Equatorial mounts for astro work, any recommendations?

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AlanB313

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Hi all, after the aurora I have been really interested in trying some astro. I know this is mostly a wildlife forum, but does anyone use an equatorial mount to get longer exposures with lower iso? Generally how long of an exposure can one shoot without an equatorial mount? 5 to 10 seconds?

My plan is to try just with my current setup the next trip. There's too much light pollution where I live. The last trip we camped surrounded by trees or it was cloudy. Milky way is what I'll target first.

I'll try with my d500 and 16-80 f2.8 at first and a sturdy tripod. The lens is pretty sharp in the corners actually. But it does have some vignetting which is generally correctable. If I really have fun, I may look for a Rokinon 14mm f2.4 that others have recommended. It supposedly works well with new mirrorless FX, like a z8, which I'm planning to move to soon. Or a used d850 if I don't have the funds for the z8. In any case, I want a higher res FX for landscape.

At some point I may think about an equatorial mount, does anyone have experience they'd like to share? Have you used it with a tele as well as a wide angle?

I saw this one on B&H: https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/prod...er_s20512_star_adventurer_pro_pack.html/specs

Thanks in advance!
 
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There are so many and many with different abilities. Are you mainly interested in astrolandscapes or possibly deep sky as well? If you want a good lower end easy to use system that’s good for both I’d recommend the ZWO AM3 mount.

I use the big brother AM5 and it is very good and much easier than other setups. With most setups you have to deal with proper counterbalances but with strain wave devices like this you can generally forgo that. And couple it with a ZWO ASIAir Plus and it’s nearly plug and play.

The Star Adventurer is well respected for the lower end. iOptron has some good options as well. The problem you’ll run into is nickel and diming plus quality variances. At that price level you might get a great unit or one that causes no end of frustration.

If you go to the cloudy nights site and the mounts section of the forums you’ll see no end to the options with every pro and con imaginable.
 
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TurtleCat said:
There are so many and many with different abilities. Are you mainly interested in astrolandscapes or possibly deep sky as well? If you want a good lower end easy to use system that’s good for both I’d recommend the ZWO AM3 mount.

I use the big brother AM5 and it is very good and much easier than other setups. With most setups you have to deal with proper counterbalances but with strain wave devices like this you can generally forgo that. And couple it with a ZWO ASIAir Plus and it’s nearly plug and play.

The Star Adventurer is well respected for the lower end. iOptron has some good options as well. The problem you’ll run into is nickel and diming plus quality variances. At that price level you might get a great unit or one that causes no end of frustration.

If you go to the cloudy nights site and the mounts section of the forums you’ll see no end to the options with every pro and con imaginable.
Click to expand...
Thanks! I'll check it out. I'll start with just playing around with what I have but I'm pretty intrigued with astro, mainly to capture the deep sky milky way and perhaps trying some with a 500mm or 600mm.
I'll look at cloudy nights as well.
 
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Buy it used in classifieds on astro-boards, like CloudyNights.

For just a camera. check out MoveShootMove. No need for equatorial mount until you get into long tele lens/ telescope focal lengths and weight. Software will combine many 15-30sec images into one, rather than when several hours of tracking was needed...and with less noise. Milky Way and your 16-80 doesn't need an equatorial mount.

Been in this as a hobby for 40 years...start slow. Figure out what you really like to capture, etc, Solar, Messier, moon, Milky Way, DSOs...and on and on. Use the camera gear you have first...start with brighter objects like the moon, then move to other, fainter ones. Your gear will work just great. Look it up, with the sensor ISO invariance, the optimal ISO might be 400 or 800...I'd check.

I use the same setup...and with a number of other lenses. I also have three telescopes, and respective mounts. LOL..takes a real commitment to take them out any more, especially in cold weather. Technology nowadays is great. Sit inside with bluetooth and wireless, and let your scope and cameras work, sending images back to your computer! Its a fun hobby, in many directions.

Welcome.
 
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Alnitak said:
Buy it used in classifieds on astro-boards, like CloudyNights.

For just a camera. check out MoveShootMove. No need for equatorial mount until you get into long tele lens/ telescope focal lengths and weight. Software will combine many 15-30sec images into one, rather than when several hours of tracking was needed...and with less noise. Milky Way and your 16-80 doesn't need an equatorial mount.

Been in this as a hobby for 40 years...start slow. Figure out what you really like to capture, etc, Solar, Messier, moon, Milky Way, DSOs...and on and on. Use the camera gear you have first...start with brighter objects like the moon, then move to other, fainter ones. Your gear will work just great. Look it up, with the sensor ISO invariance, the optimal ISO might be 400 or 800...I'd check.

I use the same setup...and with a number of other lenses. I also have three telescopes, and respective mounts. LOL..takes a real commitment to take them out any more, especially in cold weather. Technology nowadays is great. Sit inside with bluetooth and wireless, and let your scope and cameras work, sending images back to your computer! Its a fun hobby, in many directions.

Welcome.
Click to expand...
Thanks for both of your responses! And the welcome. The aurora in May reawakened an interest. I used to have a 6" newtonian reflector telescope when I was young.

I attended an astronomy club on top of a local mountain and was amazed at the sophisticated equipment folks had. I doubt I'll ever go that far, but I could see joining them and shooting wide angle milky way shots or playing with solar or lunar photography.

Your advice makes sense to start slow, use what I have and see how it goes. The software idea is something I need to learn more about anyway.

Some of the most amazing milky way skies I've ever seen were on desert camping trips. We are fortunate in the West to have fairly accessible dark sky areas.
Thanks again
 
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One thing to be careful of is the money pit. Once you get into deep sky astro the costs start adding up. The most important piece is the mount. I’d advise starting with shorter focal lengths as well for deep sky. No more than 480mm. The precision needed to track is easily underestimated. You’ll quickly discover the need for a separate guide scope and cam and the you’ll discover that you need a focuser and it goes from there :)
 
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AlanB313 said:
Hi all, after the aurora I have been really interested in trying some astro. I know this is mostly a wildlife forum, but does anyone use an equatorial mount to get longer exposures with lower iso? Generally how long of an exposure can one shoot without an equatorial mount? 5 to 10 seconds?

My plan is to try just with my current setup the next trip. There's too much light pollution where I live. The last trip we camped surrounded by trees or it was cloudy. Milky way is what I'll target first.

I'll try with my d500 and 16-80 f2.8 at first and a sturdy tripod. The lens is pretty sharp in the corners actually. But it does have some vignetting which is generally correctable. If I really have fun, I may look for a Rokinon 14mm f2.4 that others have recommended. It supposedly works well with new mirrorless FX, like a z8, which I'm planning to move to soon. Or a used d850 if I don't have the funds for the z8. In any case, I want a higher res FX for landscape.

At some point I may think about an equatorial mount, does anyone have experience they'd like to share? Have you used it with a tele as well as a wide angle?

I saw this one on B&H: https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/prod...er_s20512_star_adventurer_pro_pack.html/specs

Thanks in advance!
Click to expand...

FWIW, I use an ioptron sky guider pro that I’m very happy with for tracked wide field astro shots.

I use that for longer exposure Milky Way shots and it really helps in terms of bringing out detail and color. I don’t always carry it on backpacking and other trips when I’m traveling lighter. In cases like that I used to use the 500/focal length guideline for shutter speed but with modern high resolution cameras that yields more star streaking than I like so for untracked shots I try for closer to 300/focal length. When using the equatorial tracking mount I’ll typically shoot 3 to 5 minute exposures.
 
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TurtleCat said:
One thing to be careful of is the money pit. Once you get into deep sky astro the costs start adding up. The most important piece is the mount. I’d advise starting with shorter focal lengths as well for deep sky. No more than 480mm. The precision needed to track is easily underestimated. You’ll quickly discover the need for a separate guide scope and cam and the you’ll discover that you need a focuser and it goes from there :)
Click to expand...
Thanks, yes, I can see the money pit....and will start slow. I have a 300mm pf with or without a 1.4tc, a 500mm pf or a 150-600mm g2. But I'm mostly interested in wide field for now.
I'll talk to the folks in the local astronomy club as well.
 
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