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I currently use an Explore Scientific ED102 Triplet APO Refractor telescope that has a focal length of 714mm. I use a StarField Field Flattener that flattens out the image since the telescopes lenses are naturally curved. Using my StarField 0.8 Field Flattener/Reducer I can bring my focal length down to 571mm.  

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The astrophotography camera I use for imaging is the tried and true Zwo ASI1600mm Pro. It's a monochrome (black and white) camera which can capture more contrast detail then your typical color camera. With its cooling system I can cool my sensor to -20c to greatly decrease my noise to signal ratio. I also use a Nikon D750 DSLR with a Optolong L-eNhance filter for some of my true color images.

 

The Zwo Electronic Filter Wheel houses the filters used to capture the specific gases needed to build the images. The most standard filters used are your R (red) G (green) B (blue) filters to capture broad band or true color images such as Galaxies, Star Clusters and Reflection Nebulas. The narrow band filters are used to collect types of gases Emission and Remanence Nebulas are made up of. Mostly ionized Hydrogen Alpha (Ha), Oxygen (OIII) and Sulphur (SII). Once you have the data you would assign each gas a color Red, Green or Blue creating a False Color image. The Hubble Telescope works in the same respect which is presented typically in Sulpur as red, Hydrogen as green, and Oxygen as blue. This is known as the Hubble Palette and is the most popular way to present false color images.

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When it comes to taking long exposures that can exceed 10 minutes for a single exposure the mount is figuratively and literally the foundation. I use the Explore Scientific EXOS2-GT Equatorial Mount with PMC-Eight and have been pleasantly surprised with it capabilities.

 

Guiding goes hand-n-hand with the mount and for this I use an Astromania 60mm guide scope and a Zwo ASI120C-S camera. These sit on top of the scope and are used to find a star to "lock on" and send signals to the mount to follow that star with accuracy of less that 1 pixel of deviation.

 

The last major piece of equipment I use is a ZWO Electronic Auto Focuser. Using the telescope and camera my imaging software will measure the stars diameter to ensure the images are in focus. If they are not, then the EAF will adjust the focuser on the telescope automatically to ensure every image is as sharp as possible.     

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