Starting in Astrophotography

David Haworth

www.stargazing.net/david

Copyright 2011

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Beginning Astrophotography

Goal Imaging deep sky objects (DSOs) in color

Skills No photography knowledge & skills

Astronomy observing skills

You can find & recognize in a telescope bright M objects Messier: M8, M13, M16, M31, etc.

Equipment & software No cameras, telescopes, computer, etc

Workshop assumptions

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What do you enjoy about Astrophotography?

Pretty photos for the wall/computer/website/etc.

Image processing

Analyzing the image

Taking images

Seeing the image at the telescope or in the camera

Know yourself

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Getting Advice

Source Goals may be different than yours

Experiences & skills are different than yours

No one best piece of equipment or software Expect to see different recommendations

Hard part What is good enough for your goals

Know the source

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Equipment & Software

Search the web for astrophotography examples Equipment & software you are interested in

Beware of images posted on the web Image processing can miss lead you

Join the Yahoo Tech Groups Read the history posting

Download & read the manuals, tutorials, demos, etc.

Searching for what works

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Internet Resources Astrophotography Techniques

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Internet Resources Astrophotography Techniques

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Internet Resources Tutorials

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Internet Resources Astrophotography Yahoo Groups

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Internet Resources Astrophotography Yahoo Groups

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Have a Plan

Start with wide field astrophotography DSLR & camera lens

Unguided

Tripod, barn door tracker, piggy back & low cost GEM mounts

Guided astrophotography 60-80 mm refractors

350-500 mm focal length

Mounts with guiding port

The basics

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Wide Field Astrophotography

Backyard Astronomer’s Guide 3rd Ed.

Canon DSLR Do not get megapixel envy, 3 megapixels is good enough

Remote shutter switch

Tripod Heavy is better

Build your self a barn door tracker

4 to 8 minute exposures

Laptop Display, store & image process photos

Starting out

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Canon DSLR with LiveView

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Jupiter, Venus & Moon, Home, 11/30/2008, Nikon D70 18-70mm lens, Tripod

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Tracking the Sky Star tracker is also called a Scotch mount, Haig mount, or

barn-door mount with Nikon D70 and 85mm lens

M44, Saturn & M67 Star Tracker, 1 x 183 sec, 85 mm f/2.8

Camas, WA 1/24/06

Milky Way M11 to M8

Nikon D70, 50mm lens

OSP 8/23/06

M21, M20 & M8

Mt. Bachelor SP 7/7/05

Nikon D70, 180mmED lens

M21, M20 & M8

Mt. Bachelor SP 7/7/05

Nikon D70, 180mmED lens

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Deep Sky Guided Astrophotography

Backyard Astronomer’s Guide 3rd Ed.

Canon EOS Rebel XS DSLR & T-adapter Remote Switch

Mounts with guiding port Guiding camera: Orion SSAG

70mm to 75mm refractor Do not get aperture envy

Laptop Autoguiding

Used for finding deep sky objects

Display, store & image process photos

Refractors & guided mounts

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Deep Sky Guided Astrophotography Nikon D70 on Pentax 75 mm SDHF f/6.7 APO Refractor

MBSP 2007

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M31 with PHD Guiding, Meade DSI 40 mm diameter, 160 mm focal length guide scope

MBSP 2007

M110

M32

M31

M31, M32 & M110 JPG Unprocessed Nikon D70 on Pentax 75 mm SDHF f/6.7 APO Refractor

MBSP 2007

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Free Software

Guiding software: Stark Labs PHD Guiding

Astro charts: Sky Charts

8-bit imaging processing: GIMP

Astro imaging processing: Stacking software: DeepSkyStacker

PixInsight LE Freeware

IRIS

Subaru Image Processor: Makali`i

ImageJ

Internet downloads

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Dave’s Choices for Today

Camera: Canon DSLR with LiveView for focusing Remote shutter

External monitor

Telescope: 60 – 80 mm refractor with field flattener

Guiding mount: Orion Sirius mount

Guide scope: short focal length (< 300mm)

Guiding software: Stark Labs PHD Guiding Pick guide camera to work with PHD Guiding

Starting DSLR Astrophotography

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www.stargazing.net/david