Two years on and this video is still going strong. Best explanation for a newbie I've found on UA-cam. Great insight into what it's all about.Thanks for the video.
I wouldn't call it "beginner". He has some great videos for beginners but this one definitely isn't. No beginner has that amount of money to use for astrophotography-gear. At least those who do it as a hobby. If you study it or make money with it, then you will - sooner or later - need those things.
Thank you soooo much for this video. As a newbie getting prepared to set up my first rig, it’s been frustrating to watch so many 6-10 min videos that just aren’t setting a new user up for success. I even love that you left in error messages as you connected and started the comms process. I feel more confident now, and just wanted to say I appreciate your work here.
This set-up and equipment review video is destined to become a classic tutorial. Nico does not assume we understand the telescope terms, and even though the video almost an hour, it isn't tiring. Congratulations on the outline, which is a great didactic help. We are waiting for more broadcasts!
I'm from Germany. This is a really great video for beginners to do the setup for a telescope. Very informative and simply presented. Great equipment. Thumbs up and keep it up ;-)
Just discovered your channel! I’m a newbie and I’ve watched a few of your videos but then I came across this one! Others have already said it so I’m just joining the chorus but you answered more of my questions than any video I’ve seen from anyone so far... and I’ve been on a binge! Even though I’m far away from anticipating ever owning such a marvelous setup, I actually understood better than 90% of what you said!Subscribed!
I will echo what others have said - best overall beginner guide . Extremely helpful to us folks trying to understand how to put all the pieces together and do in what order, etc. Well done, and I look forward to more of your videos.
Hi Nico. I like your videos. Your video about how to do the Hubbel palette, & how to "stretch" the histogram is the clearest video out there. I wanted to warn your viewers though: the marine batteries at walmart are junk. You will be lucky to get one year out of them. Two years at the most, even with light useage. I know this from experience. It saves money in the long run to buy deep cycle batteries made by Interstate Batteries. The cost is slightly more (& often negotiable) but they last a lot longer.
Hi Keshia, I have a downloadable checklist that can be modified on my webpage that goes with the video: nebulaphotos.com/resources/setup Is that what you mean? or something more extensive? Nico
1. One of the best videos on the subject I've seen. 2. One of the best arguments, also, for building one's own, small backyard observatory, rather than going through this every...damned...time. Lol...
Thanks. Yeah, wish I owned property so I could build a backyard observatory. Unfortunately, now I'm living in Boston in a third floor walk-up, so it takes even longer to set everything up. But I am still out there on most clear nights because I love it. :)
I agree. This is hands down the best video yet for a absolute newb like me. So new i don't have the equipment yet. It appears to me that once i have selected and obtained the hardware then i have the fun of getting and learning all the control software. And that's before i even take my first image. Then i have to get and learn the image processing software. Wow so much to learn. So much to consider. But so cool. I cannot wait. Thank you!
Hi Ron, Yes, it is a very rich hobby because there is always something new to learn and attempt to master. It definitely helps to have money to throw at it, but image processing is 1/2 the battle and that mostly just takes time and patience. Clear skies, Nico
I'm distracted by those lovely little fireflies zipping about behind you :) Finally getting into astrophotography after a false start 24 years ago! Great video.
Nico, thank you for a well-organized presentation. Your presentation style is outstanding; a key reason this hour long video did not feel long. Soup to nuts here and I agree with the comment that alluded to the fact that this video will be one anyone interested in Astrophotography will seek out or be referred to!
I am a complete newbie, and instead of piecing together a system I bought a used One. And I was completely lost. This video was a God's send! Thank you so much. 💓 I think you could have taken your time just a bit in the set up process, like the software and where to get it and slowly set it up for the first time. And you mention how easy it isto get exact location from google. But You could have showed us. I have your video paused now at 14:45 where you goto your mount and move Polaris into the circle but what knobs did you turn? I am not picking at all just maybe a recommendation. Or if your board do a new one!! 🤔 thank you so much as now at least I'm not scared to death!!
They are called the Altitude - Azimuth knobs, sometimes shortened to just 'Alt-Az'. The altitude moves up-down and the azimuth moves left-right. Which mount did you get? If it didn't come with the instruction manual since it was used, you might be able to search for a PDF of the manual online which will help identify all the parts. The software part is so specific to a particular setup, it can be more confusing than helpful to show where I downloaded specific things, but if you run into stumbling block, please feel free to reach out. Cheers, Nico
Thanks Nico for a great well presented video. Although I started in astronomy nearly 40 years ago I've only recently taken an interest in imaging. It seems to me I spend too long setting up and not enough time observing so it's a real treat to see that there are guys who seem to have mastered the technology. Well done for showing us that it is possible to use a portable set up which doesn't take hours of battling with flaky connectors and software. Well done. Terry Lockyer UK
Reddenning thanks for your nice comments Terry! I keep trying to make the setup even easier, as it can be a bit of a slog. I recently got a little power distribution center called the Pegasus Pocket powerbox to replace the inverter and dew heater controller. I’ll be posting a review soon. Clear skies!
OMG where have you been all my life (or at least these past six months since I started acquiring gear to expand my astrophotography into telescope-based stuff)? Very VERY helpful video, with clear explanations--thank you very much!
Thank you, dear, sir, for your absolutely amazing instructions to capture deep-sky objects!! Well done in every way! Wishing you all the very best! Stay blessed! Some quotes from the book of Psalms! " When I consider thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, the moon and the stars, which thou hast ordained; Psalms the heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handiwork. P Day unto day uttereth speech, and night unto night sheweth knowledge."
Oh, Olivier, you silly boy! Those aren't fireflies - they're novae! :-) I've already reported them to the Royal Astronomical Society and the IAU, and they promised they'd name one of them Eleanor 2020-P just as soon as my cheque for £35,000 cleared. I'm very excited. If you like I could get one named Olivier 2020-D for the bargain price of just £21,000. My PayPal account number is -
Awesome! A lot of videos out there seem catered to people that already understand a lot about astrophotography. This was a great breakdown for people new to the hobby. I’ll take a look to see if you have any other videos. If you haven’t done so already, I’d suggest making a video that takes a more in depth look at all of the imaging programs and explains the functions and settings in a little more detail. For example, when you said you had to enable auto stretch - many are curious what that does, why you need to do it, etc. the software seems to have a steep learning curve, so any info with that stuff is a help. Thanks!
Without the Orion extender, I was having to push both the extension and helical focuser all the way out and then push the mini almost all the way out, just hanging on barely to reach focus. With the Orion extender everything is much more secure and it holds focus night to night if I don't move it. Highly recommended!
I know this is an old video but did you catch what I guess is a satellite? at 40:08 below the crosshair in the top left. Great video! I'm looking to get my very first setup soon.
Thanks for this video! I have been thinking of jumping into astrophotography but the budget just keeps spiralling out of control. I did a lot of research and decided on an Orion ED80 Apochromatic scope. Now I'm thinking I'd be better using my Canon 400mm 5.6. Interested to hear more about your experience with the 200mm lens. Obviously the mount is probably the most important link in the chain. I think I'll have a go at a barn door mount too for starters. This hobby is a minefield for beginners. It's hard to know where to start.
Definitely don't get the Orion scope unless you can also afford an $800 mount. I like camera lenses for beginners. Do you have any others? 135mm or 200mm is probably better for a beginner with a barn door mount. Although if I were you I wouldn't get a barn door mount, I'd get something like a Skywatcher Star Adventurer kit. With some practice, you can get good results even at 400mm f.l. with that. Feel free to email me if you want to discuss more nicocarver at gmail dot com. Cheers!
@@NebulaPhotos Thanks for the reply! I ordered a Star Adventurer bundle today so I should have it in a couple of days. The only long lenses I have are a 100mm and a 400mm so nothing in between but I do have a 2x teleconverter made by Canon which should be good quality. It does slow the lens down a bit but only one stop. I'll give you a shout if I run into any problems. It might be a while before I get to use it, we don't get many clear skies in Ireland.
@@evildiesel1709 Awesome. I'd suggest starting out with the 100mm wide open. Here's a recent photo I did with a 105mm f.l. camera lens to give you an idea of the potential: www.nebulaphotos.com/sharpless/cepheus/ Clear skies!
This is one of the best videos on UA-cam on equipment review, use, and setup without getting too technical. What?? It was one hour long?? Didn't feel like it when you learn useful tips. Next, can you post video on image acquisition and processing? Thanks much! Subscribed.
Thanks Daniel! I will do a more complete one on getting setup for image acquisition fairly soon I hope. To be honest, it may be awhile until I get to videos on processing, as I have to consider how best to approach it. Most videos on processing are either fairly clear, but simplistic/ paint by numbers OR they really explain why they are doing something, but then become hard to follow. It is difficult to strike just the right balance. Google "Light Vortex Astronomy" for good PixInsight tutorials (not video).
Awesome video! I have been over analyzing all of the equipment I want to purchase for my next deep sky setup. Glad I ran across this video, thanks for making it!
Buenisimo video, es un tutorial en si, muy claro y descriptivo,incluso para algunos como yo muy novatos en esto gracias por compartir. gracias Nebula Photos
Thanks Antoine and Dalia! I’ve been watching your videos and visiting your website from the beginning and they have always been super entertaining and informative. I’ve also really enjoyed watching your journey. Thanks for watching and commenting on my video! I really appreciate it.
@@NebulaPhotos Oh cool! You have some pretty wonderful photos on yours, we'll follow you as well. We see that like us, you have to carry everything and find a remote spot to image so best of luck and Clear Skies :)
Hello. New subscriber here. I just wanted to thank you for explaining things well and thoroughly. We sometimes as astrophotographers move on up in equipment but do not necessarily understand how all things work and function. Please if you can continue to explain everything. As well as your process of an imaging night. I am glad that you use SGPro because that in itself is very powerful but yet quite daunting when you start with as a program. Cheers to you from an astrophotographer with a lot of the same gear as you have but doesn’t quite understand it all ... Thank you from Québec, Canada
Thank you for an extremely useful video. I have a skywatcher Eq2 mount which isn't goto, so will have to upgrade before considering autoguiding. Are you aware, though, whether software is available do so the same using an Apple Mac laptop?
Hi Paul, For autoguiding, PHD2 does work on mac: openphdguiding.org/ For camera/mount control/planetarium, etc. There is an open source project called KStars (edu.kde.org/kstars/ ) that can run on Mac.
One of the best video. You have showed me where I have been making monumental mistakes in a few areas. look forward to the next video!! I hope you do more on sequence pro
Great video, thanks for sharing. Just one tip about the 1 star alignment with eqmod. From the user interface for the alignment points, drop down menu, you can pick Append on Sync instead of Dialog based. This allows you to slew the mount with CDC, center the star using the eqmod mouse button slew pad and then add this as alignment point using sync from CDC :-)
UnderBridge Rock when viewing the night sky and to capture all of the objects and setting up your equipment, you don’t sleep at night at ALL. I myself am an astronomer and a person who spends a long time outside at night.
Great videos! You will enjoy the Anderson Power Poles, they are a very easy connection to make and you will get significantly increased battery efficiency.
On my modified dslr camera, I use a quartz silica glass lens that allows the light spectrum of the UV, color, and IR to enter the camera better than a glass lens. I also use it for my guidance camera, which allows twice as much light to enter. My Sharpcap sees twice as much for less exposure time. A good tip to improve light gathering in your cameras.
You are superior in your presentation to so many others- extremely thorough in your explanations where even beginners can understand and hope to see more of your observations live- Thank you very much for this splendid video and careful explanations-***
Very nice... Though I am keenly interested in astro photography, thisis Greek to me... You have opened up my eyes for initiation... Thanks a lot.. Will follow you further... A lot more to say what I am trying to come up with a fully automated set up to making set up of the entire gig in a jiffy, with whatever I know ... It may need a huge power source and a matching truck and arm to just handle... Thank you once again.
Great video. Thank you for taking the time to show us how you set up your equipment. I am brand new to astrophotography. Got an explore Scientific 127mm Carbon Fiber Refractor Scope and the EQ6-R Pro Mount for Christmas. Also got a whole lot of accessories, cameras and all of that. Haven’t taken my first pics yet but looking forward to getting started with it soon. If you’re ever in the Bucks County area in Pennsylvania, let me know. I would love to meet you and talk about this amazing hobby over coffee or something like that, if that’s ok with you. Anyhow, take care and looking forward to watching more of your videos soon. Regard, Pablo.
I am just starting out with this stuff and have yet to get first light with my scope and camera setup. Thank you very much for sharing this as it gives me a good idea of what to look for.
Thank you so much for the A-Z tutorial. Most of my question are around how to set everything up and use it more than what gear should I get. I'm mainly curious about the backfoucs, reducers, cameras and filter setup which you covered really well. Thanks!!
What kind of dove tail plate is all that attached to? Nice video, too. I wish my AVX would be that easy to balance. I've heard off ways to fix it but no way am I going to take it apart with the instructions I've seen. They are detailed enough for me and all the weird tools, I'd never find.
It's a universal "Losmandy"-style plate; tons of companies make them. Most mount saddles accept either the Losmandy or the Vixen plate (thinner/lighter). Pretty sure the AVX can do either. The risers/rings are from Stellarvue (I bought them with the scope), but other companies make them too. ADM and Prima Luce Lab spring to mind. Let me know if you have any other questions. Clear skies!
Good video.. While I was using a tripod I noticed I could make the tripod a whole lot more stable using a corkscrew metal dog tie down screwed into the ground below the center of the tripod. Then I fashioned a way to attach the corkscrew metal dog tie down to the tripod right below the spreader with a ratchet strap. As I tightened down the ratchet it applied about ( my guess) #75 pounds to the weight of the tripod which made it way much more stable. In fact I could practically run into the tripod alone and it not move at all. Using this while looking thru an eyepiece and tapping the tripod, what vibration there way ,was little and it dampened down quickly. The first time I tried this as I remember the large threaded bolt that go's thru the spreader into the mount base I was able to use a metal piece that was threaded and would fit the bolt to which on the opposite end I put a threaded eye bolt and put the metal hook ring from the strap on the eye bolt. Just saying it worked for me.
I like your videos they are a great visual aid to help understand a lot of stuff I've read but have no practice in yet. Plus you give a good practical information.
Great video Nico! Can I suggest that when you are centering Vega while running frame and focus, click on the Crosshair checkbox so you get it more exact instead of eyeballing it Thanks for this! I learned something new about PHD2!
Nice video nice content as always. You never disappoint. I would suggest you to please make a video on best DSLR/ Mirrorless cams in 2020 for beginners in astrophotography.
Excellent Video, for me i learned alot, ive just swapped over to a GEM mount from an alt az nexstar evolution, so found this vid very informative and educational, Thankyou.
Thank you very much for the information. I noticed that Stellarvue no longer makes the SVQ86 telescope. Is there a different telescope that you would recommend as a replacement? They make an SVX080T-3SV.
Yes, that scope with the included field flattener would be very similar to the SVQ86. I'm very happy with my scope and working with Stellarvue customer service. Comparison: SVX080T-3SV -- 480mm f.l. at f/6 ($2k) SVQ86 -- 464mm f.l. at f/5.4 ($2.5k) The corrected image circle of the SVQ86 might be a bit larger, but if the SVX080T-3SV is well corrected with a full frame sensor than who cares. The only thing I would ask Stellarvue about is adding a motorized focuser. With the SVQ86 I could use an off the shelf part from Optec that works very well.
Once you got everything set up and were working on the laptop I thought you could have explained what you were doing more. You would switch between programs but not say why, and what you were doing. Setup was excellent.
This is awesome! I'd like to get a Bahtinov mask 3D printed for my SVT 70mm--maybe one for a 90mm objective too, but the 70mm especially. That Tinkercad site seems cool, I signed up for it, and got to the plans easy enough, but don't see where/how I would adjust the plans to suit a 70mm aperture. It would be really cool if there was a percentage key chart--like I could just say to the 3D printer "Print this please, at 84%" or whatever %.
I am actually working on a video right now about using and making/ 3d printing bahtinov masks that should clear up any questions you have about generating the perfect mask for your objective using an SVG template generator and Tinkercad. Should be up this week ideally. In the mean time, you might also want to also have a look on thingiverse. I remember seeing some pretty simple generators on there where the model adjusts to different size apertures.
Hello there awesome video... I had one question.. In sequence generator pro you set the rotator to manual and said you would get back to it and let us know why you did that... I guess you forgot about it in the video.. is there a reason why you put the Rotator into manual in SGPro thanks a lot 🔭
If you use the framing and mosaic wizard to create your sequence (recommended even when not making a mosaic) and you use plate solving (highly recommended) then SGP will tell you if your rotation is off and in what direction to move it (e.g. Clockwise by 5 degrees) but ONLY if you have something set for rotator which is why I always choose manual rotator there so I get these prompts to fix my rotation angle if it is off
Excellent tutorial video. You are an excellent teacher, if I may use that word for description? Well worded, well thought out, excellent knowledge of equipment and excellent tutoring to a basic level for all to understand. I subbed and will be watching your work. Saving this video for reference.
Actually, for astrophotography, the mount should be east heavy for nothern emisphere, so while tracking the motors are always engaged and backlash free (depending on the side of the pier you are). Also regarding to the weights, I wouldn't move them close to the end but I would add another one instead and move everything closer to the mount, that's because the inertia is a function of distance from the center of rotation. It's better to have a bigger weight closer to the center than a smaller one at the end of the weights bar
Thanks for the comment! I have used about a half dozen mounts, and have found it is pretty mount specific how much one should be east heavy, if at all. I understand the idea, but I've also seen beginners way overdo it and put too much stress on their mounts. Personally (and partly because I'm lazy), I just go for close to perfect balance and don't worry about changing the position of the weights after a meridian flip. In practice, with my equipment, this has given me good results. Your mileage may vary of course. I totally agree on getting extra weights and moving them closer in to the mount if one finds they are close to the end.
Two years on and this video is still going strong. Best explanation for a newbie I've found on UA-cam. Great insight into what it's all about.Thanks for the video.
Thanks Lorenzo. Glad it was helpful! Clear skies, Nico
Nico does reveal 99% of the nitty gritty stuff that's really helpful for us newbies. Thank you Nico!
I can not express how grateful I am for this video. After watching so much BS this video was a life saver.
Glad you liked it. I really should do a follow-up, but I've already started so many other videos, I'm not sure when I will get to it.
Very valuable for starters! Very good! Kind regards from Germany!
This is the best astrophotography beginner video ever made, great work!
Verkligen
Not a great spot to set up. To much light and noise from the train and autos. Do this video again in the right place.
I wouldn't call it "beginner". He has some great videos for beginners but this one definitely isn't. No beginner has that amount of money to use for astrophotography-gear. At least those who do it as a hobby. If you study it or make money with it, then you will - sooner or later - need those things.
@@hinonny8005 Some of us do.
@@goranthoren5522 Then that's a huge POG for you 😁😲 I don't
I know its been 6 years since you posted this video but i just found it. I love it. Perfect for us beginners.
Excellent start to finish set up...VERY HELPFUL...also love the train in the background...
Thank you soooo much for this video. As a newbie getting prepared to set up my first rig, it’s been frustrating to watch so many 6-10 min videos that just aren’t setting a new user up for success. I even love that you left in error messages as you connected and started the comms process. I feel more confident now, and just wanted to say I appreciate your work here.
This set-up and equipment review video is destined to become a classic tutorial. Nico does not assume we understand the telescope terms, and even though the video almost an hour, it isn't tiring. Congratulations on the outline, which is a great didactic help. We are waiting for more broadcasts!
Already two years old, and still it's one of the most useful videos on astrophotography. Thanks for all your efforts 🌌
Ha, thanks. I've been meaning to do an updated version for about a year now. Maybe I will finally get to it this spring.
I want to get into astrophotography. Your videos are an excellent resource.
As a beginner, this is one of the best videos I've seen so far! Very well explained, so easy to understand. Thank you so much!
love the fireflies in video!
I'm from Germany. This is a really great video for beginners to do the setup for a telescope. Very informative and simply presented. Great equipment. Thumbs up and keep it up ;-)
Just discovered your channel! I’m a newbie and I’ve watched a few of your videos but then I came across this one! Others have already said it so I’m just joining the chorus but you answered more of my questions than any video I’ve seen from anyone so far... and I’ve been on a binge! Even though I’m far away from anticipating ever owning such a marvelous setup, I actually understood better than 90% of what you said!Subscribed!
15:54 Love the fireflies on your backgrouns.
I will echo what others have said - best overall beginner guide . Extremely helpful to us folks trying to understand how to put all the pieces together and do in what order, etc. Well done, and I look forward to more of your videos.
Honestly the best tutorial ive ever seen for a beginner. Thank you so SO much
TomJesper glad you like it!
I wish I had this video 6 months ago when I got my setup! The internet sorely needed this tutorial. thanks!
Hi Nico. I like your videos. Your video about how to do the Hubbel palette, & how to "stretch" the histogram is the clearest video out there. I wanted to warn your viewers though: the marine batteries at walmart are junk. You will be lucky to get one year out of them. Two years at the most, even with light useage. I know this from experience. It saves money in the long run to buy deep cycle batteries made by Interstate Batteries. The cost is slightly more (& often negotiable) but they last a lot longer.
Interesting, my Walmart battery is still working well at 3 years in. When it dies, I will look for interstate though, thanks for the tip!
an excellent site for all knowledge levels short cutting most other ' how to' video's in a step by step manner.
This man is just great.he is very very very patient.thanks man.
THANK YOU SOOOO MUCH now I have a guide on what/ how to set up for an imagining night ...clear skies.
Hi Keshia,
I have a downloadable checklist that can be modified on my webpage that goes with the video: nebulaphotos.com/resources/setup
Is that what you mean? or something more extensive?
Nico
Nebula Photos yes thank you so much can’t wait for a clear night to start imagining.
The fireflies are a nice touch.
1. One of the best videos on the subject I've seen.
2. One of the best arguments, also, for building one's own, small backyard observatory, rather than going through this every...damned...time. Lol...
Thanks. Yeah, wish I owned property so I could build a backyard observatory. Unfortunately, now I'm living in Boston in a third floor walk-up, so it takes even longer to set everything up. But I am still out there on most clear nights because I love it. :)
I agree. This is hands down the best video yet for a absolute newb like me. So new i don't have the equipment yet. It appears to me that once i have selected and obtained the hardware then i have the fun of getting and learning all the control software. And that's before i even take my first image. Then i have to get and learn the image processing software. Wow so much to learn. So much to consider. But so cool. I cannot wait. Thank you!
Hi Ron,
Yes, it is a very rich hobby because there is always something new to learn and attempt to master. It definitely helps to have money to throw at it, but image processing is 1/2 the battle and that mostly just takes time and patience.
Clear skies, Nico
I'm distracted by those lovely little fireflies zipping about behind you :) Finally getting into astrophotography after a false start 24 years ago! Great video.
Thanks a lot for explaining all the hows and whys. Very informative video.
Glad it was helpful!
Nico, thank you for a well-organized presentation. Your presentation style is outstanding; a key reason this hour long video did not feel long.
Soup to nuts here and I agree with the comment that alluded to the fact that this video will be one anyone interested in Astrophotography will seek out or be referred to!
I am a complete newbie, and instead of piecing together a system I bought a used One. And I was completely lost. This video was a God's send! Thank you so much. 💓 I think you could have taken your time just a bit in the set up process, like the software and where to get it and slowly set it up for the first time. And you mention how easy it isto get exact location from google. But You could have showed us. I have your video paused now at 14:45 where you goto your mount and move Polaris into the circle but what knobs did you turn? I am not picking at all just maybe a recommendation. Or if your board do a new one!! 🤔 thank you so much as now at least I'm not scared to death!!
They are called the Altitude - Azimuth knobs, sometimes shortened to just 'Alt-Az'. The altitude moves up-down and the azimuth moves left-right. Which mount did you get? If it didn't come with the instruction manual since it was used, you might be able to search for a PDF of the manual online which will help identify all the parts. The software part is so specific to a particular setup, it can be more confusing than helpful to show where I downloaded specific things, but if you run into stumbling block, please feel free to reach out. Cheers, Nico
This is really great! Following the whole process through from start to finish makes it all hang together really well. Thanks.
Thanks Nico for a great well presented video. Although I started in astronomy nearly 40 years ago I've only recently taken an interest in imaging. It seems to me I spend too long setting up and not enough time observing so it's a real treat to see that there are guys who seem to have mastered the technology. Well done for showing us that it is possible to use a portable set up which doesn't take hours of battling with flaky connectors and software. Well done.
Terry Lockyer UK
Reddenning thanks for your nice comments Terry! I keep trying to make the setup even easier, as it can be a bit of a slog. I recently got a little power distribution center called the Pegasus Pocket powerbox to replace the inverter and dew heater controller. I’ll be posting a review soon.
Clear skies!
OMG where have you been all my life (or at least these past six months since I started acquiring gear to expand my astrophotography into telescope-based stuff)? Very VERY helpful video, with clear explanations--thank you very much!
Great video. Great gear. Great to see the swarm of lightning bugs behind you too.
Thank you, dear, sir, for your absolutely amazing instructions to capture deep-sky objects!! Well done in every way! Wishing you all the very best! Stay blessed!
Some quotes from the book of Psalms! " When I consider thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, the moon and the stars, which thou hast ordained; Psalms the heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handiwork. P Day unto day uttereth speech, and night unto night sheweth knowledge."
Excellent video! Thanks for sharing, love the fireflies popping up in the background!
Oh, Olivier, you silly boy! Those aren't fireflies - they're novae! :-) I've already reported them to the Royal Astronomical Society and the IAU, and they promised they'd name one of them Eleanor 2020-P just as soon as my cheque for £35,000 cleared.
I'm very excited.
If you like I could get one named Olivier 2020-D for the bargain price of just £21,000. My PayPal account number is -
Awesome!
A lot of videos out there seem catered to people that already understand a lot about astrophotography. This was a great breakdown for people new to the hobby.
I’ll take a look to see if you have any other videos. If you haven’t done so already, I’d suggest making a video that takes a more in depth look at all of the imaging programs and explains the functions and settings in a little more detail. For example, when you said you had to enable auto stretch - many are curious what that does, why you need to do it, etc. the software seems to have a steep learning curve, so any info with that stuff is a help.
Thanks!
This is great work. I felt as if I was doing the connections and software connect myself. Very hands on!
I just discovered your videos and I think they're great.
Awesome video. Love how you walked through everything step by step.
I have the same guide scope was thinking of getting the 290 mini as it's more sensitive than my 120mm. Did u find the Orion extender needed?
Without the Orion extender, I was having to push both the extension and helical focuser all the way out and then push the mini almost all the way out, just hanging on barely to reach focus. With the Orion extender everything is much more secure and it holds focus night to night if I don't move it. Highly recommended!
So I am now a night person..lol another great video Nico, what a thorough explanation and demonstration
Thanks Nico; great and complete video for beginners, love the way you explain everything
I know this is an old video but did you catch what I guess is a satellite? at 40:08 below the crosshair in the top left. Great video! I'm looking to get my very first setup soon.
Yes, I see them fairly often when using the Polemaster.
tnx so much! i really enjoy your videos, greetings from the south of Spain !
Absolutely stunning video! Thank you for the guide - the outline is perfect!
Excellent video mate - Many thanks for taking the time to go into such details.
All the best for now.
Cheers
Jim
Thanks for the excellent video. Very well organized and thorough!
Thank you so much. I really enjoyed the video. Clear skies!!
Any thoughts on doing an update video showcasing your up dated equipment and software
Thanks for this video! I have been thinking of jumping into astrophotography but the budget just keeps spiralling out of control. I did a lot of research and decided on an Orion ED80 Apochromatic scope. Now I'm thinking I'd be better using my Canon 400mm 5.6. Interested to hear more about your experience with the 200mm lens. Obviously the mount is probably the most important link in the chain. I think I'll have a go at a barn door mount too for starters. This hobby is a minefield for beginners. It's hard to know where to start.
Definitely don't get the Orion scope unless you can also afford an $800 mount. I like camera lenses for beginners. Do you have any others? 135mm or 200mm is probably better for a beginner with a barn door mount. Although if I were you I wouldn't get a barn door mount, I'd get something like a Skywatcher Star Adventurer kit. With some practice, you can get good results even at 400mm f.l. with that. Feel free to email me if you want to discuss more nicocarver at gmail dot com. Cheers!
@@NebulaPhotos Thanks for the reply! I ordered a Star Adventurer bundle today so I should have it in a couple of days. The only long lenses I have are a 100mm and a 400mm so nothing in between but I do have a 2x teleconverter made by Canon which should be good quality. It does slow the lens down a bit but only one stop. I'll give you a shout if I run into any problems. It might be a while before I get to use it, we don't get many clear skies in Ireland.
@@evildiesel1709 Awesome. I'd suggest starting out with the 100mm wide open. Here's a recent photo I did with a 105mm f.l. camera lens to give you an idea of the potential: www.nebulaphotos.com/sharpless/cepheus/
Clear skies!
This is one of the best videos on UA-cam on equipment review, use, and setup without getting too technical. What?? It was one hour long?? Didn't feel like it when you learn useful tips. Next, can you post video on image acquisition and processing? Thanks much! Subscribed.
Thanks Daniel! I will do a more complete one on getting setup for image acquisition fairly soon I hope. To be honest, it may be awhile until I get to videos on processing, as I have to consider how best to approach it. Most videos on processing are either fairly clear, but simplistic/ paint by numbers OR they really explain why they are doing something, but then become hard to follow. It is difficult to strike just the right balance. Google "Light Vortex Astronomy" for good PixInsight tutorials (not video).
You do excellent videos.
Easy to understand .
Thanks for sharing your wisdom.
Thanks Michael! I appreciate it. Cheers, Nico
Awesome video! I have been over analyzing all of the equipment I want to purchase for my next deep sky setup. Glad I ran across this video, thanks for making it!
This is a great guide video for setup. thanks
Glad it was helpful!
thank u for sharing your knowledge this is the best vdo on equip and tools software accessories for astrophotography
Glad it was helpful Shyam! Clear skies, Nico
@@NebulaPhotos shyamrathod@gmail.com
India
Thanks again for your great VDO and all efforts u took in making it
Great video. Showed me where I had been making some mistakes. Thanks.
I have been waiting far too long for a video like this. thank you! Now hopefully i can get my equipment to work!
Buenisimo video, es un tutorial en si, muy claro y descriptivo,incluso para algunos como yo muy novatos en esto gracias por compartir. gracias Nebula Photos
What a fantastic video!! Really love how calm you are and you simply took your time to explain everything. Really great job
Thanks Antoine and Dalia! I’ve been watching your videos and visiting your website from the beginning and they have always been super entertaining and informative. I’ve also really enjoyed watching your journey. Thanks for watching and commenting on my video! I really appreciate it.
@@NebulaPhotos Oh cool! You have some pretty wonderful photos on yours, we'll follow you as well. We see that like us, you have to carry everything and find a remote spot to image so best of luck and Clear Skies :)
Excellent tutorial Nico. Thanks for sharing
Amazing explanation.I really appreciate your time and didactic way to detailing all needed gear to take professional Astro photography. 👏👏👏
Nicely done! Even though I have different equipment and software, it very much helped me get a better understanding of processes and procedures..
Hello.
New subscriber here. I just wanted to thank you for explaining things well and thoroughly. We sometimes as astrophotographers move on up in equipment but do not necessarily understand how all things work and function. Please if you can continue to explain everything. As well as your process of an imaging night. I am glad that you use SGPro because that in itself is very powerful but yet quite daunting when you start with as a program. Cheers to you from an astrophotographer with a lot of the same gear as you have but doesn’t quite understand it all ... Thank you from Québec, Canada
Learned so much from this video. For beginners this is a must see! Keep up the good work.
Kristof Dabrowski thank you!
Thank you for an extremely useful video. I have a skywatcher Eq2 mount which isn't goto, so will have to upgrade before considering autoguiding. Are you aware, though, whether software is available do so the same using an Apple Mac laptop?
Hi Paul, For autoguiding, PHD2 does work on mac: openphdguiding.org/
For camera/mount control/planetarium, etc. There is an open source project called KStars (edu.kde.org/kstars/ ) that can run on Mac.
Nebula Photos Thank you! I have Starry Night Pro 7 which offers telescope control, although, as I mentioned, I would need to upgrade my mount.
One of the best video. You have showed me where I have been making monumental mistakes in a few areas. look forward to the next video!! I hope you do more on sequence pro
Thanks Paul. I hope to eventually do more on SGP, but I am still learning all of it's features. Very powerful program
Excellent video!!! Keep up the good work!
Great video, thanks for sharing. Just one tip about the 1 star alignment with eqmod. From the user interface for the alignment points, drop down menu, you can pick Append on Sync instead of Dialog based. This allows you to slew the mount with CDC, center the star using the eqmod mouse button slew pad and then add this as alignment point using sync from CDC :-)
Thanks George! These days I am mostly lazy and use the “Solve and sync” button in SGP, but this is good to know!
You have covered almost everything in one great video! Very useful to see your setup thanks.
you know he is a true astronomer because he looks sleepy
UnderBridge Rock when viewing the night sky and to capture all of the objects and setting up your equipment, you don’t sleep at night at ALL. I myself am an astronomer and a person who spends a long time outside at night.
Näh, it look like that because of lightning 🌩️
😊😊😋
Great videos! You will enjoy the Anderson Power Poles, they are a very easy connection to make and you will get significantly increased battery efficiency.
Your videos are incredibly helpful! As a complete beginner, I'm so grateful! Thank you for posting
On my modified dslr camera, I use a quartz silica glass lens that allows the light spectrum of the UV, color, and IR to enter the camera better than a glass lens. I also use it for my guidance camera, which allows twice as much light to enter. My Sharpcap sees twice as much for less exposure time. A good tip to improve light gathering in your cameras.
You are superior in your presentation to so many others- extremely thorough in your explanations
where even beginners can understand and hope to see more of your observations live-
Thank you very much for this splendid video and careful explanations-***
Great video, very didactic. The best so far I have watched showing the whole process! Thanks!
Very nice... Though I am keenly interested in astro photography, thisis Greek to me... You have opened up my eyes for initiation... Thanks a lot.. Will follow you further...
A lot more to say what I am trying to come up with a fully automated set up to making set up of the entire gig in a jiffy, with whatever I know ... It may need a huge power source and a matching truck and arm to just handle... Thank you once again.
Great video. Thank you for taking the time to show us how you set up your equipment. I am brand new to astrophotography. Got an explore Scientific 127mm Carbon Fiber Refractor Scope and the EQ6-R Pro Mount for Christmas. Also got a whole lot of accessories, cameras and all of that. Haven’t taken my first pics yet but looking forward to getting started with it soon. If you’re ever in the Bucks County area in Pennsylvania, let me know. I would love to meet you and talk about this amazing hobby over coffee or something like that, if that’s ok with you. Anyhow, take care and looking forward to watching more of your videos soon. Regard, Pablo.
Great setup! Yes, I'd love to meet up if I'm ever in the area.
An awesome video! I've always been interested, and you make it seem approachable. Thanks for this video!
I am just starting out with this stuff and have yet to get first light with my scope and camera setup. Thank you very much for sharing this as it gives me a good idea of what to look for.
Thank you so much for the A-Z tutorial. Most of my question are around how to set everything up and use it more than what gear should I get. I'm mainly curious about the backfoucs, reducers, cameras and filter setup which you covered really well. Thanks!!
What kind of dove tail plate is all that attached to? Nice video, too. I wish my AVX would be that easy to balance. I've heard off ways to fix it but no way am I going to take it apart with the instructions I've seen. They are detailed enough for me and all the weird tools, I'd never find.
It's a universal "Losmandy"-style plate; tons of companies make them. Most mount saddles accept either the Losmandy or the Vixen plate (thinner/lighter). Pretty sure the AVX can do either. The risers/rings are from Stellarvue (I bought them with the scope), but other companies make them too. ADM and Prima Luce Lab spring to mind. Let me know if you have any other questions. Clear skies!
Thank you very much for sharing your knowledge with us. Very interesting and useful.
My pleasure Felipe! Clear skies, Nico
Good video.. While I was using a tripod I noticed I could make the tripod a whole lot more stable using a corkscrew metal dog tie down screwed into the ground below the center of the tripod. Then I fashioned a way to attach the corkscrew metal dog tie down to the tripod right below the spreader with a ratchet strap. As I tightened down the ratchet it applied about ( my guess) #75 pounds to the weight of the tripod which made it way much more stable. In fact I could practically run into the tripod alone and it not move at all. Using this while looking thru an eyepiece and tapping the tripod, what vibration there way ,was little and it dampened down quickly. The first time I tried this as I remember the large threaded bolt that go's thru the spreader into the mount base I was able to use a metal piece that was threaded and would fit the bolt to which on the opposite end I put a threaded eye bolt and put the metal hook ring from the strap on the eye bolt. Just saying it worked for me.
Great idea! Thanks for sharing it Frank.
so much firefly ! I had to double take thinking these were glitches !
I like your videos they are a great visual aid to help understand a lot of stuff I've read but have no practice in yet. Plus you give a good practical information.
Kill It and Grill It thank you!
Great video Nico! Can I suggest that when you are centering Vega while running frame and focus, click on the Crosshair checkbox so you get it more exact instead of eyeballing it
Thanks for this! I learned something new about PHD2!
Ahh, good idea Pete! Always looking for new tips.
Nice video nice content as always. You never disappoint. I would suggest you to please make a video on best DSLR/ Mirrorless cams in 2020 for beginners in astrophotography.
Excellent Video, for me i learned alot, ive just swapped over to a GEM mount from an alt az nexstar evolution, so found this vid very informative
and educational, Thankyou.
Thank you very much for the information. I noticed that Stellarvue no longer makes the SVQ86 telescope. Is there a different telescope that you would recommend as a replacement? They make an SVX080T-3SV.
Yes, that scope with the included field flattener would be very similar to the SVQ86. I'm very happy with my scope and working with Stellarvue customer service.
Comparison:
SVX080T-3SV -- 480mm f.l. at f/6 ($2k)
SVQ86 -- 464mm f.l. at f/5.4 ($2.5k)
The corrected image circle of the SVQ86 might be a bit larger, but if the SVX080T-3SV is well corrected with a full frame sensor than who cares. The only thing I would ask Stellarvue about is adding a motorized focuser. With the SVQ86 I could use an off the shelf part from Optec that works very well.
Thank you so much for this video. It is absolutely excellent.
Awesome video !
Thank you for such an easy video to watch and learn from. Thumbs up and subbed, cheers.
Once you got everything set up and were working on the laptop I thought you could have explained what you were doing more. You would switch between programs but not say why, and what you were doing. Setup was excellent.
This is awesome!
I'd like to get a Bahtinov mask 3D printed for my SVT 70mm--maybe one for a 90mm objective too, but the 70mm especially. That Tinkercad site seems cool, I signed up for it, and got to the plans easy enough, but don't see where/how I would adjust the plans to suit a 70mm aperture. It would be really cool if there was a percentage key chart--like I could just say to the 3D printer "Print this please, at 84%" or whatever %.
I am actually working on a video right now about using and making/ 3d printing bahtinov masks that should clear up any questions you have about generating the perfect mask for your objective using an SVG template generator and Tinkercad. Should be up this week ideally. In the mean time, you might also want to also have a look on thingiverse. I remember seeing some pretty simple generators on there where the model adjusts to different size apertures.
Thank you, I'll wait for your video.
I wasn’t sure if i was watching steve carell or kevin spacey. But who ever you are. Thx for this great explanation vid.
or Anthony Hopkins in his younger years
This looks amazing. But (being from the UK) my first thought just after you'd started plugging in all the electronics was "And now it rains..."
Hello there awesome video... I had one question.. In sequence generator pro you set the rotator to manual and said you would get back to it and let us know why you did that... I guess you forgot about it in the video.. is there a reason why you put the Rotator into manual in SGPro thanks a lot 🔭
If you use the framing and mosaic wizard to create your sequence (recommended even when not making a mosaic) and you use plate solving (highly recommended) then SGP will tell you if your rotation is off and in what direction to move it (e.g. Clockwise by 5 degrees) but ONLY if you have something set for rotator which is why I always choose manual rotator there so I get these prompts to fix my rotation angle if it is off
Nebula Photos wow that’s awesome I did not know that I need to try that out... thanks for the reply keep up the kick ass videos and photos
Excellent tutorial video. You are an excellent teacher, if I may use that word for description? Well worded, well thought out, excellent knowledge of equipment and excellent tutoring to a basic level for all to understand. I subbed and will be watching your work. Saving this video for reference.
Actually, for astrophotography, the mount should be east heavy for nothern emisphere, so while tracking the motors are always engaged and backlash free (depending on the side of the pier you are). Also regarding to the weights, I wouldn't move them close to the end but I would add another one instead and move everything closer to the mount, that's because the inertia is a function of distance from the center of rotation. It's better to have a bigger weight closer to the center than a smaller one at the end of the weights bar
Thanks for the comment! I have used about a half dozen mounts, and have found it is pretty mount specific how much one should be east heavy, if at all. I understand the idea, but I've also seen beginners way overdo it and put too much stress on their mounts. Personally (and partly because I'm lazy), I just go for close to perfect balance and don't worry about changing the position of the weights after a meridian flip. In practice, with my equipment, this has given me good results. Your mileage may vary of course. I totally agree on getting extra weights and moving them closer in to the mount if one finds they are close to the end.
Good review, thanks.