Astrophotography

[Taranto]

Well I'm surely interested in astrophotography. Or maybe not. I really don't know -- to be completely honest. I am sure however, that i want to buy a telescope, and observe the far sides of this perpetually expanding, glorious universe of ours. So i won't be modest, and arrogantly demand help.

My real predicament is the fact that i live in Toronto. Toronto, if you don't know, is a place where the coorprorate world frankly does not give a "poo" about the environment. So i am covered by a greyish sort-of cloud that seems destined to suffocate me in my sleep. Could someone provide a list of telescopes (reflectors, refractors, i don't really know; although refractors are smaller, so i 'guess' that's most acceptable) and their respective ranges; that is, which aperatures and magnifications provide, let's say, a view of Neptune.

Also, from what i have read, digital cameras are the outcasts of the astrophotography world. What camera is best for me? What are the "adapaters" which provide access to my telescope with a camera called?

Any information is truly very helpful.

Thank you.

[Warrior Poo Flinger]

I live 40km due south of Toronto. I feel your pain. I would suggest you not rush headlong into purchasing astrophotography gear. Instead, take the binoculars that you probably have somewhere in one of your closets, and a simple star chart, and drive 100km north some evening, say to Barrie, and head someplace rural, so you can see the sky. Orient yourself and look around, and begin to get to know the sky. It will help with your breathing problem.

Find out when a local astronomy club meets, and go to a meeting. The first couple of meetings won't usually cost you anything, and talk to people who do astrophotography. You are looking at a scope with a motorized equatorial drive, or a goto system, so you aren't going to find it at Wal-mart. Khan scope centre seems to have a good rep, and it's on Dufferin, if I remember. But talk to people before you part with several hundred dollars.

Go to Starfest in Mount Forest for a day and a night. Google it. It may be spelled Star Fest. Walk about and talk to people about their equipment, which they will have set up in front of their tents and trailers. Most of them are desperate to show it off to you. It's around teh first week of August.

I confess, I don't do astrophotography, other than pointing my camera at the ep and taking a picture of the moon once in a while. I do know that many people are using digital cameras for this, usually the expensive ones like the Canon Rebel which costs $1100 Cdn. They like them because they can run them trhough Photo Shop, etc., and enhance the pictures, and show them to their friends the very next day. I know many astrophotographers who have hdd their work published in commercial magazines, calendars, books and web pages, all with digital cameras.

Hope this is of some use to you. As I said, don't rush; the sky will still be there next year.

[Eugene N]

You are either a good swimmer or live on a boat, because 40 Km due south of Toronto puts you right into Lake Ontario?...:-)
Clear skies, (and water)
Eugene

[Warrior Poo Flinger]

Take the ruler to the map again. 40 km south of Toronto, approximately, puts me in St. Catharines, Ontario. Please don't tell me that I don't know where I live. :P

[Eugene N]

Not being an astrophotographer I can't say first hand, but the Meade LX200 are noted for their easy adaptability for photography. Personally, if what you say about not being sure if you want to do photo, I would start with a Dob. The Hardin line of scopes as well as the Orion dobs are perfect for beginners. The biggest problem with wanting to do photo work is that you need both very good optics AND a superior mount. Now you are talking about spending some serious bucks to get both of those. Whereas with visual only use of the scope you can get by with a less expensive mount and less than perfect optics. If long exposure shots are not in your future, you could always put a dob on a tracking platform and use that for photo work. I would post your question on a astrophoto forum for better advice on actual equipment. Clear skies,