A great astrophotography image is very subjective. What some people would consider to be the ‘perfect’ image, is a complete mess to others. While there are some core aesthetics that I think most people can agree on (nobody likes a noisy image), other aspects have vastly different opinions depending on who you ask. If…
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…
Are you hoping to capture a photo of the upcoming total lunar eclipse on November 8th? If so, you are not alone. Amateur photographers and astrophotography enthusiasts around the world will do their best to take pictures of the upcoming lunar eclipse using a wide variety of camera equipment. A total eclipse of the moon…
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…
I’ll get straight to the point. I’m going to walk you through how I took a detailed picture of the planet Jupiter through my telescope. Compared to photographing deep-sky objects, like galaxies and nebulae like I normally do, photographing planets is a breath of fresh air. I am not a planetary imaging expert by any…
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…
My latest photo of the Andromeda Galaxy is my best effort yet. I have been taking deep-sky astrophotography images for over 10 years now, and this might be my favorite photo of space I’ve ever taken. This detailed image was captured using a small refractor telescope, with a mirrorless camera attached. The image reveals the…
If you’re getting started in deep-sky astrophotography, I believe that a compact apochromatic (APO) refractor telescope is the best possible choice. A compact APO refractor is portable and lightweight, making it a smoother transition from the camera lenses you may be used to. In fact, in many ways, a high-quality apochromat is very much like…
On November 5, 2019, the Canon EOS Ra was announced and is now available for pre-order at various retailers including B&H. This is a 30.3 MP full-frame mirrorless camera designed specifically for astrophotography. The Canon EOS Ra shares nearly all aspects of the EOS R camera body, with 2 key differences for astrophotography. Increased sensitivity…
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 now include dedicated smartphone…
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…
The Sky-Watcher EQ6-R Pro is a computerized equatorial telescope mount with GoTo capabilities. This equatorial (EQ) mount is capable of providing precise, accurate tracking of the night sky, and is suitable for long-exposure astrophotography. The core specifications of this equatorial mount include having a built-in ST-4 autoguider port, a payload capacity of 44 pounds, and…