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Adapters?

Sky-Watcher Star Adventurer Nikon Z6 iOptron SkyTracker Equipment Beginner
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Miska Saarikko avatar
Miska Saarikko avatar
Hi!

I'm new to deepsky astrophotography, so I don't know much about the equipment needed in this category.
All I've done so far is astroscaping (wide-angle photographing the Milky Way) and once earlier taken an image of the Orion nebulae with my DSLR on an iOptron SkyTracker V2 mount but that was years ago.

I am currently an owner of a Nikon Z6 mirrorless camera and recently made an order of a WO Redcat (waiting for it to arrive along with the Skywatcher Star Adventurer which I also ordered from another online store).

What I don't know is what adapters am I suppose to have for this combo. Could anyone of you share this with me?
Do you have your telescope attached to the FTZ mount or straight on the Z mount on the camera body?
Where in Europe can I find this or these necessary adapters that I need?

TIA
& happy scaping
Marc Agostini avatar
Marc Agostini avatar
Hi Miska,

I would use something like this:

https://www.baader-planetarium.com/de/zubehoer/adapter-foto-zubehoer/kameraadapter/wide-t-ring-nikon-z-mit-d52i-auf-t-2-und-s52-4263.html

plus this:

https://www.baader-planetarium.com/de/umkehrring-s52--m48.html

Since the Redcat has a backfocus of 59.7mm, you will need about 35 mm of m48 Spacers as well, or you could fit a M48 filter slider +some shorter spacers in between. I would also get one of theese:

https://www.teleskop-express.de/shop/product_info.php/info/p7886_TS-Optics-Optics-Premium-Prismenklemme-fuer-Teleskope-und-Kameras.html

This is not a must, but I installed one on my Star adventurer to be able to slide the scope back and forth to achieve balance in the declination axis. Plus its easier to mount the scope this way and not fiddle about with one screw underneath the dovetail (especially in the dark)

Clear skies, Marc
Helpful
Miska Saarikko avatar
Miska Saarikko avatar
Hi Marc,

Thanks for your reply, appreciate it.

Regarding to the backfocus, wouldn't it be easier for me to just use my FTZ adapter as "spacer" and get a T2/Nikon F adapter for this?

Yeah, some sort of a clamp system would be better than starting to screw on at night.

Miska