Astrophotography

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Welcome to !astrophotography!

We are Lemmy's dedicated astrophotography community!

If you want to see or post pictures of space taken by amateurs using amateur level equipment, this is the place for you!

If you want to learn more about taking astro photos, check out our wiki or our discord!

Please read the rules before you post! It is your responsibility to be aware of current rules. Failure to be aware of current rules may result in your post being removed without warning at moderator discretion.

Rules

I | Real space images only.

Astrophotography refers to images of astronomical objects or phenomena exclusively.
~~Images that show objects or people below the Kármán Line (100km) will be removed.~~ We won't be enforcing this rule for now, but as the community grows eventually we will split and have a separate space for just landscape astro.
Images must be an accurate representation of a real astronomical object.
See this page for more details

II | Original and Amateur Content Only

Image posts can only be images that you have captured and processed yourself, or discussion about capturing and/or processing your own images.
Images acquired from public sources, professional observatories, or other professional services are not allowed.
If you have done a drastic alteration or reprocessing of a prior submission, you may repost your edit - but only after a minimum of one week has passed.

III | Post Types

Image posts are to link directly to the image, not to landing pages, personal galleries, blogs, or professional sites. Link to these in the comments. (AstroBin and Imgur, are allowed)
Questions are welcome here for the time being.
Links to blogs, articles or external websites should be interesting and promote discussion about amateur astrophotography.

IV | Titles

All image posts should just include include the name of the object being photographed. Extra info such as equipment, it being your first image, or other information should go in a comment along with your acquisition info. Please see this page for more details.

If your post is removed, try reposting with a different title. Don't hesitate to message the mods if you still have questions!

V | Acquisition and Processing Information

All submitted images must include acquisition and processing details as a top-level comment. All posts without this information may be given a warning, and if not updated will be removed.
This includes the telescope, mount, camera, accessories, and any other pieces of equipment you used to capture the image.
You must also include processing details, i.e. the programs you used and a general rundown of the workflow/processes you used within those programs. “Processed in Photoshop” is not enough.

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OpenAstroTracker (feddit.org)

submitted 6 days ago* (last edited 6 days ago) by [email protected] to c/astrophotography

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I recently discovered the Open Astro Tracker by OpenAstroTech. Does anyone have experience with it and can recommend it? I don't want to spend time and money for a product that maybe won't work, but I really like the idea of a self build tracker. I also like that it can be upgraded later by adding things like a autoguider

Because my camera is only ~1kg (2.2lbs) the small model is enough and I don't plan on upgrading anytime soon. If I can be sure it will work, its fine if it takes some time to print and assemble.

Also, can someone make a rough estimation of the price? On the website it is around 250€ for a complete kit, but I have a 3d printer and don't need the autoguider right now. For me that seems a little expensive for mostly 3d printed parts.

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[–] KingRandomGuy 2 points 2 days ago

I haven't built the OAT but I have built the larger variant (OpenAstroMount). OAM is pretty well designed in my opinion, with the biggest weak point being the connection to the tripod. In my case I machined a replacement for the printed part.

I believe OAT should be more than enough for light setup, but you have to make sure you have a good place to set it up. It isn't designed to sit on a tripod. They have a new model in the works (OpenAstroExplorer) which I believe is designed for tripod use without being as massive as the OAM.

You can bring the cost down by purchasing components for cheap on AliExpress. That's what I did for my OAM. Take advantage of their sale events too. You'll want to avoid cheaping out too much on certain motion components (namely pulleys and belts, possibly also bearings). For aluminum extrusions, a local supplier might be cheaper, especially if you can buy a long section and cut it yourself.

You could also look at the OG Star Tracker for a cheaper build, though I believe that doesn't support GoTo and may not have as good performance.