Ten years of astrophotography

We are reaching the end of 2011. Coming to think of it, it has been 10 years when I took my first serious astrophotograph.

At lot has changed since. Let me try to illustrate the differences between now and then.

In 2001 I ...
... had to use finder charts for finding and framing my targets.
... had to use a knife-edge for focusing.
... had to manually guide my telescope.

... wished for an autoguider.
... had to be awake while exposing my targets.
... would often fell asleep while exposing my targets.
... had to expose for 1 hour straight in order to get a decent image.
... had to wait at least a day to develop the film and see the results - Argh!

... started getting bald.
... had to leave home and go to a dark place to see the milky way.
... wished for a bigger telescope.

In 2011 I ...
... could point my telescope to any of several thousand of targets with a goto system.
... could autofocus my telescope.
... could autoguide my telescope.

... wished for an autoguider that wouldn't fail.

... could go to bed while exposing my targets.
... would often be awake while exposing my targets.
... could expose 60x 1 minute in order to get a decent image.
... could see my results directly on a monitor.
... started getting even balder.
... had to leave home and go to a dark place to see the milky way.
... wished for a bigger telescope.

As you can see, some things never change.