Consider this as a way to improve your set up, Nik: Find a way to remotely turn on and off everything from inside your home as well as remotely removing and installing the dome cover. If you did that, you'd be all set in any weather and in the absolute comfort of your nicest arm chair. ~Max from USA, SW Florida
Nick is very friendly man, talked to him last year at Astronomy show in Warwickshire. He answered every single question I asked him, being beginner myself in astronomy
7 years after this was uploaded, I just bought my first Equatorial mount, a Skywatcher EQ5. I had completely forgot that this was the one he recommended
This is by far the best explanation of equipment I have seen. My telescope is a 10 inch DOB on a four wheel cart. Although not as complicated as this, just a push around base and using a lazy susan bearing for AZ and finely balanced for ALT. I use a GPS compass for true north and a digital angle finder for ALT combined with astronomy softwear on the computer. Simply put in the time of night I will be out and just push to the coordinates and find the object. Thank you for posting and I am a beginner and 73 and just getting started. I find this a simple solution to a complicated problem for very little money and is great fun.
I've had the pleasure of meeting Nik at Patrick's on a number of occasions and can honestly say - he's one of the most helpful and pleasant guy's you could ever wish to meet.
waaaaaaaant! Hubby and I are going to get a telescope as our joint Holiday gift this year... I'm going to check out these recommendations. Thanks Nik and Brady!
Probably the best video I have ever seen that come straight to the point without a lot of technical BS, I sometimes wonder if people just love to have themselves talk and show how intelligent they are, but I got more of this video and listening to this gentleman I can really visualize how to set up some equipment an image What I see. Thanks again for the video, I have subscribed and I hope to see more
A Ritchey-Chrétien reflector (RC) instead of a Schmidt-Cassegrain Telescope (SCT) has the advantage of a fixed main mirror and a separate focuser ( SCT focuses by moving the main mirror). AstroPhotography (AP) indeed has a steep earning curve... Great video !
It's a Ritchey-Chrétien Cassegrain focus - both primary and secondary mirrors are hyperbolic. It's the best setup for a narrow field of view - they are expensive pieces of kit though.
Even a high quality equatorial mount slips slightly, in the same way an accurate clock can gain/lose time if left unadjusted long enough. It's all about the precision, and the autoguider is a simple way to keep it precise. You *can* take shorter exposure shots without an autoguider, but if your exposure time is 10 mins or more then a belt-and-braces attitude gets best results.
@pyrea17 Newtonian reflectors use parabolic mirrors, but Ritchey-Chretien telescopes use hyperbolic primary and secondary mirrors to eliminate coma (comet-shaped stars near the edges of the field). Other designs use spherical mirrors with one or more correcting lens to a similar effect.
Unless you want to pay many many thousands of pounds for the equatorial mount then you will need to have the second scope for guiding (relative to the focal length being used though). There is a mechanical issue with most mounts called Periodic Error, which is caused by the rotation of the worm gears inside the mount. The autoguiding software can be used to correct this error which can then result in having good long-exposure images. Nik uses a long focal length so accurate tracking is a must.
Nice video Nik and Brady... I have a similar dome but only on an NEQ6 at present and guiding through a QHY5. I recently upgraded from a Canon DSLR (mod) to an ATIK 450 OSC and I did this because there was a secondhand one going cheap(ish) and because I truly believe that the island we call England is slowly drifting into the Arctic! Trying to get one clear night is becoming nigh on impossible and I think that people who image mono must have the patience of a saint
Also, previous model DSLRs can be obtained very cheaply. A T2i, an excellent astrophotography camera, can be obtained for $300 or less. The telescope and mount are far more expensive. Google barndoor tracker - a simple and affordable equatorial platform that can be quite effective!
this kind of equipment reaches the value of a decent car, I know I don't need anything close to this quality of equip but still, for a student this is quite a wallet-exhausting hobby... maybe one day :) Nik you're excellent.
He talks about a small refractor. Is there any F-ratio you should aim for or not go over? Will a F7,5 do it? And what about Lightpollution (imaging from city). Do you need more apeture then, or will a CLS filter do?
when i was 7, my parents asked me if i wanted a computer or a telescope for my birthday. i'm now a software developer. brady, you make me regret the decision i made that day :(
Now, that is a good video. It is actually one where the also rans(that would be me) can feel like they have the right stuff. He is 100% correct (because he said) you don't need the worlds best stuff to get good results. Thx
my guess is ! not only does the earth have tilted axis "seasons" but earth trajectory also ! bounce/wobble i think they call it milankovitch cycles, so the second camera is really the simplest and easiest way calibrate !
One question. Could you have detected the TNO's like Eris, Makemake, etc with this equipment. I mean for example by accident like photographing a nebula and you detect a "slow moving star" next to it which turns out to be a TNO.
I'm just curious but at 3:35, Nik says the telescope uses a hyperbolic mirror. I was under the impression that reflector telescopes used parabolic mirrors (though i may be wrong) so I'm just interested to know if he misspoke or if it actually uses hyperbolic mirrors. Great upload though! These videos about the photography aspect of astronomy make me want to get a better telescope one day!
Very interesting to see he chose a qsi. Theyre great cameras but I would just like to ask if he happened to say why he chose that camera? :) Searching for the right camera is a hard task hah
I am by no means an expert but highly technical instruments can gradually lose alignment over time for any number of reasons. I assume the second camera is there to correct such an issue. It might be difficult to match the speed of the earth's rotation with a mount precisely and so a correction camera can help keep it on track. It would be nice to hear from a professional about this though.
I'm so jealous of his setup! I haven't tried my hand at astrophotography--something about looking at the object with my own eyes in real time appeals to me, so for now I'll stick to my Dobsonian. It's a lot cheaper too :D. 1500 quid for the lower end setup!? I feel like I'd need a second job just to support my hobby!
I'm surprised that a tracking star would be the most accurate way to keep the telescope pointed at one place in the sky. I guess it's because there is no feedback to the planetarium software about *exactly* how the telescope is oriented or such exact calibration is not feasible. Does this impose any limitation on the quality of the image?
Haow long has Mr. Szymanek been astronomizing? Is he affiliated with Nottingham Univarsity astronomy, or strictly a talented independent amateur? Haow much approximately does his rig cost?
Consider this as a way to improve your set up, Nik:
Find a way to remotely turn on and off everything from inside your home as well as remotely removing and installing the dome cover.
If you did that, you'd be all set in any weather and in the absolute comfort of your nicest arm chair.
~Max from USA, SW Florida
Nick is very friendly man, talked to him last year at Astronomy show in Warwickshire. He answered every single question I asked him, being beginner myself in astronomy
7 years after this was uploaded, I just bought my first Equatorial mount, a Skywatcher EQ5. I had completely forgot that this was the one he recommended
That's probably one of the coolest houses I have ever seen. Your very own miniature observatory right in your yard. Awesome!!
This is by far the best explanation of equipment I have seen. My telescope is a 10 inch DOB on a four wheel cart. Although not as complicated as this, just a push around base and using a lazy susan bearing for AZ and finely balanced for ALT. I use a GPS compass for true north and a digital angle finder for ALT combined with astronomy softwear on the computer. Simply put in the time of night I will be out and just push to the coordinates and find the object. Thank you for posting and I am a beginner and 73 and just getting started. I find this a simple solution to a complicated problem for very little money and is great fun.
Back when I was your age, I'd just bought my first 'cello, never having laid a finger on a bowed string instrument.
I've had the pleasure of meeting Nik at Patrick's on a number of occasions and can honestly say - he's one of the most helpful and pleasant guy's you could ever wish to meet.
Nik is one of my favorite deep sky video's persons
waaaaaaaant! Hubby and I are going to get a telescope as our joint Holiday gift this year... I'm going to check out these recommendations. Thanks Nik and Brady!
Probably the best video I have ever seen that come straight to the point without a lot of technical BS, I sometimes wonder if people just love to have themselves talk and show how intelligent they are, but I got more of this video and listening to this gentleman I can really visualize how to set up some equipment an image What I see. Thanks again for the video, I have subscribed and I hope to see more
This is great. It's helpful getting a good breakdown of a real professional rig, and having it explained so well.
My favorite piece of equipment in the Pear Tree Telescope was the little heater. I have the same one keeping me cozy right now.
This video never gets old.
What a top bloke.
glad you liked it - Nik knows his stuff!
What a legend.
Wow.. What a great setup and commitment to getting it right.. Awesome.
I was subscribed to deep sky videos before I knew they were by brady. Thats cool
Thanks Nik and Brady!
Excellent video and a great tour of the observatory. Scott
Very cool set-up, Nick! Love it!
A Ritchey-Chrétien reflector (RC) instead of a Schmidt-Cassegrain Telescope (SCT) has the advantage of a fixed main mirror and a separate focuser ( SCT focuses by moving the main mirror). AstroPhotography (AP) indeed has a steep earning curve...
Great video !
Such a lovely guy, met Nik a number of times at Farthings ....ahhh the memories.
Woow... that's exactly the information I was looking for!
Once again, thanks Brady! And thanks Nik!
It's a Ritchey-Chrétien Cassegrain focus - both primary and secondary mirrors are hyperbolic. It's the best setup for a narrow field of view - they are expensive pieces of kit though.
Nik's imaging tutorials in Astronomy Now are excellent, he's pro level drummer as well!
Even a high quality equatorial mount slips slightly, in the same way an accurate clock can gain/lose time if left unadjusted long enough. It's all about the precision, and the autoguider is a simple way to keep it precise. You *can* take shorter exposure shots without an autoguider, but if your exposure time is 10 mins or more then a belt-and-braces attitude gets best results.
@pyrea17 Newtonian reflectors use parabolic mirrors, but Ritchey-Chretien telescopes use hyperbolic primary and secondary mirrors to eliminate coma (comet-shaped stars near the edges of the field). Other designs use spherical mirrors with one or more correcting lens to a similar effect.
Fantastic video, and fantastic enthusiast. I would love to find local people as passionat as him who have similar photographic interests as myself.
this man is the definition of awesome in my book
Fascinating video - great to watch a true expert, and enthusiast, at work.
AWESOME VIDEO... Rely puts things into perspective for us amateurs.
Brilliant video for those starting out. Would love to hear Nik's opinions on Nebulosity vs Maxim DL vs Deep Sky Stacker etc
Unless you want to pay many many thousands of pounds for the equatorial mount then you will need to have the second scope for guiding (relative to the focal length being used though). There is a mechanical issue with most mounts called Periodic Error, which is caused by the rotation of the worm gears inside the mount. The autoguiding software can be used to correct this error which can then result in having good long-exposure images. Nik uses a long focal length so accurate tracking is a must.
FWIW, The 'starter' mount he recommends is sold in the US as the Sirius EQ-G by Orion
Nice video Nik and Brady...
I have a similar dome but only on an NEQ6 at present and guiding through a QHY5. I recently upgraded from a Canon DSLR (mod) to an ATIK 450 OSC and I did this because there was a secondhand one going cheap(ish) and because I truly believe that the island we call England is slowly drifting into the Arctic!
Trying to get one clear night is becoming nigh on impossible and I think that people who image mono must have the patience of a saint
Nice, I never did much astrophotography, I’m mainly a visual user, but it must be nice when you’re patience pays off.
Wow! This is an awesome setup...
So envious right now.
Hi NIk, Amazing commentary. Great Video.
When I find a permenant residence one day, I'll build a set up like this. Inspiring.
He seemed a nice guy. Explained everything well. Subscribed.
Also, previous model DSLRs can be obtained very cheaply. A T2i, an excellent astrophotography camera, can be obtained for $300 or less. The telescope and mount are far more expensive. Google barndoor tracker - a simple and affordable equatorial platform that can be quite effective!
You can also modify inexpensive webcams to use with telescopes, but they will give you a very narrow FoV.
this kind of equipment reaches the value of a decent car, I know I don't need anything close to this quality of equip but still, for a student this is quite a wallet-exhausting hobby... maybe one day :)
Nik you're excellent.
He talks about a small refractor.
Is there any F-ratio you should aim for or not go over?
Will a F7,5 do it?
And what about Lightpollution (imaging from city). Do you need more apeture then, or will a CLS filter do?
Oh to have such a wonderful permanent setup. I bet he's going to get that observatory rotating next :)
when i was 7, my parents asked me if i wanted a computer or a telescope for my birthday. i'm now a software developer. brady, you make me regret the decision i made that day :(
THE COOLEST SCIENTIST OF ALL TIME! Great video
That was Great, Thank You for Posting!
this is just fantastic, great job
Brilliant. And a great guy.
Many thanks for the upload.
one question: how much?
seriously, that equipment is top of the top line!
nice vid, looking forward for more!
Now, that is a good video.
It is actually one where the also rans(that would be me) can feel like they have the right stuff. He is 100% correct (because he said) you don't need the worlds best stuff to get good results. Thx
How fricking cool is it that the camera messes up exactly on the points of the cams POV of perception?
my guess is ! not only does the earth have tilted axis "seasons" but earth trajectory also ! bounce/wobble i think they call it milankovitch cycles, so the second camera is really the simplest and easiest way calibrate !
don't you just hate him, so professional but nothing showy, a really nice chap
I love his setup i wish i had mine like this
One question.
Could you have detected the TNO's like Eris, Makemake, etc with this equipment. I mean for example by accident like photographing a nebula and you detect a "slow moving star" next to it which turns out to be a TNO.
He seems like a very nice person.
I'm just curious but at 3:35, Nik says the telescope uses a hyperbolic mirror. I was under the impression that reflector telescopes used parabolic mirrors (though i may be wrong) so I'm just interested to know if he misspoke or if it actually uses hyperbolic mirrors.
Great upload though! These videos about the photography aspect of astronomy make me want to get a better telescope one day!
I happen to work at a big observatory (ASTRON) and most astronomers use Mac or Linux because nearly all software is written for unix/linux.
how is this little thing called between the filter wheel and the auto guiding chip?
Very interesting to see he chose a qsi. Theyre great cameras but I would just like to ask if he happened to say why he chose that camera? :) Searching for the right camera is a hard task hah
What would you recommend for taking picture if nebulae?
Is that a paramount mount?
Great stuff! Say, this isn't in Australia.. Is it?
What is the name of the planetarium software he is using?
"I feel like I'd need a second job just to support my hobby!" I know the feeling!
I am by no means an expert but highly technical instruments can gradually lose alignment over time for any number of reasons. I assume the second camera is there to correct such an issue. It might be difficult to match the speed of the earth's rotation with a mount precisely and so a correction camera can help keep it on track. It would be nice to hear from a professional about this though.
such an amazing man he is!
Does the dome itself rotate, and if so, is it automatic and how is it controlled?
Just a great video!
I'm so jealous of his setup! I haven't tried my hand at astrophotography--something about looking at the object with my own eyes in real time appeals to me, so for now I'll stick to my Dobsonian. It's a lot cheaper too :D. 1500 quid for the lower end setup!? I feel like I'd need a second job just to support my hobby!
BTW - where did you get your dome?
what kind of dslr does he recommend? canon 60Da?
It's a dream setup, quite expensive though but worth it, for the love for astronomy 🔭
Great video I love it thanks...
Awesome video. Thank you!
really useful, thanks for sharing
Wow, that was super interesting!
What kind of CCD camera do you use?
coolest job EVER
Nice one geezer!
I think it's fair to say that most people interested in astro-photography would have DSLRs
What kind of software is he using?
Hi Brady, Could you ask Nik what he thinks about spy satellites and has he ever tracked them ?
what's the name of that nebula @ 2:06?
I have been imaging since 2006 and am just now getting to a fixed pier with and EQ-5 Sweet equipment my friend azspaceblog
What a nice bloke.
Such a sir. Thanks!
In earlier videos you see Nik showing couple of his images with satelite traces on them :)
That's it. kick in the pants time. I've got an NEQ6 with the mismatch of a Skywatcher 150PL Newtonian. I need to pick up the pace!
I'm surprised that a tracking star would be the most accurate way to keep the telescope pointed at one place in the sky. I guess it's because there is no feedback to the planetarium software about *exactly* how the telescope is oriented or such exact calibration is not feasible. Does this impose any limitation on the quality of the image?
Would really like to have an immersive hobby like astrophotography.
Mac is really good for video editing
How much would i need to watch Jupiter?
Haow long has Mr. Szymanek been astronomizing? Is he affiliated with Nottingham Univarsity astronomy, or strictly a talented independent amateur? Haow much approximately does his rig cost?
The paramount ME mount alone is about 12 000. The RC maybe about 10.We might be looking at 40 000 pounds worth at current prices.
I feel really really good. year and half ago, I bought 2500 bucks worth .... SW 80 ED PRO and an HEQ 5.
I want the filters now...lol
I didn't think I'd like this video but I totally did.
what a lovely man