For DSOs, you're headed down a very difficult road, one that many have struggled (unsuccessfully) with. The scope is long focal length, heavy and slow, when what you want to start out with is short, light, and fast. The mount is totally inadequate.
The two biggest beginner mistakes are an inadequate mount, and too big a scope. Think trying to learn how to drive with a Formula One car. In the rain.
Many try this, because they already have the scope. This is the usual result.
"After months of learning and overcoming challenges <with the SCT>, and finally buying a shorter FL APO refractor, I really really really wish I had listened to everyone on here and started learning the <traditional> imaging basics on THAT frac instead of on the SCT. Trust me"
"I put together a video of my imaging rig along with some info on how I went from years of failure trying to image with a long focal length SCT, to achieving success on my first image."
https://www.youtube....h?v=MNQU1hdqz4MEtc. There's a lot of etc. <smile>. Mostly the problem is that it sucks all the fun out of the hobby. You're spending pretty much all of your time trying to deal with a bad setup.
"I regret spending the first 6 months trying to learn <DSO> imaging with an 8" Edge SCT, with that scope it was a losing effort. Fortunately got a nice little refractor, and not only have the quality of my images improved but I'm actually enjoying the process of learning how to do it!"
It's the wrong tool for the job (of getting started in DSO imaging.) Serious understatement, alas.
Minor point. You don't want the sexy sounding full spectrum, which also makes life difficult. You want "Ha modified".
All that is for DSOs. Planetary can work, they're orders of magnitude brighter, the exposures are VERY short. There's a forum for that. <smile>
Constructive suggestions. This book will make things a lot clearer. This setup is FAR better to learn DSO imaging with. Click on the thumbnail at the end to see a much better version, with details, to see what it can do.
https://www.amazon.c...d/dp/0999470949
Edited by bobzeq25, 05 June 2025 - 02:46 AM.