The ‘popular posts’ category includes how-to astrophotography articles, image processing tutorials, and in-depth camera and telescope reviews.
This is where you will find the information people look for most when visiting the AstroBackyard website. Some of the most popular articles on this website involve building a deep-sky astrophotography setup.
For the most up-to-date look at the equipment I use for astrophotography, be sure to visit the ‘my equipment‘ section. I have done my best to include a variety of resources in this section.
This guide covers some of the best deep-sky astrophotography targets by season in the northern hemisphere. From bright nebulae and galaxies to beautiful star clusters, you’ll find targets that are perfect for beginners and seasoned imagers alike. Knowing what targets are available to you throughout the year makes planning your nights under the stars way…
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…
Choosing the right computer for image processing can save you a lot of headaches when you’re trying to process those jaw-dropping images of the night sky. Applications like Adobe Photoshop and PixInsight can really push a computer to its limits when processing astrophotography images, so what kind of specs do you need? Here’s a breakdown…
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…
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…
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…
I have rounded up a list of the best stargazing apps for your mobile phone or tablet. These are the astronomy apps (along with other astronomy resources) I personally use while using my telescope for a night of observing or astrophotography. Many of the star maps are completely free (such as Stellarium) but include ‘Pro’…
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…
If you are like me, you spend most of your time photographing deep-sky objects from your backyard. While I love a good dark sky trip, the backyard is where the majority of my astrophotography projects take place. The backyard is a convenient option for an impulsive night of astrophotography, but what are we missing out…
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…
I have been using the ASIAIR for my astrophotography projects for the last 5 years. This incredible wifi controller can do it all, from controlling my equatorial mount to running a complete imaging sequence. If you are looking to automate your deep-sky astrophotography and remove many of the frustrations involved with running multiple pieces of…
Taking impressive deep-sky astrophotography images is not reserved for those using an astronomical telescope. A budget camera lens can be used to take images of some of the best deep-sky objects in the night sky. A telephoto zoom lens can provide enough magnification to pull distant objects in space in for a closer look, but…