Show us your setup

nanook5

Hey !

I thought it would be cool if everyone could share their astro setup and recommend things like eyepieces,auto guiders,mounts,OTA's or Binoculars etc...

Also include what you are hoping to upgrade to !!

It would be nice to include some pictures too , if you can .


I'll start us off .

I have(had) a Meade LXD 75 .Great scope for the price and the views were Awe inspiring for a beginner(Like me ) .


LXD 75 by Reece Gavin, on Flickr


Eyepieces and Barlows: Sky watcher 9mm Ultra wide eyepiece , Meade 4000 26mm super plossl , 2x Antares barlow.

Accessories: Low profile Canon EOS T ring , High Quality T-Mount Camera Adaptor ,Tal moon filter

Cameras:Canon 20D , Canon 1D Mkii ,Nikon P500

Binos: Cheap 20x30's or something(They are Very old!!)

Programs: APT,Deep sky stacker,Photoshop CS6,Lightroom 4,Stellarium,CCD Calc

I'm hoping to buy the new Celestron Advanced VX mount with the 8" F5 Newtonian , coming out soon .(Hopefully price will go down a bit , if not I'm considering HEQ5)
I would also like to get a more recent DSLR with live view and connectivity with programs like APT.

What's your setup ?

Pat Dunne

I've put together the following set-up over the last two years.


Celestron CPC 9.25
I have gone for the 2 inch diagonal and selection of Celestron Ultima LX eyepieces, extremely pleased with the Ultima's. I would say that the best upgrade I have added is the Starlight Feather Touch focuser, I'd highly recommend it.

Now if i could only get my hands on a cloud remover

ZeRoY

My setup but some changes since - Ill take an updated pic as soon as:



Hardware:
- Meade LXD75 Mount with Autostar #497 + Meade 6" Newtonian Reflector, stock 2" focuser
- Skywatcher ST80 + mounting Rings
- Meade 4000 26mm super plossl + 10mm unnamed eyepiece
- Skywatcher 2x barlow, Skywatcher Light Polution Filter
- Baader MPCC Coma corrector
- Philips SPC880NC (Flashed with SPC990NC Firmware)
- Canon 1100D + T2 ring + M42 nosepiece
- Samsung N210 Netbook

Software:
- Lightroom, PS
- APT Tool
- Backyard EOS
- Stellarium
- DSS

Tzetze

This is my long exposure imaging setup. Have a 10" Newt also, but it's too heavy for the cg5 for anything other than lunar/planetary stuff. Hope to get it permanently mounted on something more substantial than the cg5 at some stage in the future.

In the image is CG5, ED80, ST80, 450D, Meade DSI-II mono. The plastic case on the table holds my netbook. Once I get the mount drift-aligned, I set the mount to it's index marks and head into the warmth of the house and use remote desktop to operate the and monitor everything from a desktop PC.

Kersh

Beautiful.
Some nice setups.
I'll get a list together and post when I get home.

Kersh

Currently, Im using a Meade LXD55 Mount, and at various times using either a Skywatcher 80ED Pro, a Meade 10" Schmidt Newtonian UHTC, an 8" Meade LX10 Schmidt Cassegrain EMC or an Astro-Professional ED80 Carbon on it.


LXD55 with SW 80ED


LXD55 with 8" SCT before the new focuser was fitted (not a great pic)


LXD55 with 10" Schmidt Newtonian


LX10 8" SCT with new dual speed focuser fitted



Other bits and pieces include a Meade DSi 2, a Canon Eos 300D, Celestron EP Kit, Various Skywatcher eyepieces (Pananview, Sky Panorama etc)



The mount is over 10 years old, but its holding up well!

Heres a pic I took during the summer with it, of M31, with the 80ED, just polar aligned, nothing else -



Future plans are an EQ6 Demo Setup, with a Ritchey Chretien 6", and Atik Cameras are coming in soon, so prob an Atik314L+.

Once I get into Autoguiding, Ill use an Atik Titan, with a Startravel 80.

Wailin

Interesting thread. Here is my imaging set up, I never put an eyepiece to it anymore unless I'm showing kids (and interested adults) the moon and planets!





Skywatcher ED80
NEQ6 Pro Synscan
Modified Canon 450D
Skywatcher 0.85 Focal Reducer/Field Flattener
ST80 Guide scope
QHY5 Guide camera
2 Powertanks
Backyard Eos
Nebulosity 3
Photoshop CS6 Extended
Newly acquired Baader 7nm H-alpha filter

Tzetze

Wailin wrote: »

Newly acquired Baader 7nm H-alpha filter

*drools*

You have a very fine setup Sir!

Wailin

Tzetze wrote: »

*drools*

You have a very fine setup Sir!

Thank you! I am very envious of that power tank though. I use the 7Ah tank for charging my laptop and its not up for the job at all. Ended up getting a spare battery as back up.

Pat Dunne

Wailin wrote: »

Thank you! I am very envious of that power tank though. I use the 7Ah tank for charging my laptop and its not up for the job at all. Ended up getting a spare battery as back up.

I upgraded the battery in my powertank to 22amp/h. Simple job the replacement battery took about 20minutes to fit. Only thing I had to buy apart from the battery was an extra long Phillips screw driver.

Pat Dunne

Wailin wrote: »

Thank you! I am very envious of that power tank though. I use the 7Ah tank for charging my laptop and its not up for the job at all. Ended up getting a spare battery as back up.

I upgraded the battery in my powertank which was rated at 17 amp/h to 22amp/h. Simple job the replacement battery took about 20minutes to fit. Only thing I had to buy apart from the battery was an extra long Phillips screw driver. Bought the battery from www.europower.ie very nice guys to deal with, they have a real shop as well. I'd certainly recommend them.

Dr Silly Bollox MD

Saturn Is Closest to Earth on Sunday: See It Live Online