The North Star is Polaris, located in the constellation Ursa Minor. It does not sit directly on the Earth’s north celestial pole, but it is very close. In the northern hemisphere, Polaris is easy to identify using the Little Dipper as a reference. The stars and constellations in the night sky appear to rotate around…
In a recent video, I shared my results using a $200 DSLR for astrophotography. In a hobby known for being very expensive, I think it is very interesting that such results can be obtained using an old, inexpensive camera. In this post, I’ll prove to you that incredible astrophotography results are possible with an old,…
Narrowband imaging involves isolating and capturing specific wavelengths of light using filters. Deep-sky astrophotography enthusiasts are able to produce dynamic images of objects in space through their telescope with the help of narrowband filters. The following video provides an overview of the topic of narrowband imaging, and how you can create a Hubble Palette image…
The Canon EOS Ra camera is Canon’s first full-frame mirrorless camera dedicated to astrophotography. It is suitable for deep-sky imaging with a telescope, and night sky photography with a camera lens. Based off of the extremely popular EOS R, the EOS Ra boasts unique features such as 30x magnification (viewfinder and Live View) for precise…
In this post, I’ll share my 10 best astrophotography images of the year, and the complete list of gear used to take them. I completed roughly 40 projects this year, and it was difficult to choose my favorite 10 images from the bunch. The selection process involved remembering why each photo was so special. Why…
If you are new to the world of photography, you may not know exactly what the term white balance is referring to. When it comes to astrophotography, this camera setting still has its place but becomes less important as you learn how to capture RAW images and edit your images in post. In photography, white…
After almost a decade of taking pictures of space with a DSLR camera, I have come to the realization that a DSLR Ha filter is quite possibly the most important astrophotography filter in your kit. Traditional light pollution filters designed to help you photograph deep sky objects in broadband (true-color) are useful, but a hydrogen-alpha…
The Helix Nebula (NGC 7293) is a planetary nebula in the constellation Aquarius. Of all of the known planetary nebulae in the night sky, the Helix Nebula is one of the brightest, and closest to Earth. Whether you have seen the incredible images of the Helix Nebula captured using the Hubble Space Telescope, or are…
In this post, I’ll explain why I think the Rokinon 135mm F/2 is the perfect addition to an arsenal of astrophotography lenses. Deep-sky astrophotography is often associated with a camera and telescope, but the truth is there are a lot of great camera lenses for astrophotography out there. In the past, I’ve covered a number…
One of the first challenges beginners face when getting into astrophotography, is being able to take a photos that is in-focus, with round stars. Because the night sky appears to move from our vantage point on Earth, capturing a long exposure starry sky image on a fixed tripod may reveal star-trailing. One of the best…
The Cygnus constellation is considered to be one of the most interesting areas of the night sky, due to the many deep-sky objects found within it. The “Swan” star pattern is easily recognizable for amateur astronomers in the northern hemisphere and flies through a dense area of stars in the Milky Way. The “celestial swan”…
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…