Who you are, how long you've been doing AP?

I started in 2009 using an 12" LX200 on a wedge and a Phillips ToUCam webcam for planetary imaging.  I was thrilled when I could get Jupiter in focus and start taking video images and putting them into RegiStax.  Later in 2009 and in the beginning of 2010, I bought a Meade DSI and the world of CCD imaging opened up for me as I got my first color image using a color CCD.  After that I was hooked.  My next camera was a QHY8 color CCD still using a wedge mounted 12" LX200GPS.  Also, I was introduced to autoguiding and bought my first autoguider which was an Orion Starshoot.
In 2011, I bought my first GEM (CGE PRO and 11" Edge HD).  This was the first time I had a GEM instead of an Alt/Az mounted on a wedge.  A friend of mine who got me started in this passion led me in the right direction and let me borrow his FSQ-106ED and introduced me into narrowband imaging.  I keep adding new equipment as time goes on.  Three weeks ago I bought a Paramount MX+.  Every session is a learning experience using new equipment and processing.  It's never ending to this crazy and beloved hobby.  I enjoy sharing my experiences (good and bad).  It keeps getting better and better.

Started shooting the moon and stars a few years back with just my DSLR on a tripod. When I went to Iceland in December 2014, and got good shots and timelapses of the Northern Lights, I started getting hooked and began reading about the hobby.  The reading stage lasted about a year.  This past year (2016), I joined my local astronomy club, which has an astrophotography special interest group where we share images and advice.  This led me to wanting more dedicated gear, and I've been acquiring new things every month or two, but I keep saying "this is the last thing I will buy".  I just moved from imaging with my DSLR to the ZWO1600mm-cool, but unfortunately the past two months have been awful in terms of clear skies, so I just have one work-in-progress of the Jellyfish with my new narrowband gear.  I have to set up everything each time, since I am a renter so building a pier or observatory isn't really an option for me.

I started dabbling in AP back in 2010-11, cannot quite remember which. I used a 10" Meade LX200 and a Nikon D700 using 6s exposures at ISO6400. Needless to say my VERY on and off AP wasn't crash hot but I was more interested in visual.

18 months ago I took the plunge and bought an EQ6, 5.1" refractor and QHY9. Now 18 months later I am far deeper in financially and quite happy Throughout all of this I was completing my Masters of Astrophysics so now a lot of my interest in AP is looking at what's happening in areas, I'd like to eventually study globular clusters but I should probably get a RC for the image scale before that… and a set of photometric filters wouldn't go astray.

From this middle of 2017 I am starting a project to create the largest astronomical image ever. The current forerunner is a 46 billion pixel image of the Milky Way, Lagoon to ETA Carina or something along those lines. I am planning a 65 billion pixel image, not as long but considerably wider; a 1000 panel mosaic largely centred on SgrA*.

http://www.astrobin.com/278004/
This is my proof of concept of a smaller patch. This is effectively a 10x8 where it'll be a 25x10 panel.

Right now though I am working on a project to create a high resolution map of the Large Magellanic Cloud and make a Photobook/Coffeetable Book out of it.
Using Kickstarter as a way of setting up bulk pre-sales.
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1824284036/large-magellanic-cloud-photobook

Although it is a bit unrelated to AP… when the skies are cloudy I enjoy macro indoors

I first got into Astrophotography several years ago when I purchased a Celestron Nexstar 4SE and after attempting some images of Orion I realized that I did not have a good setup to pursue astrophotography at that time. For the next couple years I focused on terrestrial photography and got a full complement of "L" lenses and progressed from a Canon T1i up to a Canon 6D. Back in August 2016 i decided I wanted to give Astrophotography another go. This time with the intent of progressing slowly so that I could learn along the way. I started by using some of my camera lenses and then got a CGEM. I just recently purchased a Stellarvue SV80ST and feel myself getting drawn deeper and deeper into the AP world! Looking forward to sharing my images with you guys and also looking forward to see seeing others images.

Started in early 90s with a Meade 2080, film camera, and guiding corrections by pressing buttons.

I have just started shooting AP last year with a used 10 LX200 in alt-az mode.

It is almost a religiuos experience.

I will do my best effort in alt-az ap before I go to equatorial ap. Doing ap in alt-az is funny and also it is a valuable chance to learn some computer tricks.

best wishes.

Hello from the northern hemisphere

I started AP in 2011. I dont have the best setup but I think I get a lot of  good images.
I use a CG-5 AVGT with a Orion 8" f3.9 Newt. My camera is a T3i Modified full spectrum.
50mm guide scope and a orion star shoot AG.
I started taking pictures of the stars back in 2011 and was hooked.
I am going down to Florida and hope to setup an observatory and all new gear I guess everyone retires in florida lol.
Wishing everyone well!!

Christopher

I got started somewhere around 10yrs ago but have never been at a point where I could really explore it to a point where I wanted. I've always been in a very heavily light polluted area, always thought narrowband was way beyond my reach, and frankly didn't have the time to get out like I wanted. I was able to do stuff like lunar photography and pictures of lunar eclipses but that was about it. Just recently, we moved out to Colorado and now I have better access to some nice skies and the new job gives me a lot more free time. Hopefully there will be some good pictures to come soon!

I started with visual astronomy about 2010. I am still learning how to setup my scope. About 2 years ago a friend gave me an adapter that allows me to connect my Canon 50D to my Celestron C11. November 2015 I went to a star party at a dark site in Kielder Forest, Northumberland. England. UK. Took my first image of Orion and was blown away with what I saw. I now use the ATIK 4120EX OSC to get some fantastic, detailed images. I would love to try narrowband someday but for the moment I am enjoying my imaging in colour, when the cloud gods allow.

I started in 2013, but it's been on-again, off-again for the last few years.

At the start, I had a point-and-shoot and snapped some pictures of the moon.  I then couldn't really do much else so I put it aside (life also intervened).

I then got, in the mail in 2015, a garage-sale scope and mount from my dad - out of the blue!  I decided I would modify it to be an astrograph and finally give AP a go.  I got a used Canon 20D and lopped about 3" off the back of the scope to bring the focal plane where I needed it.  I got a series of images and started learning the ropes.  It was fun for a bit.  I then realized I was throwing away 80-90% of my frames because the little add-on tracking motor was not up to snuff.  I got frustrated and burned out.

Zip to end of 2016: I, for whatever reason, finally decided I really wanted to give AP a proper try and get a decent mount, since this was the previous hold-up.  I convinced the CFO (maybe, it's still not clear) and got a used EQ5 on CN classified.  The improvement has been amazing.  Not so much the images, but the experience is much better.

I'd still drop myself in the "beginner" category, though, since I'm still lacking experience in a lot of areas.

I have been doing astronomy as a hobby for two years.  I am now getting interested in astrophotography and am wondering about the best way to go.  I have an old Nikon F2 SLR and Nikkormat camera bodies with 1970's Nikkor lenses and wonder if a modern Nikon DSLR would be a good start, using my old but still good lenses.  I have friends who swear by their Canon systems, but would hate to lose what I already have. Any suggestions would be very much appreciated!  Thanks.