Equipment

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.

William Optics RedCat 51 III

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

ASI2600MC Air Camera

The ZWO ASI2600MC Air Made My Life Easier: Here’s How

Key Takeaways The ASI2600MC Air is a 3-in-1′ smart camera’ that combines a dedicated astronomy camera with a guide camera and a WiFi controller that runs on the ASIAIR mobile app. The design dramatically reduces the amount of cables and accessories needed to run a complete deep-sky astrophotography imaging session. Critiques dislike that this ‘niche…

Sky-Watcher Wave 150i Strain Wave Mount Review

Sky-Watcher Wave 150i Strain Wave Mount Review

The Sky-Watcher Wave 150i strain wave mount is the latest equatorial tracking telescope mount from a brand known for its reliable astrophotography mounts. For the first time in Sky-Watcher’s history, this mount doesn’t require a counterweight.  Strain wave gear telescope mounts are designed to be compact, portable, and lightweight. In fact, the Sky-Watcher Wave 150i…

astrophotography introduction

Introduction to Deep-Sky Astrophotography

There is nothing like taking your first deep-sky astrophotography image. You’re taking pictures of objects that lie thousands or millions of light-years away. Galaxies, nebulae, and star-forming regions are out there, and there’s an endless supply of new targets to capture.  The best part is that you can see way more in an image than…

travel astrophotography tips

How to Travel with Astrophotography Gear

We are often asked how we fly with our astronomy gear when we travel to new locations for astrophotography. While traveling to a dark-sky site with our telescopes is exciting, it also involves a lot of planning.  Traveling with any photography equipment can be challenging, but there are some added considerations when flying with items…

strain wave mounts

Buying a Strain Wave Mount? You Have Options

If you’re new to astrophotography, an equatorial telescope mount is one of the first pieces of equipment you will need to purchase. Whether it’s a star tracker or a heavy-duty astrophotography mount capable of carrying large telescopes, tracking the night sky is essential to astrophotography. Your telescope mount is the cornerstone of your deep-sky astrophotography…

Star Tracker Camera Mount

Choosing a Star Tracker for Astrophotography

Updated September 26, 2024 A star tracker is a portable tracking camera mount designed for astrophotography. The device ‘tracks’ the motion of the stars to allow you to take long exposure images of space without star-trailing.  These devices are commonly used with a DSLR/Mirrorless camera and lens, or even a small astronomical telescope. Recent models…

full-frame astrophotography camera

Is A Full-Frame Camera for Astrophotography Worth It?

A full-frame camera has a larger image sensor, which means you can capture a wider field of view through your telescope or lens. This can help you create larger astrophotos, (in terms of both image resolution in pixels, and file size). While it might seem like upgrading from a crop-sensor camera to a full-frame model…

$1000 vs $10000 telescope

$1,000 vs $10,000 Telescope for Astrophotography

Have you ever wondered what the same deep-space object would look like using two very different telescopes? I thought this was a great concept for a video (see below) and a real eye-opener for those looking into upgrading their telescope for astrophotography. For this experiment, we used two high-quality refractor telescopes that were very different…

Astrophotography | 14 Must-Know Starting Tips

Astrophotography | 14 Must-Know Starting Tips

If you’re getting started in astrophotography, I am here to save you some time and frustration by learning from the mistakes of myself and others. Whether you’re looking into a full-blown deep-sky camera and telescope setup, or just getting started with a DSLR and tripod, I think this article will come in handy. The following…

Celestron Starsense Explorer Dob

Celestron StarSense Explorer Dob Review

The Celestron StarSense Explorer Dob is a clever upgrade to a traditional 8″ Dobsonian telescope, thanks to its integrated smartphone app that helps you find objects in the night sky. It’s a visual telescope (not designed for astrophotography), but photos of bright objects like the Moon and planets are possible through the eyepiece.  With 8…