Astro Guide General

Whether you’re experienced with astronomy and astrophotography or simply curious about venturing beyond what your naked eye can see, this blog is designed for you!

General Tips

We will focus on three main ways to get started with astrophotography:

• Observing with Telescopes
• Astral Body Photography
• Starscape Astrophotography

Below are some essential skills and tips to ensure you capture the best images:

1. Light Pollution
   Choose a location with minimal light pollution. While dark-sky national parks are ideal, if you can’t make it to one, you can still mitigate the effects using techniques like smart photo stacking and light pollution filters (for example, the NISI Natural Night Filter).
   
   
   
2. Photo Stacking
   Since objects in the night sky are often very faint, using higher ISO settings can introduce unwanted noise. A common approach is photo stacking—taking multiple images and combining them later using software such as Adobe Photoshop or other dedicated astrophotography programs. This process might require repositioning or tracking your subject between exposures. If you’re including a landscape in your shot, it’s a good idea to set a baseline exposure for the foreground.
   
   
   
3. The 500 Rule
   When taking long exposures, the Earth’s rotation can cause blurring or star trails. The guideline known as the “500 Rule” suggests that you divide 500 by your lens’s focal length to determine the maximum exposure time (in seconds) before motion blur becomes an issue. We recommend using a robust, heavy-duty tripod to reduce the risk of vibrations that might affect the clarity of your final image.

Observing

Lining up celestial events based on your location can be tricky. Fortunately, Celestron’s Starsense Explorer app works like Google Maps for the sky—just input what you want to observe, and it will guide your telescope to the correct location.

Choosing a Telescope

Telescopes are often labeled with a model number that indicates their aperture size (the first number) and mount type. For example, a 130EQ has a 130mm aperture, which determines how much light it captures, and an EQ (equatorial) mount, which is designed for easier celestial tracking. The other mount type is AZ (alt-azimuth) which is much more simple to setup and use, but without an app or motor to guide it is much harder to track your target.

If you’re new to astronomy, here’s a breakdown of three telescope options based on experience level:

• Entry-Level: The Astromaster 130EQ offers a manual, budget-friendly introduction to stargazing. Its 130mm aperture gathers more light, improving visibility, and its EQ (equatorial) mount allows for smoother tracking once calibrated.
  
  Powerseeker 130EQ
  
  
  

• Most Recommended: The Celestron Starsense Explorer LT 114AZ is perfect for beginners due to its app-guided navigation, eliminating the challenge of finding celestial objects manually. It has a 114mm aperture and an AZ (alt-azimuth) mount for simple left-right, up-down movements.
  
  Celestron Starsense Explorer LT 114AZ
  
  

• Premium Option: The NexStar 6SE is a computerized telescope with a 150mm aperture, offering automated tracking and GoTo functionality, making it ideal for deep-sky observation and astrophotography.
  
  NexStar 6SE
  
  

While the Starsense Explorer isn’t designed for deep-sky observing, its app integration removes the learning curve, making it the best choice for newcomers.

Astral Body Photography

If you want to photograph celestial objects like planets, nebulae, or galaxies, here are two main approaches:

Connecting Your Camera to a Telescope

To attach your camera to a telescope, you’ll need two key adapters:

• T-Adapter: This connects your telescope to a T-Ring.
• T-Ring: This is specific to your camera’s lens mount (e.g., Canon EF, Sony E) and allows your camera to securely attach to the T-Adapter. Note we do unfortunately have limited access to these and don't have the full assortment of mounts available.

Once connected, your camera essentially becomes the telescope’s eyepiece, allowing for detailed astrophotography of planets and deep-sky objects.

Using a Telephoto Lens and Tripod

If you prefer not to connect your camera to a telescope, you can achieve excellent results by pairing a telephoto lens with a sturdy tripod. In this approach, your camera’s telephoto lens serves as your primary optical instrument for capturing celestial objects. For effective magnification, we recommend using a lens with a focal length of at least 200mm full-frame equivalent. Additionally, selecting a lens with a wide aperture—using the lowest f-stop value you can reasonably afford—will allow more light to reach the sensor, which is essential for photographing faint stars and deep-sky objects.

Equally important is the stability of your setup. A heavy-duty tripod, such as one from the Manfrotto MK190 range, is highly recommended to minimize ground vibrations and ensure that your long exposures remain sharp. To further reduce the risk of camera shake, consider employing a remote shutter release or an intervalometer, which can automate the capture of multiple exposures for later stacking. Finally stick with Manual Focus, as the autofocus in cameras isn’t made for such long distances and limited light environments.

Camera Recommendations

A good entry-level camera for astrophotography is the Olympus E-M10 Mark IV or Panasonic G95/G97. These Micro Four Thirds cameras are compact and lightweight, making them easy to handle for long exposure shots. Their smaller sensor provides a crop factor that effectively increases zoom, allowing for greater magnification of celestial objects. However, because smaller sensors capture less light, using image stacking techniques is necessary to compensate for lower light sensitivity.

For superior image quality, a full-frame camera captures more light per shot, reducing the need for extensive stacking and improving clarity. The Sony A7 III is a well-balanced option with excellent low-light performance, while the Canon R8 and Canon RP offer high dynamic range and detail retention, making them great choices for astrophotography. These cameras are particularly useful for deep-sky photography, where maximizing light capture is essential for revealing faint celestial objects.

If using an EQ mount with a motor, and using the above cameras interval shooting modes you can automate tracking and capturing multiple exposures without manual adjustments, making image stacking even easier.

Starscapes Photography

Starscape photography is similar to landscape photography but focuses on the night sky. Any lens can be used, but a wide-angle lens is recommended. Here are some tips:

• If your shot includes foreground elements, expose for the landscape first, then track the stars for your astrophotography stack.
• Use a NISI Natural Night filter to reduce artificial light interference.
• Choose locations with minimal background light for the best results.

Shooting an Eclipse Safely

One major upcoming event is the Solar Eclipse—but safety is critical. Never look directly at a solar eclipse without proper eye protection, and never expose a camera sensor directly to the sun without a solar filter, as the intense light can cause permanent damage. If using a mirrorless camera, the electronic viewfinder is safe with a solar filter in place, but for DSLRs, avoid using the optical viewfinder, as it won’t filter harmful radiation.

How to Photograph the Sun

To safely capture the eclipse, follow these steps:

1. Use a telephoto lens (refer to Astral Body Photography recommendations).
2. Attach a Solar Filter to your lens to block excessive light and reveal surface details like sunspots and solar flares. One we recommend is NISI’s Solar Filter
3. Use a sturdy tripod to stabilize your shot and prevent movement during long exposures.
4. Set up an intervalometer to take multiple shots at different exposures, helping to capture the full range of the eclipse’s phases.
5. Manually focus your camera for maximum sharpness, as autofocus may struggle with the intense light contrast.

Final Thoughts

Astrophotography and stargazing are incredibly rewarding hobbies that allow you to capture breathtaking cosmic scenes. Whether you’re using a telescope, a camera, or just your own eyes, planning ahead and using the right techniques will help you get the best possible results. Happy stargazing!