Astrophotography Post vaccine!

Why Astro?

I've got the bug. I love astrophotography. It requires the combination of mechanical, electrical, software engineering and art skills all in concert. For it to work, it really requires a perfect timed sequence of the system to produce a favorable image. When it happens its like a symphony.

Portable Config

- Tripod from amazon (Neewer Camera Tripod Monopod Carbon Fiber with Rotatable Center Column)
- William Optics base "for iOptron Skyguider Pro" (fantastic upgrade)
- Skywatcher Star Adventurer 2
- Canon T7i astromodded
- Redcat51 (250mm Focal Length)
- ASI290MM Mini + Uniguide 32mm/120mm FL
- SVBony Reddot
- 3D Printed and attached Seagull 1x,2x right angle finder to polar scope
- MiniPC (J4125 Celeron quad core processor) + 10" LCD screen (~10 Watts)
- Jackery 300 Watt portable battery bank

Bazooka Config V1 (DSLR)

- EQ6-R Pro Mount
- Celestron 9.25" SCT Telescope (2350mm FL and F/10)
- ASI290MM Mini + 50mm guide scope (removed eyepiece and 3D Printed adaptor)
- Canon T7i astromodded with light cover for eye piece
- SVBony Reddot with 3D Printed 90deg adaptor
- Starizona F.63 Reducer & Corrector IV (reduces to 1525mm FL and F/6.5)
- Celestron 2" Visual Back
- 3M taped wire routing plastic clips
- Dew heaters + Controller for C9.25 and guide scope
- Jackery 300 Watt portable battery bank or Marine Deep Cycle Battery (100 Ah)

Bazooka Config V2 (Mono Astrocam)

- upgrades beyond V1 includes ZWO ASI294MM-Pro Camera
- ZWO EAF (not installed yet) - for automatic focusing
- ZWO EFW (installed) - for automatically switching filters (this lets us get color with a mono camera)
- OAG installed... backfocus is a pain! I still don't have it perfect. I have some coma or tilt.

First indoor setup on artificial star

Installing Narrowband Filters (Antilia LRGBSO)

Example Pictures

Western Veil Nebula @ 1525mm - shot from Bazooka config V1 from backyard (Bortle7) from 2.5 hrs of data.

This is my first narrowband image (LRGB) stacked each channel in DSS individually, then combined in GIMP. 10 minutes of exposure on each channel.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/North_America_Nebula I shot this from Oregon with 30 minutes of 60 second exposures stacked. Captured with my Canon T7i, 135mm F2 lens, a UHC filter, and a star tracker. This was the Portable Config.