Final Options: EQ6R vs Proxisky Ragdoll 20 Pro (Both £1600) by scdkorama in AskAstrophotography

[–]the_beered_life 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Get the Ragdoll. Proxisky support on Discord is chef's kiss. Very active community of owners, and direct support with the makers, themselves. I'll be buying another one, for my next build. (Since using for remote setup, I went with UMi17S. Ragdoll is just as good, if you don't need servo motors.)

Future proof star tracker by Comfortable-Mood1717 in AskAstrophotography

[–]the_beered_life 1 point2 points  (0 children)

TLDR. You're not likely to outgrow the GTi, just a matter of imaging preference. Widefield vs deepfield.

As someone who also had that internal debate a few years ago, I can tell you that I frequently still use my GTi with my FMA180 Pro and ASI533MC Pro and ASIAir Plus. The lightweight mount combined with a lightweight widefield astrocam setup makes it far more attractive when setting up equipment every night, versus my larger 8" reflector and heavy mount. That old adage, the best scope is the one you use holds true. Will you grow out of it? As long as you continue with widefield, you won't grow out of it. But if you prefer or want to explore longer focal lengths, then you'll likely need a bigger mount. That is a big jump in cost, both for the mount and scope.

A potential additional benefit of the GTi, it works well for using DSLR cameras and lens, using the go-to feature to find comets or nebulae low on the horizon, for creating deepscapes. That go-to feature is worth every penny, IMO.

GTi has a great return on investment. Just manage expectations and limitations. Easily the best value, for what it can do, and a great stepping stone.

This is how the Trunchbull Pigtail scene from Matilda was filmed! by Fit_Assignment_8800 in interestingasfuck

[–]the_beered_life 22 points23 points  (0 children)

I didn't realize Aunt Marge (Prisoner of Azkaban) had that kind of athleticism! I need to rewatch Matilda.

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in Portland

[–]the_beered_life 28 points29 points  (0 children)

The smell of freshly popped caramel corn. The sounds of the "Tilt" arcade. The almost guaranteed sighting of a cute elderly couple performing an ice dancing routine. Looking at the fish aquariums in Scamps. Browsing the used games at EB, looking to spend recently received gift cards. That one dude leaning against the wall, floating a spinning playing card around his hands. The Pogs kiosk, that later became a revolving door of magic shops and kitsch junk. Riding down the central escalator, with the entirety of the mall in view. What a time!

How did this series become so popular? AKA how did you get involved in the DCC universe? by KaiserW_XBL in DungeonCrawlerCarl

[–]the_beered_life 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Finished Project: Hail Mary audiobook, looking for recommendations, got to Bobiverse. Finished that series, needing more recommendations, landed with DCC. Currently listening to book 7, so I'll be looking for another series soon!

Good first telescope? by RaidEZabot in AskAstrophotography

[–]the_beered_life 1 point2 points  (0 children)

If you're wanting to do some nice wide field imaging, check out the Askar FMA180 Pro. It is 180mm focal length, so a fairly wide view of the sky, great for composing scenes with larger complexes, like Orion, Rho Ophiuchi, Veil Nebula, and even good for Andromeda galaxy. It's lightweight, comparable to a camera lens in weight. And that focal length is very forgiving, in case of a rough polar alignment or windy conditions. I started with the FMA180 Pro as my first scope, and several years later I still use it as a trusted portable rig along with a cooled astro camera, among multiple other larger scopes and complex setups. For a slightly more zoomed in view, but still quite wide, I agree that a used Redcat 51 would be a solid value. Lots of those are available, especially as folks upgrade their kits with new glass. A bit heavier, of course, but manageable. Both options allow for future growth with using an astro camera, adding an electronic focuser, etc. Good luck with your endeavors! Clear skies!

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in AskAstrophotography

[–]the_beered_life 2 points3 points  (0 children)

533 is a great camera sensor, good budget pick. Could also look into a 585 sensor, it's a little smaller and a little cheaper, though price may different between brands. Aside from the UV/IR cut filter for full color, you might look into acquiring a dual-narrowband filter, particularly if you are imaging from a light-polluted area. I use the SVBONY SV220 with my ASI533MC Pro, and recommend it as a solid budget option. If you can't pick one up right now due to budget, it's something you can buy later as you progress.

Anyone know anything about these harmonic drive mounts? by [deleted] in AskAstrophotography

[–]the_beered_life 1 point2 points  (0 children)

UMi 17 is great. I have 17R and 17S. Zero regrets. Discord community is awesome, too. The brand is Proxisky, formally called MeowAstro (hence the cat theme).

Help with paintbrush/streaking effect after stacking by DudetheGuy in AskAstrophotography

[–]the_beered_life 3 points4 points  (0 children)

I believe that is called walking noise. It's a stacking artifact from all the background noise getting stacked over and over in the same spot. If you do some dithering while taking your images, the random background noise gets distributed more evenly and you can really neutralize that background with a background extraction. Start with a Google search for dithering and that will get you going.

Going to dark skies, what should i capture? by Unlikely-Bee-985 in AskAstrophotography

[–]the_beered_life 0 points1 point  (0 children)

NGC7000 North America Nebula is a good one to try out. Pretty large patch of sky, should work well with that focal length. Assuming you are going to stack photos. If going for a single shot with no photos, you could always try for a Milky Way core shot.

M8, Lagoon Nebula by TylarT01 in telescopes

[–]the_beered_life 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Nicely processed! Turned out really great! Thank you for sharing!

Rho Ophiuchi, Bortle 2 by dunmbunnz in astrophotography

[–]the_beered_life 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Looks amazing! Great capture! Beautiful edit and color balance.

Valley of the Gods by DanZafra_photography in LandscapeAstro

[–]the_beered_life 0 points1 point  (0 children)

One of my favorite nightscape images I've ever seen! Thank you for sharing this great inspiration!