How-To: Astrophotography 101

Don't put that camera away when it gets dark, get outside and take pictures! A whole universe of wonderful images awaits you.

By Paul Lefevre | Published Dec 17, 2008 7:13 AM EST

How To

Astrophotography-101-The-California-Nebula-in-the

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The California Nebula in the Constellation Perseus; a four-hour exposure with a digital camera.

Astrophotography-101-Stars-appear-to-circle-the-s

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Stars appear to circle the sky around Polaris, the North Star. A 30-minute exposure at f/8 taken on Palomar Mountain, California with a Canon 300D DSLR at ISO 400.

Astrophotography-101-Imaging-and-guiding-telescop

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Imaging and guiding telescopes mounted on a German Equatorial Mount, ready for taking pictures.

Astrophotography-101-The-Andromeda-Galaxy-12-h

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The Andromeda Galaxy — 12 hours total exposure time on a 540mm telescope.

Astrophotography-101-Quarter-Moon-shot-with-a-Can

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Quarter Moon shot with a Canon 20D, ISO 400, at 1600mm focal length.

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