Next to a camera, I also have a telescope at home. I became interested into combining my two hobbies. Although astrophotography is a very easy hobby in which to get started on a simple level, it can be difficult to master at its highest level. You must be prepared to spend the time learning the craft. But spectacular results are not only possible; they are easy to learn with the step-by-step approach of Digital Astrophotography: A Guide to Capturing the Cosmos. This book from O’Reilly is new on the market and has the following topics covered:
Learn how to:
Set up your camera for optimal results
Focus your camera for razor-sharp images
Take beautiful night shots with a simple compact digital camera, a tripod, and a telescope
Use a DSLR camera to shoot the Sun, Moon, stars, and more
Get brilliant images of planets with a webcam
Capture remote galaxies with a CCD camera just like a pro
Also learn to:
Shoot RAW format images and improve them with calibration frames
Take short exposures of faint deep-sky objects and combine them into a longer exposure
Perform brightness, contrast, and color correction
Make corrections for vignetting & uneven field illumination
Process your images for stunning results
As the author says, “The rewards of this fascinating hobby grant you unforgettable hours under the night sky… It is exciting!”
In his foreword, nationally renowned astronomer and artist, Robert Gendler tells us, “I can’t think of anyone better [than Stefan Seip] to bring the new technologies of digital astrophotography to those who are eager to learn them.”
