This photo shows the Takahashi FS-128 refractor in a portable setup for astrophotography with the Takahashi FS-78 refractor used as a guidescope. In this example, both scopes are carried on a Takahashi NJP mount.
In the portable setup shown above, the FS-78 guidescope has an ST-4 autoguider attached, which was used to guide the 5-inch refractor during long exposures. The Nikon F2 camera is shown in this photo connected to the 5-inch refractor for prime focus photography. The third, smaller scope shown in the photo, is the 11x70mm finder scope. A laptop was used to run The Sky, a graphical software program that tells you what is up in the sky at any time, and which I often use to locate objects to photograph. The laptop computer is shown on the table. Also shown on the table is the control box for the ST-4 autoguider, and my observatory notebook. A 12-volt power supply is shown on top of the short stool in the lower center of the photo.
I lived in Texas when this photo was taken, and dew was a real problem near the Gulf Coast. Two control boxes for Kendrick dew removers are attached by velcro to the nearest leg of the tripod. Most of the wires hanging off of the scope are for dew remover heaters. Fortunately, I no longer need all of the dew removers since I moved to Arizona.
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