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Astrophotography: revealing Heavenly Bodies for The Naked Eye | Blog

Jul 14, 2022

Want to really "shoot for the stars" as photographer?

With the advancements in technology for cameras, beginners can now turn their lenses toward an amazing night sky. Astrophotography is an exciting field that has a great opportunities to capture stunning images. And to get started there are only a few must-have pieces of equipment--plus a basic understanding of astrophotography camera settings and the basics to take stunning photographs (pun intended).

Learn more about the basics in order to get started exploring astrophotography and galaxies, the stars as well as nebulae which are found in our sky.

What is Astrophotography?

If you're interested by astrophotography, then you probably already have at least some admiration for the incredible celestial objects and events that occur in our sky. The subjects you can photograph include stars, planets, galaxies and stars, and also comets that pass by, eclipses, and other uncommon astro-related events.

Types of Astrophotography

Astrophotography isn't just simply taking your camera out in the night, and then aiming it upwards. You may decide that you'd like to concentrate on a specific subset of astronomical images, in which case you'll have a variety of types to choose from. This includes:

  • Astrophotography of the landscape
  • Milky Way astrophotography
  • Astrophotography of the planets
  • Star trail photography
  • Time lapse astrophotography
  • Solar system astrophotography
  • Astrophotography of deep space
  • Astrophotography in wide field

Based on the kind of astrophotography to which you're drawn You may have to purchase certain kinds of equipment or change your methods. Conduct some further research in addition to basic astrophotography if this is the situation to ensure that you will end up with great result.

Astrophotography Equipment: Essentials

Your smartphone camera can do a lot however, it's not adequate for this type of work. It's best to use a professional camera to shoot astrophotography and you may decide to purchase a telescope for astrophotography too (though it's not totally necessary--more about that later).

Start by acquiring these basic pieces of gear for astrophotography. Then add on to your list as needed.

Choosing the Best Camera for Astrophotography

Astrophotography Lenses

It is recommended to use a wide aperture lens (f/2.8 is ideal) to let in as much light as possible. The lens must also be wide-angle so that you're able to capture the full scene in front of you.

Filters to improve Astrophotography

Using filters for astrophotography can help you overcome a lot of issues. For example, filters that reduce light pollution and graduated neutral-density filters can block light wavelengths and darken the night sky, especially in bright environments like cities and suburbs. Meanwhile, diffusion filters can provide you with more saturated colors in the sky and solar filters optimize your lens for the sunlight.

Choose a filter based on what you want to achieve, and play around with the various filters you'll be able to use as you get more experienced to see the kinds of effects you can achieve.

Picking Out a Tripod

The tripod may not be the most glamorous camera equipment nevertheless, tripods are a necessity for any astrophotography. This is particularly true when it comes to star trails and time-lapse images that require long exposures and a steady frame.

It's not necessary to spend a lot, but get a sturdy tripod that is light and simple to transport. It's a piece of equipment you'll use all the time and it's crucial not to cut corners.

Determining if you want a Telescope for Astrophotography

Are you doing astrophotography using a telescope or without? It all depends on the type of image you're trying to record. A telescope is pretty much only a higher-quality lens. It can enhance the magnification in the image and take you further into the night sky. However, it's not an absolute requirement but you'll be able to enjoy a wide range of images using smaller (and cheaper) cameras.

Before deciding if you want to do astrophotography with the enhancement of your telescope, become familiar with various camera lenses and their capabilities. After that, you'll be able to decide there if you want to invest in the latest technology.

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Basic Astrophotography Setups

Choosing the right setting for the camera's astrophotography is as important as having the proper equipment.

Try to shoot for an exposure (i.e. shutter speed) of about 15 to 30 seconds for static shots because any longer than this and the stars will start to fade. As for ISO the higher it is, the more dark it gets outside, the higher you'll need to increase it. Begin at ISO 3200 and work your way up based on the current lighting conditions.

The 500 Rule

One of the best ways to choose the ideal shutter speed is using what's called the 500 rule. The rule says that the optimal exposure time is 500 divided by the focal length of your lens. For a wide-angle lens of 24mm, it would be 500/24, which gets you 20.83. Then, you can round it into 21 seconds.

The NPF Rule

If you like your math a little more complicated, you can use an NPF rule to calculate your ideal shutter speed.

Under this rule the N is aperture P is the density of pixels (also known as pixel pitch) as well as F = length of focal. You can then use this formula determine the shutter speed you want to use: ((35 x N) + (30 P) P))/F.

Landscape Astrophotography

Astrophotography Tips and Tricks

Make the most of your time under the stars by following a few quick astrophotography tricks and tips.

Do not shoot during a full Moon

The best nights for photographing stars is usually the moon's new phase, which is during which the sky appears to be at its darkest. If you are planning to go out during a full moon there is a possibility of finding a dark enough spot even with a light camera.

You should have an objective

It's helpful to understand in advance what you want to capture in the frame. If you're looking to snap photos from your view of the Milky Way, for example, you'll be able to utilize weather applications and other information about your location prior to the time to be sure you choose the best time of night and the best location to view the Milky Way in the night sky.

Use a Remote Shutter Release

The remote shutter release isn't an essential accessory for an astrophotography camera, but it could prove to be an enormous help. Remote shutter release permits you to snap a number of photos with long exposures with no need to touch the camera. This means no shaking and there is no chance of blurry photos. If you don't want to buy extra gear, you could also experiment with your camera's built-in delay timing.

Be Patient

Jaw-dropping photographs of nebulae and stars and planets aren't going to happen with every click on the camera. Be patient when creating, planning and exposing each shot, take note that not all shots are going to produce something magical (though it's hard to know when one will! ).

Planning Your Astrophotography Shoot

Choose your location wisely Make sure to visit it in the daytime so that you can gain a sense of the environment and the various components that you could decide to add to your frame. It is equally important to utilize an application such as Astropheric to provide the latest weather forecasts and clear sky predictions before leaving for the evening of your shooting.

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