Rent a scope

[ricochet]

I plan to spend one week in Perth this Xmas. Any tips on how to borrow or rent a small telescope with a GEM mount for some easy astrophotography in Singapore? If I can get some decent pics of the SMC and LMC as well as some Messier, I would be really pleased.
Thank you for your advice.

[orly_andico]

Two words: baggage limit.

In theory you could carry a small-ish mount like a Vixen GP or Polaris, plus a small refractor, in a roller case. That would eat up most of your check-in baggage allowance unless your'e flying business class.

Some folks prefer to carry-on their refractor.

An alternative (if you're going after the SMC and LMC which are huge) is to just use a DSLR and camera lens (a long-ish one like a 100mm, or the 70-200mm f/4L) so the only thing you'd need to check-in would be the mount.

[andeelym]

Orly, Will a 70-200 f2.8 work for astro pics? Or maybe even 70-200 + 2x or 3x teleconverter?

[orly_andico]

Well I have a photo of M31 taken with a 100mm f/2.8 lens.

So I really don't see why a 70-200/2.8 or 4 wouldn't work. You might have to lock the zoom ring to prevent creep though.

"Large" DSO's like M31, LMC, SMC, Rosette Nebula, are all amenable to camera lenses.

here's the Rosette Nebula with a Canon 300/2.8



and Orion's Sword



As you can imagine, even with a 100mm or 200mm lens they would still be great.

[orly_andico]

P.K. Chen is also quite famous for his DSO photographs taken with Pentax 6x7 gear. I remember drooling over his photos in 2000, 2001.

http://www.twanight.org/newtwan/photogr ... .K.%20Chen

[Gary]

Nice photos Orly! Thanks for sharing!

[andeelym]

Wow, looks like I can justify the purchase of the Canon 70-200 L f2.8 MkII. Hee hee.

[orly_andico]

Not my photos, Gary..

[ricochet]

Beautiful photos but what was the exposure time? I usually cannot have more than 5s without star trailing with a 200mm. Or are these photos obtainedd by stacking adozen shots?
What about just carrying a GEM mount and fixing on it my canon? Is this even possible?

[orly_andico]

Those shots are using a Canon DSLR + lens on a GEM.

Whatever happens you need that GEM.

The Canon 200/2.8L is a fine lens, quite light. I suspect even a small GEM would work. Most folks who do this use the Takahashi Sky Patrol, Kenko Sky Memo, or AstroTrac.

Unfortunately these are all expensive options... you could try building a barn door though. Here's a good barn door that doesn't use wood, but instead uses a strap hinge:

http://www.garyseronik.com/?q=node/152

I dunno where to buy strap hinges in SG, I want to build one for myself..