Astrophotography – ExpertPhotography

The Best Astrophotography Filters in 2024 (Updated)

Christopher Bryan-Smith — Mon, 20 Mar 2023 08:43:47 +0000

Astrophotography can produce stunning images. But capturing the cosmos in dynamic detail can be difficult. For the best results, you need to use astrophotography filters that reduce and remove obstacles and distractions. This leaves you with the true beauty of the universe.

There are many different filters you can use to enhance your astrophotography. And each one has a unique set of benefits.

We’ll look at the best astrophotography filters so you can find what you need. Our focus is on light pollution filters, line, and narrowband filters. We also look at solar, diffusion, and neutral density filters.

Before we look at the different filter types in more detail, here are our top picks for each category.

Best Broadband Filter

SVBONY CLS EOS-C Clip-on Filter for Canon DSLR CCD

Clips into the camera
Ideal for urban areas
Improves contrast

Best Narrowband Filter

Optolong Dual Narrowband Filter for Canon EOS-C

Suppresses moonlight
Improves color fidelity
Passes hydrogen-alpha and beta and oxygen-III

Best Line Filter

SVBONY Telescopic Filter H-Alpha 7nm

Made with a double-sided polishing process
High-quality German glass
Very narrow bandwidth

Best Solar Filter

Thousand Oaks Polymer Solar Filter

Essential for photographing the sun
Black polymer coating
Gives the sun a natural orange color

Best Diffusion Filter

77PEARL14: Tiffen Diffusion Camera Lens Filter

US-made
Filters out UV light
Increases contrast

Best Neutral Density Filter

Complete 10-Stop ND Filter Kit for Canon/Nikon Camera Lenses

10-stop ND
Adapter for multiple lenses
Optical glass for clarity

What Are the Benefits of Astrophotography Filters?

Getting a good look at the night sky is optically demanding. When you gaze up to the stars, maybe you’ll see a constellation or a nebula or two. And that’s if it’s a clear night in the dark countryside. Most of the detail remains obscured.

The best digital cameras have the same problem. Even with powerful sensors and lenses, much of the beauty of the universe remains out of sight.

One of the main problems is light pollution from earth. In cities and urban areas, artificial light prevents us from seeing the definition of the stars above. Even a clear sky will look like a carpet of featureless grey.

But it’s not just artificial light pollution that gets in the way. Our atmosphere is full of radiation and chemicals. And there are billions of light waves bouncing around the universe all the time. All this noise obscures our vision of the Milky Way and beyond.

Some filters isolate or block specific light frequencies, giving a more clear and concise view of the cosmos. Other filters, such as diffusion and neutral density filters, help our cameras capture stars in the sky.

The Best Filters For Astrophotography

To find the best astrophotography filter, you need to think about what kind of images you want to create.

Another important aspect to think about is your location. If you’re shooting from a densely populated area, finding the right filter is vital for sharp and clear astro images.

We’ll take you through the best filters for astrophotography so you know what you need and why. This stuff can be a bit scientific. But we’ll make sure you don’t need a physics degree to understand astrophotography filters.

1. Broadband Light Pollution Filters

Light pollution is the biggest obstacle to astrophotography, especially if you live in a city. All you need to do is look up at the night sky. In urban areas, the sky is a blanket of nothingness. You might see only the brightest stars, and that’s if you’re lucky.

If you’re shooting astrophotography from your backyard in the city or suburbs, a light pollution filter is a vital piece of equipment. It cancels out the light waves emitted by street lights and other light emitters from earth, giving you a clear shot of the cosmos above.

They are called broadband light pollution filters because they allow a broad scope of wavelengths of the light spectrum. It allows more natural light waves to pass through, giving you more color and contrast in your photos. This means the filter cancels out nearly all light waves emitted from artificial lights in city areas.

While blocking city light pollution, a light pollution suppression (LPS) filter still allows the nebulae emissions to pass through. This gives astrological objects clear definition in your photos.

Even if you’re shooting from a remote location with no city lights, a broadband light pollution filter can still be beneficial. You might have a wonderfully clear sky that’s rich with stars, but you’ll still experience some light pollution.

Using a light pollution filter allows you to go further into the galaxy. Even with standard DSLR cameras, you’ll be able to capture superb photographs of deep space.

A city light suppression (CLS) filter works in much the same way as an LPS. But a CLS filter blocks light wavelengths from mercury and sodium-vapor light. These are the main light waves you’ll find in cities.

CLS filters are less effective than LPS filters. But a CLS will still make a considerable improvement to your astrophotography images. Our top pick is the SVBONY CLS Clip-On Filter.

How to Use a Broadband Light Pollution Filter

In terms of attaching the filter to your camera, there are two different types you’ll find. The first is a clip-in filter, which you clip into the camera body. It sits in front of the shutter and the sensor. The camera lens sits on top.

The other is the lens-mounted or threaded filter. These fit onto the end of your camera lens. They’re easy to put on and take off, but you need to get the correct one for the lens you have. And if you want to use lenses of different sizes, you need a filter for each one.

You can find light pollution filters that work with standard DSLR cameras. And by standard, I mean DSLRs that have not been specifically modified for astrophotography.

The ideal targets when using a broadband filter are galaxies and star clusters. And they’ll pick up reflection nebulae too.

SVBONY Telescope Filter CLS

Urban optical filter can effectively suppress harmful urban light and improve the contrast of your shooting target.

2. Narrowband Filters

Narrowband filters work in the opposite way to broadband filters. Rather than letting in a broad bandwidth of light, a narrowband filter only lets a small selection of light waves pass through.

These filters select the main emission bands from nebulae, allowing only them to pass through to the sensor. All other light wavelengths are blocked.

One of the most common targets in the night sky is an emission nebula. These are comprised of four main gasses. These are hydrogen alpha (H-a), oxygen III (OIII), sulfur II (SII), and hydrogen beta (H-b). Each of these gasses emit a light line with a specific location on the spectrum, known as the emission line. The narrowband filters pinpoint these emission lines and block light from other areas of the spectrum.

Most narrowband filters focus on H-b and OIII, both of which are on the blue/green side of the spectrum. You’ll find that stars have a blue or green tint in your images when using this filter.

Narrowband filters are also referred to as Ultra-High Contrast (UHC) filters. The contrast is between the blocked light and the light from the selected emission lines.

UHC filters are best for shooting emission, planetary nebulae, and supernova remnants. Our recommendation for a narrowband filter is the Optolong Dual Narrowband Filter.

How to Use a UHC Filter

You can use UHC filters with DSLR and mirrorless cameras. They’ll also work with CCD cameras, which are commonly used in astronomy.

You can find clip-in UHC filters that will fit in Canon or Nikon DSLRs. But they usually need to be applied to a camera that has been modified for astrophotography.

Optolong Canon EOS-C L-Enhance Dual Narrowband Light Pollution Filter (H-Alpha and H-Beta/O-III)

Excellent light pollution and moonlight suppression.

3. Line Filters

Line filters work in much the same way as the narrowband filter. They exclude all light emissions caused by artificial light and reduce noise in the atmosphere. But unlike the UHCs, line filters are sensitive to only one emission line.

UHC filters can be dual, tri, or quad-band. This means it’s sensitive to more than one emission line of light. But a line filter selects just one emission line and allows no other light to pass through. Our favorite line filter is the SVBONY H-Alpha 7nm Filter.

How to Use a Line Filter

They attach to the lens in the same way the UHC filters do. But you will need a special astronomy camera. Or a camera that has been modified for astrophotography. There are no clip-in options for line filters.

SVBONY Telescope Filter H-Alpha 7nm

High-uniformity planetary wheel coating fixture improves the uniformity of the filter wavelength.

H-a

A hydrogen-alpha filter only allows the hydrogen-alpha emission line of light to penetrate. All other light is blocked from the sensor.

The H-a emission line sits at the red end of the spectrum. It enables viewers and photographers to see detail from emission nebulae. It also helps identify details from our sun’s atmosphere.

H-b

H-b filters zone in on the light from hydrogen-beta, which is found in the blue zone of the spectrum. These are the narrowest and most selective of the line filters. And they’re used to observe faint and distant objects and nebulae.

The H-b wavelength is essential for astrophotography. CMOS sensors and CCD are particularly sensitive to this wavelength, so it gives you the most detail in your images.

OIII

OIII filters pick up light emitted by oxygen III. This light is green and one of the most common in astronomy. OIII filters are used to view planetary nebulae and supernova remnants.

OIII filters let very little starlight pass through, so stars often appear faint in your images. They might have a green tint to them as well.

4. Solar Filters

I’m sure you’ve been told to never look directly at the Sun. Or maybe you had to learn the hard way, like Galileo. It’s also true that you should never take a picture of the sun with your camera. You’ll blind yourself and break your camera sensor.

Solar filters make solar photography possible. They limit the power and the light emitted from the sun, allowing you to get a shot. They’re ideal for shooting events like a solar eclipse. Our top pick is the Thousand Oaks Optical Solar Filter.

How to Use a Solar Filter

A solar filter attaches to the end of your lens. It’s important to remember that a solar filter must never sit between the lens and the sensor. The light from the sun is too powerful, so you need to protect the lens and the camera sensor.

Thousand Oaks Optical Solar filter

The sun will appear in a natural orange color when viewed using this filter.

5. Diffusion Filters

Diffusion and UV filters are excellent for shooting the sky at night. They remove a lot of noise from the atmosphere and make stars more prominent in the dark sky. This can help you pinpoint and identify planets and constellations.

They are not so much used for deep-space photography. But they will enhance your night sky photography. Our favorite is this Tiffen Diffusion Filter.

How to Use a Diffusion Filter

Most diffusion filters will thread onto the end of the camera lens. Make sure you buy the right size filter for your camera lens.

Alternatively, you can use a filter mount that attaches to the end of your lens. But you have to buy the mount and filter separately.

Tiffen 77mm Diffusion Filter

Reduces sharpness when shooting in 4K and helps by softening contrast.

6. Graduated Neutral Density Filter

Graduated ND filters aren’t often associated with astrophotography. And like diffusion filters, they’re not used to shoot deep-sky objects.

You use ND filters for images that include the night sky and some earthbound features, like mountains or buildings. You might need an ND filter over the earth section to get the correct exposure for the whole image. Even if you have bright stars in a clear sky, the light from the terrestrial objects will still be brighter. The ND filters allow you to compensate for the discrepancy. Our top pick is this K&F 10-Stop Filter Kit.

How to Use a Graduated ND Filter

You can get ND filters that screw onto the lens with a threaded attachment, but this allows little to no room for adjustment.

You can also find ones that clip onto the end of the lens. And there are filter mounts that hold the filters in front of the lenses.

You use the filter to block various amounts of light from sections of your image. You can adjust the filter, covering the brighter section of the image.

K&F Concept ND Filter Kit

28 multi-layer coatings, waterproof, and scratch resistant.

Conclusion—The Best Astrophotography Filters

Science plays a big part in photography. And that’s no more apparent in astrophotography. As soon as you ask about filters, the physics becomes unavoidable. But that’s not to say astrophotography is only for astronomy graduates.

Once you know the filter you need to get the shots you want, life becomes easy. There are light pollution filters for urban star-gazers. And there are UHC and line filters for nebulae enthusiasts. Then we have diffusion and ND filters for casual night sky photographers.

9 Best Telescopes for Astrophotography in 2024 (Updated)

Nick Constant — Mon, 16 Jan 2023 15:42:46 +0000

There’s no need to search the stars to find the best telescope for astrophotography. We have compiled a list of the top 10 telescopes that are perfect for astrophotography! Each of these telescopes provide you with great views and clear images of the night sky. Read on to find out which telescope is right for you.

Our top choice is the Celestron AstroMaster 130EQ. This is thanks to its wide range of features for a great price. It also includes a great app that can save hours of lining up your telescope in the right position.

Our Top 3 Choices for The Best Telescope For Astrophotography

Celestron AstroMaster 130EQ Newtonian Telescope

Celestron NexStar 8SE

Orion 130ST

What is the Best Telescope For Astrophotography?

Here us a quick roundup table of our choices. Read on to get an in-depth look at each option.

Our Top Choice

Celestron AstroMaster 130EQ Newtonian Telescope

Powerful 130mm Newtonian reflector telescope
Quick and easy no-tool setup
Includes German equatorial mount
Includes 20mm and 10mm eyepieces
Magnification from 26x to 65x

Best For Professionals

Celestron NexStar 8SE

Revolutionary computerized telescope
High-quality 8-inch Schmidt-Cassegrain optical tube
Easy to use SkyAlign alignment technology
Powerful StarBright XLT optical coatings
Includes SkyPortal app for enhanced viewing experience

Great For Wide-Field Astrophotography

Orion 130ST

High-quality optics
Easy to use
Portable and lightweight
5x24 finder scope
Includes 2 eyepieces

Best For Professionals on a Budget

Celestron NexStar 127SLT

Computerized telescope with 127mm aperture
SkyAlign alignment technology
Quick-release fork arm mount
StarPointer finderscope for easy targeting
Includes 25mm eyepiece and software

Best For Budding Enthusiasts

Celestron StarSense Explorer 130AZ

Automatically aligns telescope with the night sky
130mm aperture for clear images
Fully-motorized GoTo mount
Includes 3 eyepieces and a Barlow lens
Compact and lightweight design

Best Compact Telescope

Sarblue Mak60 Telescope

30x to 60x magnification
Fully coated optics for clear views
Waterproof and fogproof design
Portable and lightweight
Easy to set up and use

Best For Wide-Field Astrophotography

Orion ED80T

80mm aperture for high-resolution images
607mm focal length for deep sky viewing
Includes two eyepieces for different magnifications
Lightweight and portable design
2” rack-and-pinion focuser for precise focusing

Best For Astrophotographers With Previous Gear

Sky-Watcher EvoGuide 50DX

50mm aperture for excellent light gathering
Dual speed 10:1 ratio focuser
Motorized tracking with GoTo mount
Compact and portable design
Quality optics for clear views

Budget Option

Gskyer 700mm Telescope

High-quality optics for clear, sharp images
Up to 700mm focal length for great zoom capabilities
Fully adjustable tripod for easy portability
Includes two eyepieces for different magnifications
Ideal for beginner and experienced astronomers

Best Telescopes For Astrophotography

1. Celestron AstroMaster 130EQ

Brand	Brand Celestron
Aperture Size	Aperture Size 114mm
Focal Length	Focal Length 1000mm
Telescope Mount	Telescope Mount Manual equatorial mount
Magnification	Magnification 16x to 269x
Weight	Weight 7.7 kg
Key Features	Key Features Long focal length for a great price
Best For	Best For An all-around telescope for astrophotography enthusiasts

The Celestron AstroMaster 130EQ is a great option for anyone looking to get into astrophotography.

What if you’re experienced in astrophotography but on a budget? Then the Celestron AstroMaster is for you. It has most (if not all) of the features that only more expensive options offer. And all for a very reasonable price.

With an aperture of 114mm, it’s perfect for photographing planets and constellations. It also features an equatorial mount with two slow-motion control knobs, ideal for fine adjustments.

The only downside of the Celestron AstroMaster 130EQ is that it’s not a telescope for a beginner. It’s challenging to set up and use even without a camera. You need to be familiar with telescopes to use it to its full potential.

But that doesn’t mean you can’t buy it even if you don’t have the experience. After all, it’s not a bad idea to invest in a good piece of astrophotography equipment early on. It includes a tripod and Starry Night astronomy photography software.

2. Celestron NexStar 8SE

Brand	Brand Celestron
Aperture Size	Aperture Size 203.2mm
Focal Length	Focal Length 2032mm
Telescope Mount	Telescope Mount GoTo tabletop mount
Magnification	Magnification 29x to 480x
Weight	Weight 15 kg
Key Features	Key Features Longest focal range and plenty of smart features
Best For	Best For Astrophotographers with no budget restrictions, advanced astrophotographers

This telescope is one of the most expensive ones on our list. But it’s also one of the best. It has excellent optics and computerized GoTo tracking. The Celestron NexStar 8SE is for experienced astrophotographers because you need a long focal length for a narrow field of view.

The Nexstar 8SE comes with a simple red dot finderscope and a basic 25mm eyepiece. To take full advantage of the telescope’s excellent optics, you should add a few good eyepieces.

The Celestron NexStar 8SE has a fully-automated, built-in GoTo mount. This automatically locates and tracks objects for you. It also features a database of more than 40,000 celestial objects!

Perhaps the only issue with the Nexstar 8 SE is its focal ratio of f/10. That means it doesn’t let in much light for your camera. In other words, you may have to use longer exposure times when taking pictures. Some other options have a focal ratio of f/4, which is much better for astrophotography.

It’s light, portable, and straightforward to use. And it includes a star diagonal, database, and SkyAlign software.

3. Orion 130ST

Brand	Brand Orion
Aperture Size	Aperture Size 130mm
Focal Length	Focal Length 650mm
Telescope Mount	Telescope Mount Equatorial mount
Magnification	Magnification 19x to 260x
Weight	Weight 12.2 kg
Key Features	Key Features Great telescope brand for a low price
Best For	Best For Astrophotographers looking for an everything-included telescope

Orion is a high-quality brand of telescopes. It has tons of products that are pretty expensive. But it also has budget-friendly options that are perfect for astrophotography beginners. The one that we like best is the Orion 09007 SpaceProbe 130ST.

What makes the SpaceProbe 130ST special is its quality materials. Plus, it has a mid-range price. That’s significant, especially since astrophotography demands high-quality optics—which Orion delivers.

The SpaceProbe has a 5.1-inch aperture that lets you view and photograph distant planets and nebulas. Its 24-inch tube makes it portable and ideal for long trips. The whole set also only weighs 27 pounds, which isn’t substantial for telescope equipment at all. That means you can take it to remote areas without much struggle.

Another great feature of the SpaceProbe is its equatorial mount. It allows you to track stars manually with precision. It includes a 1.25-inch rack-and-pinion focuser and a tripod. You also get a tripod accessory tray, tube rings, a collimation cap, and Starry Night astronomy photography software.

4. Celestron NexStar 127SLT

Brand	Brand Celestron
Aperture Size	Aperture Size 127mm
Focal Length	Focal Length 1500mm
Telescope Mount	Telescope Mount A computerized GoTo alt-azimuth mount
Magnification	Magnification 18x to 300x
Weight	Weight 8.2 kg
Key Features	Key Features Comes with remote and easy storage design
Best For	Best For Astrophotographers looking for an automated telescope

Are you a beginner with some money but don’t want to break the bank? Then you might want to take a look at the Celestron NexStar 127SLT. It’s an advanced telescope that you can buy for way less than a thousand dollars.

So what makes the NexStar 127SLT different? The SLT stands for “star locating telescope.” That means it has a built-in computer. You don’t have to guess where any planets or constellations are in the night sky. All you have to do is enter which celestial object you want to track and this device will find it for you. That’s quite an advantage, especially if you’re not familiar with astrophotography.

The NexStar comes in two telescope types—the refractor and catadioptric. Its 127mm aperture is ideal for deep-sky imaging. It will enable you to take photos of constellations and even observe Saturn’s rings!

It includes a star diagonal, SkyAlign, and Starry Night astronomy photography software.

5. Celestron StarSense Explorer 130AZ

Brand	Brand Celestron
Aperture Size	Aperture Size 130mm
Focal Length	Focal Length 650mm
Telescope Mount	Telescope Mount Altazimuth Mount
Magnification	Magnification 19x to 307x
Weight	Weight 8.2 kg
Key Features	Key Features Easy navigation with the app
Best For	Best For All-around telescope for beginners and enthusiasts

The Celestron StarSense Explorer 130AZ is another high-quality telescope from Celestron. The 130AZ has a shorter focal range than the other Celestron options above. This means you will not get as large of a zoom, but it costs significantly less. These points make it ideal for a beginner who wants to dip their toe into astrophotography before diving in.

Its accessibility is the winning feature if you’re a beginner. Celestron operates by attaching your smartphone to it. You will then use the specially produced app to direct your telescope! This app and telescope combination makes finding your favorite stars and planets quick and easy.

You tell the app what you are looking for. Then it reads the sky in real time, constantly adjusting its reading for accurate navigation. The crosshairs turn green when your subject is in the shot.

My favorite thing about this app is that it doesn’t require any signal from your phone. This means you can use it in remote locations. The zoom is strong enough to see the craters of the moon and the gas lines on Jupiter. This is a great starting point for budding enthusiasts!

6. Sarblue Mak60 Telescope

Brand	Brand Sarblue
Aperture Size	Aperture Size 60mm
Focal Length	Focal Length 750mm
Telescope Mount	Telescope Mount Screw Mount
Magnification	Magnification 37.5x
Weight	Weight 2.4 kg
Key Features	Key Features Compact design
Best For	Best For Beginners or astrophotographers who don't have a lot of space

The Sarblue Mak60 is the cheapest option available on this list. So, you might notice it doesn’t have the same capabilities as others on this list. But, if you are looking for a relatively small piece of equipment, the Sarblue Mak60 is for you.

The reason this telescope is so small is thanks to its design. It uses a Maksutov-Cassegrain telescopic design. This is known to combat some problems presented by refractor or Newtonian reflector designs. This design gives you great performance in a fraction of the size.

Operating this telescope is a bit more challenging than others on this list. You get two notches on the side of the lens that you will use to line up the telescope. This means you may spend some time finding your specific subject. There is also a focus knob that may require quite a few spins to get your desired subject in focus.

All these points make the Mak60 ideal for astrophotographers who want the most compact kit. The telescope is still powerful enough to capture the rings of Saturn or even the International Space Station.

7. Orion ED80T

Brand	Brand Orion
Aperture Size	Aperture Size 80mm
Focal Length	Focal Length 480mm
Telescope Mount	Telescope Mount No Mount
Magnification	Magnification 12x to 160x
Weight	Weight 2.5 kg
Key Features	Key Features High-quality materials from a great brand
Best For	Best For Advanced astrophotographers

The Orion ED80T is an affordable option for advanced astrophotographers. The scope’s small size and lighter weight lets you get plenty of use out of it.

It is a popular choice due to its high-quality imaging performance. Plus, a built-in dew shield protects your telescope for those overnight shots.

It includes a dual-speed (11:1) 2-inch Crayford focuser, a 2 to 1.25-inch step-down adapter, and a dovetail finder scope base. You also get other accessories like a carrying case and Starry Night astronomy photography software.

Plus, the extra-low dispersion (ED) glass combats chromatic aberration. You can’t go wrong considering the Orion ED80T as your first telescope.

8. Sky-Watcher EvoGuide 50DX

Brand	Brand Sky-Watcher
Aperture Size	Aperture Size 50mm
Focal Length	Focal Length 242mm
Telescope Mount	Telescope Mount No Mount
Magnification	Magnification Up to 100x
Weight	Weight .9 kg
Key Features	Key Features High-quality glass
Best For	Best For Astrophotographers who already own some equipment

It’s always nice to save some money on equipment. But when you have a cheap telescope that produces distracting chromatic aberration, is it worth it?

If you want a simple telescope without spending a lot of money, you should consider the Sky-Watcher Evoguide. It doesn’t have as many add-ons as the others. But it’s a reasonable price for a high-quality piece of equipment.

It doesn’t look as impressive from the outside compared to its competitors. But in our opinion, when it comes to performance, it belongs in the top tier.

The Evoguide is a triplet APO refractor. That means it has the necessary optics to correct any chromatic aberration that may occur. Its simple design also makes it easy for a beginner. It just looks like any regular telescope and you can use it right away after you attach your camera.

9. Gskyer 700mm Telescope

Brand	Brand Gskyer
Aperture Size	Aperture Size 70mm
Focal Length	Focal Length 400mm
Telescope Mount	Telescope Mount Alt-azimuth mount
Magnification	Magnification 16x to 120x
Weight	Weight 2.6 kg
Key Features	Key Features Comes with smartphone mount and remote shutter
Best For	Best For Great price to dip your toe into astrophotography

There’s no doubt that astrophotography can be pretty expensive. But what if you’re on a super-low budget and still want to take photos of the moon or the stars? Then the Gskyer 70mm telescope is the best option for you. The Gskyer is one of the cheapest options you can find online. But is it any good for astrophotography? The answer is yes if you’re a beginner.

In our opinion, the Gskyer is the most reasonably priced telescope that produces decent images. Its 400mm focal length is enough for you to take photos of the moon. This telescope also includes a phone mount and remote control. So if you want to try astrophotography with your mobile device, this is the way to go!

Since the Gskyer is quite inexpensive, you may see some chromatic aberration every once in a while. That just means you may find fringes of colors around the moon or other celestial objects. It’s the reason why it’s at the lower end of our list. But the good news is you can quickly fix it in post-production if you want.

It includes a 45-degree diagonal, a smartphone adapter, a wireless camera remote, an adjustable aluminum alloy tripod, and a carry bag.

Conclusion: The Best Telescope For Astrophotography

The Celestron AstroMaster 130EQ is the best telescope for astrophotography in 2023. This telescope is an excellent choice for amateur and professional photographers alike. It provides a clear view of the night sky with its 130mm aperture, fully coated glass optics, and sturdy German equatorial mount.

It also comes with two eyepieces and a finderscope, making it a great value for its price. With its ease of use and great features, the Celestron AstroMaster 130EQ is the perfect telescope for astrophotography in 2023 and beyond. We highly recommend it to anyone looking for a reliable, high-quality telescope for their astrophotography needs.

Our Top 3 Choices for The Best Telescope For Astrophotography

Celestron AstroMaster 130EQ Newtonian Telescope

Celestron NexStar 8SE

Orion 130ST

Best Camera for Astrophotography in 2024 (Top 10)

Trevor Marshall — Thu, 03 Nov 2022 15:00:19 +0000

You don’t necessarily need a specific camera for astrophotography. But if you want to capture the splendor of the night sky, you should consider what you need to make that possible.

Shooting the stars may not be the easiest thing to do. But with the right astrophotography camera, it can be much more rewarding.

Before we look at the available cameras that will serve you well, our winner is the Canon EOS R6. It’s tremendously capable. This mirrorless offers excellent low-light performance, in-body stabilization, and a great ISO range.

Our Top 3 Choices for the Best Camera for Astrophotography

Canon EOS R6

Sony a7 III

Nikon D850

What Is the Best Camera for Astrophotography?

Our Top Choice

Canon EOS R6

Relatively affordable
Excellent in-body image stabilization
Compact and ergonomic design
Fantastic expandable ISO range
Rapid burst speeds

Best Sony Mirrorless

Sony a7 III

Quick and accurate 693-point AF
Wide ISO range with a low 50 setting
Outstanding dynamic range and low-light performance
Records stunning 4K video and has live stream capabilities

Best DSLR

Nikon D850

Fantastic overall image quality
Excellent 3D continuous AF tracking
Long, 1,840-shot battery life
Durable, weather-sealed construction
Sharp 4K/30p Ultra HD video

Best Mirrorless APS-C

Fujifilm X-T4

Decent APS-C BSI-CMOS sensor
A great frame rate of 15 fps
6.5 stops of image stabilization
4K video (DCI or Ultra HD) up to 60 fps
A fully articulating rear touchscreen
12 Film Simulation modes

Most Affordable DSLR

Canon EOS 6D Mark II

Fantastic image quality
Impressive 45-point AF system
Built well and nice to handle
Handy built-in Wi-Fi and GPS

Best Value Nikon

Nikon Z6 II

Excellent low-light focusing
Lightweight and portable
Superb low-light dynamic range
Dual memory card slots

Best Entry-Level Camera

Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark III

Multi-shot, handheld, high-res mode
Compact and lightweight
60 fps RAW and JPEG image capture
7 stops of image stabilization
Simulated Live ND filters
Quick-and-easy Pro Capture (action) and Starry Sky AF modes
Excellent video options

Best Canon DSLR

Canon EOS 5D Mark IV

Quality sensor produces detailed and vibrant images even at high ISOs
Dual Pixel AF with eye detection
User-friendly touch-to-focus screen
900-shot battery life
Cinema-quality (DCI) 4K video

Best Panasonic Camera

Panasonic Lumix DC-S5

Lightweight and portable
Image stabilization to prevent camera shake
Dual memory card slots
Great 4K video capabilities

10 Best Cameras for Astrophotography

1. Canon EOS R6

Brand	Brand Canon
Sensor Format	Sensor Format Full Frame
Lens Mount	Lens Mount Canon RF
Megapixels	Megapixels 20.1 MP
In-body Stabilization	In-body Stabilization 1
Autofocus Points	Autofocus Points 1053
Minimum ISO (Native)	Minimum ISO (Native) 100
Maximum ISO (Native)	Maximum ISO (Native) 102400
Frame Rate	Frame Rate 20 fps
Video	Video 1
Screen Size	Screen Size 3

The Canon EOS R6‘s weather-sealed body and impressive low-light performance make it an attractive choice for astrophotography. It is one of Canon’s full-frame mirrorless cameras and produces stunning images.

At first glance, the 20.1 MP sensor might seem small these days. But this is not such a problem, especially with astrophotography. Because of their size, each pixel absorbs more light. And light is at a premium in night sky photography.

Another useful feature is the fully articulating touchscreen. The electronic viewfinder is excellent for seeing the image when the camera is pointed at the sky on a tripod.

But the LCD is a helpful extra feature. Another standout specification is the ISO range. Even in its natural setting, the maximum ISO is 102,400.

The range of RF-mount lenses is growing constatnly. And Canon is blessing the mount with several premium “L Series” lenses. Plus, you can use EF-mount lenses with an adapter.

You also get video at 4K with minimal cropping and 20 fps continuous shooting. There are eight astonishing stops of image stabilization when using compatible RF-mount lenses.

All of this adds up to a Canon camera that is fantastic for astrophotography. But the EOS R6 will serve you well in almost any genre.

2. Sony A7 III

Brand	Brand Sony
Sensor Format	Sensor Format Full Frame
Lens Mount	Lens Mount Sony FE
Megapixels	Megapixels 24.2 MP
In-body Stabilization	In-body Stabilization 1
Autofocus Points	Autofocus Points 693
Minimum ISO (Native)	Minimum ISO (Native) 100
Maximum ISO (Native)	Maximum ISO (Native) 51200
Frame Rate	Frame Rate 10 fps
Video	Video 1
Screen Size	Screen Size 3

The Sony a7 III is better than most at tackling the noise that comes from high ISOs. This is a great advantage for night sky photography. The maximum ISO is expandable to 204,800. The sensor is only 24.2 MP, but like the EOS R6, the images are superb.

As an astrophotographer, you often have to carry a lot of kit. And usually for quite a distance to escape light pollution. So, this Sony camera‘s compact size will be appealing. It has an attractive, rugged appearance, and the controls are reassuringly easy to find in the dark.

The Sony has fewer AF points than the Canon, but 693 is still a pretty impressive count, and they cover more than 90% of the frame. The touchscreen tilts, but it’s not fully articulating. It’s more useful than a fixed screen but not the best solution.

The in-camera image stabilization gives up to five stops of extra exposure, and the a7 III can shoot at up to 10 fps. So, another camera that is well suited to astrophotography, but by no means limited to that. It will be a great camera for a whole range of purposes.

3. Nikon D850

Brand	Brand Nikon
Sensor Format	Sensor Format Full Frame
Lens Mount	Lens Mount Nikon F FX
Megapixels	Megapixels 45.7 MP
Autofocus Points	Autofocus Points 153
Minimum ISO (Native)	Minimum ISO (Native) 64
Maximum ISO (Native)	Maximum ISO (Native) 25600
Frame Rate	Frame Rate 7 fps
Video	Video 1
Screen Size	Screen Size 3.2

Illuminated controls and a weather-sealed body are star-friendly features of this excellent Nikon D850. Although you won’t find yourself snapping the stars on a rainy night, dew can be an enemy. But this camera has you covered.

The massive 45.7 MP sensor delivers superb images and makes 4K video available. An optical viewfinder can be less straining on the eyes at night than an electronic one. But the tilting screen will help when the angles are difficult for the viewfinder.

As often happens with a DSLR, the autofocus is less impressive using the screen. But you can take your time at night, so this shouldn’t be an issue.

The D850 is a solid, professional camera. It requires a heavy-duty tripod. But you will find many uses for such a dependable camera, whatever field of photography you choose.

4. Fujifilm X-T4

Brand	Brand Fujifilm
Sensor Format	Sensor Format APS-C
Lens Mount	Lens Mount Fujifilm X
Megapixels	Megapixels 26 MP
In-body Stabilization	In-body Stabilization 1
Autofocus Points	Autofocus Points 425
Minimum ISO (Native)	Minimum ISO (Native) 160
Maximum ISO (Native)	Maximum ISO (Native) 12800
Frame Rate	Frame Rate 20 fps
Video	Video 1
Screen Size	Screen Size 3

One of the Fujifilm X-T4‘s most attractive features for astrophotography is its strong time-lapse performance. It can add a new dimension to your night sky photography.

But there’s more to this Fujifilm camera than amazing time-lapse. It’s a stylish camera with an attractive retro vibe. But there’s nothing retro about its 425 focus points or 26 MP sensor.

It has large metal dials with positive clicks for shutter speed, exposure compensation, and ISO. They don’t just look good but are easy to use in the cold and dark. And the X-T4‘s fully articulating screen is always a bonus for tripod-based work.

Away from the night sky, the 20 fps continuous shooting is more than enough for most situations.

5. Canon EOS 6D Mark II

Brand	Brand Canon
Sensor Format	Sensor Format Full Frame
Lens Mount	Lens Mount Canon EF
Megapixels	Megapixels 26.2 MP
Autofocus Points	Autofocus Points 45
Minimum ISO (Native)	Minimum ISO (Native) 100
Maximum ISO (Native)	Maximum ISO (Native) 40000
Frame Rate	Frame Rate 6.5 fps
Video	Video 1
Screen Size	Screen Size 3

The EOS 6D Mark II is Canon’s cheapest full-frame DSLR. It offers a 26.2 MP sensor that’s ideally suited to astrophotography. A fully articulating screen is also an advantage. The range of lenses available for its EF mount is unmatched.

There are compromises in producing a full-frame camera for this price. The maximum ISO is not the best in this review, and the 45 AF points fall way short of the competition.

On the other hand, it offers good communication options, including Wi-Fi, NFC, and low-energy Bluetooth. The GPS chip will also help identify where you took the pictures.

The EOS 6D Mark II is a popular camera. It offers an entry point into full-frame DSLR photography. And its reputation as a reliable performer means it should be on your shortlist for an astrophotography camera.

6. Nikon Z6 II

Brand	Brand Nikon
Sensor Format	Sensor Format Full Frame
Lens Mount	Lens Mount Nikon Z
Megapixels	Megapixels 24.5 MP
In-body Stabilization	In-body Stabilization 1
Autofocus Points	Autofocus Points 273
Minimum ISO (Native)	Minimum ISO (Native) 100
Maximum ISO (Native)	Maximum ISO (Native) 51200
Frame Rate	Frame Rate 14 fps
Video	Video 1
Screen Size	Screen Size 3.2

Nikon claims that the Z6 II can focus in the light of a quarter moon (-6 EV). Its tilting touchscreen is also well suited to tripod shooting for those night sky shots.

It’s not quite an entry-level full-frame camera, but this Nikon camera has a second memory card slot and improved high-speed shooting.

The two cards are a bonus for an astrophotography camera. High image quality relies on RAW images and post-processing. And RAW files are huge compared to JPEGs.

The Z6 II uses contrast detection and phase detection autofocus, with 273 AF points. These cover 90% of the frame, so it is well-equipped to cope with your other photography needs. An ever-growing range of lenses is available, and there’s also an adaptor for using F-mount lenses.

7. OM-D E-M1 Mark III

Brand	Brand Olympus
Sensor Format	Sensor Format Micro Four Thirds
Lens Mount	Lens Mount Micro 4/3
Megapixels	Megapixels 20 MP
In-body Stabilization	In-body Stabilization 1
Autofocus Points	Autofocus Points 121
Minimum ISO (Native)	Minimum ISO (Native) 200
Maximum ISO (Native)	Maximum ISO (Native) 25600
Frame Rate	Frame Rate 60 fps
Video	Video 1
Screen Size	Screen Size 3

The first thing to mention about this Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark III is its “Starry Night” mode. When engaged, the autofocus searches for stars and then focuses on them. This feature is quite useful, given how small the stars are.

This Olympus camera works at wide angles and telephoto focal lengths. It is good for wide sky shots and more cropped images. There are also seven stops of image stabilization. This feature makes even hand-held shots possible with fast wide-angle lenses.

As a Micro Four Thirds camera, the sensor size is limited. But it is still capable of superb photos. One final trick useful for astrophotography is the two-image automatic multiple exposure. It allows both the sky and foreground to be correctly exposed.

Away from night sky shooting, you might enjoy the E-M1 Mark III‘s 60 fps shooting. It also has simulated neutral density filters.

8. Canon EOS 5D Mark IV

Brand	Brand Canon
Sensor Format	Sensor Format Full Frame
Lens Mount	Lens Mount Canon EF
Megapixels	Megapixels 30.4 MP
Autofocus Points	Autofocus Points 61
Minimum ISO (Native)	Minimum ISO (Native) 100
Maximum ISO (Native)	Maximum ISO (Native) 32000
Frame Rate	Frame Rate 7 fps
Video	Video 1
Screen Size	Screen Size 3.2

The Canon EOS 5D Mark IV, like the Nikon D850, seems to find its way into most camera reviews. And that is because they are both immensely capable pieces of kit. A 30.4 MP sensor strikes a nice balance. It has plenty of pixels, which are big enough to work effectively.

It is a big beast, sealed against weather and dust, with an unrivaled range of lenses available. On the negative side, the screen is fixed, and there will be some occasions where this is to its disadvantage.

Low-light performance is excellent. The AF system is much better in low light than the Mark III version. The EOS 5D Mark IV is not limited to night sky pictures. It is a wonderful, all-purpose workhorse.

9. Panasonic Lumix DCS5

Brand	Brand Panasonic
Sensor Format	Sensor Format Full Frame
Lens Mount	Lens Mount Leica L
Megapixels	Megapixels 24.2 MP
In-body Stabilization	In-body Stabilization 1
Autofocus Points	Autofocus Points 225
Minimum ISO (Native)	Minimum ISO (Native) 100
Maximum ISO (Native)	Maximum ISO (Native) 51200
Frame Rate	Frame Rate 7 fps
Video	Video 1
Screen Size	Screen Size 3

The full-frame sensor on this Panasonic Lumix DCS5 is particularly good at coping with high ISO settings. It does better than most at combating the easily introduced noise in those circumstances. The dynamic range is especially impressive in low light.

Although Panasonic Lumix cameras are usually associated with the Micro Four Thirds sensor, this is a full frame. It takes Leica L-mount lenses, which are much less common than Nikon or Canon lenses.

But the DCS5 is a capable camera with excellent 4K video, in-camera stabilization, and dual memory card slots.

How to Choose a Camera for Astrophotography

When it comes to astrophotography, you will be surprised at the wide range of options you can choose from. There are DSLRs, mirrorless cameras, and even compact cameras. Apart from the usual choices, there are cameras dedicated to astrophotography.

The most important thing is the low-light performance. ISO invariance and a high ISO option are useful features to have. A wide dynamic range is also beneficial since you don’t have much light to work with.

You must also be able to shoot in RAW. When it comes to post-processing images, nothing beats the RAW format. It also helps if you’re comfortable using a remote shutter release. This setup minimizes camera shake as much as possible.

Long-exposure noise reduction is also crucial. If you leave your shutter open for long, your camera sensor can heat up and produce hot pixels.

You should pay attention to battery life as well. Long exposures and cold weather can drain them at lightning speed. If your battery is not durable enough, take more with you. Don’t forget to charge your battery right before your trip.

Astro filters are both sensor-based and lens-based. It’s practical to research which system you prefer, as it will influence your choice of camera.

Conclusion: Best Camera for Astrophotography

The sky is the limit when it comes to astrophotography cameras. With a plethora of specialized equipment available, dig deep into the basics of astrophotography.

Decide what kind of photos you want to shoot to know which camera shines brightest in your hands. It all comes down to what astrophotography means to you. You won’t go far wrong with our top choice, the Canon EOS R6.

Our Top 3 Choices for the Best Camera For Astrophotography

Canon EOS R6

Sony a7 III

Nikon D850

How to Shoot Astrophotography: A Complete Guide

Christopher Bryan-Smith — Tue, 12 Jan 2021 14:00:08 +0000

Space holds a special place in many of our imaginations. Astrophotography is the best way to explore deep space without leaving Earth. We can see planets, star clusters, and nebulae in glorious detail from our backyards!

Astrophotography isn’t the easiest form of photography. It requires specialist knowledge, skills, and equipment. But with patience and application, anyone can master the art. Astrophotography lets you capture breathtaking images of deep-space objects no one can see with the naked eye.

If you want to use your camera to go on a cosmic journey, we’re here to help you get started. Our article gives you all the information you need, whether it’s camera settings or the best astro gear. Keep reading to find out more about astrophotography.

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What Is Astrophotography?

Astrophotography is the art of using a camera to take photos of objects in space. While Milky Way and night sky photography capture broad swathes of stars, astro focuses on specific elements within the night sky. These include planets, star clusters, and nebulae.

If you’re already familiar with Milky Way photography, that puts you in good stead when starting astrophotography. But as you may know, you can’t get deep-space images using standard camera gear. It’s best to have specialist equipment to capture detailed images from within the cosmos.

There are also different tricks and techniques for photographing different space objects. But don’t worry if you’re starting to feel overwhelmed. We have a wide range of tutorials focusing on everything from star to solar photography.

We start with an astrophotography glossary and then explore the detailed process of capturing astro images. Remember to click the link in each section to learn more about that topic. You can use these jump links to go to the section you need:

Astrophotography terms
How to shoot astrophotography
Choosing a camera for astrophotography
Astrophotography lenses and filters
Telescopes and star trackers
Astrophotography apps and software
How to edit astrophotography

Astrophotography Terms

Astrophotography has its own unique set of terms that can be confusing for beginners. Understanding these terms is important for improving your skills and achieving results.

One key term is “aperture,” which determines how much light your telescope can collect. Another is “apparent magnitude,” which refers to the brightness of a celestial body. Calibration frames like bias, dark, and flat frames remove noise and correct uneven illumination in your images.

Other terms include “equatorial mounts,” which compensate for the apparent motion of stars. And there are “light pollution reduction filters,” which reduce the effect of artificial lights.

Learning these astrophotography terms helps you better understand the techniques and equipment used.

How to Shoot Astrophotography

Night sky photography is a beautiful field that involves turning your camera towards the stars. It’s not easy, but you can capture stunning night sky images with the right equipment and techniques.

You need a DSLR or mirrorless camera that can shoot in RAW format to get started. A wide aperture (f/2.8 to f/5.6) is also important for capturing as much light as possible. Other must-have accessories include a sturdy tripod, remote shutter, and a headlamp with a red light.

When shooting the night sky, you’ll want to focus manually and use a high ISO to capture as much detail as possible. An equatorial mount can help you take longer exposures without getting star trails.

With practice and patience, you can take breathtaking images of the Milky Way, constellations, and even galaxies. To learn more about night sky photography, check out our in-depth guide.

Composition

Composition is key to taking powerful pictures in any genre, and astrophotography is no different. When shooting deep-sky objects, it’s best to experiment with different compositions. Try things out and find what works best for your style of astronomy and Milky Way Photography.

Place interesting foreground elements like trees or mountains in your frame to add depth. Using leading lines like roads or rivers draws the viewer’s eye into the scene.

The rule of thirds is a classic composition technique that works well for astrophotography. You position key elements like the horizon or Milky Way along the grid lines.

Include human elements, like a tent or person gazing at the stars, to provide a sense of scale. Silhouettes make striking subjects against a starry sky.

Reflections in lakes or ponds can double the impact of your astro images. The night sky mirrored in calm water creates a stunning symmetrical composition.

To learn more about astrophotography composition, check out our detailed guide. It contains examples and techniques to enhance your night sky photos.

500 Rule

The 500 rule is a simple way to avoid star trails in astrophotography. It lets you calculate the longest exposure time before stars start to blur.

To use the 500 rule, divide 500 by your lens focal length multiplied by your camera’s crop factor. The result is the longest exposure time in seconds before stars begin to trail. For example, with a 50mm lens on a full-frame camera, the longest shutter speed would be 10 seconds (500 ÷ 50).

You can improve your astrophotography even more by taking multiple exposures at the shutter speed given by the 500 rule. Then, you can stack them together in post-processing software. This process boosts detail and enriches the night sky.

Learn more about the 500 rule for astrophotography in our in-depth guide that covers the technique in detail.

Star Photography

Star photography captures the beauty of the night sky. To shoot stunning star photos, you need a camera with good ISO performance, a sturdy tripod, and a fast lens with an aperture of at least f/2.8. Use manual mode and focus, and shoot in RAW format.

Camera settings vary depending on the type of star photography. You take a series of 30-second exposures over an hour for star trails and stack them in post-processing. When photographing the Milky Way, use the 500 Rule to find the longest exposure before the stars blur.

Find a location with dark skies away from city light pollution. Look for interesting foreground elements like buildings, rock formations, or trees. Star photography is a challenging but rewarding genre that can lead to breathtaking images.

Solar Photography

Solar photography is a fascinating way to capture the Sun’s beauty and power.

You need a solar filter to protect the camera and your eyes from the intense light to get started. White light solar filters are an affordable option. They let you photograph sunspots, solar eclipses, and planetary transits.

When taking pictures of the Sun, use manual focus and the lowest ISO setting on your camera. A tripod and intervalometer are helpful accessories for capturing sharp, detailed images. You can also use a teleconverter or Barlow lens to get closer to the Sun’s surface.

Safety is crucial in solar photography. Never look directly at the Sun through a camera, binoculars, or telescope without a proper solar filter. Inspect your filter for damage before each use.

With the right equipment and precautions, you can safely explore the wonders of our nearest star. To learn more about solar photography, check out our in-depth guide.

Astrophotography Cameras

You need a good camera if you want detailed images of objects from our galaxy. Although spending thousands of dollars on the most powerful camera is an option, you don’t need to. You only need a decent DSLR or mirrorless camera with good low-light performance.

Size and weight are two more important aspects when looking for an astrophotography camera. A camera that’s too heavy can be a problem, as it’s best to use a sturdy tripod and maybe a tracking mount.

It’s best to choose between an APS-C and a full-frame camera. The next section discusses which sensor size is best for astrophotography.

APS-C vs Full Frame

Consider your goals when choosing between APS-C and full-frame cameras for astrophotography.

Full-frame cameras have larger sensors, which means they perform better in low light and have a wider dynamic range. These features make them a good choice for capturing starry landscapes and star trails.

But APS-C cameras have advantages, too. Their smaller sensors give them a narrower field of view, which helps you hone in on targets like planets and deep-sky objects. Your setup is also more compact and lightweight, letting you use lighter, less expensive tracking mounts.

Ultimately, any modern camera can give good results for astrophotography. The key is to understand the strengths and limitations of different sensor sizes. Learn to work with the gear you have!

Best Cameras

When choosing a camera for astrophotography, low-light performance is key. Look for cameras with high ISO options and a wide dynamic range to capture the beauty of the night sky.

Shooting in RAW format is a must for post-processing your images. Long exposure noise reduction helps minimize hot pixels caused by leaving the shutter open for extended periods.

Consider battery life because long exposures and cold weather can quickly drain batteries. With the right camera for astrophotography, you’ll be ready to capture stunning images of the stars above.

Our Top 3 Astrophotography Cameras

Canon EOS R6

Sony a7 III

Nikon D850

Astrophotography Lenses and Filters

When choosing a lens for Milky Way-style astrophotography, you need a wide angle and a fast aperture. The best lenses have focal lengths from 14mm to 35mm. This focal range gives you a wide field of view to capture large portions of the night sky.

Look for lenses with maximum apertures of f/2.8 or faster, like f/1.8 or f/1.4. Larger apertures let in more light, which is important when shooting in the dark. Built-in image stabilization also helps you get sharper photos of the stars.

The astrophotography lens you choose depends on your camera. But you can find great options for shooting Canon, Nikon, Sony, or any other brand. With the right lens, you’ll be capturing stunning images of the Milky Way in no time.

Canon Lenses

The best Canon lenses for astrophotography capture the beauty of the night sky. Wide angles and fast apertures are key. The Canon RF 15-35mm f/2.8L IS USM is our top pick for its constant f/2.8 aperture and wide focal range.

This lens delivers edge-to-edge sharpness, ensuring stars look crisp across the frame. It also handles distortion well, keeping stars looking natural. The Canon EF 16-35mm f/2.8L III USM is another great option for Canon DSLR users.

Other notable lenses include the Sigma 14mm f/1.8 DG HSM | A, which has an impressive f/1.8 aperture. Another lens is the EF 11-24mm f/4L USM for its ultra-wide zoom range.

No matter which lens you choose, you’ll be ready to explore the wonders of the night sky. To learn more about the best Canon lenses for astrophotography, check out our in-depth guide.

Our Top 3 Canon Lenses for Astrophotography

Canon RF 15-35mm F/2.8L IS USM

Canon EF 16-35mm F/2.8L III USM

Canon EF 16-35mm F/4L IS USM

Nikon Lenses

Capturing the night sky requires the best lenses for astrophotography. Nikon offers a range of options for both mirrorless and DSLR cameras.

The Nikon Z 14-24mm f/2.8 S and Nikon AF-S 14-24mm f/2.8G ED are top picks. These wide-angle zooms have fast f/2.8 apertures to capture lots of light. They also deliver sharp images from edge to edge.

Other great choices include the Z 58mm f/0.95 S Noct for unmatched low-light performance and the Z 20mm f/1.8 S for wide-angle shots.

With the right Nikon lens, you can capture stunning images of the Milky Way and beyond. Nikon lenses for astrophotography let you explore the wonders of the night sky.

Our Top 2 Nikon Lenses for Astrophotography

Nikon NIKKOR Z 14-24mm F/2.8 S

Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 14-24mm F/2.8G ED

Sony Lenses

Astrophotography enthusiasts know the importance of having the right lens to capture the vast beauty of the night sky. The best Sony lenses for astrophotography offer everything you need to capture stunning images of the galaxy around us.

Our top choice, the Sony FE 16-35mm f/2.8 GM, earns its spot thanks to its versatility and sharpness. It lets in a lot of light to capture faint details in the night sky. Its zoom range of 16-35mm offers flexibility in framing, from wide star fields to more focused sections of the sky.

The Sigma 14mm f/1.8 DG HSM | A is another great choice for astrophotography. Its fixed 14mm focal length offers a broad view, perfect for taking in vast star fields or the Milky Way.

The Sony FE 20mm f/1.8 G is another superb astrophotography lens. Its fast f/1.8 aperture and lightweight design make it easy to handle during long photoshoots at night.

To learn more about the Sony lenses for astrophotography that will help you capture breathtaking images of the night sky.

Our Top 3 Sony Lenses for Astrophotography

Sony FE 16-35mm F/2.8 GM SEL1635GM

Sigma 14mm F/1.8 DG HSM | A for Sony E

Sony FE 20mm F/1.8 G SEL20F18G

Astrophotography Filters

Astrophotography filters are important for capturing stunning images of the night sky.

Light pollution filters reduce artificial light in cities, giving you a clear view of the stars. Narrowband filters only let a small selection of light waves pass through. They focus on emission lines from nebulae gases like hydrogen and oxygen.

Line filters are sensitive to just one emission line, blocking all other light. Solar filters make photographing the Sun possible by limiting its power and light. Diffusion and UV filters remove atmospheric noise, making stars more prominent in night sky photos.

Graduated ND filters help balance the exposure between the sky and earthbound features like mountains. Astrophotography filters are essential for capturing the beauty of the universe in sharp detail.

Our Top 3 Choices for Astrophotography Filters

SVBONY CLS EOS-C Clip-on Filter for Canon DSLR CCD

Optolong Dual Narrowband Filter for Canon EOS-C

SVBONY Telescopic Filter H-Alpha 7nm

Light Pollution Filters

Light pollution filters are important tools for night sky photographers. They block artificial light from street lamps and buildings, allowing stars and galaxies to shine through.

The best light pollution filters use high-quality glass with special coatings. These coatings improve image quality by reducing flare and vignetting. They also protect the glass from scratches, oil, and water.

Light pollution filters come in different shapes and sizes. Circular filters screw directly onto your lens, while square filters require a holder. Clip-in filters are also available for some camera brands.

To learn more about light pollution filters, check out our detailed guide. It covers the best options for different types of night photography.

Our Top 3 Light Pollution Filters for Astrophotography

K&F Concept Clear Natural Light Filter

K&F Concept X-PRO Square Natural Light Filter

NEEWER Natural Light Filter

Telescopes and Star Trackers

Telescopes and star trackers are other important tools for stargazing and astrophotography.

Telescopes give the best close-up view of the stars, planets, and other deep-sky objects. Some telescopes can even be used as camera lenses when paired with the appropriate adapter.

Star trackers are essential for high-level astrophotography. They are attachments for your tripod and camera that track the movement of the stars in the sky. A star tracker lets you use long exposure times without creating star trails.

Let’s look at both pieces of equipment in more detail.

Star Trackers

A star tracker is essential for capturing bright, clear, and sharp night sky photos. It helps your camera move with the stars, making astrophotography easier. The best star trackers have precision tracking, easy setup, and good build quality.

Our top pick is the Sky-Watcher Star Adventurer 2i Astro Pack. It has a motorized platform with a built-in polar finderscope for easy alignment. The all-metal gears provide top-notch quality and accuracy. It also has pre-programmed settings for tracking the stars, Sun, and Moon.

Star trackers can be a big investment, but they’re worth it if you love shooting the night sky. We have a detailed guide with trackers for different skill levels and budgets to learn more about the best star trackers.

Our Top 3 Choices for Astrophotography Star Trackers

Sky-Watcher Star Adventurer 2i Astro Pack

Sky-Watcher Star Adventurer Mini

iOptron SkyTracker Pro

SkyWatcher Star Adventurer

The SkyWatcher Star Adventurer is a compact and affordable equatorial tracking mount. It’s perfect for lightweight astrophotography and time-lapses.

This mount is easy to use and set up. Its max payload weight is 5kg with a counterweight. The Star Adventurer offers different tracking speeds for stars, the Moon, and the Sun.

The Star Adventurer is a great choice for beginners and astrophotographers on the move. It’s lightweight, flexible, and reasonably priced. Our in-depth review of the SkyWatcher Star Adventurer is available if you want to learn more about it.

Telescopes

The Celestron AstroMaster 130EQ is a great telescope for astrophotography. Its 130mm aperture and fully coated glass optics provide clear night sky views. The sturdy German equatorial mount keeps the telescope stable for sharp images.

This telescope has two eyepieces and a finderscope, making it easy to locate and focus on celestial objects. It offers great value for its price and is suitable for both amateur and professional astrophotographers.

The AstroMaster 130EQ is a reliable, high-quality telescope. It can capture stunning images of stars, planets, and galaxies. For more options, see our full article on the best telescopes for astrophotography.

Our Top 3 Choices for an Astrophotography Telescope

Celestron AstroMaster 130EQ Newtonian Telescope

Celestron NexStar 8SE

Orion 130ST

Budget Telescopes

The best budget telescopes let you explore the cosmos without breaking the bank. You can get stunning views of stars, planets, and the Moon. Some telescopes even let you capture amazing astrophotography with your smartphone.

We’ve included affordable telescopes for amateur astronomers of all ages. Our top pick is the Celestron AstroMaster 130EQ Newtonian Telescope. It’s portable, easy to set up, and gives you great magnification and image quality.

We have an in-depth guide with even more options if you want to research more budget telescopes. From beginner telescopes to ones for tech-savvy users, find the perfect telescope to start your astronomy journey.

Our Top 3 Choices for Budget Astrophotography Telescopes

Celestron AstroMaster 130EQ Newtonian Telescope

HEXEUM Portable Astronomical Refracting Telescope

ToyerBee 300mm Portable Refractor Telescope

Telescope Mounts

Telescope mounts are an important part of any astrophotography setup. They hold the telescope in place and keep it stable while you view objects in the night sky. Many different types of telescope mounts are available. Each one has its advantages and disadvantages.

Equatorial mounts are built for astrophotography. They let you track the sky by moving the payload around two axes. One coincides with Earth’s rotational axis, and the other tracks the target’s declination.

The most important thing to look for in a mount is the maximum payload it can support. As a rule of thumb, you should not load your mount over 60% of its declared maximum payload to ensure it performs at its best.

We have a comprehensive guide available if you want to learn more about telescope mounts.

Astrophotography Apps and Software

Smartphones have become excellent tools for astrophotography. You can’t use them to capture deep-sky images, but some apps help you find constellations and specific celestial objects. They also help you read the night sky, giving you a better understanding of the cosmos around us.

Photo editing software is also essential for Milky Way and astrophotography. Programs like Adobe Lightroom and Photoshop can add clarity or brighten stars. You can also use them to create composites made from several exposures.

Let’s dive into specifics about the best apps and software for astrophotography.

iPhone Apps

Astrophotography apps make night sky photography easier. They help you understand and navigate the stars, Moon, and Milky Way.

The best astrophotography apps have augmented reality features. This function lets you see where celestial objects will be in the sky. Many also include light pollution maps to find dark skies.

Other useful features are weather forecasts and the ability to plan night sky photoshoots. Some apps will even let you virtually stand in a location to see the view. With the right astrophotography app, you’ll never miss an opportunity to photograph the night sky.

To review the best astrophotography apps, we have a detailed article covering all the top options.

Adobe Software

Astrophotography software helps you process night sky photos to bring out their best. Lightroom and Photoshop are popular choices for editing astro images. They have a rich ecosystem of third-party add-ons and extensions to speed up your workflow.

Lightroom presets are like recipes that let you adjust an image with one click. Photoshop actions automate complex editing tasks. Plug-ins and panels add extra features to Photoshop.

While you don’t need dedicated astrophotography software, these tools can take your editing to the next level. If you want to learn more about astrophotography software, see our full article.

Adobe Software to Edit Astrophotography

Adobe Photoshop

Adobe Lightroom

Adobe Creative Cloud Photography Plan

StarStax

StarStax is a free, user-friendly software for creating star trail photos. It’s available for Mac, Windows, and Linux. StarStax simplifies combining multiple exposures to create stunning star trail images.

The software has a clean interface for ease of use. It has options for loading images, dark calibration files, and adjusting settings.

To create seamless star trails, you can easily select a blending mode, like Lighten or Gap Filling. The Gap Filling mode helps eliminate gaps between consecutive exposures. The result is smooth, continuous trails.

StarStax processes your images in real time, letting you see the star trails before your eyes. You can experiment with different settings and save your final image as a JPEG or TIFF file. Then, you can edit it further using other software like Lightroom or Photoshop.

Read our StarStax review to learn more about creating stunning star trail photos easily. It’s a great tool to explore.

DeepSkyStacker

DeepSkyStacker (DSS) is a free software for pre-processing deep sky astrophotography images. It has a simple interface with seven main sections for registering, stacking, and processing your photos.

To use DSS, load your light frames and any calibration frames, such as darks, flats, or bias files. Then, check all the images you want to stack. DSS will align and combine them into a single image with more detail and less noise.

You can process the stacked image in DSS by adjusting the luminance curve, aligning the RGB channels, and adding saturation. You can save the result as a 16-bit TIFF file for further editing in other software like Photoshop.

Learn more about using this software with our in-depth DeepSkyStaker tutorial. It covers the workflow step-by-step. Although it’s old software, some astro shooters might still find it useful.

AstroBin

AstroBin is a great resource for astrophotographers. It’s more than just an image hosting site. You can use it to showcase your astrophotography at full resolution and get feedback from the community.

AstroBin has a huge database of astrophotography gear. You can search for images with specific cameras, lenses, telescopes, or other equipment. This search tool is very useful when you want to see how certain gear performs before buying it.

The site also has an active forum to discuss techniques, processing, and gear with other astrophotographers. Learn more about AstroBin in our full article. It’s a great place to connect with the astrophotography community and improve your skills.

Editing Astrophotography

Astrophotography post-processing can be challenging. But you can create stunning night sky images with the right techniques. One important step is image stacking, which combines multiple exposures to reduce noise and bring out more detail in your photos.

To begin with, align and stack your images using dedicated software like Starry Landscape Stacker or Sequator. These programs make the process straightforward.

Once your images are stacked, import them into your preferred editing program. You can use Lightroom or Photoshop for final adjustments like white balance, contrast, and sharpening.

With practice and patience, you can master the art of astrophotography post-processing. The final results are breathtaking images of the stars, planets, and deep-sky objects!

Photoshop Tips

Adobe Photoshop is one of the best photo editing programs for astrophotographers. Its huge toolset is perfect for enhancing night sky images and bringing the galaxy to life. Here are a few top tips to get you started.

Use the Eyedropper tool to fix the background by sampling an empty patch of sky. Add artificial noise to the sampled color and paste it as a new layer, blending with the Lighten mode.

The Gradient Xterminator plug-in is a must-have Photoshop plug-in. It removes luminosity gradients caused by light pollution or moonlight. To use it, select the area to preserve and run the plug-in.

Set a natural white balance using an adjustment layer while keeping an eye on the color channel histogram. Move the sliders until a bit of blue and red are visible on the left and right of the main peak.

Reduce chromatic aberration in Camera Raw by first duplicating the layer. Then, apply a mild Gaussian blur and blend with the Color mode. Use opacity and masks to keep the best color details.

Make your images pop by again, duplicating the layer. Then, use the Scratch and Dust filter to remove small stars. Smooth with Gaussian Blur, push the black point in Levels, and blend with Screen mode.

Learn more about editing astrophotography with Photoshop with our full article. Some more tips and techniques can take your editing skills to the next level.

Video Course

Milky Way Mastery

Unlock the secrets of night sky photography with this video course:

Learn to plan shots with optimal light, weather, and moon conditions.
Discover the precise settings for stunning shots with any gear.
Master simple editing techniques to enhance your night sky images.

Milky Way Photography Guide: How to Photograph the Milky Way

Christopher Bryan-Smith — Mon, 11 Jan 2021 16:35:03 +0000

Milky Way photography can be incredibly rewarding. We’ve all gazed at the night sky in wonder, but Milky Way photography lets you capture the stars with your camera.

All you need are a few skills, some knowledge, and a couple of pieces of camera equipment. You can then create stunning night sky images that impress even seasoned astronomers!

While not the most accessible photographic field, anyone can try night sky photography. We’re here to help you get started, and our article has everything you need to know about the genre. So keep reading to learn more about the art of Milky Way photography.

Video Course

Milky Way Mastery

Unlock the secrets of night sky photography with this video course:

Learn to plan shots with optimal light, weather, and Moon conditions.
Discover the precise settings for stunning shots with any gear.
Master simple editing techniques to enhance your night sky images.

What Is Milky Way Photography?

Milky Way photography is the art of taking pictures of the stars above. It’s also known as night sky photography because you’re taking pictures of the night sky. They are synonymous because whenever you take a picture of the stars in the night sky, you take a picture of the Milky Way.

When photographing the Milky Way, you capture large areas of the night sky, including many stars. This is in contrast to astrophotography. The latter captures detailed shots of astronomical features, like planets or nebulae.

You can focus on smaller patches of the night sky, looking at constellations and other features. Or you can take sweeping images that capture large swathes of the starry sky above. You can even incorporate elements of nighttime landscape photography into your Milky Way images.

Our article covers how to shoot Milky Way photography, from camera settings to the specialist gear you need. We even discuss Moon photography. It might not technically be Milky Way photography, but it’s a big feature in the night sky. Use these jump links for what you need:

How to photograph the Milky Way
Recommended photography gear
Recommended apps and software
How to edit Milky Way photos
Milky Way photographers

How to Photograph the Milky Way

This section covers the technical side of photographing the Milky Way. We help you find the more interesting sections of the galaxy and provide the best camera settings and composition techniques.

Unfortunately, you can’t just turn your camera towards the stars and take a picture. Even the best camera on the market won’t produce good results. But capturing truly impressive night sky images isn’t overly difficult either.

All you need are the knowledge and skills we provide in this article section. Remember to click on the links to see the full article on each topic within the sections.

Where Is the Milky Way?

Finding the Milky Way in the night sky is easier than you might think. The best conditions are a clear sky with no clouds, minimal light pollution, and a moonless night.

The best time to see the Milky Way is from March to September in the Northern Hemisphere and March to October in the Southern Hemisphere. It is most prominent in late spring and early autumn in the Northern Hemisphere and winter in the Southern Hemisphere.

This time is when the Galactic Center, the most intense and dramatic part of the Milky Way, is almost vertical to the horizon. The stars look the brightest and most intense during this time.

Track the Moon phases using apps like Deluxe Moon or Sol to find the best times to see the Milky Way. For the clearest view, go out during a new Moon when the moonlight does not wash out the stars.

If you’d like to learn more about where the Milky Way is, there are many great resources available online.

Camera Settings

To capture stunning Milky Way photos, use your lens’s widest aperture. Something like f/2.8 or wider is ideal if you have it available. It allows the most light in for a shorter exposure time.

The shutter speed should be as long as possible without blurring the stars. You can calculate this using the 500 rule (see below).

Set your ISO high enough for a good exposure but not so high that it produces too much noise. ISO 6400 or lower works well on most modern cameras. Focus your lens to infinity, and use manual focus to avoid your camera trying to refocus in the dark.

Our detailed guide covers everything you need about Milky Way photography settings.

500 Rule

The 500 rule is a simple way to avoid star trails in astrophotography. It lets you calculate the longest exposure time before stars start to blur. Divide 500 by your lens focal length multiplied by your camera’s crop factor.

For example, with a 50mm lens on a micro four-thirds camera (2x crop factor), the longest exposure is five seconds (500 ÷ 50 x 2). A full-frame camera would allow 10 seconds (500 ÷ 50 x 1).

Shooting in RAW and stacking multiple exposures with a low ISO can improve your night sky images. To learn more about the 500 rule for astrophotography, check out this in-depth guide. It covers the math behind the rule and how to combine it with other techniques.

Night Photography Settings

Practicing photography at night is a great way to get to know your camera. Experiment with different ISO settings. It helps you determine when you start to see noticeable digital grain. This knowledge is beneficial when you start shooting night sky photography.

Use a high ISO between 400 and 3,200 to capture enough light in the dark. Open your aperture to f/2 or f/2.8 to let in plenty of light. Use a shutter speed of at least 1/60 s (seconds) to avoid motion blur.

For night portraits, use a portrait lens with a focal length of 80-135mm. Set your ISO to 400-1600 and aperture to f/2 or f/2.8. Use a tripod for slower shutter speeds to keep your camera stable.

When photographing stars, use a wide-angle lens and the highest ISO before image noise becomes too much. It’s usually 1,000 to 3,200.

Open your aperture from f/2 to f/4 and use a shutter speed of 4 to 10 seconds for static stars or 20 to 30 minutes. These are the best night photography settings to capture star trails.

Star Trail Photography

Star trail photography captures the movement of stars across the night sky using long exposures. Earth’s rotation causes stars to appear to move in circles around the North celestial pole, indicated by Polaris, the North Star. Stars move in straight lines when looking East or West.

To photograph star trails, use a wide-angle lens and sturdy tripod. Focus manually on a bright star using live view magnification. Use an aperture of f/4 or f/5.6, ISO 800, and shoot in RAW. For reasonably long star trails, photograph for at least 30 minutes to one hour.

Image stacking combines multiple shorter exposures to reduce noise compared to a single long exposure. To combine the images, use a remote shutter with an intervalometer and star trail photography software like StarStax.

Include interesting foreground elements like trees, rocks, or buildings to create compelling compositions. For more details, read our full star-trail photography article.

Time-Lapse

Capturing a stunning Milky Way time-lapse requires the correct location, settings, and techniques. To capture the brightest stars, find a dark location away from light pollution. Use apps like Light Pollution Map or Dark Site Finder to help you find the best spot.

Make sure the weather is good to avoid inconsistent shots. Bad weather can make your photoshoot uncomfortable and force you to change your settings or move your equipment. These conditions can result in shaky and unevenly exposed pictures.

Set your camera to manual mode and use a medium-high ISO to make the night sky look stunning. Your shutter speed depends on your creative preferences—slow for star trails or fast for sharp stars.

Use an internal or external intervalometer to set the interval between shots. For Milky Way time lapses, this is typically 15 to 35 seconds. Read our full article to learn more about capturing Milky Way time-lapse photography.

Moon Photography

Photographing the Moon is a great way to get started with night sky photography. You don’t need as much equipment as you would for capturing stars or the Milky Way. A DSLR or mirrorless camera with a telephoto lens of at least 300mm is perfect for Moon photography.

Use a sturdy tripod to avoid camera shake and get sharp images. Set your camera to manual mode, with an ISO of 100, aperture between f/11 and f/16, and a shutter speed of 1/125 s or faster. Focus manually for the best results.

Composition is key to creating impactful Moon shots. Use the rule of thirds and place the Moon at one of the intersecting points on your camera’s grid. Stacking multiple images can help improve detail and clarity in your final photo.

Photographing the Moon is a fun and rewarding way to explore the night sky.

Lunar Eclipse

A lunar eclipse occurs when the Earth moves between the Moon and the Sun, blocking sunlight from reaching the Moon.

During a total lunar eclipse, the Moon may take on a reddish color, known as a “blood Moon.” This color happens because the Earth completely blocks direct sunlight. Only faint, scattered light illuminates the Moon.

To photograph a lunar eclipse, you’ll need a tripod, remote shutter, and a telephoto or zoom lens of about 300-400mm. Set your camera to shoot in RAW, use an ISO of 400 to 800, and an aperture of f/5.6 or narrower. Focus manually on the Moon’s surface using live view.

As the Moon’s brightness changes throughout the eclipse, you must adjust your shutter speed. You can capture the eclipse with an interesting landscape in the foreground or isolate the Moon’s details with a longer focal length.

Camera settings for lunar eclipse photography can be tricky. But with proper planning and technique, you can create stunning images of this rare celestial event.

Solar Eclipse

A solar eclipse is a rare event that occurs when the Moon passes between the Earth and the Sun, blocking the Sun’s light. To photograph a solar eclipse, you need a camera with a long focal length lens, a tripod, and a solar filter to protect your camera’s sensor.

It’s important to scout your location in advance and set up well before the eclipse begins. During the eclipse, you want to capture the different phases. This includes the partial phases, Baily’s Beads, the Diamond Ring effect, and the solar corona during totality.

Adjust your camera settings throughout the eclipse. Use a fast shutter speed during the partial phases and a slower one during totality. Remember to remove your solar filter during totality to capture the corona’s detail.

Solar eclipses happen quickly, so it’s crucial to practice with your gear beforehand and have your camera set up and ready to go. Most importantly, don’t forget to take a moment to enjoy this incredible celestial event.

Check out our full guide to learn how to take photos of a solar eclipse.

Northern Lights

Capturing the northern lights requires the right knowledge and gear. A sturdy tripod is essential to keep your camera steady during long exposures. Look for a camera with good low-light performance and the ability to change lenses.

Wide, fast lenses are ideal for aurora photography. Manual focus is necessary since autofocus won’t work well in the dark. A remote shutter release helps minimize camera shake.

Dress warmly in layers, including a thick coat, pants, mittens, and a hat. Don’t skimp on footwear—pack boots or mukluks are best for extreme cold. Being comfortable will help you shoot longer and get better images. For more tips on northern lights photography, check out our in-depth guide.

Night Landscapes

Night landscape photography can be challenging, but with the right knowledge, you’ll quickly get the hang of it. The most important things are to find a dark location away from city lights and to use a sturdy tripod. Use a wide, fast lens with manual focus and the option to attach filters.

Set your camera to manual mode and use the 500 rule to find the longest exposure time before the stars start to trail. Then, adjust your ISO to get good exposure. Don’t be afraid of high ISO settings like 3200 or above.

Compose your shot with an interesting foreground and use light from the Moon or light painting to make it visible. You can also shoot multiple exposures and blend them later in editing software. With practice, you’ll take stunning night landscape photos in no time!

Milky Way Photography Gear

To capture stunning Milky Way photos, you need the right gear. A full-frame camera is ideal for astrophotography, but even entry-level cameras can work well. Look for a camera with good high-ISO performance to minimize noise in low-light conditions.

The lens is the most important piece of equipment for Milky Way photography. An ultra-wide angle lens, such as a 14mm, allows longer exposures without star trails. A wide aperture, like f/2.8, is crucial for capturing as much light as possible.

A sturdy tripod is essential to keep your camera steady during long exposures. Adjustable legs and a ball head provide flexibility for positioning your camera.

Other helpful accessories include a headlamp with a red filter and an intervalometer for time-lapses. A camera remote to minimize camera shake is also a good idea.

Milky Way photography gear doesn’t have to be expensive. But investing in quality equipment can greatly improve results.

Cameras

When choosing a camera for astrophotography, low-light performance is key. Look for cameras with high ISO options and a wide dynamic range to capture the night sky in glorious detail.

Shooting in RAW format is a must for post-processing your images. Long exposure noise reduction helps minimize hot pixels caused by leaving the shutter open for extended periods.

Consider battery life, as long exposures and cold weather can quickly drain batteries. Research astro filters to find the best one that works with your camera and lenses. With the right camera for Milky Way photography, you’ll be ready to capture stunning images of the stars above.

Our Topo 3 Cameras for Milky Way Photography

Canon EOS R6

Sony a7 III

Nikon D850

Milky Way Photography Lenses

When shooting the Milky Way, you need a wide-angle lens with a fast aperture. The best lenses have focal lengths between 14mm and 35mm. This range gives you a wide field of view to capture a big part of the night sky.

Look for lenses with a maximum aperture of f/2.8 or faster. The wider the aperture, the more light the lens lets in. This setting is essential for low-light photography.

Image stabilization is also beneficial. It helps you get sharper images when using slow shutter speeds. If you want to learn more about the best Milky Way photography lens, we have a detailed guide to help you find the perfect lens for capturing the stars.

Canon Lenses

The best Canon lenses for the night sky capture its beauty with wide angles and fast apertures.

Our top pick is the Canon RF 15-35mm f/2.8L IS USM, perfect for Canon mirrorless cameras. Its constant f/2.8 aperture lets in lots of light, and the wide focal length is ideal for expansive shots of the Milky Way.

The EF 16-35mm f/2.8L III USM is great for Canon DSLRs. It’s sharp across the frame and has minimal distortion. The Sigma 14mm f/1.8 DG HSM | A is another excellent option, with an ultra-wide angle and an impressive f/1.8 aperture for low-light shooting.

Other notable lenses include the EF 16-35mm f/4L IS USM, the EF 11-24mm f/4L USM, and the Samyang XP 14mm f/2.4. The EF-S 17-55mm f/2.8 IS USM is a versatile zoom with a fast aperture for APS-C cameras.

To learn more about Canon lenses for night sky photography, we have an in-depth guide that covers each lens in detail.

Our Top 3 Canon Lenses for Milky Way Photography

Canon RF 15-35mm F/2.8L IS USM

Canon EF 16-35mm F/2.8L III USM

Canon EF 16-35mm F/4L IS USM

Nikon Lenses

Capturing the Milky Way requires the best lenses for astrophotography. Nikon offers a range of options for both mirrorless and DSLR cameras. The Z 14-24mm f/2.8 S and AF-S 14-24mm f/2.8G ED are top choices, providing wide angles and fast apertures for low-light shooting.

Other great options include the Z 58mm f/0.95 S Noct for unmatched low-light performance and the Z 20mm f/1.8 S for a lightweight, wide-angle prime. The AF-S Fisheye 8-15mm f/3.5-4.5E ED adds a creative twist with its unique perspective.

No matter your camera type, Nikon has a lens to help you capture stunning night sky images. Nikon lenses for night sky photography offer exceptional sharpness. They also have wide apertures and versatile focal lengths to suit any celestial scene.

Our Top 2 Nikon Lenses for Milky Way Photography

Nikon NIKKOR Z 14-24mm F/2.8 S

Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 14-24mm F/2.8G ED

Sony Lenses

Milky Way photography enthusiasts know the importance of having the right lens to capture the vast beauty of the night sky. The best Sony lenses for night sky photography offer everything you need to capture stunning images of the galaxy around us.

Our top choice, the FE 16-35mm f/2.8 GM, earns its spot thanks to its versatility and sharpness. This lens lets in a lot of light—key for capturing faint details in the night sky. The zoom range from 16mm to 35mm offers flexibility in framing, from wide star fields to more focused sections of the sky.

The Sigma 14mm f/1.8 DG HSM | A is another great choice for night sky photography. Its wide f/1.8 aperture and fixed 14mm focal length offer a broad view. It’s a perfect lens for capturing vast star fields or the Milky Way.

The FE 20mm f/1.8 G is a superb wide-angle prime lens. Its fast f/1.8 aperture and lightweight design make it easy to handle during long shooting sessions.

Learn more about the best Sony lenses for Milky Way photography. They will help you capture breathtaking images of the night sky.

Our Top 3 Sony Lenses for Milky Way Photography

Sony FE 16-35mm F/2.8 GM SEL1635GM

Sigma 14mm F/1.8 DG HSM | A for Sony E

Sony FE 20mm F/1.8 G SEL20F18G

Moon Photography Lenses

Capturing stunning lunar images requires the right lens. This type of photography has a different set of demands compared to shooting the Milky Way. A long focal length is essential for illuminating the Moon’s intricate details.

The Canon EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS II USM is a top choice for Moon photography. Its impressive zoom range and superior sharpness make it ideal for capturing the lunar landscape. The lens also features effective image stabilization and weather-sealing for reliable performance.

Other great options include the Canon RF 100-400mm f/5.6-8 IS USM for mirrorless cameras and the Nikon AF-S 80-400mm f/4.5-5.6G ED VR for Nikon DSLRs. These lenses offer similar benefits. They have long focal lengths, sharp optics, and helpful features like vibration reduction.

Check out our in-depth guide to learn more about the best lenses for Moon photography.

Canon Lenses

Capturing the Moon’s intricate details requires a lens with impressive reach and clarity. The Canon RF 600mm f/11 IS STM is a top choice for Moon photography, offering a long focal length and sharp images in a lightweight, collapsible design.

Other excellent options include the EF 600mm f/4L IS III USM. It’s known for its exceptional low-light performance and robust construction. The EF 500mm f/4L IS II USM delivers outstanding clarity and advanced stabilization for handheld shooting.

The versatile EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS III USM zoom lens is also a good choice when paired with a teleconverter. The EF 400mm f/4 DO IS II USM stands out for its compact design and impressive sharpness.

To learn more about the best Canon lenses for Moon photography, check the options in our full list. It lists lenses with a range of focal lengths and features to suit different needs and budgets.

Our Top 3 Canon Lenses for Moon Photography

Canon RF 600mm F/11 IS STM

Canon EF 600mm F/4L IS III USM

Canon EF 500mm F/4L IS II USM

Nikon Lenses

Capturing the Moon’s details requires a lens that can handle the task. Nikon lenses are among the best options for Moon photography.

The Nikon Z 400mm f/4.5 VR S and Nikon AF-S 80-400mm f/4.5-5.6G ED VR stand out for their clarity and magnification. They help you shoot the Moon from your backyard.

These lenses reduce chromatic aberration and glare. This ensures the Moon’s surface is well-defined in your photos. They also offer quick autofocus and effective image stabilization for sharp, stable shots.

We have a detailed guide that covers the best Nikon lenses for moon photography. It also covers additional options for mirrorless and DSLR cameras.

Our Top 2 Nikon Lenses for Moon Photography

Nikon NIKKOR Z 400mm F/4.5 VR S

Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 80-400mm F/4.5-5.6G ED VR

Sony Lenses

Having the right lens is essential when photographing the Moon. Sony offers several excellent options for capturing detailed lunar images.

The Sony FE 400mm f/2.8 GM OSS is a top choice, providing exceptional sharpness and clarity even when shooting wide open at f/2.8. Its lightweight design makes it easy to use handheld. And its weather-sealed construction ensures reliable performance in challenging outdoor conditions.

Other notable lenses include the FE 600mm f/4 GM OSS. It offers superior reach for wildlife and sports photography. And the versatile Tamron 150-500mm f/5-6.7 has a broad zoom range and effective vibration compensation for sharp handheld shots.

Ultimately, the best lens for your Moon photography depends on your specific needs and preferences. Explore our in-depth article to learn more about the Sony lenses for Moon photography mentioned here and other options.

Our Top 3 Sony Lenses for Moon Photography

Sony FE 400mm F/2.8 GM OSS SEL400F28GM

Sony FE 600mm F/4 GM OSS SEL600F40GM

Tamron 150-500mm F/5-6.7 Di III VC VXD A057 for Sony E

Light Pollution Filters

Light pollution filters are an essential camera accessory when shooting Milky Way photography. Having one is especially important if you live in an urban area.

Have you ever looked up at the stars from a city and seen nothing but an empty black sky? That’s because “pollution” from city lights overpowers the light from distant stars.

The obscured view means we can’t see the stars in the sky. It’s a big problem if you want to shoot night sky photography from a built-up area.

Light pollution filters, also known as broadband light filters, help resolve this problem. They block out light transmitted from artificial sources like street lamps. So, only natural light, like that from stars, passes through your lens and into the camera.

They are worth using even if you have a remote location from which to shoot. Using a filter gives you cleaner, sharper shots of the stars in the sky. Find out more and see all the best light pollution filters in our full article.

The Best Light Pollution Filters for Milky Way Photography

K&F Concept Clear Natural Light Filter

K&F Concept X-PRO Square Natural Light Filter

NEEWER Natural Light Filter

Apps and Software

Milky Way photography doesn’t stop when you’ve turned off your camera after a shoot. Using photo editing software, you can enhance your night sky images, bringing out more detail and energizing colors.

You can also use software to stitch together multiple exposures for super-powered Milky Way images.

This section reviews the best smartphone apps for capturing night sky shots with your iPhone or Android. We also cover specialist night sky photography software to help you get the best possible images.

Smartphone Apps

Having the right apps for Milky Way photography can make capturing stunning images of the galaxy much easier. These apps help you find the best weather, location, stars, and timing for breathtaking shots.

Some top apps are Stellarium Mobile for locating the Milky Way and The Photographer’s Ephemeris for visualizing how it looks in any spot. The Weather Channel app provides accurate forecasts. PhotoPills is also great for planning shoots because of its AR feature and calculators.

Other helpful apps are Sol for tracking light phases, GoSkyWatch for following the Milky Way, and SkySafari for star maps. With these tools, you can capture amazing Milky Way photos. Check out our in-depth guide for more about the best Milky Way apps.

Software

Astrophotography requires specialized software to process your photos and bring out the best in them. Adobe Lightroom and Photoshop are popular choices for astrophotographers. They offer a rich ecosystem of third-party add-ons and extensions to speed up your workflow.

Lightroom presets can help balance your images and boost details and colors in the sky. Photoshop actions automate complex editing tasks. They help remove light pollution, reduce halos, and sharpen. Plugins like GradientXterminator can correct gradients in just a few clicks.

Extension panels pack even more features into Photoshop. Orionh Plus is a comprehensive panel with tools for the Milky Way, star trails, and deep sky editing. If you want to learn more about astrophotography software, read our full article.

Adobe Software for Milky Way Photography

Adobe Photoshop

Adobe Lightroom

Adobe Creative Cloud Photography Plan

StarStax

StarStax is a free, user-friendly software for creating star trail photos. It simplifies the process of combining multiple exposures into a single image. StarStax supports JPG, PNG, and TIFF formats, so you must convert your RAW files first.

Once your images are loaded, you can easily select the ones you want to use. StarStax offers various blending modes. But for star trails, you want to use either Lighten or Gap Filling. These modes compare the images and choose the brightest pixel at each location, creating the trails.

If you notice small gaps in your star trails, the Gap Filling mode can help. Adjust the Threshold and Amount sliders to smooth out the trails without affecting the darker areas of the image.

When you’re happy with the result, save your final image as a JPEG or TIFF for further editing in other software. Our full StarStax review is a great resource for creating stunning star trails.

Editing Milky Way Images

Editing Milky Way photos is different from editing regular landscape photos. You’ll make adjustments to sliders that you wouldn’t normally use. But the principles of editing remain the same.

Start with a graduated filter for color correction. Then, adjust the white balance and tint sliders to make the sky bluer. Increase the highlights and whites to make the stars brighter. Use the shadows slider to darken the image while keeping the stars bright.

Increase clarity and sharpening to reveal more detail in the stars and galaxies. Reduce noise to improve picture quality. Adjust the color saturation sliders to remove orange or yellow glows and enhance blues and purples.

You can also use lens correction to remove barrel distortion and make the photo look more natural. Finally, the dehaze tool is great for removing haze and making the sky darker.

If you’d like to learn more about editing Milky Way photos, we have a detailed guide that covers everything you need to know.

Photoshop Tips

Photoshop is one of the best editing programs for enhancing Milky Way photography. It’s a big software suite with many functions, so it can be daunting if you’re a beginner. But our tips help you achieve the best night sky results with Photoshop.

The eyedropper tool fixes noisy or uneven backgrounds by sampling an empty sky area. Add a new layer filled with this color and some artificial noise, then blend it with the original image using the lighten mode.

The Gradient Xterminator plugin is a must to remove luminosity gradients caused by light pollution or moonlight. Select the area to preserve and let the plugin even out the rest.

Achieve more natural colors by using a white balance adjustment layer. Adjust the sliders while monitoring the color channel histogram, leaving a bit of blue and red visible on the edges of the main peak.

Reduce chromatic aberration in Camera Raw by first duplicating the layer. Then, apply a mild Gaussian blur and blend it using color mode.

For a final pop, duplicate the image and remove small stars with the Dust & Scratches filter. Then, blur it, push the black point in Levels, and blend it back using the screen mode.

Learn astrophotography Photoshop techniques like these to take your images to the next level!

Inspirational Night Photographers

Night photography captures the world’s magic after dark, from serene moonlit landscapes to neon-lit city streets. These 30 influential photographers showcase the beauty and mystery of the night.

Paul Zizka and Rachel Jones Ross create stunning astrophotography. Liam Wong and Emmanuel Coveney transport us to cinematic, dream-like cityscapes. Tobias Baumgaertner reveals the night world of wildlife. And Anat Seem invites us into an innocent realm inhabited by fairies and magic.

These photographers use the night as a backdrop for their unique visions. They remind us of the transformative power of darkness and its endless possibilities.

Explore these night photographers’ captivating portfolios. And be inspired to capture your own night magic!

Video Course

Milky Way Mastery

Unlock the secrets of night sky photography with this video course:

Learn to plan shots with optimal light, weather, and Moon conditions.
Discover the precise settings for stunning shots with any gear.
Master simple editing techniques to enhance your night sky images.

Top 10 Milky Way Apps for Astrophotography in 2024

Joshua Dunlop — Mon, 14 Sep 2020 12:00:33 +0000

Having an app for capturing the Milky Way simplifies astrophotography significantly. They assist you in discovering the ideal mix of weather, location, stars, and timing for breathtaking photographs of the Way Milky.

We recommend downloading the following apps. We use iOS devices but found the same or similar apps for Android and Windows phones.

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What Are the Best Apps for Astrophotography of the Milky Way?

The top apps for capturing the Milky Way provide a variety of features to support astrophotographers. They help in planning and capturing stunning images.

10 Best Software Tools for Capturing the Milky Way in Astrophotography

Here are our top apps to locate the Way of the Milky and elevate your astrophotography skills. Choose the apps that best suit your needs and preferences based on features, ease of use, and compatibility with your device.

1. Deluxe Moon Pro

Download: iOS or Android
Deluxe Moon Pro is our favorite moon application. It gives you a visual representation of how much light the moon will reflect in the night sky. Once more, our goal is to capture photography of the Milky Way during the new or full moon. So we must know exactly when this is.

It also shares information about when the moon will be visible in the sky. This way, you can time your shoot exactly at moonrise or moonset if you want to. This is a free app with in-app purchases for more advanced features.

2. Stellarium Mobile

Download: iOS or Android

The Stellarium Mobile app provides a captivating virtual planetarium experience. It enables real-time navigation through the sky at night. And it’s the top app for locating the Milky Way for photographers.

It’s particularly useful for photography of the Milky Way. It helps astrophotographers easily locate this celestial marvel. And beyond simple identification, the app enables detailed planning. It simulates the sky’s appearance at designated times and locations.

This feature assists in previewing the alignment of the Way Milky with additional components in the view. This optimizes composition and ensures the best possible shots.

Stellarium Mobile is an essential app with a user-friendly interface and powerful planning tools. It’s ideal for photographers aiming to snap breathtaking pictures of the Way Milky. The app is free with in-app purchases.

3. The Photographer’s Ephemeris (TPE)

Download: iOS or Android.

The Photographer’s Ephemeris (TPE) app is a powerful tool for photography of the Milky Way. It lets you visualize how the Milky Way will appear in any location.

It has a sun and moon location calculator. So, photographers can assess how natural light will interact with their chosen shooting spot at night. For instance, for a Milky Way shoot in Iceland, you can determine the optimal time and location based on moonrise and other celestial events.

TPE also provides essential data such as sunrise and sunset times. This aids in comprehensive planning for photoshoots of the Milky Way.

While the app costs $9.99 with optional in-app upgrades, its features make it a worthwhile investment. For online planning convenience, you can also explore TPE for free via their website.

4. Forecast: The Weather Channel

Download: iOS or Android

For astrophotographers, having accurate weather predictions is crucial for planning photography sessions. There are countless different weather apps available. So why choose the Weather Channel app? In our experience, it provides the most reliable and up-to-date weather forecasts.

Clear skies are essential for capturing celestial objects. It shows the percentage of cloud cover you can expect at night and hourly weather radar. And it also indicates when the next new or full moon occurs, aiding in scheduling the optimal moment for capturing images of the Way Milky.

The app is free with in-app purchases.

5. PhotoPills

Download: iOS or Android

Astrophotographers value the PhotoPills app for photography of the Milky Way. This is due to its specialized planning tools.

You can visualize the position and location of our galaxy to optimize composition. Its augmented reality feature overlays celestial objects onto live camera views. This helps with compositional adjustments.

The app provides accurate timing information for visibility of the Way Milky, including its rise and set times. This helps photographers capture it at its best. Also, it provides lunar phase and light pollution information for optimal shoot scheduling.

PhotoPills has advanced calculators for camera settings, like exposure time and ISO. This streamlines the shooting process and ensures well-exposed images of the Milky Way.

It’s a bit lower on our list because of its $10.99 price and higher learning curve. But PhotoPills is indispensable for planning and executing stunning Milky Way photography. You can read our full review of PhotoPills for more information about this app.

6. Sol: Sun Clock

Download: iOS

This pretty-looking app tells you the exact phases of light you pass through daily based on location. It shows everything from daylight and golden hour to full darkness and astronomical dusk.

It also tells you the exact time of sunrise and sunset. From our experience, it’s 100% accurate and essential for planning photography of the Milky Way. It only costs $3.99 and is worth it. An Android alternative called Sunclock performs the same tasks and rates well.

7. GoSkyWatch Planetarium

Download: iOS

The GoSkyWatch Planetarium app is perfect for photography of the Milky Way. It has an intuitive interface and precise features. You can effortlessly find and follow the Way of the Milky, supported by the app’s sleek design and features.

With accurate time and location settings, astrophotographers can plan sessions effectively. You can predict Milky Way visibility and alignment. The app also offers augmented reality. This overlays celestial bodies onto live camera views for easier composition.

This app makes capturing the galaxy’s creamy band easier by offering crucial planning tools and visual aids. This makes it a valuable asset for photographers in pursuit of stunning images of the sky at night. It’s only available for iOS and only costs $3.99.

8. SkySafari

Download: iOS or Android

The SkySafari application offers comprehensive star maps to help identify celestial bodies in the sky at night, including the Way Milky. The large database lets you precisely locate its position relative to other stars and constellations.

It also has time and location settings, letting you accurately plan Milky Way photoshoots. You can predict the visibility and alignment of the Way Milky by inputting specific dates and locations. This ensures optimal shooting conditions.

This app is a valuable tool for novice and experienced astrophotographers. It helps with the planning and execution of breathtaking Milky Way images. The Basic SkySarafi app costs $4.99. There are also more expensive and advanced Plus and Pro versions.

9. SkyView

Download: iOS or Android
SkyView is the app we use for identifying stars in the sky, such as Polaris (The North Star). You can quickly identify and locate stars, planets, constellations, etc. By simply pointing your camera to the sky, the app shows and tells you what you’re looking at with an overlay.

It’s handy to know what you’re taking photos of instead of finding the stars through your naked eye. It also makes you feel more connected to the sky at night above.

There is a free SkyView Lite version for iOS and Android. But we recommend getting the paid app for a nominal fee ($2.99 for iOS and $1.99 for Android) because it functions better.

10. Sun Surveyor (Sun & Moon)

Download: iOS or Android

The Sun Surveyor app is a fantastic tool for capturing Milky Way photos. It’s excellent for helping photographers plan their nighttime photography. It eliminates the uncertainty of predicting the rise and set times of the sun, moon, and the Way Milky.

It has helpful features like a live camera view and an interactive map with a street view. This shows you where celestial objects will be in the sky, with a rotating view. It also tells you the exact time of sunrise and sunset and predicts golden hour and blue hour.

This app for photographing the galaxy makes it easier for photographers to capture breathtaking images of the sky at night. You can try the free Sun Surveyor (Lite) version for iOS or Android first. We recommend the paid version ($9.99 and 10.99 respectively) for professionals.

Conclusion: The Top Apps for Capturing the Galactic Core

The best Milky Way apps offer a range of features to assist you in planning and capturing stunning Milky Way images. You can choose the app that best suits your needs and preferences based on features, ease of use, and device compatibility.

Photography of the Milky Way can be challenging to perfect. But you don’t need expensive gear to capture the celestial beauty of our galaxy. These software tools for capturing the Milky Way will help bring the most out of your shots of the sky at night!

Check out our Milky Way Mastery course to take out-of-this-world photos!

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Milky Way Mastery

Camera Settings for Lunar Eclipse – Best Settings and Tips

Andrea Minoia — Fri, 11 Sep 2020 17:16:46 +0000

If you’re looking to photograph the upcoming lunar eclipse, you’ll need to make sure your camera is set up properly. Here are the best camera settings for lunar eclipse photography.

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Camera Settings For Lunar Eclipse: What Is a Lunar Eclipse?

A lunar eclipse happens when the Earth moves between the Moon and the Sun.

It should not be mistaken with a solar eclipse when the Moon positions itself between the Earth and the Sun.

This photo was taken from a spacecraft orbiting the Moon, showing the Earth about to cover the Sun. For us here on Earth, this would be a lunar eclipse.

Why Does the Blood Moon Occur During an Eclipse?

Sometimes, a totally eclipsed Moon has a reddish color. The reddish tint of the Moon is the result of sunlight getting scattered in the atmosphere. This faint scattered light is what illuminates the Moon during totality.

It happens because the Earth is completely blocking the direct sunlight from reaching the Moon. Because of its reddish color, this lunar phenomenon is called a blood Moon.

The Blood Moon

When Is the Lunar Eclipse Visible?

Two to five lunar eclipses happen every year. But not all of them are total lunar eclipses. Time and Date is an excellent website to check the date of the next eclipse. You can see when it will happen and from which part of the world you can see it.

Depending on where you are and the Moonrise/set time, you may not be able to witness the full eclipse. From your location, the Earth may not shadow the Moon completely. That way, you will witness only a partial lunar eclipse.

The number of solar and lunar eclipses is pretty much the same in a year. Because the Earth is much bigger than the Moon, lunar eclipses are visible from more places on Earth than solar eclipses.

The Earth’s shadow is rather large, so eclipses of the Moon can take a few hours to unfold.

This gives you plenty of time to both observe and work on your photography. You can test and adapt the camera settings to the ever-changing Moon brightness.

Comparison between worldwide visibility of a typical Lunar Eclipse (top) versus a Solar Eclipse (bottom). Source: timeanddate.com

Lunar Eclipse Timeline

A lunar eclipse unfolds in steps, as illustrated in the scheme below.

During the eclipse, the Moon will approach the Earth’s shadow. This is a Penumbral Eclipse. In time, the Moon will gradually enter the Umbra. This is the darkest part of Earth’s shadow (Partial or Umbral Eclipse).

When the Moon is inside the Umbra, you get the full eclipse. Because Earth’s shadow is larger than the Moon’s, this phase can last one hour. The Moon will continue to darken while getting red. It will gradually reach the maximum of the Eclipse.

After the maximum, the Moon will get brighter. The reddish color will vanish. This is the end of the full eclipse.

Next, the partial and penumbral eclipses will end and the Moon will be in full sunlight once again.

Timeline of a lunar eclipse

How to Photograph a Lunar Eclipse: The Gear

Binoculars

This is not a piece of specific photography equipment. But it’s good to observe the eclipse before taking the winning shot. A simple 8×40 binocular will allow you an immersive, 3D-like experience.

Tripod and Tracking Heads

A tripod is a must-have. It will allow you to set up your DSLR camera for amazing images.

You might have to compete for your photography spot. Particularly if you want to photograph the eclipse and the landscape using a wide-angle lens. Plan to be at your location well in advance.

The Moon moves quickly in the field of view of a long telephoto lens or telescope. If you want to follow the Moon during the eclipse, consider a 3-way pan head rather than a ball head. That way you can re-center the Moon in the frame with ease.

Better still, you can use a tracking head such as the SkyWatcher Star Adventurer.

Remote Shutter

A remote shutter/intervalometer will allow you to create a time-lapse of the event. It will also prevent camera shake.

Lens Heater

Lunar eclipses are long-lasting. If you are following one during the winter, fog and ice can form on your lens. This will soften your images and add haze.

A USB-powered lens heater wrapped around your lens will solve this problem. You can also strap a hand heater pad to the lens.

Whatever you use, take a test shot to ensure your focus is still good. If not, refocus.

What Lens Should You Use?

Wide-angle lenses are great for the lunar eclipse especially if the outcome is a stacked photo of the moon. You can capture it as it unfolds over an interesting landscape.

Even if you are interested in isolating the Moon, you still don’t need extreme focal lengths.

A telephoto lens or zoom lens of about 300-400 mm is a good starting point. The biggest features of the Moon surface will start showing with a decent amount of detail.

The full moon, at different focal lengths

If you are on a budget and don’t have a long focal lens, you may want to consider using an old, manual lens from the film era. They are rather cheap and still have good optics.

I took many of my lunar and solar images with an old Olympus Zuiko OM 200 f/4 with its 2X teleconverter. I used it on my micro four-thirds Olympus OMD camera.

The Moon during different phases, photographed with a 40+ years old, fully manual, Olympus Zuiko OM 200 f/4 and Olympus Zuiko OM 2X-A teleconverter, on Olympus OM-D EM5 Mk ii camera.

What Camera Should You Use?

Any camera will do, as long as you can use a long focal length lens. Low light and high ISO performance are not much of an issue here.

Cameras with crop sensors have an advantage. They fill the frame better at any given focal length than full frame cameras.

This is because they will show a narrow field of view.

If you have only one setup, you have to decide whether you want to capture the unfolding of the eclipse on a landscape, using a wide-angle lens. Or if you want to zoom on the Moon, in a classic astrophotography style.

If you have two cameras, you can use two setups to capture both the Moon and the unfolding of the eclipse.

Camera Settings for Lunar Eclipse Photography

First of all, set your camera to shoot in RAW. Next, consider using an ISO value of about 400 or 800.

The Moon will get quite dark and you don’t want to risk motion blur with long exposures. Especially if you are not tracking its movement while using a telephoto lens.

If you are on a tripod, remember to disable any image stabilization. As for aperture, I rarely go wider than f/5.6.

White balance should be set to sunlight. By shooting in RAW you will be able to adjust it during the editing.

How to Focus on the Moon

When it comes to photographing celestial bodies, I prefer to use manual focus. Use the live view, magnify the lunar surface and try to get a contrasting region as sharp as you can. It is even better if your camera has focus peaking as a feature.

When I have to focus on the full Moon, I zoom in on the Plato region.

Plato is iconic and easy to find crater at the edge of Mare Imbrium. Below it, there are the Montes Teneriffe.

Montes Teneriffe (circled in red), near Plato is the perfect feature to manually focus on when the Moon is full.

How to Set Your Exposure for Eclipse Photography

If you are following the entire eclipse, the amount of shadow cast on the Moon will vary. So will the Moon’s brightness. This means that you will have to adjust your shutter speed from time to time.

Here is a handy formula to calculate the shutter speed in seconds, ss, for a given aperture, f, ISO value, I, and Moon brightness, b:

ss = f^2 / ( I * 2^b ).

Moon brightness for the different phases of a Lunar eclipse appear in the scheme below.

Moon brightness (arbitrary units) for the different phases of a lunar eclipse. Image Credit: Sky Guide App.

Say you are using ISO 400 and f/8. To expose the full Moon (b=8), keep your shutter speed at 1/1600s. With the same ISO and aperture settings, your shutter speed will drop to about 20 seconds during totality (b=-7).

These settings are indicative and not foolproof. The actual brightness of the Moon is affected by visibility conditions, i.e. haze, humidity and other atmospheric factors.

The Moon moves faster than the average star. If you are not tracking it with a tracking mount, you may need to use a more conservative version of the 500 rule (say, 300).

This will help you guesstimate the slowest shutter speed (ss) you can use without blurring the Moon with your setup.

In short, the rule reads like this:

ss = 300 / (CP * FL)

SS is the shutter speed in seconds, CP the sensor crop factor and FL the focal length.

If you are using a 12 mm lens on a micro four-thirds camera, for example, the slowest shutter speed you can use will be ss = 300 / (2*12) = 12.5 seconds.

With this in mind, you can use the formula with the Moon brightness ( ss= f^2 / ( I * 2^b ) ) to set the aperture and ISO value.

This is so that you will be able to shoot faster than 12.5s during totality, i.e. when the Moon is darkest.

Capturing the Eclipse and the Landscape

If you have only a moderate telephoto reach, it may be best to go for landscape composition. You have to get an interesting foreground to keep your image fresh and interesting.

The Moon is bright throughout the eclipse, except for the totality moment. Because of this, you can get away even with photographing from the city. Try capturing the path of the Moon during the eclipse over an iconic cityscape.

Interesting lone trees, mountain peaks, and rock formations make exciting foreground too.

In this case, since you want to show the path of the Moon across the sky, you don’t have to track the Moon. Its small size in the frame will allow you to stretch your shutter speed without introducing motion blur.

When you go for this kind of time-lapse, an intervalometer is a must. If your camera does not come with a built-in intervalometer, get an external one.

Also, bring a fully charged battery and an empty memory card. Take a frame every minute or so. This way you will have more images to choose from when creating your composite image.

Composite image of a total lunar eclipse during a Supermoon over Santa Fe, New Mexico, USA. Image Credit: bigstockphoto.com/Dean Fikar

How to Capture Moon Details

To isolate the Moon, you need a long focal length. This isn’t much of a problem when photographing the full Moon from a fixed tripod. But you may risk blurring the Moon during totality.

Using my setup with the old telephoto lens and 2X teleconverter (800 mm equivalent on a full frame camera), the 300 rule above will give me a slower shutter speed of less than half a second.

For this reason, it’s better to track the Moon or choose a shorter focal length.

In terms of editing your photos, check out this article for all you need to know about editing astrophotography shots.

How to Get Creative With Eclipse Photography

Let’s have a look at all the interesting things you can show in your lunar eclipse photography.

The Classic Composite Image

Let’s begin with the classic: create a composite image.

Choose your best images where the Moon is as sharp and detailed as it can get. Then, make a collage.

If you photographed a landscape, align the foreground for all your images. Reveal the Moon from each frame to create a path in the sky.

If you have isolated the Moon, try to keep your composite symmetric, both in shape and in Moon appearance.

In the composite below, I arranged my moons in an “S” shape. The darkest Moon (slightly magnified) is in the middle, to show the evolution of the full eclipse only.

The sequence begins with the top right Moon.

The Moon During the Partial Eclipse Phase

Before totality, the presence of the penumbra ensures a gentle gradient in Moon brightness.

This is a feature you don’t find during classic Moon phases. The transition between light and dark is much harsher.

Take advantage of the partial eclipse to create a more compelling, interesting and moody image of the Moon.

Here I have rotated the Moon, so to create a moody image that looks like the poster for a SciFi movie.

The Stars and the Moon

Often, you don’t get to see stars right next to the full Moon. But during a lunar eclipse, you can photograph both the full Moon and the stars. This is because the Moon gets so much darker than usual.

Depending on your gear and settings, you may need to edit the images twice. Once for the Moon and once for the stars. And then merge the two copies into a final image.

You can learn more about capturing the starry night sky with Milky Way Mastery!

Blood Moon, during totality. Stars can be seen in the sky around the Moon.

The Moon Before/After Totality: The Turquoise Effect

Near totality, when a bit of the Moon is still at the edge of the Umbra, the so-called Turquoise Effect takes place.

In this phase, you may notice a faint blue or purple area near the brightest region of the Moon.

Using auto white balance or doing it manually using a grey area of the Moon, should make the blue color pop.

This is not a fake effect. The bluish color is due to sunlight shining through the stratosphere and through the ozone layer.

The Turquoise Effect, right before totality.

Stars and Planets

Getting close to totality, you will see stars around the Moon. It is worth checking if any notable star (or planet) is near the lunar disc.

In the image above showing the Turquoise Effect, you see a star near the left edge of the Moon. That is a faint star.

Checking with the Sky Guide App, I was able to determine that the Appulse in the previous image is with the star HD 67424.

Meteor Impacts

During the last lunar eclipse, a meteorite hit the darkest side of the Moon during totality.

Many people taking videos or very short exposures were able to capture it.

The flash from the meteorite that struck the Moon during totality, last January 21st 2019. Image Credit: Griffith Observatory.

Conclusion

There are many elements to consider when shooting a lunar eclipse. You only have a few opportunities in a lifetime to capture a total Lunar eclipse, so it’s essential to be prepared. Make sure you have all the gear, and brush up on our tips before you go!

If you are eager to try the tips in these articles, check the eclipse page of the Time&Date website.

Stability And Portability

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How to Shoot Night Sky Photography (For Magical Stars)

Andrea Minoia — Thu, 06 Aug 2020 18:50:13 +0000

Night sky photography is one of the most beautiful fields of photography. Turning your camera towards the skies to photograph stars is, however, no easy feat.

We’re here to share all the basics you need from adjusting your settings to buying camera accessories for astrophotography.

Precise Timing Control

Pholsy C6 Shutter Remote with Intervalometer

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Night Sky Photography Equipment For Astrophotography

Camera

When it comes to night sky photography, you need either a DSLR or mirrorless camera. Options with high ISO capabilities are not necessary. What you need are options that are considered ISO invariant.

Also, your camera must allow you to shoot in RAW format. Why? Because RAW allows you to edit your files without losing any quality.

An entry-level model such as the Canon 1300D is usually good enough for astrophotography.

Mirrorless M4/3 cameras such as the Olympus OM-D EM-10 MK III are impressive because of their 2x crop factor. It allows you to close in on targets with shorter and cheaper telephoto lenses than those with full frame cameras.

You can check our post on the best astrophotography cameras here.

Lenses

You don’t need to have the latest pro-graded lens to do night sky photography. For the most part, autofocus or in-lens/in-camera stabilization aren’t necessary in astrophotography.

The truth is, I use old manual lenses from the film photography era.

What you need is a lens without too much chromatic aberration at relatively wide apertures. This is where modern ED lenses and APO refractors using low dispersion glass often have the edge over many old legacy lenses.

A great way to check if you can use your lens in astrophotography is to search it on Astrobin. It’s a great free site and image database where photographers like you can contribute.

Finally, you should go for lenses that perform well with apertures in the range of f/2.8 to f/5.6 for deep-sky astrophotography. Slower lenses require longer exposures and even more images for stacking.

Typical focal lengths for the full frame camera are:

50mm for wide star field images;
135mm for closing in on small constellation or narrower starfields;
longer telephoto for nebulae and galaxies close-ups;
Teleconverters to extend your lens’s reach. It tends to cut some light coming into your camera. Nevertheless, It’s ideal for Moon Sun photography. You can also use them to capture other celestial objects such as the Orion Nebula and the Pleiades.

If you want to see how big a target will be in the field of view of your camera-lens system, you can use the free software Stellarium. Just insert the info for the camera sensor and lens (telescope).

A word of advice. Don’t get stuck with filling the frame at all costs. Very long focal lengths and high magnifications are challenging. Cropping your image is perfectly acceptable in astrophotography.

Must-Have Accessories

If you don’t have the luxury of doing night sky photography from your garden and have to backpack like me, you’ll be out in the field for a while. You’ll need to carry your gear and things to make your Astro trips more comfortable. I prefer to use backpacks similar to those for mountaineers, such as those in the F-stop mountain series.

Below is a shortlist of the essential photography accessories you should have with you:

Remote shutter with an intervalometer;
Sturdy tripod;
Camera backpack with some room for your stuff;
Lightweight equatorial mount with accessories;
A classic compass is more reliable than the one on your smartphone, and it is essential for an excellent polar alignment of the mount;
UHC and LPR filters (Baader, Hoya, etc.) to boost contrast in the images and fight light pollution;
USB dew strip heater to prevent your lens from fogging in cold and humid conditions. A power bank to power it;
Lens hood;
Spare batteries and a high capacity memory card;
Headlamps with a red light to see what you are doing without spoiling your night adaptation;
Tea/kitchen sieve to help you focusing on stars;
Smartphone with astronomy apps;
Post-processing software, such as Photoshop;
Noise Reduction software, such as Noise Ninja.

Subjects for DSLR Astrophotographers

There is no shortage of subjects for astrophotography. There’s the Moon, Sun, constellations, stars, and countless deep-sky objects. You can keep yourself busy for many years to come.

The Moon and the Sun

You can capture the Moon and the Sun with a long telephoto lens. You don’t even need a tripod if you have image stabilization.

Warning! DO NOT attempt to observe the Sun or photograph it without using a properly designed filter. They are cheap and will save your eyes and your gear.

This article deals with Moon and Sun photography in detail. It’s a great place to start on how to take night photos.

Stars and Star Clusters

Apart from photographing the Sun and the moon, you can also try shooting the stars. Sirius and Betelgeuse are ideal, especially if you have a long telephoto lens and teleconverter.

Some celestial pairs are famous in star photography. Pollux and Castor or Procyon and Gomeisa are a great example, where one star is orange (“cold”) and the other blue (“hot”).

Clusters of stars are beautiful too.

The Pleiades is a region of bright, hot (hence the blue color) and young stars soaked in dust clouds. They give it a classic blue nebulosity.

This cluster is very bright (apparent magnitude 1.6) and large (apparent size of about 2º). You can spot it from a large city.

Constellations and Star Fields

With a wide-angle lens, you can photograph constellations at night with the Milky Way shining over a landscape. I discussed it in this article.

You can also take pictures of star constellations as part of wide star fields. The aim here is to capture the many nebulae and dust clouds that are part of the constellation.

If you are in the Northern hemisphere, one of the best targets is the Orion Constellation. Its shape is so unique that you can see it high on the winter horizon.

Thanks to the three stars in line forming the belt of Orion, this constellation is a great place to start taking stars pictures.

This region is rich and complex, with plenty of bright nebulae. There’s the famous Orion Nebula (M42). And then the Flame Nebula, Horsehead Nebula, Running Man Nebula, and Barnard’s Loop.

It also contains the bright and colorful stars of Betelgeuse (red) and Rigel (blue).

On the right of Rigel, there is the darker Witch Head Nebula. On the left of Betelgeuse, there is the Rosette Nebula.

With a 300mm lens on a full frame camera, you can close in on the belt and sword of the Orion constellation. Like this, you’ll get a family portrait of the Orion, Running Man, Flame and Horsehead Nebulae.

Other notable targets are Auriga. It contains the Flaming Star Nebula, and the dense region of Deneb (here below).

You can see bright North America and Pelican Nebulae in the Cygnus Constellation.

Finally, we have a picture of stars containing the Pleiades and the California Nebula.

Galaxies

There are many galaxies you can photograph. The easiest one is Andromeda and its M110 and M32 satellite galaxies.

The Pinwheel Galaxy and Triangulum Galaxy are bright. You can capture them without a telescope. They will be rather small in the field of view of a telephoto lens on a DSLR camera, though.

How to Do Night Sky Photography: Basic Rules

Now that you have an idea about what you can photograph, it is time to discuss how to do it.

An astrophotography session is not quick. Even experienced astrophotographers still need to set up their gear.

On top of this, they need to find and frame the target and get the star in focus.

And then you have to wait to get tens (or hundreds) of exposures of the same target before you move on.

Let’s now discuss some of those steps in detail.

How to Frame Your Target

How do you frame a target you can’t see? When you have to use a telephoto lens with a narrow field of view?

There are three ways:

Buy a (rather expensive) computerised GoTo mount. It has the coordinates of many deep-sky objects. Once you set it up, it will point the camera at the desired target;
Trial and error: try your best to frame your target. Exhausting at best;
Buy a cheap red dot star pointer and hot-shoe adapter. It’s the perfect choice for beginners.

A red dot star pointer usually comes with most telescopes. You can buy it with an adapter to mount it on the camera hot shoe.

The idea is simple. A laser hits the screen of the pointer so that a red dot becomes visible. It’s then superposed to the unmagnified view of the horizon.

If you align the pointer, it superimposes the dot to a target, so it’s center in the frame.

In the image below, I used my Micro Four-Thirds camera with a 300mm lens to frame the moon.

The lens gives me a field of view of only 3.3ºx2.5º, which makes it challenging to find and frame the bright moon.

By superposing the red dot to the moon, I can find and center it in the frame in no time.

Put your pointer on the camera hot shoe, and switch it on. Then, use the knobs to align it to your gear from time to time.

If you cannot see your target and you have no GoTo mounts, you have to become fluent in the star-hopping technique.

Nothing keeps you from aiming your camera at a random direction in the sky. This is how I took my first Astro image, the one that opens this article.

If you want to know what you have photographed, you can upload your final image on Astrometry for free. This process is “plate solving.” It will return your copy with annotations for all identified objects.

It turned out I had photographed the Deneb/Sadr region in the Cygnus Constellation. The North America Nebula is visible near the star S7Cyg, below Deneb.

This image consists of 30 pictures taken on a fixed tripod using my old Olympus Zuiko OM 50 f/1.4 on OM-D EM 10 m43 camera.

How to Focus on Stars

Forget using autofocus for astrophotography. Also, don’t trust the infinite mark on your lens. Instead, use your live view at high magnification and frame a bright star at night.

The more you focus in, the smaller the star will become, and more of the faintest stars will begin to come into view. Turn your focusing ring slowly back and forth to find the sweet spot.

The problem is that every time you touch the camera, the image will blur due to camera shake. It makes the whole process a bit random.

You can buy a Bahtinov mask, but I like DIY solutions when possible. Placing a kitchen sieve on the front of my lens will create diffraction spikes around the stars when the focus is correct.

I found this method very reliable and fast. If you have difficulties to see the spikes on your live view, try to do your best to focus and take a test shot. When you see you have sharp diffraction spikes, your focus is perfect.

You can also mark the actual infinite on your lens with a marker to make the whole process even faster in the future. Use a bit of gaffer tape to lock down your focus.

How to Freeze the Stars

In night sky photography, except for star trails, you want to have stars like points of light. But stars move across the horizon at, on average, about 15º/ hour because of Earth’s rotation.

That does not seem much when we stargaze. But consider that a 100mm lens on a full frame camera gives you a field of view of only about 20º x 15º.

The photo below shows how the stars will look after three-minute-long exposure.

There are only two ways to freeze those stars:

Take very short exposures on a fixed tripod;
Use an equatorial mount. Rotate the camera around the celestial pole to counteract Earth’s rotation.

Astrophotography With a Fixed Tripod

On a fixed tripod, you have to take very short exposures. A rule of thumb, also known as 500 rule, is the following:

ET= 500 /(FL*CF)

ET is the longest exposure time (in seconds) before you start seeing star trails. FL is the focal length, and CF is the crop factor of your camera sensor.

My M43 camera has a crop factor 2. With a 50mm lens, I could expose for max 5 seconds before I start noticing the star trails.

Rules like 400-500-600 are qualitative. I was able to expose the Orion Nebula for 3 seconds on a 150mm lens with decent results.

This image is the result of aligning and stacking 50 exposures.

In 2 minutes, this is how much the nebula moved in the field of view.

You cannot expose the stars for much longer than the value calculated with the 500 rule.

Astrophotography With an Equatorial Mount

An equatorial mount is a motorised head. Once you align it to the celestial pole, it will rotate the camera to counteract the Earth’s rotation.

Doing so negates the apparent motion of the star on the horizon.

In 45 minutes, this is how much the Orion Nebula moves in the field of view of a 270mm lens (EFL 540mm).

The tracking is not perfect, but I could expose each image for 40 seconds without getting star trails.

My gear sat on the Skywatcher Star Adventurer, which is excellent for DSLR work. It also comes with some interesting functions for photographers such as automated time-lapse and pano capabilities.

As you can see, an equatorial mount is a crucial piece of equipment. It’s the first one you should buy if you are serious about astrophotography.

If you don’t plan to use large telescopes and long focal lengths, you can buy a lightweight mount for photographic tripods.

Examples include my Skywatcher Star Adventurer, iOptron Skyguider, etc.

ISO and ISO Invariance

Look at the ISO invariant regime. Brightening your scene by +1 EV is comparable to shooting at a double ISO value in the first place.

So in the invariant regime, there is no “noise” advantage to shoot at higher ISO. And you will reduce your sensor’s performance by reducing the dynamic range you can capture.

You should find online which ISO values make your camera ISO invariant. Use the lower ISO in this regime to maximise the dynamic range of the sensor.

You might find the cramped histogram in the top right-hand corner. The critical thing to remember is not to clip the highlights.

Conclusion

There are still things for you to research on your own, how to find a dark sky and how to fight light pollution, for instance. But this guide will help you get started. We also have a useful glossary of astrophotography terms you can check here.

You can learn how to take breathtaking night sky images with our course – Milky Way Mastery!

Pholsy C6 Shutter Remote with Intervalometer

Take your night sky photography to the next level with this remote shutter with intervalometer, allowing you to capture stunning long exposure shots with ease.

How to Use the 500 Rule for Astrophotography Exposure

Andrea Minoia — Thu, 09 Jul 2020 16:03:49 +0000

Mastering the 500 rule for astrophotography is crucial for achieving perfect exposure. This lets photographers capture mesmerizing night sky images with clarity and precision. You can use the 500 rule to guesstimate the slowest possible shutter speed to avoid star trails.

Precision Time-Lapse

Remote Control with Intervalometer

Capture stunning underwater pictures with ease using a multi-function remote control with intervalometer. Get perfect exposure with the 500 rule and experiment with camera settings to improve your astrophotography results.

Explaining the 500 Rule for Astrophotography

The idea behind the 500 rule is to provide you with an easy-to-remember formula to freeze the movement of the stars. This way, you will get images without any star trails.

Of course, if your goal is to make star trails, you should ignore this rule. Otherwise, you need to use it so that you can capture clear pictures of the Milky Way and the starry sky in general.

If you have a fisheye, it is worth spending a few hours under the starry sky, to capture the Milky Way. I took this on a fixed tripod by using the 500 rule to prevent blurry stars.

But why are you getting trailing stars in the first place? That’s because the Earth is rotating on itself once every day. This rotation creates the rather fast 15º/hour apparent motion of stars.

The gif below shows how stars move around the North celestial pole, roughly indicated by Polaris, the North Star.

In astrophotography, we make a big deal out of freezing the stars. To be rigorous, the length (in mm) of a star trail on your image will depend on the field of view, sensor size, image resolution, exposure time and the star angular speed and declination.

While this is not rocket science, the formula that links all those variables together is not the simplest one to remember and use in the field.

If you are an occasional star shooter, knowing how to use the much simpler 500 rule will let you capture trail-free starry skies.

The rule reads like this: SS = 500 / (FL * CF)

SS is the shutter speed in seconds. FL is the focal length expressed in mm and CF is your sensor’s crop factor, i.e., the ratio between the size of a full frame sensor and yours.

Here you can find the crop factor for different types of cameras:

1 for full frame cameras;
1.6 (1.5) for Canon (Nikon) APS-C cameras;
2 for micro four-thirds cameras;
2.7 or higher for compact cameras with a 1″-type sensor or smaller.

As far as I know, while it can be related to image resolution and field of view at a specified focal length, the number “500” doesn’t have an actual meaning. It is an arbitrary constant chosen so that the guideline will work in most cases.

Example of the 500 Rule in Action

Let’s consider my Olympus OM-D EM-5 Mk II micro four-thirds camera. It has a crop factor equal to 2. Now let’s see how this rule works.

With a 50mm lens, for example, the guideline will tell me the exposure time for which the stars will not trail.

See the calculation below:

SS= 500/(50*2)= 5 seconds.

With a full frame camera with the same lens, the result will be:

SS=500/(50*1)= 10 seconds.

The image below shows how many stars are trailing when I use a shutter speed of 3 minutes with my 50mm lens on my Olympus. This exposure time is much longer than the rule suggests.

Star trails from a 3-minute long exposure with 50mm lens on Olympus OM-D 10.

With this guideline, you can even get decent results when photographing bright deep sky objects such as M42 (The Great Orion Nebula) using a telephoto lens.

While the level of details will not be impressive, it will be a very satisfying experience. I would recommend you give it a try.

M42 on fixed tripod. Olympus OM-D EM-10, 150mm, f/4, 3.2 seconds, stack of 50 images.

The 400-, 600- and NPF Rules

There are two common variants of the 500 rule; the 400- and 600-Rule.

In the 400-Rule, the number 500 in the formula above is replaced by 400. This results in an even shorter exposure time. With the 600-rule, the number 600 is used instead, resulting in slightly slower shutter speeds, i.e., longer exposure times.

If you want better results, you should switch to other rules, such as the NPF rule. These are more accurate and rigorous than the 500 rule.

You can find many star trail calculators online, as well as smartphone apps such as PhotoPills. You can also calculate the values online.

For Android, there is also PinPoint Starts available. These can help you choose the best exposure time for your camera-lens combination.

Image Stacking and 500 Rule Combined

The first thing to do to improve your night star pictures is to shoot in RAW instead of JPEG. This will ensure you have the maximum flexibility when you need to edit your images.

If you are not tracking the sky movement with a tracking head, the stars will always move across the sensor. The light you can collect for each pixel depends only on how long the star will stay over the same pixel.

You may be tempted to bump up your ISO. But this will only increase image noise, with no extra benefits.

Allowing stars to trail a bit more by using longer exposures will not help either. The time a star will excite the same pixel will not change. You will only record a trail.

The solution is called image stacking. So how do you do that?

You take many photos at a quite low ISO. You expose each according to the 500 rule. Then you can combine (stack) them later on in Adobe Photoshop. This technique will improve the number of details in the final image a lot.

The process involves masking and aligning the sky among all the exposures. But software like Deep Sky Stacker, Sequator (windows, free) and Starry Landscape Stacker (Mac OS X, commercial) will make the whole procedure faster.

Below you can see the comparison between a single raw from my Sony RX100 Mk II pocketable compact camera (1″ sensor type) …

Sony RX100 Mk ii on a tripod and set to ISO 6400, 15″, 28mm EFL (equivalent focal length), f/1.8. Single RAW.

… and the final image, obtained by staking 8 different exposures. You can see how stacking has boosted details and enriched the sky.

Stack of 8 different exposures.

You can read more about image stacking in this article about editing techniques for astrophotography.

The Science Behind the 500 Rule

The idea behind the 500 rule is to provide an easy way to guesstimate the longest exposure time for which the stars’ movement is not noticeable.

The sky rotates 360 degrees in 24 hours or 0.0042 arc degrees per second. A full frame camera with a 24mm lens will have a horizontal view of about a 73.7 degree.

Let’s assume we have a 24 Mpx sensor (6000px X 4000px). Those 73.7 degrees are projected onto 6000 horizontal pixels, giving 81.4 pixels per degree.

Assuming a 24mm lens, the “rule of 500” gives you an exposure time of about 21 seconds (500/24).

In 21 seconds the sky will move about 0.09 degrees (0.0042*21).

For our 24 Mpx full frame camera with a 24mm lens, 0.1 degrees translates to 7.3 pixels (81.4*0.1).

Those 7.3 pixels represent the maximum acceptable movement blur before point-like stars will turn into trailing stars. But is this movement really acceptable?

We are used to looking at our images on a computer screen. If you blow up your full resolution image to 100%, you will see that the star is not a dot.

But what about prints?

It turns out that if you print your image in 30x45cm format, those 7 pixels will make up a trail on your print only 0.5mm long!

Experimenting With Camera Settings

You might already understand that the shutter speed is only dependent on your camera’s crop sensor and the lens’ focal length.

But what about the other camera settings, you might ask. How should I set my ISO and my aperture? Not all combinations of ISO and aperture will result in successful Milky Way photos.

As I said before, cranking up your ISO may result in digital noise. But you still need to have a high ISO to get enough light.

Your aperture should be wide open. So try to work with the lowest possible F-stop. Remember, your shutter speed is fixed. You can only play around with the two other elements to get enough light.

Photo by Ashan Rai on Pexels

Conclusion

If you find yourself struggling to capture that starry night sky photography, using the 500 rule will improve your results a lot. If you combine it with image stacking, the difference will be dramatic.

This rule is something you should remember when you find yourself under the Milky Way Galaxy shining through the night.

For more low light photography tips, check out our twilight portrait or night street photography posts! Enthusiastic astrophotographers should check out our SkyWatcher Star Adventurer Review.
For stunning starry shots, don’t miss out on our Milky Way Mastery course!

Precision Time-Lapse

Remote Control with Intervalometer

8 Best Astrophotography Apps for iPhone in 2024

Andrea Minoia — Sun, 21 Jun 2020 12:15:54 +0000

Astrophotography can be technically challenging. But with these eight astrophotography apps, your iPhone will become your best night sky photography buddy. They will help you understand, navigate, and photograph the night sky.

The 8 Best Astrophotography Apps

Astrophotography is a really cool genre of photography! Here are the top apps to help you make the most of it.

8. Stellarium PLUS – Star Map

Explore the night sky with the Stellarium star map.
This app labels objects in the night sky. It also allows you to see the stars at any point in history and as other cultures view the heavens.
iPhone

Screenshot of Stellarium Plus

Stellarium has an easy-to-navigate interface. Point your iPhone anywhere in the night sky and constellations appear. Tap on a star or constellation and more information will appear. Stellarium lets you zoom in for a closer look or zoom out for a 360-degree view of the sky.
Stellarium doesn’t have augmented reality, but this isn’t a deal-breaker. Where this app shines is the ability to find deep-space objects. It will even pair with your telescope.
Stellarium is also available for Android.

7. Sun Surveyor

Sun Surveyor is one of my favorite night photography planning apps. It shows the positions of the Sun, Moon, and Milky Way.
The app is simple to use, but also powerful and highly customizable. The developers seem tuned in to exactly what information astrophotographers need. Then they make it easy to find.
iPhone

Screenshot of Sun Surveyor

The interface is clean, and the information is color coded. Though there is a lot of information included, the screen doesn’t feel cluttered.
Sun Surveyor quickly lets you know about photo opportunities for a given night. At your fingertips are the exact times the opportunity is available. With one click, you can add the event to your Google calendar.
The maps work with Google (or Apple) to help you plan photoshoots. They even let you get down to street view to virtually put yourself into position.
Live view lets you visualize where objects in the night sky are in relation to your environment.
The Lite version of Sun Surveyor gives you a taste of the app’s functionality. But you’ll quickly upgrade. It’s worth every penny.
Sun Surveyor is also available for Android.

6. PhotoPills

PhotoPills is a monster of a photography app. Each “Pill” or tool is a helpful program. At your fingertips will be information to help you track the Sun, Moon, and Milky Way. Also included are tools to help you photograph star trails and meteor showers.
iPhone

Screenshot of PhotoPills

In this app, you also have a handy exposure guide to help you with a number of things. These include camera settings, a depth of field calculator, and focal length tools. The app will also help you figure out how many photos you’ll take in a time-lapse. Then, it will help you plan star trail photos.
Augmented reality overlays information onto the scene in front of your iPhone. Dragging moves the Sun, Moon, or Milky Way across the sky. This lets you see exactly when the object will be in position.
All the tools can be overwhelming. But the PhotoPills Academy will walk you through the features.
PhotoPills is also available for Android.

5. Astrospheric

Astrospheric is one of the best apps for astrophotographers. It contains information about skies and cloud cover. Whether you’re looking for clear skies or planning sunsets, this is a fantastic app.
iPhone

Screenshot of Astrospheric

This app gives cloud cover forecasts for a specified location. Impressively, Astrospheric goes beyond most weather apps.
It is created for photographers and includes information that affects photography. It forecasts the effects of smoke, elevation, surface pressure, and air turbulence in the atmosphere. Dark sky photographers look for excellent atmospheric transparency, not just low cloud cover.
The information is easy to understand and color coded in table form. Map overlays are also useful.
There is also an overlay to help you find areas with low light pollution.
And the best part is it’s free.
Astrospheric is also available for Android.

4. Sky Guide

Sky Guide has a clean interface showing you a classic view of the night sky, labeling everything you can see.
You can navigate it and zoom in and out. The latest version comes with augmented reality. This allows you to place the stars on top of the scene viewed by your iPhone’s camera.
iPhone

Screenshot of Sky Guide

You can also navigate through time. The app will show the sky as it will be (or was) on a specified date and time.
The Sky Guide has a huge database of information on celestial objects. You can find out when they rise, peak and set, and also their apparent magnitude and apparent size.
You can navigate different categories or search objects by name or classification. And you can even save your favorite targets to find them even faster.
There’s also a calendar of notable future astronomical events. These include planet conjunction, eclipses, moon phase, comets, etc.
Whether you are into stargazing or a keen amateur astrophotographer, Sky Guide will let you know what is happening in the night sky.

3. Dark Sky Finder

Dark Sky Finder app allows you to overlay a light pollution map over a normal map.
iPhone

Screenshot Dark Sky Finder

The map uses the Bortle Scale. Different levels of darkness are color coded from black (darkest) to white (brightest).
The app has a database of dark skies locations. You can also add locations yourself and contribute to the app.
The about icon will show you a great deal of info and light pollution in general.
It is one of the best apps to plan your next Milky Way photography outing.

2. Clear Outside

Clear Outside has a useful free little weather app to help you find clear night skies. It gives you weather forecasts including seeing conditions, visibility, and sky clarity. This includes the hourly amount of low, medium, and high altitude cloud coverage.
iPhone

Screenshot of Clear Outside

The app can display a range of information for your current location or a specific one. In one handy table, you’ll have everything you need to plan your photoshoot.
Clear Outside is also available for Android.

1. The Photographer’s Ephemeris (TPE)

The Photographer’s Ephemeris (TPE) is the industry standard for astrophotography planning.
iPhone

Screenshot of The Photographer’s Ephemeris

TPE allows you to predict the positions of the Sun, Moon, and Milky Way. Where this app shines is when using the geodetic tool.
Select a position and a topographical feature to photograph. The app helps you determine what landscape features will be in view from a given position. You can search parameters and determine what dates and times the Sun or Moon will be in place.
Augmented reality lets you visualize the Sun, Moon, and Milky Way in relation to your environment. You can quickly scan through the timeline to find when the subject and night sky features will align.
Light pollution overlays give you a good idea in advance of how dark the night sky will be in a set location.
TPE is designed to interact with the weather forecasting app Skyfire. There is a subscription fee, but you can try it free for 30 days.
You can easily share your plans with fellow photographers via email or IM or add it to your calendar.
TPE is also available for Android.

Conclusion

These are my eight favorite astrophotography apps for iOS. They will cover all your astrophotography needs. Most will help you with any type of sky photography.
These apps will allow you to track objects in the night sky and plan an astrophotography shoot.
Not all of them are free, but they are well worth their price tag!
Check out our course Milky Way Mastery course to take your astrophotography to the next level!