Help Getting into Hobby

Hey everyone, I’m in need of help. I’m a long time landscape photographer on a hiatus. I’ve been looking into astrophotography and it is getting me really excited to get back at it while learning a new skill and enjoying a new aspect of photography. I’ve always enjoyed seeing the Milky Way and viewing the beautiful photos of nebula.

I would like some help selecting a star tracker. I have a Canon 5D Mk3, TSE 24mm f/3.5L, 70-300mm f/4-5.6L, and a 300mm f/2.8L. With the 300mm mounted to the camera it weighs 9lb-1.6oz. I’ve got what seems like to me a pretty decent view from the roof of my house for photographing nebulas but also have a great spot less than a 10min walk from my house to get the Milky Way over the mountains.

I’m thinking of getting either the Sky-Watcher EQM-35 or the Sky-Watcher Star Adventurer GTi. I like the idea of having a portable battery powered star tracker (GTi) but it’s payload is 11lbs and my large lens with camera is 9lb-1.6oz which is pretty close to its max. Would that be okay or is it too heavy to work well? The EQM-35 has a 22lb payload but is far less portable, though I suppose I could hook it up to a portable lithium battery pack. Overall I think I would prefer the GTi for its portability and cheaper price but am worried about being so close to the weight capacity.

Whatever suggestions you all provide please keep these constraints in mind. I use Linux and absolutely will not install any apps on my phone for functionality unless they are FOSS with no trackers. I have found that the program KStars can control cameras and mounts via the protocol INDI as well as Sky-Watcher has a SynScan hand controller accessory.

I appreciate any help given and am looking to go to a local Star Party to meet people but sadly am busy during the next one. Thanks!

Rules

I | Real space images only.

Astrophotography refers to images of astronomical objects or phenomena exclusively.

~~Images that show objects or people below the Kármán Line (100km) will be removed.~~ We won’t be enforcing this rule for now, but as the community grows eventually we will split and have a separate space for just landscape astro.

Images must be an accurate representation of a real astronomical object.

See this page for more details

II | Original and Amateur Content Only

Image posts can only be images that you have captured and processed yourself, or discussion about capturing and/or processing your own images.

Images acquired from public sources, professional observatories, or other professional services are not allowed.

If you have done a drastic alteration or reprocessing of a prior submission, you may repost your edit - but only after a minimum of one week has passed.

III | Post Types

Image posts are to link directly to the image, not to landing pages, personal galleries, blogs, or professional sites. Link to these in the comments. (AstroBin and Imgur, are allowed)

Questions are welcome here for the time being.

Links to blogs, articles or external websites should be interesting and promote discussion about amateur astrophotography.

IV | Titles

All image posts should just include include the name of the object being photographed. Extra info such as equipment, it being your first image, or other information should go in a comment along with your acquisition info. Please see this page for more details.

If your post is removed, try reposting with a different title. Don’t hesitate to message the mods if you still have questions!

V | Acquisition and Processing Information

All submitted images must include acquisition and processing details as a top-level comment. All posts without this information may be given a warning, and if not updated will be removed.

This includes the telescope, mount, camera, accessories, and any other pieces of equipment you used to capture the image.

You must also include processing details, i.e. the programs you used and a general rundown of the workflow/processes you used within those programs. “Processed in Photoshop” is not enough.