My Initial Astrophotography Set-up

 

Here we see an artist's impression of the European Extremely Large Telescope in an image shared on wikicommons by ESO/L Calçada. Thanks!

39 meter aperture so maybe a bit much for a beginner.

My interest astrophotography stems from The Black Cloud by Fred Hoyle which I first read in the summer of 1981. Astrophysics and plasma dynamics which could be modeled by computer code captured my interest more than the visual aspects of astronomy proper. I already had an accomplished understanding of orbital dynamics at the time and so, observing and the techniques employed seemed primitive.

Fast forward to today. 

Deep Sky Stacker performs image integration here on my laptop (admittedly, an extremely powerful engineering workstation) in a few minutes in what in 1981 would have seemed a miracle. Remember, I read The Black Hole several years before the advent of desktop computing and the IBM PS2.

So, computational aids enabling fantastic images are now the norm. There remains the key aspect of capturing the data which is still a endeavor requiring a master technician's skill and patience. 

Initially:

Nikon D5100 DSLR ( hacked and borrowed from frau bear).

Manfrotto 055XDB and a Manfrotto supplied ballhead (13 lb. capacity).

Nikkor 18-200mm lens  (again borrowed from frau bear).

Vello shutterboss wireless intervalometer.

Johannes Scientific Bahtinov mask diffraction grating.

Kiwi dew heater band.

Generic 30Kmah power brick for DSLR and dew heater.

This set-up allows me to capture images at 135mm/f5 using a shutter speed of 2 seconds and an iso of 1600.

It is a start. The images also resemble a start even after extensive post-processing practice and study. There is a great deal of noise for the limited signal I capture. The ISO setting doesn't help.

At a focal length of 35mm there is clearly more and better data with which to work from an exposure of ten seconds and f4. However, the image is small and somewhat indistinct. The framing is of entire constellations (Cassi) but the nebulosity desired from attendant objects is missing.

Orion's various objects remain obscure to me.

There are things to do to improve the image -- and I am doing them -- but the activity is more a skills drill at this point.

Set-up.

Capture light frames.

 Capture Bias, Darks, and Flat frames.

 Post-process.

Squint.

There it is: a starter process and equipment list for astrophotography and brief workflow. 

I will select the best image for inclusion in my 2022 Image Book. I believe that by preserving my set of "best of the year" each successive year, I'll be motivated to master the art and have evidence of my pursuit of various groups of objects.

We'll see.

 Clear Skies All.