Nate’s Astro Gear – Sunshine Nate

Nate's Gear "Journey"

This is my beginner gear that I chose to start with, and I have used it to share the night sky live. Also, this is the astrophotography gear that I use to capture great images of the Sun, Moon, planets, stars, galaxies, and nebulae.

My Dobsonian

I started with an 8″ Dobsonian by Orion called “The Orion Skyquest XT8” for $650. Orion is out of business now, but Apertura has one for $600 and it was one of the best-selling telescopes of 2024.

Pro: It provides easy and awesome views of planets and stars. The Moon is breathtaking and too bright for your eyes but gorgeous with a moon filter. No filter is needed for phone cameras though.
Con: It is large.

My First Refractor

Next, I got a 70mm refractor as a cheap travel scope for about $100. I recommend this or binoculars for easy transport and packing on airplanes, etc. I used this with my phone to chase rocket launches from 1-5 miles away in Cape Canaveral. It did the job but not with great quality. This or binoculars can quickly move around the sky and keep up with your mind for efficient stargazing.

My Upgraded Refractor and Tracking Mount

Next, I got a standalone tracking mount (Skywatcher EQM-35 Pro) for around $950. This has a 22-pound capacity and can hold refractors and small to medium telescopes, as well as DSLR cameras, etc.

To pair with the mount, I chose a nice Astro-tech AT72EDII for around $600 to begin astrophotography, specifically to pair with a quark HA solar filter and see the entire disk of the Sun in Hydrogen Alpha (HA). I don’t post my astrophotography often and have since decided to get a dedicated solar telescope from Lunt instead of adding a quark to this, but this worked amazingly with a solar filter for the Total Solar Eclipse where I wanted the Sun locked center for the largest livestream I ever had. It also pairs wonderfully with my ASI Telescope Camera – ASI585MC $400 (non-cooled version). I will still use this telescope for astrophotography and even the Lunar Eclipse livestream but might end up selling it to fund the Lunt.

Moving up to an SCT

Next Purchase: The Celestron 8SE with its own tracking mount retails around $1600, but I am purchasing it used through an astronomy friend which will SAVE MONEY. This is one of the best-selling telescopes of all time and is also known as the first “serious” telescope for beginners.

Eyepieces

For personal viewing, I use about 10 different eyepieces ranging from 4.5mm to 40mm. Using the 8″ Dob, I enjoy a nice 40mm, 25mm, 20mm, 10mm, and 4.5mm. I rarely use a Barlow for personal viewing.

Livestreaming Gear

For my livestream eyepiece, I love the Celestron 8-24mm zoom ($80).

I use a Celestron OMNI 2X Barlow ($40) added to the 8-24mm Zoom for my livestream planet shots. There are other nice Barlows, but this specific combination with my phone, through trial and error, has yielded the best mobile livestream results. It is not ideal for imaging.

My phone mount-to-eyepiece is a Tridaptor ($60). DO NOT GET THE NEXYZ by Celestron. It contains lots of plastic and breaks easily. The Tridaptor is made of metal and simply works great. It also does not break. Tridaptor now has a PLUS version for 2-inch eyepieces.

I have achieved the best viewing on livestreams I can with the gear I have, mainly the 8-24mm zoom with the 2x Barlow added, using an iPhone 14 Pro Max.

There is always better gear and improvements to make, but these are the items I have started with and continue to grow with.

What do I Recommend?

When someone asks me what I recommend, I suggest exactly what I have chosen. If you are aiming to do something different, then that changes. A Dobsonian, the 8SE, and a small refractor or binoculars will almost always be on a beginner’s list.

My favorite telescope is still the Orion XT8 because it is the one I enjoy the most and always choose to use.

My Gear Affiliate Links

Below are links to all my gear that use my affiliate links for different online sellers. These are the products I use every day so I’m confident in their quality, as well as the stores that sell them. If you purchase something from a link on this page, I may receive a small commission and you’ll be supporting me. Thank you!