My Telescope Equipment List

 I wanted to share my telescope equipment list and provide some insight into my setup choices.  I'm doing this for two reasons:  (1) This insight might help readers with their equipment selection process, and (2) the information will be relevant with future posts in which I describe my viewing and astrophotography experiences.  The following items were purchased over many years.

1. Orion StarSeeker 80mm Goto Refractor - This telescope met my needs in five areas:  (1) priced right, (2) GoTo feature to automatically track to 4000 space objects, (3) quick setup (minutes), (4) two year warranty, and (5) reputable dealer.  Focal Length:  400mm.  Highest Useful Magnification:  160x.
2. Orion StarShoot Planetary Imager and AutoGuider - It was either this one or the Orion StarShoot Solar System Color Imager III.  I checked with support at Orion Telecopes and they said that the Planetary Imager would provide better planetary images.  I won't use the the AutoGuider feature, since my scope's mount doesn't have an AutoGuider port and can't accept AutoGuider input.
3. SkyGlow Broadband Light-Pollution Filter - Blocks out moderate light pollution for overall better viewing of deep space objects.
4. UltraBlock Narrowband Light-Pollution Filter - Blocks out high light pollution for significantly better viewing of faint deep space objects.  For me, this is especially important given the modest capabilities of my scope.
5. Barlow Lenses 1 of 2 - 2x Barlow and 2x Shorty-Plus Barlow.  Honestly, I can't remember why I bought both of them.
6. Barlow Lenses 2 of 2 - 3x and 5x Orion HighLight Barlows.  These are premium barlows that I purchased specifically for improved planetary viewing and imaging.  Note:  A barlow or extension tube to provide extra focuser back travel is necessary for astrophotography with my particular scope.
7. Eyepieces 1 of 2 - I have several Sirius Plossls (40, 26, 17, 12.5, 10, and 7.5mm) that I purchased years ago.  They're nice eyepieces for the price but the higher the magnification the smaller the eye holes.
8. Eyepieces 2 of 2 - Recently, I purchased Orion Edge-On Planetary Telescope Eyepieces (14.5, 9, and 5mm) for the best possible planetary viewing with my scope.  They have much larger eye holes than the Sirius Plossls.
9. Dielectric Diagonal - I have a 1.25" Dielectric Diagonal, providing 99% reflectivity which means more light to the eye and better views.  The standard diagonal that comes with most scopes suffers from some light loss.
10. Soft Telescope Case - Holds the tube and tripod.
11. Accessory Case - I have a medium-sized case so I can keep all my accessories handy on viewing nights.
12. End Caps - My older eyepieces and barlows didn't come with plastic end caps.  I'm not sure they're really needed, but I figured it can't hurt.
13. AC-to-DC Adapter - This is for the StarSeeker's GoTo tracking so I don't have to constantly replace batteries.
14. Laptop - The Planetary Imager camera includes image capturing and processing software.  If you are looking to purchase an imaging camera (e.g. CCD, CMOS, etc.), make sure the accompanying software is 100% compatible with your laptop's operating system.  For example, some imaging software is compatible with Vista 32 bit operating systems but not with Vista 64 bit.  Buyer beware!
15. Added 8/12/10:  1.25in. Orion Astrophotography Flip Mirror - Holds eyepiece and astro-camera at the same time, allowing you to easily flip between the two.
16. Added 8/12/10:  Orion Min-EQ Tabletop Equatorial Telescope Mount.  To be used with the next item.
17. Added 8/12/10:  Meade Coronado Personal Solar Telescope.  For detailed views of the sun (surface contours/ripples/filaments, solar flares/prominences, etc.) and solar astrophotography.  Highest magnification is 80x.
18. Added 10/8/10:  Orion Apex 102mm Maksutov-Cassegrain Telescope.  I'll use it on my Min-EQ mount.  Maximum magnification is 204x.  I wanted to get the 127mm version, but the sales rep wasn't 100% sure if the weight would be too much for the Min-EQ mount.  Every mount has a weight rating meaning the maximum telescope weight the mount can handle before vibrations become excessive.  In addition, telescope tube length contributes to the vibration factor.  For example, given two telescope tubes of the same weight and two identical mounts, the longer telescope tube will vibrate more.

Well, that's my list.  You can certainly enjoy those starry nights with just a scope and a couple decent eyepieces.  It doesn't take much.  And more is not necessarily better.  The right equipment for you should be based on your viewing goals and budget.  In future posts, I plan to journal my viewing and imaging experiences in detail.  When I first started looking into telescopes and astrophotography, I couldn't find a running journal of real-life viewing and imaging experiences.  After years of off-and-on viewing, I've finally decided to create that journal here.  It will help me to learn and grow in this fascinating hobby.  And hopefully it will help to guide other budding astronomers as well.  Clear skies!!!