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Practical tips

Dittler's photography workshop

The first steps in astrophotography are paved with questions. Dittler's photography workshop takes a step-by-step approach to the issues.

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Astrophotography is fascinating. Photographs of the night sky reveal details that are visually difficult to see. And they allow us to remember our observations and share them with others. We cannot compete with the Hubble Space Telescope, but we can have fun learning from one photograph to the next, and expand our possibilities. This photography workshop starts simply and spans the entire subject matter for you – right up to the photographic proof of exoplanets.

Which camera do you need to get started?

Astrophotography - surely only possible with expensive special cameras - after all, our targets are small and faint. Or am I mistaken?

Which telescope for astrophotography?

Lens telescope, Newtonian, Schmidt-Cassegrain or astrograph? Four things are important – along with what you want to photograph.

It all depends on the mount!

Capturing deep sky objects requires longer exposure times. This places a number of demands on the mount.

Trails in the sky

Why not make use of the rotation of the night sky? Star trail shots are impressive and are perfect for an introduction to astrophotography.

The Moon in focus

Our companion is large and bright: the perfect preconditions for great photos. However, there are a few things to keep in mind. But what are they?

The Sun in focus

No other star allows us to see and photograph details on its surface. With these tips, you can succeed in doing it.

Another view of the Sun

Your white-light photographs of the Sun are in the can. Now, wouldn’t prominences be exciting? You’ll need special filters for this.

A look at the Milky Way

This target is so large that it's best to use a wide-angle lens. You need to pay attention to these 3 things.

Deep sky photography with a DSLR

You can photograph regions of faint nebulae with a digital mirror reflex camera, but the technique is critical.

In the depths of space

The next step up from a DSLR is a cooled CCD camera. Experts use monochrome cameras together with colour filters.

Comet photography. Equipment and preparation.

Comets are attractive and easy to photograph – providing you prepare carefully and have the right equipment.

Comet photography. Procedure and image processing.

Comets move fast when they’re close to Earth. Too fast for astrophotography? How to succeed despite their speed.

Space station passing in front of the Sun. Equipment and preparation.

Pictures of the ISS passing in front of the Sun offer a great alternative to photography requiring long exposure times. How accurate planning will lead to a successful picture.

ISS transit in front of the Sun and Moon. Procedure and image processing.

The pictures are taken, now it's time to process the images. This is when you really see that every transit is unique.

Planetary photography. Preparation and equipment.

With long focal lengths and hundreds of images, you will be able to capture the allure of the planets in some great astronomy pictures.

Planetary photography. Procedure and image processing.

How do you ensure that image processing as easy as possible? Careful setup and control during imaging are key.

Photographic evidence of exoplanets

Photometric light curves can document the transits of extrasolar planets. Here you can read the instructions on how to make this possible.