A Beginner’s Guide to Astrophotography: Choosing the Right Equipment

Astrophotography is one of the most rewarding ways to explore the universe. Whether you're capturing the glowing bands of Jupiter, the craters of the Moon, or the majestic Andromeda Galaxy, the journey starts with having the right tools. This blog is the first in a multi-part series that will guide you through everything you need to begin your astrophotography adventure. Let’s start by focusing on choosing the right equipment.

Why Start with Astrophotography?

Astrophotography combines science and art, allowing you to document the beauty of the night sky while learning about the cosmos. It’s a perfect way for both beginners and experienced astronomers to deepen their connection with space. Plus, with the availability of advanced yet affordable equipment, astrophotography has never been more accessible.

1. Telescopes: The Foundation of Astrophotography

Choosing the right telescope is crucial, as no single telescope can excel at everything. Each type of telescope is designed to specialise in certain areas, such as wide-field imaging, high-magnification planetary observation, or deep-sky imaging. Understanding these strengths can help you choose the best option for your specific astrophotography goals. Here’s a deeper look into popular telescope designs:

Refractors

Refractors are a popular choice for astrophotography due to their simplicity and optical quality. They are particularly well-suited for wide-field imaging and capturing deep-sky objects (DSOs) like galaxies and nebulae.

• Apochromatic Refractors: These use extra-low dispersion (ED) glass to minimise chromatic aberration, producing sharp, colour-accurate images. They are ideal for both beginners and advanced users looking for premium image quality.
• Petzval Refractors: Designed with built-in field flatteners, these telescopes deliver a flat field across the entire image sensor, making them a top choice for wide-field astrophotography with professional results.
• Smart Telescopes: Innovative models like the Vaonis Vespera, DwarfLab, or Seestar S50 integrate advanced features such as automated tracking, built-in cameras, and app-based controls. These are excellent for beginners who want a hassle-free way to capture stunning wide-field images of DSOs.

Why an 80mm Refractor is a Great Option
An 80mm refractor is widely considered one of the best starting points for astrophotography. It offers:

• Portability: Lightweight and compact, perfect for travel or quick setups.
• Wide Field of View: Ideal for capturing large DSOs like the Andromeda Galaxy.
• Forgiving Optics: A fast focal ratio (f/5 to f/7) enables shorter exposure times, which is beneficial for beginners.
• Versatility: Compatible with various mounts and accessories, making it a flexible and cost-effective choice.

Example: An 80mm ED refractor provides an excellent balance of affordability, performance, and ease of use, making it a reliable option for beginners and hobbyists alike.

Reflectors

• Best For: High-magnification imaging of planets and lunar details.
• Advantages: Larger apertures at lower cost compared to refractors, making them excellent for visual astronomy and entry-level astrophotography.
• Considerations: Reflectors require collimation (alignment of mirrors) and are more susceptible to coma (distortion at the edges).
• Example: A 150mm Newtonian reflector is a versatile option.

Catadioptrics

• Best For: Versatility—suitable for both planetary and deep-sky imaging.
• Advantages: Compact, long focal lengths, and good for advanced imaging.
• Example: Maksutov-Cassegrain telescopes from the Bresser range, available at Vega Vision, excel in planetary imaging and lunar detail.

Tip: If purchasing a complete setup, look for a telescope with a fast focal ratio (f/5 to f/7) for better light-gathering capability. When buying individual components, ensure the telescope complements the mount’s stability to prevent vibrations during long exposures.

2. Cameras: Capturing the Light

DSLR or Mirrorless Cameras

• Advantages: Widely available, versatile, and beginner-friendly.
• Best Use: Lunar and wide-field astrophotography. Paired with adapters, they can attach directly to a telescope.

Dedicated Astro Cameras

• Advantages: Designed specifically for astrophotography, offering higher sensitivity and cooling systems to reduce noise.
• Types: CMOS cameras like the ZWO ASI533MC Pro are excellent for both planetary and DSO imaging.

Colour vs Mono Cameras

• Colour Cameras: Capture full-colour images in a single exposure, making them beginner-friendly and ideal for simplicity.
• Mono Cameras: Provide greater sensitivity and flexibility by capturing more detail in specific wavelengths. These require the use of filters (e.g., red, green, blue, and luminance) to produce colour images, but they offer superior results for advanced astrophotography.

Tip: Mono cameras paired with a filter wheel are excellent for detailed deep-sky imaging but may require more effort and processing than colour cameras.

3. Mounts: Stability is Key

A solid mount is essential for clear, detailed images. It is arguably the most critical component of your astrophotography setup.

Equatorial Mounts

• Tracks the Earth’s rotation, keeping your target centred in the frame during long exposures.
• High-quality equatorial mounts, like the Bresser EXOS-2 GoTo EQ, provide excellent stability and precision for long-exposure imaging. The GoTo functionality automates the tracking and locating of celestial objects, saving time, reducing frustration, and ensuring accurate positioning. This is particularly beneficial for beginners, making it easier to focus on capturing stunning images rather than spending time manually aligning the telescope.

Alt-Azimuth Mounts

• Simpler to use but not ideal for long-exposure astrophotography due to field rotation.
• These are better suited for visual astronomy or short-exposure imaging.

Tip: Always consider a mount’s weight capacity—it should comfortably handle your telescope and all additional accessories, such as cameras, guide scopes, and dew heaters. For astrophotography, aim to load only about 75% of the mount’s maximum capacity to ensure stability and minimise vibrations during imaging.

4. Accessories: Enhancing Your Experience

Guide Scopes and Guiding Software

• A guide scope, paired with a guiding camera, ensures precise tracking during long exposures by correcting any mount deviations.
• Popular guiding software like PHD2 integrates with your mount to provide real-time adjustments.

Dew Heaters

• Prevent condensation on your telescope’s optics, ensuring clear views during cold or humid nights. Dew heaters are particularly useful for extended sessions where environmental conditions can degrade image quality.

• A guide scope, paired with a guiding camera, ensures precise tracking during long exposures by correcting any mount deviations.

• Popular guiding software like PHD2 integrates with your mount to provide real-time adjustments.

Filters

Filters are invaluable for improving image quality and contrast in astrophotography. For example:

• Light Pollution Filters: Reduce artificial light interference, making it easier to capture faint DSOs in suburban or urban skies.
• Narrowband Filters: Ideal for isolating specific wavelengths, such as hydrogen-alpha (Hα), oxygen-III (OIII), and sulfur-II (SII), to bring out intricate details in nebulae.
• Filters for Mono Cameras: Used for high-detail, multi-wavelength imaging. Mono cameras paired with red, green, blue, and luminance filters are excellent for creating detailed, colour-accurate images.

Tip: Match your filters’ size (1.25″ or 2″) to your imaging setup.

Filters are invaluable for improving image quality and contrast in astrophotography. For example:

• Light Pollution Filters: Reduce artificial light interference.
• Narrowband Filters: Ideal for emission nebulae.
• Filters for Mono Cameras: Used for high-detail, multi-wavelength imaging.

Tip: Match your filters’ size (1.25″ or 2″) to your imaging setup.

5. Beginner-Friendly Targets

Planning Software

• Tools like NINA (Nighttime Imaging 'N' Astronomy) help plan your astrophotography sessions by automating tasks like framing, focusing, and sequencing. NINA integrates seamlessly with mounts and cameras, allowing you to define specific targets and imaging parameters in advance. It supports features such as automated meridian flips and precise focusing adjustments, making it invaluable for both beginners and experienced astrophotographers. NINA integrates seamlessly with mounts and cameras, making it ideal for beginners and advanced users alike. Other software options, such as Stellarium or SkySafari, are excellent for star charting and visualising celestial events.

Once your equipment is ready, start with bright, easy-to-locate objects:

• The Moon: Perfect for learning focus and exposure settings.
• Orion Nebula (M42): A bright DSO visible in most skies.
• Andromeda Galaxy (M31): A stunning spiral galaxy.
• Star Clusters: Open clusters like the Pleiades (M45) are forgiving for beginners.

Conclusion

Astrophotography is a journey that begins with the right equipment. By selecting a telescope, camera, and mount suited to your goals and pairing them with essential accessories, you’ll be well on your way to capturing the wonders of the universe. Start simple, experiment with settings, and enjoy the learning process as you uncover the secrets of the night sky.

There are many ways, techniques, and opinions in astrophotography, with countless combinations of equipment to achieve your desired results. When the technical elements feel overwhelming, take a moment to remember why you started this journey—pause, look up, and rediscover the beauty and wonder of the night sky.

Stay tuned for the next part of this series, where we’ll dive into basic techniques and camera settings for astrophotography.