Celestron NexStar 8SE Telescope Review
The Celestron NexStar 8SE computerized telescope is one of the best-selling telescope packages of all time. It features a large aperture optical telescope and a computerized GoTo mount. The NexStar series of SCTs have been around for over a decade, and I was finally able to experience this beginner-friendly telescope for myself. I was impressed with the completeness of this package, from the 1.25" 25mm eyepiece and diagonal, to the red dot finder mounted to the 8-inch OTA. Celestron NexStar 8SE Video Review. This is a primarily visual telescope, meant for enjoying views of the moon,…
My Latest Portable Astrophotography Build
Are you looking to build a full-featured (GoTo, autoguiding, etc.) portable astrophotography rig for this summer? If so, I think I have found the perfect "template" to follow (with plenty of room for substitutions, of course). The major difference between this setup and the portable rigs I've shared on this site before is that this one features complete mount control via the ASIAIR Plus wifi controller. The entire system can be battery-powered, for complete mobility. It's a lightweight, wide-field refractor telescope configuration, that doesn't skimp on any of the modern featu…
Building a Deep Sky Astrophotography Kit
I am often asked for my opinion on the best route to take when it comes to building a deep-sky astrophotography kit for the first time. A popular option for many night sky enthusiasts is to start with a DSLR camera and telescope, and I can understand why. Building an astrophotography setup that revolves around a user-friendly, entry-level DSLR can reap some impressive results. Modern-day hobbyist/beginner digital SLR cameras such as the Canon EOS Rebel T7i or Nikon D3400 provide the least-steep learning curve when it comes to deep-sky imaging in a very technical and sometimes overwhelming h…
Sky-Watcher Star Adventurer GTi
The Sky-Watcher Star Adventurer GTi is a highly portable star tracker that was designed for astrophotography. It allows you to take long-exposure images of space by tracking the apparent movement of the night sky. Unlike the original Star Adventurer, the GTi model also has the ability to find deep-sky objects in the night sky using the SynScan GoTo system. Sky-Watcher sent me a production copy of their brand new Star Adventurer GTi to test out, and I've been waiting for this version of their iconic star tracker for a long time. The Star Adventurer GTi can handle a compact te…
8 Deep-Sky Targets for Galaxy Season
In the astrophotography realm, Galaxy Season refers to the period in Spring when the night sky offers up a buffet of incredible galaxies to observe and photograph. From early March until Mid-May, the window of opportunity for night-sky enthusiasts to photograph a wide variety of galaxies is at its best. I don't know about you, but the idea of photographing another galaxy full of countless stars and unknown worlds makes me feel pretty small (in a good way). This is one of the many amazing feelings experienced by backyard amateur astronomers and photographers alike. The photos you are abou…
How I Captured the Boogieman Nebula
In this article, I'll describe how I photographed the Boogieman Nebula (LDN 1622) in the constellation Orion using my camera and telescope. This was the first time I had ever captured this deep-sky object before, and one of only a handful of dark nebulae I have ever photographed. LDN 1622 is a dark molecular cloud that is just shy of 10 light-years across in size. The Boogieman Nebula is surrounded by the intense hydrogen gas of Barnard's Loop and close by to other fascinating deep-sky objects like Messier 78. In this article, I'll cover everything from the astrophotography equipme…
Photographing Thor’s Helmet from the City
In this post, I’ll walk you through my process of photographing a jaw-dropping nebula in the night sky known as Thor’s Helmet. As usual, there were a number of challenges in my way, but it wouldn’t be astrophotography without a little stress now would it? I am using an imaging setup that I have used in a while, and I think you’ll get some great tips for your next project by following along. I sincerely enjoy sharing these nights of deep-sky astrophotography in the backyard with you, and I hope you enjoy the final image. Astrophotography vs. Daily Life I don’t know about you gu…
The GEAR Behind My Best Images in 2021
I’ve taken some amazing astrophotos this year, and I want to share the exact equipment I used in my approach and even some processing tips. After all - I know you're super pumped about the images I take - right? But in reality, if I can’t provide useful information about how you can do it yourself, what’s the point of watching? I won’t go into too much detail about each piece of gear and why it's 'better' than another option - just the results possible with this gear. Seriously, if I can get to this point, you can too. Constant State of Change Now, first I’ll say tha…
