prompter: I want to start doing astrophotography as a hobby, any suggestions what could i do?

assistant: Getting started in astrophotography can seem daunting, but with some patience and practice, you can become a master of the craft. To begin, you'll need a good camera and lens, a tripod, and a dark sky location free of light pollution. You will also need to learn about the basics of astrophotography, such as what camera settings to use, how to capture star trails, and the best techniques for tracking celestial objects. You can also purchase or rent different types of telescopes, depending on what types of objects you want to capture. Additionally, it's important to keep up with the latest astrophotography news and trends. Once you have the necessary equipment and knowledge, you can start shooting and experimenting with different techniques to get the best results.

prompter: Can you tell me more?  What would you recommend as a basic set of equipment to get started with?  How much will it cost?

assistant: Astrophotography can be a fun and rewarding hobby, and here are some more in depth suggestions for you to get started:

    Equipment: As a beginner, you will need a camera that is capable of taking long exposures and manual control over the settings. A good starting point would be a digital SLR (DSLR) camera or a mirrorless camera. You will also need a sturdy tripod, a fast wide-angle lens (f/2.8 or faster), and a remote shutter release cable to minimize camera shake during long exposures.

    Location: Look for a location with minimal light pollution and a clear view of the night sky. Check online maps to find the best spots near you.

    Settings: Start with a wide-angle lens and set your camera to manual mode. Set your aperture to f/2.8 or wider, ISO to 800 or 1600, and experiment with different exposure times (30 seconds to 2 minutes).

    Focus: Focus the lens on the stars using live view and manual focus. You may also need to use a Bahtinov mask to achieve accurate focus.

    Editing: After you've taken your photos, use editing software such as Adobe Lightroom or Photoshop to adjust the exposure, contrast, and color balance to get the best results.

The cost of equipment will depend on the type of camera and lens you choose, but a basic setup can cost anywhere from $500 to $3000. However, you don't need to start with the most expensive equipment to get good results. As you improve, you can upgrade your equipment and add additional accessories such as filters and tracking mounts.

Remember, astrophotography is a hobby that requires patience and practice, so don't be discouraged if your first few attempts don't turn out as well as you had hoped. Keep experimenting and learning, and you'll soon be able to capture stunning images of the night sky!

prompter: What is a good course of instruction to avoid years of wasted effort?

assistant: Here is a basic deep-sky astrophotography equipment setup typically includes an equatorial mount, telescope, camera, autoguiding system, and a slew of additional accessories required to run the camera throughout the night. 

Mount: Sky-Watcher EQ6-R Pro
Telescope: Sky-Watcher Esprit 100
Camera: ZWO ASI2600MM Pro
Color Camera Filters: Optolong L-eXtreme, Radian Triad Ultra
Guide Scope: William Optics 50mm Guide Scope
Guide Camera: ZWO ASI290mm Mini

Costs unfortunately may vary drastically, what location on planet earth do you occupy?
I can help you find average prices and retailers in your area.

Would you like new or used Equipment?
This will hap narrow down your selection.

assistant: You want a camera, tripod, and tracking mount. Those run about 700, 150, and 300 to 2k, respectively. You may also add items like an intervalometer or light pollution filter.

[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Astrophotography
What else do you need?

assistant: buy a telescope
go to the planetarium
buy a specificaly designed star catching camera

prompter: Do you have any suggestions for how I might improve my skill in capturing good photos?

assistant: • Purchase the most ridiculously large telescope you can afford and install it in your backyard. This lets your neighbors know you have sky-high aspirations and a lens to match.

• Get a camera that lets you crank up the ISO to unconscionably high levels. This'll produce lots of noise in your images but makes for a handy excuse for any less-than-stellar results: "It's not sensor noise, it's star noise!"

• Spend long hours in the dark gazing upward and complaining about light pollution. Even if you live out in the boondocks, there's always some distant illuminated civilization marring your views and precision-focused complaints.

• Develop an obsession with tracking down elusive deep-sky objects. "M104, M109, show yourselves! I know you're out there, hiding among the stars!" The hunt can take all night but that's ideal for this hobby.

• Join online astrophotography forums and brag about your imaging rig and targets acquired. The only thing as vast as the cosmos is the astronomical egos of fellow 'astro-photogs.' Outdo them all!

• Most importantly, remember that astrophotography is less about taking pictures and more about embracing the night. So have fun and may the stars shine brightly on your new obsession!

prompter: I think that your reply is humorous/sarcastic, while I wanted a serious one. Please answer once again in a more serious fashion, with actual advice

assistant: I apologize for my previous response. Here are some tips on how to get good pictures, starting out: 
- Get away from high population areas. Light pollution is a major factor in astrophotography. 
- Use what you can afford. You might want to get an expensive telescope and camera, but with good conditions, some phones can even create decent pictures of the night sky (For example, Google Pixel phones have an astrophotography mode) 
- Keep your camera stable. Astrophotography needs long exposures to gather enough light, so any movement will show up as a blur. 
- For very long exposures, consider a tripod of setup to track the object of interest through the sky
- Keep an eye on the weather. Even if there is no precipitation or clouds, the atmosphere is turbulent, which will affect your pictures. 
- Start simple and keep reasonable expectations. Your pictures starting out will look amazing to you, but probably won't look as good as what you see online. Remember that other people may have better equipment, locations, and experience. You should seek advice from them, and improve yourself.

assistant: Astrophotography is an interesting hobby and with increasingly better cameras and optics, entry to it becomes easier. If you don't have a telescope, you could see if you can find an observatory you can visit, they often have open doors for interested people. You could also try to find a community to help you get started. 
It is very favorable to make photos of the stars in areas with low light emissions, so it is best to be in areas without city lights to take good pictures. Modern smartphones are very competent in enhancing low-light photography, and you can find cheap starter kits or even DIY projects for your first telescope. 
As long as you are curious, you will find ways to look for the stars