Sky & Telescope - January 2024 - 24

Buyer's Guide
To Mod or Not to Mod
The next question is whether you need an
astro-modified camera or not. No, you
don't. Not to start, at least.
Astro-modified cameras replace the
infrared-blocking filter all DSLRs have
in front of the sensor with one that still
cuts out infrared light but lets through
more of the deep, red hydrogen-alpha
(Hα) wavelength, allowing the camera
to record richer and fainter nebulosity.
Canon and Nikon have both offered
astronomical camera models in the past,
such as the Canon Ra (my personal favorite)
and Nikon's D810a. Units appear on the used market
rarely and briefly.
Today, one way to get a modified camera is to buy a
normal one and send it to one of the several companies who
will perform the mod, typically for $200 to $400. Those
same companies also sell modified cameras, either new or
used, all ready to go. Just be sure it's a model that's supported
by the ASIair.
That said, a modified camera is of advantage only for red
emission nebulae - a popular class of target to be sure. But
Milky Way star fields, star clusters, galaxies, and even bright
PORTABLE POWER For electricity in the field,
the author uses a Celestron PowerTank Pro. It
works well for one or two nights of imaging and
has both cigarette lighter and 2.1-mm barrel jacks.
nebulae record well with unmodified
cameras. Learn your craft with one of
those before investing in a modified camera,
or buying a dedicated cooled-sensor
astronomy camera.
While your current camera can serve
you well for a year or two, it's the one
component you'll likely want to upgrade
first, perhaps for one with a larger sensor
or offering greater resolution, lower noise,
and higher Hα sensitivity.
Essential Accessories
There are a few accessories you'll need to get everything working
together. The first is a power supply. The mount, ASIair,
and autoguider camera all require 12 volts. (A DSLR has its
own internal battery.) ZWO's mounts don't come with an
AC-to-DC adapter, but any 12-volt AC power supply can work
at home provided it can output up to 5 amps and has a cable
with the 5.5-mm OD, 2.1-mm ID barrel plug that the mount
(and most astro-gear) requires.
MILKY WAY STAR FIELDS
The Sharpstar 61EDPH
III and Reducer covers a
full-frame sensor with only
minor astigmatism at the
extreme corners (shown in
the inset). As this framing
of nebula M17 and star
clusters M24 and M25 in
Sagittarius shows, the stock
Canon 6D records red nebulae
quite well.
24 JANUARY 2024 * SKY & TELESCOPE

Sky & Telescope - January 2024

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Sky & Telescope - January 2024

Contents
Sky & Telescope - January 2024 - Cover1
Sky & Telescope - January 2024 - Cover2
Sky & Telescope - January 2024 - 1
Sky & Telescope - January 2024 - Contents
Sky & Telescope - January 2024 - 3
Sky & Telescope - January 2024 - 4
Sky & Telescope - January 2024 - 5
Sky & Telescope - January 2024 - 6
Sky & Telescope - January 2024 - 7
Sky & Telescope - January 2024 - 8
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Sky & Telescope - January 2024 - Cover3
Sky & Telescope - January 2024 - Cover4
Sky & Telescope - January 2024 - SA1
Sky & Telescope - January 2024 - SA2
Sky & Telescope - January 2024 - SA3
Sky & Telescope - January 2024 - SA4
Sky & Telescope - January 2024 - SA5
Sky & Telescope - January 2024 - SA6
Sky & Telescope - January 2024 - SA7
Sky & Telescope - January 2024 - SA8
Sky & Telescope - January 2024 - SA9
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