Equipment

Stuff I own now...

• Takahashi EM-400 mount (love it!).
• Takahashi EM-200 mount (love it as well! This one's in Spain, so I can also do some astrophotography when I travel there).
• Takahashi FSQ-106 EDX refractor (a perfect match for the STL11k CCD).
• 2 Orion ShortTubes 80mm for guiding - one here in the US and one in Spain (why travel with a guidescope when you can just have one "there"?)
• SBIG STL-11000 Monochrome CCD camera with 1st gen Astrodon LRGB + Ha filters.
• Canon EOS 5D Mark II, an amazing DSLR camera. My workhorse for night-time photography.
• Canon EOS 40D IR/UV filter - also mainly for night-time photography.
• StarShoot AutoGuider guiding CCD (ok I didn't go broke wen buying this one but it does what I need!).
• Assorted Canon and Sigma lenses, from 10mm to 200mm (primes, telephoto, etc)

I also have a load of accessories such as the Takahashi focal reducer and the extender for the FSQ, a FlipFlat (to generate flat field images), a TAKometer (to control camera angle from the computer), a TeleVue Powermate x4 I barely use, two RoboFocus focusers, a Moonlite electronic focuser also sitting on a shelf, a whole bunch of eyepieces, dozens of adapters of all sizes and colors (well, they're almost all black :-), and a long etc of "stuff"...

If I were to include EVERYTHING I take with me to an imaging session I'd also have to include my EEE ASUS PC 900 (8.9") laptop (a laptop that runs off 12v and has no hard drive - it uses a solid state drive - ideal for setting up remotely and running off deep cycle 12v batteries for like forever, and that doesn't require any power inverter/converter since it can connect directly to a typical deep cycle 12v battery), five deep-cycle marine batteries (to power up laptop, mount, cameras, robofocus, etc), two battery packs (I use them only in case of emergency or for other stuff non-astro related while I'm out on a hilltop or camping), portable chair/table, a pair of binoculars, a green laser pointer that I practically never use, miscellaneous camping stuff - including a large tent/canopy - and some other "utility" gear as I call it.

Also, my good old 2006 Acura MDX played a huge role in my astro outings, of course - having driven well over 60,000 miles just going places to do astrophotography. The MDX however was totaled after I ran into a poor deer in a fast highway late August 2012. The car had almost 130,000 miles when that happened, but I'm sure it could have gone to another 130k if this unfortunate incident never happened. I came out okay from the accident by the way, although the poor deer didn't make it... Neither my car. The replacement was a 2009 Honda Pilot Touring that I've got in January 2013 which so far has been behaving like a champ.

Stuff I've owned in the past

Cameras:

• SBIG ST2000XCM
• Canon 400D camera
• Canon 450D camera
• Canon 40D camera - modified IR/UV filter
• Canon 5D Mark II camera

• Takahashi FSQ106EDX
• Takahashi FS152
• Takahashi Mewlon 300
• Orion 80mm ED refractor
• Televue NP101-is refractor
• Celestron C11 reflector
• Celestron C9.25 reflector
• Vixen VC200L

• Orion Sirius EQ-G mount
• Takahashi EM-400 mount
• Takahashi EM-200 mount
• AstroPhysics AP900 mount
• Many different tripods of "assorted" quality.

Pictures of stuff

Picture Perfect

My "Signature gear". The FSQ and the STL right before an imaging session at Dinosaur Point in 2009.

FSQ106 and STL11k

More of the same, here at Henry Coe State Park, also in 2009. This is the equipment that has produced almost all of my most popular images.

NP101 and C11

The Televue NP101-is refractor and the Celestron C11 on top of the EM-400 mount. 2008

NP101 and C11 and...

The NP101 and the C11, now also with the Short Tube 80 on top showing how NOT to load 3 scopes on the same mount. GSSP 2008

C 9.25

The C9.25 with the STL working "hard" at home - all surrounded by street lights!

Foursome

The FSQ106, an FS-78, C9.25 and the short-tube. What's the point? :-)