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CaliforniaStars.net | Amateur astronomy and astrophotography in California
My Astro Equipment

It's no secret. Taking high resolution photos of objects buried deep in the night sky requires some pretty serious equipment. Here's what I use to do it.

As of late 2010, my imaging sessions take place primarily from my observatory at the RAS's dark sky site (GMARS) in Landers, California. It's a 10' x 12' manual roll-off roof observatory.

Mounts and Piers
Telescopes
Cameras
  • FLI ML11002-1-C camera with 65mm shutter and ADT
  • Canon EOS 5D Mark II DSLR camera (unmodified)
  • SBIG ST-i Autoguider (monochrome)
  • Orion StarShoot Autoguider
Lenses and Camera Accessories
  • Canon EF 200mm f/2.8 L II USM lens
  • Canon EF 16-35mm f/2.8 L II USM lens
  • Canon EF 24-105mm f/4 L IS USM lens
  • Canon EF 2x Telextender II
  • Sigma 8mm EXDG f/3.5 Fisheye lens
  • Satechi TR-A Timer Remote Control
  • Canon Angle Finder C
Computer Hardware & Software
  • Laptop: Sony VAIO VGN-FW590—Intel Core 2 Duo P8800 @ 2.66GHz, 6GB RAM, ATI Mobility Radeon HD 4650 w/1GB video RAM, 500GB hard drive, Blu-ray drive, 16.4" widescreen, Windows 7 Professional x64
  • Desktop: Dell Studio XPS 9100—Intel Core i7-930 (2.80GHz), 8GB RAM, ATI Radeon HD5670 video card, dual Dell 2408WFP 24" LCD monitors, Windows 7 Home Premium x64
  • TheSkyX Pro and CCDSoft 5 by Software Bisque
  • ImagesPlus by Mike Unsold
  • Maxim DL/CCD by Diffraction Limited
  • Photoshop CS4 Extended by Adobe
  • PhD Guiding by Stark Labs
Other Accessories
  • Takahashi 0.73x Reducer QE for FSQ-106EDXIII
  • Technical Innovations RoboFocus
  • Astrodon Monster MOAG Off-Axis Guider
  • Gerd Neumann Jr. Aurora 12.5" Flatfield Panel
  • Adapters from Precise Parts
  • Tele Vue eyepieces, Powermates, and 0.8x Reducer/Flattener (TRF-2008)
  • Edmund Optics RKE eyepieces
  • Rings, plates, and saddles by SocalAstro, Losmandy, Parallax Instruments, and Robin Casady
  • Cases by Pelican, Scopeguard, and Pacific Design
  • Mogg adapter to connect EOS lenses to the Orion StarShoot Autoguider
  • Custom designed and built AC AstroBox
  • Custom designed and built DC AstroBox
  • 100AH 12v deep cycle AGM battery (Sears)
  • 55AH 12v deep cycle AGM battery (Optima)
  • 18AH 12v SLA battery (Kendrick)

Astronomy Equipment from Days Gone By (listed from most to least recent)
  • Canon EOS 450D (Rebel XSi) DSLR camera (self-mod with Astrodon AD40D)
  • SBIG ST-10XME Self-Guiding CCD Imager with CFW-10 and AO-8
  • Celestron NexStar 8 SE Schmidt-Cassegrain
  • Advanced Telescope Systems 8" x 36" portable pier (2009-2010) — photo
  • Celestron 9.25" Schmidt-Cassegrain (2005-2010) — photo
  • Meade 12" LX200-ACF Modified Schmidt-Cassegrain (2009-2010) — photo
  • Olympus OM-1 SLR (2002-2009)
  • Mountain Instruments MI-250 w/Gemini & ATS Pier (2006-2009) — photo
  • Canon EOS 40Dg DSLR (Hap Griffin modified) w/EF-S 28-135mm lens (2007-2009)
  • Losmandy GM-8 German Equatorial with Gemini (2007-2009) — photo
  • Takahashi TOA-130F APO Triplet Refractor (2006-2007) — photo
  • Canon EOS 20Dh DSLR (Hutech Type Ia modification) (2005-2007)
  • Meade DSI Pro (2005-2008)
  • SBIG ST-2000XM CCD camera and AO-7 (2004-2007) — photo
  • SBIG ST-7E CCD camera (2002-2004)
  • William Optics Megrez 80mm Super APO Triplet (2002-2005) — photo
  • Meade LX200GPS 10" f/10 (2003-2005) — photo
  • Meade LX200 10" f/10 (1999-2002) — photo
  • Nikon FM-10 SLR camera (2001-2005)
  • Coulter Optics 10.1" f/4.5 Dobsonian (original blue tube) (1987-1997)
  • Jason Comet 480 (76mm aperture) Schmidt-Newtonian (1985-1987) — photo
  • Tasco 50mm (or 60mm?) achromatic refractor (1983-1985)
Equipment Images
Click an image below for a larger view.

Observatory
CaliforniaStars Observatory with DSI 254mm RC telescope on Astro-Physics 900GTO mount
Roll-off roof observatory
Astro laptop with homemade red screen
Astro laptop
Mobile Equipment
Astro-Physics Mach1-GTO mount with Takahashi FSQ-106EDX-III
AP Mach1-GTO & FSQ
Custom DC AstroBox
Custom AstroBox [ inside | back ]
Read about it here.