Are you passionate about capturing objects in the night sky but overwhelmed by the complexities of astrophotography equipment?
Do you dream of producing stunning astronomical images from your backyard that rival those of professional astronomers? Look no further.
This comprehensive guide demystifies the technical jargon and helps you navigate the vast array of astrophotography gear. We’ll walk you through selecting the ideal components for your first astrophotography setup, tailored to your specific interests and goals.
Before assembling your equipment, it’s crucial to determine which aspect of astrophotography most interests you. Whether you’re drawn to expansive nebulae, distant galaxies, detailed planetary shots, or wide-angle nightscapes, your focus will significantly influence your gear choices. For instance, a setup optimised for wide-field nebula photography may not be suitable for capturing planetary details, and vice versa. By pinpointing your area of interest, you’ll streamline the process of building a rig that perfectly aligns with your astronomical aspirations.
The Mount
A rock-solid mount is what you need for astronomy, whether you’re capturing celestial wonders through a camera lens or gazing directly through an eyepiece. Why? Because stability is key when you’re peering into the universe.
Your telescope might be magnifying objects 80 to 100 times their apparent size. At that level, even the tiniest wobble becomes a major disturbance. A person walking nearby, a slight breeze, or even your own heartbeat can translate into noticeable movement in your view.
That’s where a high-quality mount comes in. It acts like a steady hand, holding your telescope firm against these tiny movements. A well-engineered mount doesn’t just reduce vibrations – it practically eliminates them, letting you focus on the stars rather than fighting a shaky image.
There are 2 main types of mounts in astronomy:
Mount
Altitude/Azimuth (Alt/Az) Mounts
Altitude/Azimuth (Alt/Az) mounts are the simpler of the two types of mounts and are therefore easier for beginners to learn on. Alt/Az mounts work like any pan-tilt tripod with up-down and side-to-side movements. Although Alt/Az mounts are typically used for visual observations, they are also suitable for planetary astrophotography. Unfortunately, Alt/Az mounts are not suitable for deep-sky astrophotography due to their prolonged tracking limitations. However, by limiting the exposure time, an Alt/Az or ball head camera tripod with a DSLR or mirrorless camera paired with a fast (below f/4) wide-angle lens (under 100mm focal length) can produce incredible untracked photos of the night sky that are simple and easy to take.
Equatorial Mounts
Equatorial (EQ) mounts work by aligning themselves to the Earth’s axis of rotation to counteract the rotation of the Earth. Combined with motorised tracking, an equatorial mount can ‘freeze’ the sky in one spot, which is especially useful and the preferred choice for deep-sky astrophotography. Equatorial mounts are usually quite challenging for beginners to use due to their unique design.
Furthermore, equatorial mounts are also now available in small, inexpensive motorized versions called ‘star trackers’, designed for just a DSLR or mirrorless camera paired with a camera lens or even a small refractor telescope. Star trackers are a great cost-effective choice for beginners to enter astrophotography who already own a DSLR or mirrorless camera.
The Camera
To take pictures of the night sky, you need a camera. There is a wide variety of camera types on the market that are great for astrophotography. However, the camera you pick must be suitable for your use case, as different types of cameras vary greatly in performance outside their dedicated purpose.
DSLR/Mirrorless camera:
DSLR and Mirrorless cameras can make great astrophotography cameras. DSLR cameras are easy to use and very affordable. They have a wide range of functionality as they suit deep-sky, planetary, and wide-angle nightscapes. Furthermore, DSLR and mirrorless cameras are available with a variety of lenses. These are great for taking photos of the night sky and for normal daytime photography. For beginners, a DSLR or Mirrorless camera is one of the best ways to get into astrophotography.
Unfortunately, DSLR and Mirrorless cameras can cause problems such as the sensor warming up and producing thermal noise. They usually have an IR cut filter built onto the sensor that is great for daytime photography but blocks much of the hydrogen alpha wavelength. The resulting photo is usually somewhat bland and lacks the vibrant redness associated with emission nebulae, as the IR cut filter blocks a significant portion of it. Although not recommended, it is possible to modify your camera to remove the IR cut filter to improve the signal from the hydrogen alpha wavelength and retain the vibrant red colour in emission nebulae. Modifying a camera would make it suitable for astrophotography only and greatly reduce image quality in daytime photography.
Dedicated Astronomy Camera:
Dedicated astronomy cameras are designed to meet the specific needs of astrophotographers. You can’t use them for daytime photography, they’re expensive and challenging for beginners. There are four categories of astronomy cameras:
Cooled – This camera has a fan in the back that cools the sensor as it heats up during long exposures. Cooled cameras are particularly useful for deep-sky astrophotography due to their long exposure capabilities.
Uncooled – This camera is not cooled and usually has a smaller sensor, that makes it useful for planetary astrophotography due to its small field of view and relatively fast fps (frames per second). Uncooled cameras are usually cheaper by the way.
Monochrome – A mono camera takes black and white photos and requires astrophotography filters. Although they have a similar price to colour cameras, the need for expensive filters greatly increases the overall cost. Monochrome cameras have a higher signal-to-noise ratio and more flexibility in terms of final image colour variance. The resulting photos are extremely challenging to process without prior experience in astrophotography image processing.
OSC (one shot colour) – OSC cameras have assigned colour pixels that let them take colour photos. OSC cameras generate a complete image faster than monochrome cameras and are much easier to use and process. OSC cameras do not require filters but can be used alongside a UHC (ultra-high contrast) light pollution filter or a duo-band narrowband light pollution filter to increase contrast against a light-polluted sky.
Smartphone camera
Nowadays, camera technology has advanced so far that it is possible to take great Milky Way photos with your phone resting on a rock or wall to keep it steady. Some smartphone companies have also added a dedicated astrophotography function that is integrated into the smartphone’s camera app. Furthermore, using a smartphone camera is an extremely affordable way to get into astrophotography, as most people already own a smartphone or have access to one.
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The image of the Moon above was taken with an iPhone camera using the Saxon ScopePix Smartphone Adapter 3s. Astrophotography has become more accessible thanks to the high-quality cameras in smartphones.
Software
Stacking
In astrophotography, a single exposure is far from a finished project. Typically, hundreds or in some cases thousands of exposures (pictures) are taken of the same target with identical framing. These exposures are then combined using specialised software, where the average value for each pixel across all exposures is calculated. This technique is called ‘stacking.’
Stacking significantly improves image quality, smooths out graininess, removes artifacts (such as satellites or planes crossing your field of view), and reveals hidden details in your target that might not have been visible in your initial exposure.
Additionally, calibration frames (flat frames, dark frames, bias frames) can be applied during the stacking process to eliminate issues caused by faulty or hot pixels, dust on the sensor and possible vignetting.
Astrophotographers often capture anywhere from 3 to even 125 hours (or more) of exposure time before achieving their final image. The more exposure time you accumulate, the better your final result will be. Some excellent stacking software includes:
- DeepSkyStacker (free, designed for deep-sky astrophotography)
- Siril (free, designed for deep-sky astrophotography)
- Sequator (free, designed for wide-angle astrophotography)
- Autostakkert (free, designed for planetary imaging)
- PIPP (free, designed for planetary imaging)
- PixInsight (paid, suitable for all types of astrophotography)
Post Processing
After stacking, your image requires post-processing. Processing astrophotography images is sometimes more challenging and tedious than the actual image acquisition. A skilled processor with modest equipment can produce better images than someone with high-end gear but poor processing skills. Post-processing mainly involves stretching (expanding the data across the histogram to reveal faint structures), adjusting white balance, achieving accurate colours, removing gradients, and applying final touches to create the finished image.
Recommended software for post-processing includes:
- PixInsight (one-time purchase)
- Photoshop (paid subscription)
- Siril (free)
- GIMP (free)
Conclusion
Choosing the right equipment can feel overwhelming. Before making any purchases, it’s crucial to understand which area of astrophotography you want to pursue, as certain equipment excels only in specific categories. Ultimately, it’s your integration time and processing skills that most influence the quality of your final image.
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