Mirko Grewing created a new topic ' Getting started...' in the forum. 3 years ago

 Dear all,

I have been reading a few articles and posts, and I think I got a decent idea of how to get started. I'd really appreciate it if you could help me validate my initial plan. I am new to astronomy, and I trust experts will immediately spot any rookie mistake. :)

<strong>Objective</strong>
My 6yo would love to see Saturn up close. I based my research on the specs needed to distinguish Saturn's rings and moons. The plan is to start with that to then dive into astronomy together with my son. Since I am into RPis, and the budget is modest, I would like to make it also a fun, cheap project, adding auto-tracking and astrophotography to the mix.

<strong>Hardware</strong>
I am eyeing a Celestron NexStar 102 SLT (<£350). I have been advised on a minimum of 3" and 50x, and that model seems to be better. I guess I'll also need an RPi 4 2GB or superior, an RPi HD camera, a 1.25-inch C-mount adapter. Optionally, a touch-screen. I am still trying to understand if there is a mount for the RPi or better off with long cables.

<strong>Software</strong>
Astroberry or Stellarmate (I am assuming that besides the premium support, they both offer tracking and compatibility with HD camera). I am still unclear how the GPS would work.

How does it sound? Missing anything?

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