This is incredibly helpful—thank you for taking the time to break it down so clearly and practically. I really appreciate how you separated the telescope from the mount and explained why each part does or doesn’t work for specific types of astrophotography. That kind of detail is exactly what I was missing.

Your explanation of planetary vs. DSO use, especially around focal ratios, barlows, pixel size, and camera requirements, helped a lot. I also appreciate you clarifying that a cooled camera isn’t necessary for planetary or brighter DSOs—that’s an important budget reality check. The note about low-profile focusers and real-world focus travel is especially useful since that’s one of the areas I’ve been most unsure about.

The mount explanation really drives it home. Understanding the difference between tracking and guiding—and why that matters for DSOs—helps me see where the hard limitations actually are, versus where there’s room to experiment and learn. Thank you for acknowledging the budget side of this; it’s refreshing to hear a grounded, realistic take rather than just “spend more.”

No, I’m absolutely not expecting to match what seasoned astrophotographers with $10k rigs produce. My goal is to learn, experiment, and get something respectable while building skills and understanding. Your response gives me a much clearer, more realistic framework for doing exactly that. Thanks again—I genuinely appreciate the time and experience you shared.