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…
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…
The ZWO ASI294 MC Pro is a remarkably capable one-shot-color CMOS camera for deep sky astrophotography. Whether you use it for broadband true-color images on a moonless night or ultra-long-exposure images using your favorite narrowband filter – this camera can produce insanely beautiful images. This is easily one of the best color cameras I have ever…
The Soul Nebula (Westerhout 5, Sharpless 2-199, LBN 667) is a large emission nebula located in the constellation Cassiopeia. This Nebula is often included with its nearest neighbor, creating the ‘Heart and Soul Nebula’. It is one of the brightest nebulae in the night sky. The apparent size of this deep-sky object from Earth makes…
The William Optics Zenithstar 61 is a doublet apochromatic refractor telescope that excels in deep-sky DSLR astrophotography. The Z61 is the most portable telescope ever made by William Optics, a company with a reputation for building beautiful astrophotography refractors. In this review, I’ll tell you why I think the William Optics Zenithstar 61 is a…
The iOptron SkyGuider Pro is a portable EQ mount that offers a reliable solution for astrophotography on the go. The SkyGuider Pro makes shooting long exposure nightscapes without star-trailing possible. On a stationary tripod mount, star trailing begins to show in exposures longer than 25 seconds. Depending on your camera’s focal length, the stars could…
If you want to take incredible pictures of the night sky, but don’t know where to start, you’re in the right place. Astrophotography requires a very specific set of equipment and techniques to accomplish, and it can be overwhelming for a beginner. If you have ever got lost in the technical specifications of a certain…
I have been spending a lot of time photographing the night sky towards the core of the Milky Way. My 80mm refractor has a focal length of 480mm, which magnifies many deep-sky objects in the area of Sagittarius. The Lagoon Nebula and the Trifid Nebula lie very close together in the night sky, as far…
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…
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…
Late last month, William sent me a William Optics RedCat 71 for review purposes. I will continue to share my results using this apochromatic refractor telescope, and will likely purchase it after the testing period if I have the option. At the time of writing, I do not know when the RedCat 71 will be…
The AstroBackyard Backyard of the Week highlights astrophotography setups from around the world. A “backyard” can be a balcony, driveway, garden, or wherever else you set up astrophotography equipment at home. By taking a behind-the-scenes look at the equipment amateur astrophotographers use to take deep-sky images, you can get a better understanding of the process….