Getting started in astronomy!
Once I got started in astrophotography, I was instantly hooked!
My name is Tom, founder of Picastro, and I have been taking images of Deep Sky Objects since 2021.
My astro equipment has grown arms and legs, my experience has grown using the software to process the images, and I've learned so much from this amazing community of astro-nerds. You are all amazing!
With that in mind, astrophotography is a beautiful blend of astronomy and photography (and trouble shooting), allowing those with an interest in astronomy and photography to capture the wonders of our universe, from stunning details of the moon to the breathtaking Milky Way to distant galaxies and nebula far beyond what our eyes would normally be able to see. It is all so vast and intriguing. The amazing thing about the hobby is that it can be as creative as you want it to be. Astrophotography can often be seen as a subjective art from, but can be as scientific or non-scientific as your mood or creative style suits.
Take a look at some of the amazing images uploaded by the astronomy community on the Picastro app.
The space images you see may look complicated to create, but getting started in astrophotography is simple, and you don’t need super-expensive gear to begin your journey. Although, trust me... when you start this hobby, it will become all-consuming pretty fast! Ask my wife.
Let me walk you through some simple tips and techniques that could help you dive into this rewarding hobby.
Why Astrophotography?
Ever since I was a little boy, I have always had a passion for the night sky. Looking at the stars on a clear night is one of the most magical things you can do, but capturing that magic with a camera allows you to see even more details hidden in our night sky — colours, patterns, galaxies, nebulae and stars that you simply can’t observe with the naked eye.
Some objects, like our Milkyway, Andromeda Galaxy, and Orion Nebula, are visible in areas that are not tarnished by light pollution, and are even more visible to the naked eye in dark sky areas, which Scotland has a fair few of.
While many of the images you may see online and on this website are amazing, they seem to be created using advanced equipment, but even basic setups can produce remarkable results. I’ve seen some tremendous examples of deep sky object images with just a mobile phone and a tracking mount... insanely good stuff.
What you might need to start in this hobby we call astro:
Before jumping into deep sky object (DSO) imaging, there could be some simple things you can do to help you get started, but first I would strongly recommend familiarising yourself a little with the night sky. Whether that’s through a book or an app, it makes sense to start there first. Reading some books was the best thing I ever did and I'm constantly building my knowledge of the night sky, although there is still lots to learn. Where’s that monocular?!
Astronomy cameras, telescopes and more - so much choice
While any camera can technically capture the night sky, some are better suited for astrophotography than others:
DSLR (mirrorless is probably best)
These offer a lot of control over settings like exposure, ISO, and aperture. A camera with manual settings is essential for capturing night skies effectively. Because a DSLR camera can't be cooled the way dedicated astronomy cameras can, they can be problematic when taking deep sky images, but it is still very possible.
I have a Nikon D5200 and it is a great starting point for astro imaging. Mine isn’t astro modded, however. I do recommend that you find a DSLR that has been astro modded so you don't need to try and do it yourself. Astro modded means that the I/R filter part has been removed to allow for more photons to hit the sensor.
Choose your camera wisely and choose which option will suit you as you grow with the hobby and budget! My experience is that, very quickly, you might find you outgrow your choices, but as always, choices will depend on budgets and how far you want to take the hobby. Cameras can range in price from a few hundred pounds to tens of thousands of pounds. I bought my DSLR fairly new and it has never let me down.
Dedicated astronomy cameras (One shoot colour or monochrome!)
There are so many choices of astronomy cameras available to us. From one shoot colour, I started off with this type of camera, and of course monochrome. Modern dedicated cameras come with CMOS sensors which, to the best of my limited knowledge, are better for deep sky astrophotography.
Smartphones
Surprisingly, newer smartphones with a “night mode” can also take impressive shots of the night sky. However, they have limitations compared to dedicated cameras. But, to get you started, give them a go! I have taken some amazing (well, I think so, anyway!) shots of some moon craters on my smartphone!
Smart Telescope:
A more recent technological innovation in deep sky imaging is the Smart Telescope, and these are a great option to get you hooked on this marvellous hobby. In the most part, they will help you do most of the clever stuff inline in the telescope, or using their new software contained within the relevant Smart Telescope.
Lenses
Wide-Angle Lens: A lens with a wide field of view (e.g., 14mm to 24mm) is perfect for capturing the night sky, especially the Milky Way or large constellations.
Aperture: Look for a lens with a wide aperture (low f-number such as f/2.8 or lower). This allows more light to hit the sensor, which is critical for low-light astrophotography.
Tripod or Equitorial mount
Stability is key when taking long-exposure shots. A sturdy tripod will eliminate any shake or movement that could blur your images. Even a slight shake from pressing the shutter button can ruin a shot, so a tripod is essential. If you can, it would be best to go for an equatorial mount with a computerised goto gearing that can help you track the stars.
Remote Shutter or Timer
To avoid camera shake when pressing the shutter, use a remote trigger or your camera’s built-in timer (set it to 2-5 seconds). This ensures your camera remains stable while shooting.
Star Tracker
If you want to advance to capturing deep-sky objects (e.g., nebulae or galaxies), a star tracker can definitely help. Like an equatorial mount, it can help compensate for the Earth’s rotation, allowing you to take longer exposures without stars turning into trails, although star trail shots are amazing and rather creative in their own right.
Astrophotography 101
Now that you have made some choices with the astronomy equipment, let’s talk about some things to help you get the best from your equipment.
Choose the Right Location
Light Pollution: One of the biggest challenges for astrophotographers is light pollution. Urban areas with bright lights make it difficult to see stars clearly. Use websites like [Light Pollution Map](https://www.lightpollutionmap.info/) to find dark sky locations near you.
Also, you can take a look at Dark Sky international, who's aim is to help rid the world of light pollution so we can all gaze at the wonder of our night skies with no light pollution,
Settings for Night Sky Photography
These solutions below will mainly pertain to DSLR cameras. Dedicated cameras have similar but different settings in relation to ISO, and is normally called gain.
Manual Mode: Always shoot in manual mode to control exposure, ISO, and aperture.
Exposure Time
For wide-angle shots of the Milky Way or constellations, use exposure times of 10-30 seconds. Longer exposures can result in star trails, unless you're using a star tracker.
ISO: Start with an ISO of 1600 or higher to capture more light, but be cautious of noise (graininess). Some cameras handle high ISO better than others, so experiment!
Aperture: Set your aperture to its widest setting (e.g., f/2.8). This allows the maximum amount of light into the lens.
Focus: Use manual focus and set it to infinity. Since autofocus doesn’t work well in low-light, you’ll need to manually adjust the focus to get crisp stars.
The Rule of 500
To avoid star trails in your photos without using a star tracker, you can use the 500 Rule:
You take the number 500 and divide by the focal length of your lens. For example, if you have a 20mm wide angle lens, then 500 / 20 = 25. The 500 rule measures the maximum exposure time you can shoot before the stars become blurry or star trails appear, but as a general rule of thumb star trails will start to appear after exposure times of around 13 seconds if you don't have a star tracker or guiding mount.
Use RAW Format
Always shoot in RAW rather than JPEG. RAW files contain more data, allowing you to extract more details and colors during post-processing. Dedicated cameras have a different format called FITs which is very similar to ISO settings on a DSLR.
Clear Skies
It sounds daft, but check the weather and aim for nights with little to no cloud cover. Space apps and weather apps can help predict good stargazing conditions, but be aware that weather apps don’t always get it right. Pop your head outside and keep a watchful eye. Cloudholes, as I like to call them, are thorns in the sides of astronomers and astrophotographers!
Capturing Different objects in the Sky
Now that you know a few of the basics, let’s talk about what you can capture and the settings that work best for different celestial objects.
The Moon
The moon is the easiest object to photograph and requires different settings:
Settings: Use a low ISO 400-800), a shutter speed around 1/125s, and a medium aperture (f/8-f/11). You’ll need a telephoto lens (200mm or more) to get close-up shots.
Tips: Try shooting during different phases of the moon. A crescent or half-moon often reveal more detail in the craters due to the shadows.
The Milky Way
Settings: Use a wide-angle lens (14mm-24mm), ISO 1600-3200, an aperture around f/2.8, and an exposure time of 15-30 seconds (depending on the focal length).
Tips: The Milky Way is more visible during certain times of the year and is best viewed away from city lights. Try using apps like **Star Walk** or **SkySafari** to track its position in the sky.
Imaging amazing star trails
Settings: Use longer exposure times (up to several minutes or more) and a lower ISO (100-800). Star trails occur due to the Earth's rotation, and capturing them can make for stunning images.
Tips: Use an intervalometer (or your camera’s built-in one) to take multiple shots over several hours and stack them together in post-processing software like StarStaX or Photoshop to create impressive star trail images.
Photographing galaxies
I used to use a one shoot colour (OSC) to take images of deep sky objects and it was a great intro to imaging galaxies and nebula. Most amateurs like me start with M81 Bodes galaxy and M33 Triangulum as these are brighter and larger and closer to us, so make for easy capturing.
Photographing astonishing Deep Sky Objects (DSOs)
This is the holy grail for most who get into the hobby. To be able to take amazing pictures of some of these colourful, bright and varied objects is something quite special. It can be the most rewarding thing to image, from bright nebula to the dimmest of objects in our night sky.
Post-Processing Your Astrophotography
Astrophotography images often need post-processing to bring out the beautiful colours and details contained within the dark images you will take. Here are a few basic steps to enhance your photos:
Adjust Exposure and Contrast: This helps bring out faint stars and details in deep-sky objects.
Reduce Noise: SNR ( Signal to Noise Ration). Loads of auto types talk about this and it is one of the most important stages of taking images of space. High ISO settings introduce noise, so use noise reduction or use a dedicated one shoot or monochrome camera to help reduce the mount of noise and increase the signal getting to your camera. Software including Lightroom, Photoshop, Astro Pixel Processor, Pixinsight, and SiRIL will help with post-processing.
Stacking: This is the single most important process in an astrophotographer's arsenal. For deep-sky images, we take multiple exposures and stack them using software (like DeepSkyStacker). This reduces noise and enhances details. I will talk more on this in another article.
My Final Thoughts
When I reignited my passion for the night sky in 2020, I stared with the moon and the planets. I had a very simple reflector telescope that was given to me as a birthday gift, a basic telescope mount (not equatorial), and I manually tracked some celestial objects such as Jupiter, the moon, and Saturn!
Astrophotography might seem intimidating at first, but with the right equipment and techniques, it’s a hobby that anyone can start. Begin with basic night sky shots and gradually work your way towards more complex images. The beauty of astrophotography lies not just in the photos you take, but in the experience of connecting with the cosmos. Whether you’re capturing the craters of the moon or the magic of the Milky Way, the universe is yours to explore and photograph.
This article is intended as a basic intro to astrophotography, so do your research and find out what works for you. The best advice I have heard so far, and it is true, is that the best telescope is the one you use the most. Don’t burden yourself with lots of stuff you might not actually use. The hobby can get complex very quickly, with learning how to use the various types of astronomy equipment, mounts, cameras, and software. Start slow and build up your experience.
So, grab your astronomy camera, head to your back garden, and start capturing the beauty of our night sky, but be warned: once you start, you will be instantly drawn into this wonderful hobby we call astro.
Tx
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