[crazydoggers]

I think the issue is that this software really probably targets someone already pretty advanced in the hobby. If you’re just stepping in, this software will probably be overkill.

You can start doing astrophotography with nothing more than a nice camera with a tripod and a remote shutter control for long exposures. You can get great views of the Milky Way and some brighter nebulas that way. If you want longer exposures then obviously you’ll need a mount that can track the earths rotation.

If you’re looking to image what are called “deep sky” objects, then that’s when you’ll need something like this software and probably a telescope, along with a mount that can track the movement of the earth with very high precision. Lots of deep sky objects require multiple exposures from a larger telescope that can capture lots of light, which are then stacked. The stacking requires lining up the star field, so software is a must.

Another use for software like this is doing amateur astronomy work. For example taking multiple basic images of galaxies every night in order to spot a supernova.

[joshspankit]

Even your reply would be a big help on that page.

Personally, I like to use the best tools even if they are well outside my current skillset (diving in to early Photoshop was overkill to recolour images and took me dozens of hours to start to learn, but working with it paid off many times over the years).

Sounds like the most efficient path is:

1. Nice camera with long exposure via remote shutter: Take photos of stars / milky way / some nebulas

2. Add tripod and mount to automatically move the camera that can be optionally controlled via some smart device: Adds the ability to see more nebulas, and focus on objects for longer (meaning they show up brighter, with more detail)

3. Add software and maybe a telescope that can connect to the camera + mount: Adds the ability to capture things not normally visible, and really tune in to the details

Is that right?

[crazydoggers]

Pretty much. Definitely get the tripod right at the beginning. You can get some nice and very portable ones for not much money, and with any night photography if you want halfway decent shots, it’s a must.

And depending on how into it you get, you might not even bother with a mount for a camera. If you end up going the telescope route you’ll want a good equatorial mount for that, and typically the camera will attach directly to the telescope.

And speaking of mounts, for astrophotography, an equatorial mount is a must. It rotates along the earths axis, so it can keep the image orientation correct. If you get a mount that moves up/down left/right (they call that alt/azimuth) then your image will rotate as the night progresses.

For learning, there’s also no better place than the cloudy nights forums in my opinion:

https://www.cloudynights.com/

edit: dylans comment is also really good and tracks with my experiences as well

[samstave]

Also, garage sales for tripods.

I got a collection of ~30 tripods at a garage sale for $10 for the lot.

Some really really cool tripods - but I dont really do photography I put my houseplants on them/

https://imgur.com/gallery/l4cwHyp

[dylan604]

I think a tiny bit of me just died with the realization that this is what this poor equipment has been reduced to. A tiny tear has been shed in its honor.

Were they real or just designed to look like that? Seems like a lot of damn weight to be carrying around to hold up a plant.

[dylan604]

One thing I'd also suggest is rent, rent, rent. You can rent so many different camera bodies and lenses, that you'd be silly to not try out different things before buying. You can even rent modified camera bodies that have the IR filters removed specifically for astro stuff.

Before buying a telescope, attend star parties. People will bring out their gear and welcome you to chat and view through their gear. You'll start to see the differences in telescope types and their pros/cons. Astronomy was built on the shoulders of giants, so you can take advantage of that as well.

+1000 for cloudynights website