Anxiety runs high when testing new glass and astrophotography configurations. I received the new AP Stowaway in December and have been assembling required accessories for astrophotography until about 2 weeks ago when the final piece arrived, the Canon camera adapter. As always, Astro-Physics pieces are exquisite in design and function.
I needed some time to figure out the proper combination of plates and screws needed to transition my imaging system from an AP 130 Gran Turismo/Baader Vario-Finder quick release bracket/SG-4 guider to the 92mm Stowaway and autoguider setup.
Below, you see the fully assembled imaging setup. (I did eventually change the ring orientation so the ring screws were attaching from the top set of rings).
Astro-Physics 92mm Stowaway
Astro-Physics .8x telecompressor for Stowaway
Canon camera adapter for Stowaway
Modified Canon T5i with STC Dual Band in camera h-alpha/ OIII filter
Baader Vario-Finder in Astro-Physics Quick Release bracket
SBIG SG-4 stand-alone autoguider
Two Astro-Physics mounting plates which I can’t remember model numbers!
First impressions…an incredibly rigid and easily transportable setup for powerful astroimaging. Being a mobile imager, it is important to have a setup that can be erected and disassembled in an efficient manner and likely all in a 24 hour period. My back really appreciates a compact and lighter setup, too. The imaging system rides atop the Astro-Physics Mach1 GTO. I can carry the entire imaging scope and autoguider scope in one piece and place atop the Mach 1 with no trouble. The imaging system is now ready for the summer Milky Way season and star parties. Send me an email if you have any questions about mobile imaging.
On March 23 I had a slim window of opportunity between clouds and before moonrise to capture some first light. The winter Milky Way is quickly descending into the west and my setup is really oriented toward Milky Way photography. So, I had a brief target window for the Rosette Nebula as it was post-meridian by end of astronomical twilight.
I was hoping for a full two hours on the Rosette, but only recorded 80 minutes due to increasing high clouds. The image below is a slightly cropped version of the Rosette nebula from the evening. I have really grown to like the dual band Ha/OIII STC filter from my light polluted neighborhood. The single frames of 20 minutes at ISO 1600 have very nice signal to noise on chilly evenings. The image was processed with Light Room, Pixinsight, and Photoshop.