There's a long-standing debate among amateur astronomers: which is better, observing the sky with your eyes or capturing it with your camera? It will always be a matter of personal taste, but the good news is that for anyone looking to try their hand at astrophotography, there's never been a better time. Whether it's taking casual snaps of the stars or delving into more advanced techniques - what the seasoned called 'imaging' - this hobby has seen an explosion of popularity. Increasingly ubiquitous astro-capable cameras and superb software have made astrophotography easier. Want to try it? Here are 10 targets to get you started.
Start simple
Nothing is easier than placing your camera or smartphone on a tripod and shooting away, as you'll find with these entry-level projects
1. The Milky Way
Capture the river of light that crosses the sky
Bu hikaye BBC Sky at Night Magazine dergisinin September 2023 sayısından alınmıştır.
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Bu hikaye BBC Sky at Night Magazine dergisinin September 2023 sayısından alınmıştır.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Giriş Yap
Putting cosmic rays to work
These penetrating interstellar particles have applications from astronomy to archaeology
Set up your first imaging sequence
How to automate and coordinate your gear over multiple nights of imaging
The Universe without gravity
Life with no gravity might sound a fun idea, but as Govert Schilling explains, shutting off this pivotalforce would spell disaster for Earth and beyond
How to blend images taken with different camera setups
Combine data captured at varied focal lengths to create rich, deep images
INSIDE THE SKY AT NIGHT
Back in September 2021, The Sky at Night show spoke to Carly Howett about NASA's then upcoming Lucy mission. As the spacecraft now approaches its main targets - the Trojan asteroids - we check in with her to see how the mission is going
The science of SCI-FI
We love a good sci-fi film, but do they get the science right? Amy Arthur picks six of the big mistakes made in space films
Seeing in a new light
It's National Astronomy Week this month, so take a tip from Mark Westmoquette and let mindful stargazing change your perspective on your life and problems
What to do if you find a meteorite
Ever come across an unusual rock and wondered if it's a meteorite? Mark McIntyre explains how to tell if that stone really is a fragment from outer space
GEAR
Charlotte Daniels rounds up the latest astronomical accessories
Q&A WITH A STELLAR ECLIPSE SPECIALIST
Many stars are gravitationally locked inside multi-star systems, but a rare new triple-star system has set a new record for how cosy these clusters can get
