Notices by Julien :ve: 🔭:python: (jdlbt@techhub.social)

@sundogplanets does amateur astronomer qualify as astronomer?

@greatgodoffire 135mm is a good focal length to get started in AP. It is more forgiving and allows you to do reasonably long exposures without autoguiding. If your current EQ mount can track on the RA axis, I'd recommend you give this a try before buying anything.

In AP, a good goto mount is probably the most important piece of gear to buy. With focal lengths ~200mm and above, autoguiding is required to get long sub-exposures without star trailing, and a goto mount is required for autoguiding. It also allows dithering (move the framing just a little bit between exposures) which helps significantly reduce fixed pattern noise from the camera sensor.

Once you have a good mount, you can consider APO scopes in the 250-400mm focal length range like the WO Redcat 51 or the Askar FRA400 (I have the FRA400 and it is AMAZING).

This object at RA 06h 21' 40", Dec 23° 35' 00" approx. looks like a planetary nebula, however I could not find any PN it in the Perek-Kohoutek Catalogue of Planetary Nebulae near these coordinates.

#astrophotography #astronomy #nebula #PlanetaryNebula #astrodon

Very likely my last image of 2023, this is the Jellyfish Nebula (IC443), the remnant of a supernova in the constellation Gemini. The two large orange stars are Mu and Eta Geminorum, two red giants at the feet of the rightmost of the two "stick figures" that form the constellation Gemini.

Full resolution + annotated versions and technical details on Telescopius: https://telescopius.com/pictures/view/173987/deep_sky/jellyfish-nebula/IC/443/supernova-remnant/by-drgfreeman

Image license: CC-BY-NC-SA-4.0

#astrophotography #astronomy #nebula #deepsky #photography #astroberry #kstars #ekos #phd2 #darktable #raspberrypi #astrodon

@Dtl I learned with this one from Radio Shack. It was pretty nice. I still have it and my son used it about 10 years ago.