One of the best ways to enjoy astronomy under a dark sky is to go camping. Campgrounds are usually well away from city light pollution, meaning that you will be able to enjoy many more stars in the sky than you are used to seeing at home. In mid-summer, the sun sets very late at…
Canon Rebel Xsi – Recently Modified 450D I am proud to say that I am now the owner of a Modified 450D. My recent “self-modification“ has really helped bring out the colour of this Emission Nebula. If you are interested in modding your own Canon Xs or XSi, you can find the tutorial…
The Wizard Nebula through my 80mm Telescope Clear August Nights More consecutive clear summer nights have allowed me to put in some serious time on the Wizard Nebula! In fact, this is the most amount of exposure time I have put into any object! Over 7 Hours! Truth be told, I would have hopped over…
IC 5164 – The Cocoon Nebula Imaged with an 80mm Refractor We have had a stretch of clear nights this summer, and I have been taking full advantage! This year I decided to spend some time in the sweet spot of the sky, Cygnus the Swan. This area of the night sky rises high overhead…
The unspoiled dark skies of Cherry Springs State Park in Pennsylvania are a real treat to stargazers who attend the Black Forest Star Party. Now, this is what our night sky is supposed to look like! Whether you’re a visual observer or an amateur astrophotographer, it’s hard to find a place as special as Cherry…
How the Rosette Nebula looks with a Stock DSLR Will an unmodified Canon DSLR pick up the red nebulosity? Happy New Year! I was finally graced with some clear skies that showcased the beautiful winter milky way on Monday. The moon was about 19% lit, and it didn’t set until about 10:30 pm, so about…
Below, you will see an image of the Pacman Nebula using a stock (non-modified) DSLR camera. A Canon EOS Rebel Xsi (450D) to be exact. I have often said that an entry-level DSLR camera is probably the best astrophotography camera to start out with. DSLR cameras are affordable, versatile, and can be used for more…
If you are wondering how to take pictures of stars and the alluring wonders of the night sky, look no further. In this article, I’ll share an absolute, bare-bones approach to capturing a spectacular photograph of the stars above the one below. This includes covering which camera to use, the exact camera settings I recommend,…
My Attempt at the Soul Nebula IC 1848, The Soul Nebula Imaged Weds., Oct 2, 2013 32 subs 4 Minutes Each totaling 2 Hours, 8 Minutes PHOTO DETAILS Updated Version: The Soul Nebula Scope: Explore Scientific ED80 with WO Flat III 0.8x FR/FFMount: Skywatcher HEQ5 Pro SynscanGuiding: Meade DSI Pro II and PHD GuidingGuide Scope:…
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…
Problems with Celestron CG-5 Mount Up until this point, my Celestron CG-5 mount has been very good to me. Despite what I have heard, it has been a quality mount, capable of 5+ minute exposures, no problem (with autoguiding). Recently though, the power has been cutting in and out. Last Friday night, under clear, dark,…
Photograph the Moon with a point-and-shoot camera You can take some incredible pictures of the moon through a telescope using an inexpensive point-and-shoot camera. Some of my very first astrophotography images were of the moon in its many phases using the afocal method (eyepiece projection does not use a camera lens) method. The photo above…