The Ioptron Skyguider Pro

I ordered the Ioptron Skyguider Pro to use as a portable grab and go mount. I am impressed with the built of the mount head, feels solid and is all metal construction

Instruction on assembling the mount with different configuration is straight forward, the  manual that comes with the mount is easy  to understand and detailed.

It comes with an illuminated polar scope and has different tracking rate settings. Auto guiding option is available with this mount it has an ST-4 port located under the control board. I hope future versions will be  a  Go -To mount.  Have not yet tried this mount on its tracking performance ,it is been weeks that we are having bad weather

I will be posting soon once I have this running ...

Heart Nebula

Sadly I fried my Celestron Avx mount , now still ordering the replacement parts. Will post soon on my repair of the mount. In this images I used my handy Vixen Polarie tracker.

Moon tribute

Taken with Celestron 8 inch with Celestron 6.3 focal reducer

Eagle Nebula widefield

Heart and Soul nebula

Used Tamron 70 to 200mm at 70mm F3.2, on Vixen Polarie mount

Veil Nebula

Shot this using Tamron 200mm F2.8 with 2x teleconverter on Vixen Polarie mount

The Heart Nebula

I was able to go to a darksite not far from my place, I used Tamron 200mm lens at f3.2. Used a Vixen Polarie star tracker

Imaging Jupiter

My place here of imaging the seeing is not good which is a requirement for planetary imaging which is harder than DSO imaging, I used a Celestron Skyris 236 a one shot colored camera, and a Celestron 8 inch SCT on Celestron AVX mount

Orion Nebula

Used an 8 inch Celestron SCT, with 6.3 focal reducer, A modified Canon 1300d

Witch's broom nebula

Used Tamron 70 to 200 F2.8 lens, A modified Canon 1300D, Optolong UHC filter, on Celestron AVX mount

Imaging Comet Comet Giacobini–Zinner

Imaging a comet especially in my place which is light polluted needs a special filter, and my choice is the Astronomic UHC- e filter. Used my Tamron 70 to 200 at f2.8.  On a celestron AVX mount

Test shot of the Crab nebula

Imaging setup used is a Celestron 8 inch SCT, with a 6.3 focal reducer. Canon 1300d modified, on a Celestron AVX mount.

How I started with Astrophotgraphy

I am always fascinated with the night sky, I first got hooked up with astronomy during the 1986 Halley's comet visit. I was then just a kid having no means to capture on picture celestial events.

Having star charts that I have cut out from magazines to track the progress of comet Halley. My first camera to use for astrophotography is a meager Canon 1100d and a cheap 70 to 300 Tamron lens and for tracking is the Vixen Polarie star tracker. In astrophotography equipment is everything. Better equipment means good result, but lack of equipment is not a hindrance in enjoying this hobby.

My first star tracker, Vixen Polarie.

A star tracker is important to make long exposure to capture faint objects, a tracker should be precise in tracking to make images sharp.


A sturdy tripod is needed to prevent vibrations and any movement while making those long exposures

A good DSLR, I use a modified Canon 1300d that is sensitive to H alpha emissions

Lenses,  should be fast and sharp even when wide open.

My planetary camera

An EQ tracking mount, Celestron AVX mount

Various light pollution filter, essential when you do image in a light pollution setting

An 8 inch Celestron SCT.

So follow me on my Astro imaging adventures