ABSTRACT
In any hobby, there is a legitimate enjoyment from choosing and owning well-made equipment as well as using it to its full potential. In some, however, equipment comparisons become excessively dominant and a jousting contest between rival camps. Fortunately, I see little evidence of that between astronomers, who are more pragmatic in outlook and generous to each other with praise and encouragement, regardless of their hardware. In the previous chapter, the essential ingredients identified for astrophotography should, in theory, guide the user with their equipment choice. Telescope and mount comparisons are a popular subject covered in many general astronomy books, my favorite being Stargazing with a Telescope by Robin Scagell, which evaluates the essential equipment for astronomy. This book has invaluable and pragmatic advice on the various choices of general equipment from the author’s extensive experience. Equipment choice and budget is a purely personal thing; what works for one may not be the optimum for another and as with photography, the best system is the one you use, not the one you stroke affectionately in its box (which is why my large format camera ended on eBay)! Astrophotography in particular has specific needs over general visual astronomy and without unduly repeating what has already been published, fig.1 suggests the key items for the astrophotography shopping-list to suit a range of budgets and sophistication.
