how the two different brands will work together.

Simple question about Barlow adapter and DSLR. I just got a T-ring adapter for my Nikon and a 2x barlow that can also be connected to.

My question is, are you not meant to put an eyepiece in the Barlow AND attach your camera? If I understand this correctly, the Barlow is acting as the eyepiece itself, right? I was just wondering, because I was putting my eyepieces inside the Barlow and the 17mm one looked like it would be hitting my mirror. The 6mm eyepiece looks like it should fit, but I didn't want to chance it and mess up my stuff.

[The SVBONY Barlow in question] (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00WW0TC32/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_1rMgzb9RNV8J3)

Here are a couple pics. These are screenshots because I was having trouble uploading CR2 files. I'm using a Celestron C8 with the Canon 450D. I'm using a T ring adapter with this barlow but I take out lens so I don't get the 2x magnification. I was using BackyardEOS and was doing at both ISO 800 and ISO 1600. I was also varying the exposure time between 30 seconds and 1 minute (I even tried a few at 10 seconds). DeepSkyStacker kept telling me I only had 1 frame to stack, even when the threshold was set as low as possible.

I am hoping to find a decent one for relatively inexpensive (I know I get what I pay for). Here are a few I have been looking at.
http://www.amazon.com/Celestron-NexImage-Digital-Technology-93711/dp/B006ZN4VE2/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1404867627&sr=8-3&keywords=ccd+camera+astrophotography

http://www.amazon.com/Orion-StarShoot-Eyepiece-Camera-Black/dp/B0093VH9UQ/ref=pd_cp_p_1

http://www.amazon.com/Orion-52175-StarShoot-System-Imaging/dp/B004E4M7QI/ref=sr_1_8?ie=UTF8&qid=1404867627&sr=8-8&keywords=ccd+camera+astrophotography

I am most likely going to pick up the last one I posted (Orion Starshoot IV) but the reviews worry me. Again I am new to astrophotography and I apologize if my questions seem dense. I just want to be able to get my feet wet but I want to do it the right way. Do you have any suggestions?