The astrophotography equipment category is a useful resource for beginners who want a better understanding of the gear needed for astrophotography.
The type of astrophotography equipment needed for each area of interest can change dramatically, but in general, a tracking mount, a camera, and a telescope/camera lens are the bare minimum.
For those that like to remain portable, and take nightscapes from dark sky locations, a star tracker is recommended. They allow you to maximize the amount of light collected through your camera and lens, and present new creative opportunities.
If you are hoping to collect detailed pictures of nebulae, galaxies, and star clusters, a more robust tracking mount and a telescope are better options.
My primary interest lies in deep-sky astrophotography of galaxies and nebulae, using a refractor telescope on a tracking equatorial telescope mount. If you’re looking for a fantastic astrophotography telescope to get started, you can’t go wrong with the William Optics RedCat 51.
I typically use wide-field instruments to capture large nebulae in the night sky using specialized filters. Still, you may be interested in other types of astrophotography, including being able to photograph a planet up close.
For this type of imaging (planetary astrophotography) the equipment profile changes quite dramatically from a wide-field nebula setup. A telescope with much more focal length is recommended (2000mm) and a dedicated astronomy camera with a high frame rate.
A popular camera for solar system photography is the ZWO ASI290mm Mini, thanks to its 2.1 MP monochrome sensor. This is the camera I used to photograph Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn.
Useful Equipment Links
The ZWO Seestar S30 is a compact, all-in-one smart telescope designed to make astrophotography simple and approachable. It’s a smaller version of the extremely popular Seestar S50, with some added features. With its built-in camera, motorized mount, and mobile app control, it takes a lot of the guesswork out of capturing the night sky. No…
The ZWO ASI585MM Pro is ZWO’s most affordable cooled monochrome astronomy camera, and after two months of backyard imaging with it, I’ve come away pretty impressed. This little camera offers a lot of versatility—ideal for both planetary imaging and deep-sky astrophotography—thanks to its high frame rate and cooling capability. But like any gear, it has…
While I have several videos discussing the topic of deep-sky astrophotography on my YouTube channel, I realized it was time for a thorough walkthrough of my entire current process (as of 2023) for capturing deep-sky images with a camera and telescope. This article aims to accomplish that goal by providing a step-by-step roadmap to follow to get your…
If you’re in the market for a high-performance astrograph with full-frame capabilities and a premium build, the Askar SQA106 is definitely worth a closer look. This impressive quintuplet refractor delivers a 509mm focal length at f/4.8 and is designed to produce flat, color-accurate images without the need for additional flatteners or backfocus tinkering. In this…
I recently assembled a budget astrophotography rig to capture deep-sky objects in my backyard. While I knew this system would be very capable, I was astonished by the quality of the pictures I took with it. Astrophotography (and photography in general) can be an expensive hobby with high-end equipment often costing thousands of dollars. While…
I recently tested the William Optics RedCat 91 APO refractor. This is the fourth RedCat I’ve used in the RedCat series—five if you count the two versions of the RedCat 51 (version 1 and version 3). With a healthy aperture, fast optics, and a super flat Peztval design, the William Optics RedCat 91 has a…
This article was last updated on February 25, 2025. The ZWO ASI2600MM Pro mono is the much-anticipated monochrome version of ZWO’s popular ZWO ASI2600MC Pro dedicated astronomy camera. It houses a 26-megapixel Sony IMX571 back-illuminated sensor and some seriously impressive specs. This camera uses a highly sensitive, cooled, monochrome CMOS sensor in the APS-C format. Its…
The SVBONY SV555 is a variable aperture prime focus lens/telescope designed for wide-field astrophotography. Many of you have been requesting a review of an SVBONY telescope for years, and today, I’m excited to share my thoughts on this one. The SV555 Petzval lens is an interesting option in the competitive market of wide-field refractor telescopes,…
If you’re looking to buy your first telescope—or your first good telescope—this guide is for you. I’ll cover the most important aspects of a telescope, how much you should expect to spend, and provide four excellent examples to consider. The following choices are obviously not the only ones to choose from, but they offer a…
The Dwarf 3 smart telescope is a compact, ultra-portable device that was designed to make astrophotography easy and fun. While this device is in its third iteration, it is the first DwarfLab product I’ve ever used. It combines a small telescope, an astronomy camera, and a computerized mount to track and photograph objects in space….
The ZWO Seestar S50 is an all-in-one smart telescope that makes astrophotography easy. While its main goal is to deliver electronically assisted views of objects in space, the pictures it takes are pretty darn good. If you thought smart telescopes were just “expensive toys,” you’d be surprised to see some of the incredible deep-sky images…
This article was last updated on December 2nd, 2024. 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. There are 3 main items you need: a camera, a telescope, and a mount. A popular option for many night…