Links

I have cut this section back to cover only those products I use and recommend. I have no association with any of these providers other than as an extremely satisfied customer. From my perspective you cannot go wrong with any of the companies listed below.

 

Website Construction

• The Site Wizard - This is a superb site that got me up and running in no time. If you are considering starting a web page, you owe it to yourself to make this one of your first visits.

 

Equipment Manufacturers

• Astrodon - The only way to do serious imaging is with a monochrome CCD. And the only way to get color with a monochrome CCD is with a superb set of filters. Nobody makes a better set of filters than Astrodon. I have used Astrodon filters in every CCD I own and they are worth every penny, from the clarity of their colors to their near perfect parfocal performance. All four of my CCD systems has a base Astrodon Gen 2 Series E LRGB set (though I never use the Lum filter except when setting up) along with a 5mn Ha and 3mn OIII and SII filters (I use a 5mn Ha to capture the NII line that is missed with the narrower 3mn version). They are not cheap but the pay for themselves through vastly superior performance.
• Planewave Instruments - If you want a little taste of heaven, go check out the Planewave website. It will set your mouth drooling. I am the proud (extremely proud, actually) owner of a CDK12.5. Go look at my Current Imaging System page and just take in how good that OTA looks. And it images even better. I am just getting my feet wet with its potential but what I have seen so far is jaw-droppingly good. And you don't have to take my word for it. In the new book Telescopes, Astrographs and Eyepieces (see Willmann Bell's website to order), the authors describe their amazement that the CDK12.5 is diffraction limited across the entire spectrum. While I am still trying to decide how big to go, I already know that I am putting a Planewave in my permanent observatory when I retire in a few years.
• Software Bisque - I have saved the best until now. The Bisque family have built a couple of premier tools that make imaging (and observing) a joy. Those two products are the SkyX Professional w/ TPoint and the Camera Add-on on the software side and the superb Paramounts on the equipment side. When you put those two together and work with their seamless execution, you will never want to go back to any other product. And the Paramounts do the little things so well, from the elegant hand controller to the altitude and azimuth adjustment mechanisms, they just work (and are works of art, to boot). I have used half a dozen other mounts from a number of famous manufacturers, but none can hold a candle to the Software Bisque system.
• Takahashi - My e130D may be the most fun piece of equipment I have used. First off, it is cute as hell and second, produces superb images. When combined with my SBIG 8300 CCDs it gives a near perfect 2.4 x 1.8 degree FOV for wide angle shot of clarity and beauty.

 

Software Providers

• Stark Labs - Though I no longer use his software, if you are just geeting started, Craig Starks has programmed two excellent programs, Nebulosity and PHD Guiding. I can not think of a better pair of programs if you are starting out in the field of imaging and Craig keeps adding more functionality and more sophistication, particularly with Nebulosity. Be sure to take a look.
• PixInsight - As I have said eslewhere, this is simply the best image processing software available for the astroimaging community. Try it, you won't be disappointed.
• Software Bisque - I could not be happier with my switch to the full SkyX software suite, including T-Point and the Camera Add-on. They work seemlessly with my Paramounts and the imaging software has grown into a sofisticated package that does everything related to image capture and guiding well. And, unlike my many foibles tryiong to get MaximDL and PixInsight to play nice together, I have never had an issue processing images captured in the CAO.