Checklist - An equipment check list for a milky way astrophotography session

 As I get older, I get more absent minded and forgetful. I've lost the car a few times in various car parks. I've left the phone on the car roof and lost it! I once left my GoPro camera recording a night session and had to drive back and get it. Fortunately it was still dark, deserted and the GoPro was attached to a fence post and not immediately noticeable.

My real pet hates are when I forget to pack something I need. Last time I left the powertank behind and had to drive twenty minutes home to get it - having assembled the rig earlier only to discover that...... you get the picture. 

I've done something similar with the tripod as well! 

So, I use check lists. There are a few posts here showing my various checklists. It is a system which seems to have helped me enormously when I was dinghy cruising and expeditioning. 

So, without further ado, here is my milky way night session check list. Hope you find it useful. If I have missed off anything, drop me a comment below and I will add it in for all. 

Clear skies, take care, stay safe and have fun out there 

Steve 

 

And just in case you cant get the picture printed off - here it is in text below 

SWSA 2i gear			General equipment  - safety
Tracker and base			Headtorch+ spare
WO base wedge+plastic shims			Penknife
Counterweight assembly+bar+one weight			Garmin InReach PLB
AA batteries			Charged smartphone
Large flat dovetail clamp			First Aid kit
Round dovetail clamp			Space blankets + Bivvy bags
MSM Z base			Hand warmers
Gorillapod joby ball head			Compass + Map
Polar scope illuminator			Driving and reading glasses
Camera connect cable			Insect spray
Green base plate			Fleece blanket
Right angled polar scope viewer			2 emergency red glow sticks
Kneeling mat			(Small bothy) (small beach shelter)
Benbo CF tripod			Clothing
Green laser adapter+pen			Waterproof
Camera Gear			Duvet coat
Canon 800D+dummy battery			Thermals
Lenses – Samyang 14mm, Canon 22mm+50mm			Hats and gloves – fingerless and over-gloves
GoPro Hero 9+batteries + tips book			Beanie/buff
Canon batteries -spares			Walking boots and thick socks
Cleaning kit + small tripod screw adapter thread
Whit flats ring + Bahtinov masks
Intervalometer + AAA batteries			Other
L bracket			Hot drinks/hot water
Dew band			Teabags/food/snacks
Small Joby Gorillapod tripod			(Trangia, fuel, matches)
Optolong L Pro + other filters			(Lightweight camping chair)
Spare memory cards			(camping mat, lightweight tent, sleeping bag)
Log/note book  + Pen			Reading book
Small handheld diffuse glow lamp
Samsung tablet for flats
Power
3 x power banks			Velcro cable ties - spares
Usb cables – C, micro and A			Small roll electrical and/or duct tape
Spare C2032/2025 disc batteries			Small masking tape strips card
Spare AA and AAA batteries			Small screwdriver/hex key tool kit
			Car keys , wallet
			Left emergency plan – location, routes, times