My Equipment

Here's a quick overview of what I'm currently using for the 2025 galaxy season.
(I’m going deep with a nearly 20 year old SCT)

 
 

Hardware

Orion-branded Celestron C11

My Main Set Up

The optical tube is a vintage 2006-ish Orion-branded Celestron 11 inch Schmidt Cassegrain. With a Starizona Large Format Reducer/Coma Corrector, It has a focal ratio of F/7 and focal length of around 2000mm. The strain wave mount is an iOptron HAE69EC on a Tri-Pier. Everything sits atop a JMI wheeley bar, so there's minimal set up and take down. I simply roll it out of the garage and go. If you’re curious about the blue storage box, I throw my battery power source in it.

I’m currently shooting in monochrome with the ZWO ASI2600MM Pro with a ZWO Electronic Filter Wheel and off-axis guider. I can tweak the guider focus remotely with with a ZWO EAF. The C11 focus is controlled with an additional EAF. I’m also using a custom 3-D printed spacer to get an accurate back space distance between the reducer and camera sensor.

 

The Other Rig

My wide-field telescope is a William Optics GT81 WIFD triplet apochromatic refractor with a focal length of 478mm at F/5.9 (382mm with the flattener/reducer). A 50mm William Optics guide scope with a ZWO ASI290 Mini camera takes care of the guiding chores. It’s sits atop a ZWO AM5 strain wave mount.