California SkYs            

Curtis V. Macchioni                                                       YOUTUBE CHANNEL Astronomy Tips & Reviews
​[email protected]                                          NIGHTSKIES NETWORK: "CALIFORNIA SKIES"

WELCOME TO MY Amateur Astronomy Web SITE where I share my adventures in EAA and Astrophotography

I created this web site to share my experiences in amateur astronomy and to provide helpful information to others with a similar interest.  I started in 2008 with a Celestron 9.25" SCT on a Celestron CGE mount and a few eyepieces but quickly gravitated to Electronically Assisted Astronomy (EAA) where a camera is used to enhance real time viewing of deep sky objects .  You will find lots of information on  the many different cameras available for EAA, examples of what you can expect to see in real time,  and an entire section to guide you on getting started with EAA.  Lately I have been trying my hand at traditional astrophotography I am slowly adding examples of my own images along with information on my astrophotography rig, software used and techniques. 

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See my new video on the ZWO Seestar S50 Smart Telescope " Seestar for Dummies"
www.youtube.com/watch?v=DkPuRvfA6Wo

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BLOGS
In the Blogs section of this site you will find detailed equipment reviews and step by step tutorials on a wide range of topics which you may find helpful.   Here are some links

         EAA for Beginners Series   www.californiaskys.com/blogs/category/eaa-for-beginners
         Equipment reviews   www.californiaskys.com/blogs/category/equipment-reviews
         Astronomy Power Solutions   www.californiaskys.com/blogs/category/power-solutions
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EAA Resources
Here you will find pretty much everything you need to know to get started in EAA including discussions of telescopes, mounts, cameras, software, helpful accessories and techniques to make your EAA journey more enjoyable.

Equipment Recommendations
Here you will find links to some of the equipment that I use and some alternatives that I think are worth considering. 

If you want to support my web site please consider using my affiliate links for your astronomy purchases.  Just click on the link to one of the vendors below which will take you to their web site.  Then search for the gear you want as you would normally and make your purchase.  I will get a small commission on your purchases and you will not pay any extra.  I appreciate any support that I can get.

     HighPoint Scientific  
​     Agena Astro  
     Amazon

​Astronomy Videos
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​I also encourage you to visit my YouTube Channel to view many of the same topics and others in video form.  Most recent videos:

1. Seestar S50: This May be the Best Beginner Scope for EAA
   
2. The Sky X's Live Stack feature for EAA
3. How to Achieve the Correct Backfocus Spacing with a Focal Reducer on an SE, Evolution or CPC Mount
4. Electronically Assisted Astronomy with Hyperstar
5. Electronically Assisted Astronomy with a Wide Field Refractor
6. Cameras for EAA and Astrophotography
7. How to Choose an OTA & Mount for EAA
8. Review of the EBL 1000Wh Portable Power Station
9. Step by Step Guide for the Complete Disassembly of an SCT
10. Li Time 100Ah LiFePO4 battery review
11. Remote WiFi Setup Tutorial
12. A demonstration of Electronically Assisted Astronomy with an SCT on an Alt-Az mount

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​I hope you find this web site helpful.  If you have any questions or comments, I can be reached at:  [email protected]. 

© 2024 Curtis V. Macchioni