Digital Photographer - UK (2019-12)

Delve into the deep sky by using a tracking mount and a telescope

Try deep-space

astrophotography

Want to go deeper into the cosmos? There

are two ways to photograph star clusters,

nebulae, galaxies and other deep-sky

objects; using a tripod-mounted ’star tracker’

underneath your camera, or attaching a

camera to a telescope.

Star trackers are simple, portable devices

that go between a tripod and your camera.

Some of the most popular models are the

Skywatcher Star Adventurer and iOptron

SkyTracker, costing around £250/$320.

They’re called ‘equatorial’ mounts because

they have a motor that moves them in sync

with our planet. As our planet rotates, the

stars appear to move – as captured by a

star trail – and these mounts counteract

that. Aligned to Polaris, they correct for your

exact position on the planet, allowing you to

take long exposures of faint objects without

blur, therefore collecting a lot more light. You

can take 90-second exposures with lenses

as large as 600mm, though wide-angle

lenses allow even longer exposures (up to ten

minutes on the Milky Way).

Another technique that is useful if you have

occasional access to a telescope is to attach

your camera using a T-Ring and 1.25-inch or

two-inch adaptor (unique to your camera and

available relatively cheaply online). You can

then insert it where the eyepiece usually goes,

and use the magnification of the telescope to

take shots.

Either way, stick to a wide aperture and

ISO 800-3200 (depending on your camera),

and experiment with shutter speed (always

using a remote shutter release cable). You’ll

then need to dive into Photoshop and

process your RAW images to produce bright,

detailed, out-of-this-world images.

STAR CLUSTER

Star clusters like the Pleiades are perfect for

capturing using a star-tracker mount.

DOUBLE STAR

Lone stars don’t usually make interesting targets. An

exception is the blue and red double star Albireo.

10

GALAXY

A popular target for a camera attached to a telescope

is the Andromeda galaxy (M31).

Deep sky

The Orion Nebula

(M42) just beneath

Orion’s Belt is perhaps

the most stunning

object in the night sky

50

secs

All images © Jamie Carter

TECHNIQUES

Delveintothedeepskybyusinga trackingmountanda telescope

Try deep-space

astrophotography

Wanttogodeeperintothecosmos?There

aretwowaystophotographstarclusters,

nebulae,galaxiesandotherdeep-sky

objects;usinga tripod-mounted’startracker’

underneathyourcamera,orattachinga

cameratoa telescope.

Startrackersaresimple,portabledevices

thatgobetweena tripodandyourcamera.

Someofthemostpopularmodelsarethe

SkywatcherStarAdventurerandiOptron

SkyTracker,costingaround£250/$320.

They’recalled‘equatorial’mountsbecause

theyhavea motorthatmovestheminsync

withourplanet.Asourplanetrotates,the

starsappeartomove– ascapturedbya

startrail– andthesemountscounteract

that.AlignedtoPolaris,theycorrectforyour

exactpositionontheplanet,allowingyouto

takelongexposuresoffaintobjectswithout

blur,thereforecollectinga lotmorelight.You

cantake90-secondexposureswithlenses

aslargeas600mm,thoughwide-angle

lensesallowevenlongerexposures(uptoten

minutesontheMilkyWay).

Anothertechniquethatisusefulif youhave

occasionalaccesstoa telescopeistoattach

yourcamerausinga T-Ringand1.25-inchor

two-inchadaptor(uniquetoyourcameraand

availablerelativelycheaplyonline).Youcan

theninsertit wheretheeyepieceusuallygoes,

andusethemagnificationofthetelescopeto

takeshots.

Eitherway,sticktoa wideapertureand

ISO800-3200(dependingonyourcamera),

andexperimentwithshutterspeed(always

usinga remoteshutterreleasecable).You’ll

thenneedtodiveintoPhotoshopand

processyourRAWimagestoproducebright,

detailed,out-of-this-worldimages.

STARCLUSTER

StarclusterslikethePleiadesareperfectfor

capturingusinga star-trackermount.

DOUBLESTAR

Lonestarsdon’tusuallymakeinterestingtargets.An

exceptionis theblueandreddoublestarAlbireo.

10

GALAXY

A populartargetfora cameraattachedtoa telescope

is theAndromedagalaxy(M31).

Deepsky

TheOrionNebula

(M42)justbeneath

Orion’sBeltis perhaps

themoststunning

objectin thenightsky

50

secs

All images © Jamie Carter

TECHNIQUES