› ›kelbyone.com07 7Astrophotography doesn’t have to be complicated or expensive. Most of us can drive an hour to get away from city-light pollution and
take photos of bright objects, such as the moon, simply by placing a cell phone camera on the eyepiece of a telescope.
GETTING STARTED IN ASTROPHOTOGRAPHY
‹ ‹ PHOTOGRAPHY SECRETSLeft: My first astro image, a full moon shot in 1980 through a telescope with a 35mm film camera.
Right: A full lunar eclipse shot in 2010 with a DSLR through a 400mm lens and a teleconverter.DSLR image of the Andromeda GalaxyNaturally, the quality of the image won’t be comparable to what’s possible with more sophisticated gear, but there’s a lot of astro-
photography that can be accomplished with everyday photography equipment. Beyond that, the sky is literally the limit, depending
on your interest and budget.
KEEPING IT CHEAP AND SIMPLE
Star Trails
Photographing star trails is one way to engage in astrophotography with basic photography gear. All you need is a camera body
capable of long exposures (Bulb mode); a wide-angle lens; a tripod; and a moonless, clear night at a location free from as much light
pollution as possible.