Preparing to start imaging as the sun sets

Equipment Used For Astrophotography

Telescopes

Several different telescopes have been used to acquire the images and astrophotos on this web site. The telescopes that I have owned include the following:

A Takahashi FCT-150 refractor telescope with a 6-inch triplet flourite objective operating at f7. I also have a reducer for the scope, which allows it to be operated at f5.9. This APO scope is carried on a Takahashi NJP mount, which has now been converted to a Temma mount. I have a separate list of images taken with the FCT-150.

A Takahashi Epsilon 250 astrograph with a 10-inch mirror operating at f3.4. This scope is carried on a Takahashi NJP mount. In 2007, a new corrector lens was added to this telescope that was especially designed for digital imaging with large CCDs and megapixel 35mm digital cameras. I have a separate list of images taken with the Epsilon 250.

A Takahashi FS-128 refractor telescope with a 5-inch objective operating at f8, or with the use of a reducer, the scope can operate at f5.9. Some of my first attempts at astrophotography were made with this telescope. This scope is carried on a Takahashi NJP mount. I have a separate list of images taken with the FS-128.

A Takahashi FS-78 refractor telescope with a 3-inch objective. This is a convenient telescope to take on trips, and I used it to take images in Hawaii, Cucacao, Bolivia, and Mauritius. When used alone, the FS-78 scope is carried on a Takahashi EM-10 mount, which was converted to a Temma Jr. mount in May 2005. This telescope has also been used as a guidescope for the FS-128 and Epsilon 250 scopes. I have a separate list of images taken with the FS-78.

A Takahashi Epsilon 180ED astrograph with a 6-inch mirror operating at f2.8. This scope is portable and can be carried on board an aircraft. I have a separate list of images taken with the Epsilon 180ED.

A Takahashi Mewlon 250 Dall-Kirkham telescope. This 10-inch scope is used for planetary CCD imaging and imaging small planetary nebula. The telescope has a focal ratio of f12 and a focal length of 3000 mm. I have a separate list of images taken with the Mewlon 250.

A Takahashi Mewlon 210 Dall-Kirkham telescope. This 8-inch scope was mostly used for visual observations, but is also useful for planetary CCD imaging and imaging small planetary nebula. The telescope has a focal ratio of f11.5 and a focal length of 2415 mm. I sometimes used this telescope to time asteroid occultations. It may be carried by a Takahashi EM-10 mount when used visually, or by a Takahashi NJP mount when used for imaging. I have a separate list of images taken with the Mewlon 210.

An Explore Scientific ED152CF APO refractor telescope with a 6-inch air-spaced triplet objective operating at f8. The telescope has a carbon-fiber tube, and an excellent 10:1 dual speed 3-inch Feathertouch focuser.

A Coronado Instruments SolarMax 60 refractor telescope with a 60mm objective, a focal length of 400mm, and a focal ratio of f6.6. This is a dedicated solar telescope with a built-in H-alpha filter.

A StarMaster reflector telescope with a 14.5-inch mirror, and a focal ratio of f4.3. This is a Newtonian design on a Dobsonian mount. This telescope includes the Sky Tracker goto-then-track drive system with the Sky Commander digital setting circles.

A Takahashi FCT-76 refractor telescope with a 3-inch objective. This telescope has a triplet flourite objective, and with a reducer, can operate at f4.5.

Digital Imagers

CCDs used for imaging include the following:

An SBIG STL-11000M CCD with a remote guiding head. This CCD can be guided using the built-in internal TC-237 guide CCD or with the remote TC-237 guide head attached to a separate guidescope. I have an 8 position filter wheel that includes L, R, G, B, Ha, O-III, and S-II filters.

An SBIG ST-8 CCD, which was subsequently converted to an ST-8E with enhanced cooling, and then again sent back to convert it to an ST-8XE with a USB interface and change the guide chip to a TC-237.

An FLI IMG6303E CCD, which was subsequently converted from a parallel port interface to a USB interface.

A Phillips ToUcam web cam has been used for planetary images.

A Cannon EOS Digital Rebel has been used for planetary images and bright deep sky objects.

Some film exposures were guided using an SBIG ST-4 CCD autoguider on a Takahashi 78mm refractor as a guidescope, sometimes using a Takahashi "vari-extender" to lengthen the focal length of the guidescope.