Best scopes for this type of photography are Skywatcher Skyliners 8″ 10″ or 12″ Depending on your budget
Your Dslr will need a Canon/Nikon etc T-ring and generic T-Adaptor
You will also need a 2x Mag Barlow lens Revelation ED 2X or Televue Powermate 2X (gives 2400mm/3000mm focal length in winter conditions) depending on your budget
It looks like a lot to buy but i bought 12″ scope (New), Canon T-ring and T-adapter, Revelation Barlow and it all came to less than what a Sigma 50mm-500mm Lens would cost
Telescope set up can be found here
Contrail telescope setup
Telescope Shooting tips can be found here
You have to be prepared it takes practice you have to learn how to collimate scope, cooling time of the scope and image manipulation in Photoshop and Camera software, but the help and tips i’ve received from members of contrail spotting forums were a great help and with their help and tips I was shooting as good as the best within 8 months (would have been quicker if i hadn’t bought the Skywatcher 2″ 2X Barlow which on advice sold it and bought the Revelation (GSO) 2″ 2X ED Barlow).
There is a big contrail spotting contingent in Poland who started the Extremespotting forum but now operate mostly on the RNAVspotters forum they were pioneers in this type of photography and their (and jpro747/contrailwatcheruk’s) pictures around 2008 were outstanding and the reason I wanted to pursue this great hobby.
Most contrail spotters from the UK post on Luchtzak Contrail Spotting forum
Notable members who have helped me improve my shots and set up are:
a330a340
jpro747
(contrailwatcheruk)
Sergey Kustov
(bushman787)
Also with help from Skystef, the members from Luchtzak and Extremespotting/RNAVspotters and myself some other members have mastered to art and are producing some outstanding shots themselves:
Mike (radiostationx)
And other superb UK based contrail spotters add to the forum regularly showing that this hobby is growing all the time.
So if you yourself would like any advice at all there are plenty of help at hand.
contrailspotting 