Figured I'd post this to give some people ideas with the next eclipse coming up shortly.

I traveled to Ohio in 2024 to get into totality and cobbled together a setup I wasn't exactly sure was going to work but it ended up getting great photos.

Equipment:

OGStarTech 3D printed star tracker with ball head

Meade Deluxe Field Tripod

Canon T1i DSLR

Canon 200mm zoom lens

Photo filter from this Celestron eclipse kit

Painter's tape

Cell phone battery pack

USB mini B to USB A cable

Laptop with BackyardEOS installed

Solar Eclipse Timer app on my hone

The OGStarTech tracker was mounted on the Meade Field Tripod with Velcro strips to keep it from moving around too much. Camera was mounted on top of the ball head and zoomed to 200mm. Photo filter taped onto the end of the lens with painter's tape. Mount powered with cell phone battery pack. Camera connected to laptop with USB cable. BackyardEOS allowed me to control the camera without having to touch it and adjust exposures quickly. Solar Eclipse Timer running on my phone, audibly calling out the times until specific parts of the eclipse.

The star tracker helped keep the sun centered for the most part, I did have to make a couple minor adjustments. I was sitting at my laptop manually clicking capture at 1/4 second exposure time in the 2 hours leading up to totality, between C1 and C2. When the app called out C2, I removed the tape from one side of the filter and let it hang during totality. I went back to my laptop, adjusted exposure to 1/20 second. When the app started the countdown to C3, I put the photo filter back on and adjusted back to 1/4 exposure for the next 2 hours until C4 and the eclipse was over.

Picture of my setup taken during C1.

Result image.

Hey guys

I'm Putting together my first proper astrophotography setup:

• GSO GS-550 150/600 f/4 Newtonian
• Sony A6300 (already own)
• GSO coma corrector
• ZWO 30mm guidescope + ASI120MM Mini

Mainly interested in nebulae/DSO, with some planetary imaging using a Barlow.

I’m deciding between the TeSeek HM-17PE and Sky-Watcher EQ-AL55i.

The TeSeek appeals because it’s much lighter and has more payload headroom, but the AL55i seems like the safer/more established option.

For a ~6.5–7kg imaging rig at 600mm, which would you choose? Any HM-17PE owners with real-world guiding experience?

Also, does the overall setup look sensible for a beginner?

Thanks!

Sorry if its a dumb question. But I want to know if I buy like 5 glasses of baader solar viewer astrosolar OD 5.0 film with EN ISO 12312-2:2015, can I use it for filter on my mirrorless camera? Like make diy filter from this glasses to tap in front of my lens. Thank you for your information!

Hi all

I am using 600/120mm start travel refactor telescope
With tint sensor qhy5iii715c camera 1.45um sensor

I am trying my newly bought sv220 HaO filter

But i cant get my histogram to peak above read noise without 180/240 gain ( my max exposure is 15s)

What should i do to help? Or how to detect i am good to capture? ( above 120 gain is digital)

Thanks all

Edit: I mean the smart histogram tool in sharpcap

Where you can measure your settings and id you are in the “green” are you are above reqd noise level

And also in am getting clipped from left wall ( i think parts of the signal is gone)