I got into this to take pictures of things (DSO Nebula specifically) about 6 years ago.
Knowing it was all brand new to me, I also got a very modest amount of visual aids like a tiny eyepiece set, a Barlow's, and stuff for visual use.
I expected a long learning curve, but due to my mistakes in trusting names I knew from ancient history, I got several lemons to work with. My learning curve had boulders rolling down it.
Eventually, I made lemonade out of the garbage I was sold, and a great Friend loaned, then sold me the AP camera I am still using today.
But, making silk purses out of sow's ears has always been a forte of mine, and was with Astro Imaging.
Start with visual. You won't need anything more than your GM811G. It has everything in the package for great successes. After you get your eyes full of stars and planets, you can explore the AP side of things if you want to.
But unless you have the patience of Job, don't barrel in with AP.
Visual can be very rewarding in itself. And it is very forgiving. AP takes a lot more, and is a lot more critical.
But if you have a camera (DSLR, or even a Cell Phone camera) you can take pictures of what you'll see. If you decide to use your cell phone, get a good, easily adjustable mount for it. I got a relatively simple one and it was a fight to get it centered on the eyepiece. But you can take pictures that way.
Next was my DSLR. But during the months of learning what equipment I needed to do imaging, I quickly realized I was going to need a dedicated Astronomy camera. Otherwise I would rapidly wear out my DSLR which is really made for taking pictures on the Earth, and not of Space. Oh, I've used it on occasion, but it is not the Bread and Butter of my imaging. And it takes a monstrously large FOV (field of view) on an object. I took a picture of the Ring Nebula with my DSLR and if I didn't know what I was looking for, a pale blue ring, I likely never would have found it in the vast field of stars.
But starting out, Polar Alignment is important. For AP it is critical. And best done via your computer, with the camera you plan to image with.
For visual, your eyes and brain do a lot of compensating while you are learning. For visual, you don't have to worry about guiding. Because your Gemini II will track your 811 with the night sky.
So you can ease into the waters, and gently immerse yourself into Astronomy.
Right now, while waiting out the obligatory cloudy skies all new equipment seems to come with, so you can have some cloudless sky to dream with.
I use Stellarium, and have for years now with my Chinese Junk Mount, and now with my GM811GHD forever Mount, to guide me to all objects great and small. It is a perfect Planetarium and control program.
Once you learn it, and have it set-up for your 811, you can use it to take you to anything you can see in your sky.
And... you can run your 811 right there in your home regardless of the clouds!?
Great practice during crappy sky nights.
Best is it specifically has info for Mac users, too. See the Users Guide.
Scotts personal advice to me was "Don't mess with it, just use your new mount."?
That means do NOT take it apart. Every mount that ships from Losmandy has been hand tuned to function right out of the box.
We, as owners, need to learn a few things and forget the old things that we did to make our first mounts work.
Get Stellarium and start having fun with your 811 and Mac-arony.
--
SonnyE
(I suggest viewed in full screen)
