astronomy and motorhoming

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If you have been following this blog you will know that I have been learning astronomy and astrophotography as well as 'learning' how to be a 'motorhomer'. 

You can find my previous posts about motorhoming and astronomy by searching for 'astronony' on the search bar for this blog site.

Recently  I upgraded my star tracker. There is nothing wrong with the little ioptron skytracker pro. It is brilliant and still forms my 'grab and go' kit. However, its payload was small and I wanted something that can cope with a telephoto lens. And this year is a big birthday milestone, so I am treating myself! 

Enter the Skywatcher Star Adventurer Pro 2i (SWSA). You can find details about it here

https://www.firstlightoptics.com/star-tracker-astronomy-mounts/skywatcher-star-adventurer-astronomy-bundle.html

And here are some images that show the progress I have made in the last few months by slowly upgrading equipment and getting to grips with some basic software processing. 

I will post a far more detailed blog about basic astronomy and motorhoming sometime later in the year, but for now, enjoy these images of Orion. 

Image one - three months ago

Taken on the Ioptron Skytracker Pro

Unmodded Canon 800d with 55- 250mm kit lens at 200mm; ISO 1600 and 30 x 45s with 20 darks and bias frames and very basic understanding of DeepSkyStacker and Affinity Photo

Image two - one month ago 

Same tracker and camera

200mm  ISO 800  45 x 40s with 30 darks and 30 bias frames 

A basic understanding of DeepSkyStacker and Affinity Photo

Image three from two weeks ago

SWSA tracker and same camera and kit lens

200mm, ISO 800  45 x 80s images with 25 darks and 25 bias frames 

better understanding of settings in DeepSkyStacker and after playing about for an hour per day for a week with Affinity Photo 

There seem to me three bits to this astrophotography game

1. having good basic kit and the understanding of how to get the best out of it 
2. understanding your camera and what settings to use
3. understanding how to get the best out of various bits of software in post processing 

Steep learning curve is this astronomy/astrophotography malarkey. Steep learning curve....but very exciting, rewarding and creative. Telescope, camera gear, tripod and star tracker all carried in our motorhome Bryony. 

Makes for some very exciting late nights 😄