My Equipment

Astrophotography is heavily dependent upon what you use, and where you use it. The majority of my deep sky astrophotography is done at Sierra Remote Observatory, which is a hosting service in the Sierra Nevada Mountains of California. The best part of SRO is its extremely good seeing, which typically is always around 1.0" to 1.5", and on some good nights below 1.0". 

If you are checking this page to figure out what to get to start astrophotography, please check my blogposts for better recommendations! 

 

FSQ-106edxiii and QHY600

Location: Sierra Remote Observatory

Telescope: Takahashi FSQ106edxiii

Lenses: Takahashi QE 0.73x focal reducer

Focuser: Moonlite Nitecrawler WR35

Filter Wheel: QHY CFW3 50mm round

Filters: Chroma LRGB and Sii, Ha, Oiii (5nm, 5nm, and 3nm)

Camera: QHY600m 

Guider: ZWO miniguide with QHY5lii-m

Mount: Paramount MyT

Control: Primaluce Eagle 4 Pro

Purpose: This setup was my 'no expense spared' dream setup for wide field astrophotography. With a full frame 61MPX camera and a fast focal ratio of f/3.6 this thing is as good as it gets for doing mosaics.

 

FSQ85 and Rokinon 135mm  

Location: Khomas Highlands, Namibia

Telescope: FSQ85 w/ 1.01x flattenner

Focuser: Esatto 3"

OAG: ZWO OAG-L

Guide camera: QHY5lii-m

Filters: ZWO 2" EFW w/ antlia 3nm and LRGB

Camera: ASI6200mm 

Computer: Eagle 4 Pro

Lens: Rokinon 135mm f/2

Adapter: ZWO EOS adapter

Filter: Antlia ALP-T

Camera: ASI6200MC

Hardware: Astrodymium rings and focuser mount

Focuser: ZWO EAF

Mount: iOptron CEM70

Purpose: The purpose of this system is two fold! This system is designed to do all sky survey work using the wide angle lens up top. I intend to image the entire sky in Ha and Oiii in search of undiscovered nebulae. I will do this with the ALP-T filter for dual band surveying. The takahashi is for high resolution follow up images, or general imaging during the full moon. Eventually I will have the narrowband filter removed from the wide angle system and use it for LRGB work, but for now narrowband is my priority. 

I also have to say the astrodymium lens mount and ZWO EAF work really really well with my lens for autofocusing and keeping everything stable. I am definitely 100% going to be ordering another one of these for my extra rokinon lens.

RCOS 16" and ASI6200mm

Location: Sierra Remote Observatory

Telescope: RCOS 16" 

Lenses: RCOS field flatenner

Focuser: Optec Gemini

Filter Wheel: SX 7 position 2" EFW

Filters: astrodon LRGB and SHO (3nm, 3nm, and 3nm)

Camera: ZWO ASI6200mm

Guider: SX AO unit with SX ultrastar

Mount: Paramount ME

Control: Laptop

Purpose:

You will see many images of mine from this telescope, but I don't own this one! I run this telescope for the SRO virtual astrophotography program, where the data is available to anyone. I basically run the scope and data sharing for the program. But this telescope is insane. Its focal length is 3658mm, and paired with the 6200mm we get a sampling ratio of 0.2", which really takes advantage of the excellent seeing conditions at SRO. With this combination we can resolve details not commonly seen. This telescope combination really only makes sense because of the excellent location.

Solar Setup:

Location: Traveller

Telescope: ES AR127 Doublet

Filter: Daystar Quark Chromosphere

Focuser: Stock

Camera: ZWO ASI174mm and ASI183mm

Guider: Hinode Solar Guider

Mount: HEM27

Control: Laptop

Purpose: This setup is for looking at the sun in hydrogen alpha light! This rig is very tightly zoomed on the sun, sometimes I switch to an 80mm APO for a wider view

 

 

 

Planetary Setup:

Telescope: Celestron C9.25 edge HD (not really available anywhere linked C8 instead)

Lenses: TPO 2x barlow

Focuser: Manual

Filter Wheel: ZWO 36mm EFW

Filters: Optlong LRGB

Camera: ASI462mc, ASI183mm, ASI174mm

Mount: HEM27 (paramount moved to SRO)

Control: Laptop

Purpose:

When I shoot the moon or planets, this is what I use! This setup is optimized for high frame rate zoomed in astrophotography. Occasionally I throw a DSLR on the back for eclipses. 

 

Milky Way Setup:

Lenses: 

Rokinon 135mm f/2

Sigma 135mm f/1.8

Sigma 40mm ART f/1.4

Focuser: Manual

Camera: Spencer's Camera modded canon R5 and canon 6D

Mount: Skywatcher star adventurer

Purpose:

When I shoot the milky way when I'm on a roadtrip or flying, this is what I take. I use some random manfrotto tripod my dad gave me. I don't use very wide lenses to shoot the milky way because I prefer to do mosaics.