{"id":52970,"date":"2023-12-30T08:30:00","date_gmt":"2023-12-30T08:30:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/aa2282f3-e340-42df-8e7f-4ede67dfb07b"},"modified":"2023-12-30T08:32:42","modified_gmt":"2023-12-30T08:32:42","slug":"a-beginners-guide-to-astrophotography-cameras","status":"publish","type":"rss_feed","link":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbcskyatnight\/rss_feed\/a-beginners-guide-to-astrophotography-cameras\/","title":{"rendered":"A beginner’s guide to astrophotography cameras"},"content":{"rendered":"

A look at what different cameras can do for you as you get started in night-sky imaging. <\/p>

By Charlotte Daniels\n <\/p>

Published: Saturday, 30 December 2023 at 08:30 AM<\/p>

\n\n

Many of us are inspired into astrophotography<\/a> through admiring deep-sky images.<\/p>

Thanks to advances in camera tech, amazing astrophotos are within reach of even relatively modest setups.<\/p>

Great images can be achieved even with a smartphone or with a DSLR that might otherwise be going unloved.<\/p>

Both are an excellent gateway into astro imaging. Alternately, you can jump right in with a more specialised camera.<\/p>

Discover our pick of the best astrophotography cameras<\/a><\/em><\/strong><\/p>

Credit: Arctic-Images \/ Getty Images<\/figcaption><\/figure>
In this guide we’ll reveal the different types of astrophotography camera and what they can be used for.<\/p>
There are many different categories of astrophotography, including widefields of the Milky Way, lunar and planetary imaging, and deep-sky imaging of objects like star clusters, nebulae and galaxies.<\/p>
Some cameras perform better than others across these categories, so think about what kind of photography you\u2019d most like to do.<\/p>
Then read on to find out how different cameras can help you reach your night-sky imaging goals.<\/p>
**Smartphone cameras<\/strong><\/h2>** $\"Smartphones$
Smartphones are a great introduction into the world of astrophotography cameras. Credit: Matt Gibson \/ Getty Images<\/figcaption><\/figure>
Camera technology is a key feature of many smartphones today, and their performance in low-light conditions has improved significantly.<\/p>
Because they\u2019re portable, smartphones are an excellent route into night-sky imaging, although with a fixed lens they don\u2019t offer the flexibility of other cameras.<\/p>
Depending on the model, smartphones perform best for widefield Milky Way images, some lunar imaging or capturing the Northern Lights.<\/p>
What type of images can be taken with your smartphone?<\/p>
It depends on whether it can capture long exposures. Some have this feature built in \u2013 often contained in a \u2018night mode\u2019 function \u2013 meaning it\u2019s possible to take widefield Milky Way images.<\/p>
$\"How$
Credit: David Trood \/ Getty Images<\/figcaption><\/figure>
The length of night-mode exposures is limited to 30 seconds, which isn\u2019t as long as is possible with a DSLR, but long enough for widefield photography.<\/p>
Night mode features often allow us to make ISO<\/a> adjustments, although if your smartphone doesn\u2019t include this there are apps available, including Camera 2 for iPhones and Camera FV-5 for Android phones.<\/p>
Star trails are another type of astrophotography that many smartphones can do, and if your phone doesn\u2019t come with a \u2018star trails\u2019 mode, there are also apps that provide this, including NightCap Pro<\/a>.<\/p>
Once selected, simply point your phone at the sky and take a photo.<\/p>
$\"Star$
Star trails captured with NightCap by Iain Todd, Bristol, UK, 26 February 2022. Equipment: iPhone 8, tripod. Star Trails mode, 9645.12 second exposure, 1\/3s shutter speed.<\/figcaption><\/figure>
The star trails<\/a> setting will automatically take a series of images and layer them on top of each other for the trailing effect.\u00a0<\/p>
Long exposures require zero movement of the camera, so a smartphone tripod<\/a> is handy to stabilise your smartphone.<\/p>
Another useful accessory is a remote-control shutter-release switch, which connects via Bluetooth and allow images to be taken without touching the phone.<\/p>
Smartphones can also be used with a telescope to take lunar images.<\/p>
This can be done by holding your smartphone lens over an eyepiece.<\/p>
However, there are smartphone telescope adapters<\/a> available that clamp your phone securely over the eyepiece to simplify things.<\/p>
***For more advice, read our guides on*** ***how to photograph the night sky with a smartphone<\/a> and how to photograph the Moon with a smartphone<\/a>.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>***
$\"Starfield$
Starfield over ColoradoMoatasim Farooque, Sevier County, Colorado, USA, 23 June 2023Equipment: Google Pixel 7 smartphone<\/figcaption><\/figure>
Expert’s tip<\/strong><\/h3>
If you don\u2019t have a Bluetooth remote shutter-release switch for your smartphone, the voice assistant facility for Apple or Android phones works well.<\/p>
That way, you can simply ask your phone to take a photo without having to physically push a button.<\/p>
**DSLR cameras<\/strong><\/h2>** $\"Get$ <\/figure>
DSLRs are astrophotography <\/strong>workhorses.<\/p>
**They can be used on their own (with lenses) or you can** **connect your DSLR to a telescope<\/a> via a T-ring and nosepiece.<\/p>**
**As a result, DSLRs are the best option for widefield Milky Way images, but also hold their own for deep-sky objects. \u00a0<\/p>**
Nevertheless, DSLRs can be challenging to master, because to achieve the best results you\u2019ll need to take full manual control over the settings and grasp what adjustments will work for each object.<\/p>
**DSLRs work best in manual mode for astrophotography, so that\u2019s the first thing to set.<\/p>**
**It\u2019s best to shoot in \u2018raw\u2019, which keeps all the pixel data so that you can get the most from it during later processing.<\/p>**
$\"Select$
Select DSLR manual mode using the top dial (left) and set the image quality to uncompressed \u2018raw\u2019 format (right) to give yourself more processing options. Credit: Charlotte Daniels<\/figcaption><\/figure>
You can usually change to raw mode in the image quality settings.<\/p>
Other settings to adjust are aperture (f\/ number), ISO and exposure time.<\/p>
**Aperture<\/strong> sets how much light hits the sensor \u2013 a low number means more light.<\/p>**
**You want this number to be as low as possible for faint nebulae, to gather as many photons as possible.<\/p>**
**However, for the Moon, you don\u2019t want oversaturated images, so increase this number.<\/p>**
**Meanwhile, ISO changes sensitivity to light.<\/p>**
**A higher ISO means more sensitivity, so is good for galaxies and nebulae, while for the Moon this should be stepped down.<\/p>**
**$\"Shoulder$** Credit: Deep Blue 4 You \/ Getty<\/figcaption><\/figure>
**ISO and exposure time<\/strong> dictate the signal-to-noise ratio. You want to boost the signal while keeping the noise low.<\/p>**
**Longer exposures increase signal, but also mean more noise.<\/p>**
**For deep sky, it\u2019s a delicate balancing act between ISO and exposure time.<\/p>**
**This differs between models, so it\u2019s best to experiment, checking your shots until you hit the right balance.\u00a0<\/p>**
**DSLRs with video capability can be used to take lunar images if connected to a telescope, although not as well as a dedicated planetary camera.<\/p>**
**Performance depends on their frame rate; the higher, the better.<\/p>**
**Note that to use a DSLR at its highest capture rate, you\u2019ll need a high-speed memory card.<\/p>**
**$\"Use$** Use a T-ring and nosepiece to attach your DSLR to your telescope in place of the lens. Credit: Charlotte Daniels<\/figcaption><\/figure>
The best-quality deep-sky images consist of lots of frames stacked<\/a> on top of each other.<\/p>
Free software such as DeepSkyStacker<\/a> and Sequator will do this.<\/p>
For videos, software like AutoStakkert! and RegiStax will convert each frame to an image for stacking.<\/p>
It\u2019s also possible to modify DSLRs to let in hydrogen-alpha \u2013 light emitted from nebulae \u2013 by removing the red spectrum filter.<\/p>
This affects the white balance for daytime use, so is best done on DSLRs you only plan on using at night, and only if you\u2019re confident about modifying your camera without damaging it.<\/p>
$\"M31,$
M31, the Andromeda GalaxyGary Eason, Colchester, Essex, 22 September and 15 October 2023Equipment: Nikon D750 DSLR, Sky-Watcher Explorer 150P reflector, Sky-Watcher EQ5 Pro mount<\/figcaption><\/figure>
Expert’s tip<\/strong><\/h3>
For test images, bump up the ISO so any faint nebulae show up quickly, saving time in setting the field of view.<\/p>
To focus, slew to the brightest star in the sky and use \u2018live view\u2019. Zoom in using the magnification buttons to magnify the star as much as possible and aid focusing.<\/p>
**Planetary cameras<\/strong><\/h2>** $\"Explore$
The Explore Scientific 4K Planetary Deep Sky Astro Camera<\/figcaption><\/figure>
**If you wish<\/strong> to capture celestial bodies within our own Solar System, there are cameras dedicated to the task.<\/p>**
**Planetary cameras are video cameras configured to perform at high frame rates, often hundreds of frames per second.<\/p>**
**Planets are the astronomy targets most susceptible to atmospheric \u2018seeing<\/a>\u2019 \u2013 conditions caused by weather and pollution.<\/p>**
**Poor seeing conditions are obvious; when capturing video or looking through an eyepiece, the planet will wobble and dance around the field of view.<\/p>**
**On nights of good seeing, the object is more stable and detailed.<\/p>**
$\"Illustration$
Illustration showing how our view of Jupiter is affecting by Earth’s atmosphere, known as ‘seeing’.<\/figcaption><\/figure>
A standard camera\u2019s frame capture will be sluggish for these fast-moving distortions in the atmosphere, and images will be soft or blurry.<\/p>
High-frame-rate captures, however, cut through the atmospheric disturbance and sharpen planetary images.<\/p>
For the same reason, they\u2019re great for capturing the Moon.\u00a0<\/p>
Planetary cameras can\u2019t be used on their own and must be controlled via software on a computer.<\/p>
They often come with manufacturer-specific software, but other free examples include SharpCap and FireCapture, which have additional features such as selecting a \u2018region of interest\u2019, which allows for quicker capture speeds.\u00a0<\/p>
$\"The$
The real-time live view in SharpCap Pro, showing the camera control panel where you can set exposure times and more.<\/figcaption><\/figure>
Rather than the hours of long exposures required for deep-sky images, it takes minutes to capture planetary videos, thanks to the high frame rates.<\/p>
Ten minutes of shooting will provide many thousands of frames, of which some will (hopefully) have cut through seeing at the right time.<\/p>
AutoStakkert! and RegiStax can stack and process the video into a single image.<\/p>
Because planets are small, they appear tiny in our field of view, even with long-focal-length<\/a> telescopes, meaning that a 1.5x or 2x Barlow lens<\/a> is often required to magnify the planet and provide the best views.<\/p>
$\"Jupiter$
Jupiter and Europa by Tom Howard, Crawley, Sussex, UK. Equipment: Celestron Skyris 618C camera, Celestron C11 SCT, EQ6 mount.<\/figcaption><\/figure>
Expert’s tip<\/strong><\/h3>
Live in a light-polluted area? Planetary imaging is a great option!<\/p>
The Moon and planets appear so bright in the night sky, they aren\u2019t as affected by light pollution as deep-sky objects.<\/p>
There are also lots of interesting phenomena to capture, such as oppositions, occultations and phases.<\/p>
**Deep-sky cameras<\/strong><\/h2>** $\"Bresser$
Bresser full HD deep-sky camera<\/figcaption><\/figure>
Designated deep-sky cameras are predominantly used for deep-sky imaging, as they create much lower noise on long exposures.<\/p>
The low sensor noise is achieved by inbuilt cooling systems which are either \u2018passive\u2019 (fans) or \u2018active\u2019 (Peltier coolers that maintain set temperatures).\u00a0<\/p>
Deep-sky cameras have no integrated control systems, so operating them is done via a computer, with software to change settings or set capture sequences.<\/p>
Each brand comes with its own software, but these can be quite basic.<\/p>
However, there are alternatives available that are configured for most camera types.<\/p>
These include Sequence Generator Pro, which offers functions that allow us to control other aspects of our imaging run, including changing filters or adjusting electronic focusers.\u00a0<\/p>
Deep-sky cameras come in two types: monochrome and one-shot colour (OSC).<\/p>
Monochrome cameras require filters to add colour; these can be either red, green and blue (RGB) or narrowband.<\/p>
$\"A$
A selection of coloured filters. Credit: Pete Lawrence<\/figcaption><\/figure>
Narrowband filters provide the best contrast for nebulae, as they capture specific wavelengths emitted by these objects, whereas RGB filters<\/a> are best for galaxies.<\/p>
OSC cameras do not require either filter type, although light-pollution filters<\/a> are available.<\/p>
Deep-sky cameras also come with different sensors: CCD and CMOS.<\/p>
Each has benefits, though CCDs tend to be recognised as more sensitive \u2013 which means that they\u2019re often more expensive \u2013 although CMOS technology has caught up in recent years.<\/p>
Dedicated deep-sky cameras are probably the most complicated kind of cameras to master.<\/p>
They\u2019re also expensive due to the need for additional software.<\/p>
Connecting the camera, mount and software is not always straightforward.<\/p>
We recommend setting everything up indoors during the day-time first to ensure everything connects properly.<\/p>
$\"M83,$
M83, the Southern Pinwheel by Galaxy Behyar Bakhshandeh. Equipment: FLI ML6303 mono CCD camera, Deep Sky Instruments RC10C Ritchey-Chr\u00e9tien astrograph, Astro-Physics AP900 GTO mount<\/figcaption><\/figure>
Expert’s tip<\/strong><\/h3>
Deep-sky cameras aren\u2019t optimised for all scopes, so compare the focal length of the scope to the pixel size of the camera.<\/p>
Cheaper cameras will have smaller sensors with larger pixels.<\/p>
Avoid over- or under-sampling images by using too few or too many pixels on the smallest details the telescope can resolve.<\/p>
You can find suitability calculators at ***www.astronomy.tools<\/a>.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>***
**Smart telescopes<\/strong><\/h2>** $\"Vaonis$
The Vaonis Vespera Observation Station<\/figcaption><\/figure>
Smart telescopes are a complete system, consisting of a telescope with built-in camera.<\/p>
They\u2019re pretty portable and can often be carried in a backpack to dark-sky sites, unlike the average mid-sized mount and telescope.<\/p>
The flip side of this is that they\u2019re designated imaging equipment, meaning you can never use them to look directly through the eyepiece.<\/p>
In addition, they don\u2019t offer the flexibility of owning a telescope that can be used with different cameras.<\/p>
Nevertheless, these are built with beginners in mind and can be a (relatively) stress-free introduction to the hobby.<\/p>
Artificial intelligence (AI) is used to locate deep-sky objects, so it removes the step of needing to align the telescope.<\/p>
$\"Unistellar$
The Unistellar eVscope eQuinox 2 telescope<\/figcaption><\/figure>
Smart telescopes are controlled via an app on a smartphone or tablet.<\/p>
They stack frames automatically as they\u2019re captured and even cut out some processing steps.<\/p>
Do pay attention to the file formats; some will be JPEG or PNG, which is fine unless you want to process extensively, in which case TIFF is better.<\/p>
It\u2019s worth remembering that they are limited to a fixed focal length and camera sensor.<\/p>
This is constraining, but usually makes the smart telescope a good fit for large nebulae and photos of the Moon, rather than galaxies.<\/p>
One thing to be mindful of is the resolution: some provide softer images than others.<\/p>
They also come in reflector or refractor types, and reflector types will occasionally need collimating.<\/p>
$\"The$
The Cigar and Bode’s Galaxies by John Short. Equipment: Unistellar eVscope 2 camera, telescope and mount<\/figcaption><\/figure>
Expert’s tip<\/strong><\/h3>
The integrated camera means that the field of view won\u2019t change \u2013 you can\u2019t swap in a new camera or telescope \u2013 so if you\u2019re looking to buy a smart telescope first check out its field of view.<\/p>
***www.astronomy.tools<\/a><\/em><\/strong> has a field of view calculator \u2013 pop in the camera sensor details, focal length and aperture to see what to expect for different objects.<\/p>***
***Do you capture photos of the night sky? Don’t forget to send us your images.<\/p>***
***This guide originally appeared in the January 2024 issue of BBC Sky at Night Magazine<\/em><\/strong><\/p> <\/body><\/html>\n***
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