In this post, I’ll share my results using the Optolong L-eNhance filter for deep sky astrophotography in the city. The L-eNhance is a dual band pass filter that ignores artificial light, yet collects a strong signal emitted by certain nebulae. This light pollution filter was designed for color cameras, whether it’s a DSLR (a modified…
There are so many incredible star parties happening all over the world each year. From stargazing with the naked eye to deep sky astrophotography through a telescope, a star party is the best way for amateur astronomy enthusiasts to get to know the night sky on a deeper level together. We are working our way…
This article was last updated on January 24, 2015. If you are looking to build a deep-sky astrophotography kit that includes a proven apochromatic refractor telescope and a reliable tracking telescope mount, the following information should be very useful to you. For an idea of what you can expect with a rig like this, look…
The Cave Nebula (Caldwell 9, Sh2-155) is a diffuse emission nebula within a larger nebula complex that includes a reflection nebula, and dark nebula. This deep-sky object is located in the constellation Cepheus and lies roughly 2,400 light-years from Earth. Sharpless 155 is an ionized H II region, where new stars are being born. Small telescopes…
I’ve been lucky enough to test the OPT Triad filter (Radian Telescopes) for astrophotography in the backyard. This is a 2″ quad-band narrowband filter that collects light in 4 bandpasses, Ha, OIII, SII, and H-Beta. The “Ultra” version of the filter improves upon the previous tri-band version, now with an even narrower band-passes, and the…
It’s as simple as this, if you want to take pictures through your telescope, you need to properly attach your camera to it. Learning how to attach your camera to a telescope is one of the first steps needed to enter the world of astrophotography. Whether you plan to photograph the planets using the eyepiece…
The Sunflower Galaxy (M63) is a spiral galaxy located in the constellation Canes Venatici. Also known as NGC 5055, the Sunflower Galaxy is a highly detailed and fascinating astrophotography target that lies roughly 37 million light-years from Earth. As is the case for many galaxies observed during galaxy season, Messier 63 appears rather small from…
The Celestron RASA 8 F/2 Astrograph is a modern astrophotography telescope with an optical design that allows you to collect deep sky images using short exposure times. Based on the popular 11″ version, the 8” model is the most affordable RASA (Rowe-Ackermann Schmidt Astrograph) in Celestron’s lineup. The RASA optical system presents a modern and…
The Lumicon UHC filter was designed to better observe and photograph nebulae. The filter passes three selective emission lines, two doubly ionized oxygen lines (496nm and 501nm) and H-beta at 486nm. The effects of city light pollution and skyglow from a bright moon are reduced due to the selective bandpass qualities of the Lumicon UHC…
I’ve just returned from a vacation to Costa Rica with the goal of capturing some astrophotography images from the resort. Being so close to the equator, the night sky featured many new southern hemisphere deep-sky targets I had never seen before. Aside from astrophotography (including an impromptu Facebook Live stream from our balcony) my wife…
Despite the excitement of a moving into a new house under Bortle Class 6 skies, I’ve had a rough start to the new year in terms of astrophotography. The weather has not been friendly, from -30 C nights to consecutive weeks of precipitation and clouds. However, this has given me some time to get my…
William Optics is a company known for creating high-performance apochromatic refractors and constantly updating and refining their designs. The RedCat 51 Petzval APO is the latest creation from the company that can’t sit still, and it is bound to shake up the industry once more. I am fortunate enough to have been granted early access…