As many say, Trevor is a legend within this hobby. It's because of his videos that I've got into astrophotography. He's assisted me with choosing equipment, best methods to take images, process them, and most importantly, enjoy the hobby. Thank you Trevor ;)
This will become a classic. You not only gave a great overview of how it’s done but you also put everything in perspective. All beginners should watch it. Great job!
This was an incredible video mate, you've raised the bar again! - I can't imagine how much effort went into this :-) Side note: Imagine my surprise when the OG who got me into all this in the first place gave my channel a mention too, haha!! What a surreal feeling, thank you so much mate!! 🙏 Clear skies! ❤
Fantastic summary. Similarly, I started with a DSLR and telephoto lens on a tripod to capture the Orion Nebula. I also did Eta Carina and managed to get an image of the Sombrero before getting any dedicated astro gear. My next investment was an EQ mount and an intervalometer, which allowed longer exposures and opened up a lot of the sky. My first and only telescope so far is an 8" SCT, which I picked up for a very good price pre-owned (it was bought but never used). From this I have done smaller planetary nebulae and the moon and planets - first with a DSLR and then with an ASI224MC planetary camera. The planetary camera introduced me to using a laptop to control my rig, so now I capture and track with a laptop. I am now looking at getting a heavier payload mount for my SCT and using the current one for a lighter wide-field setup. For the lighter setup I am thinking of going for an APO, but not quite sure what to go with yet. Budget is a big thing in astrophotography - my wife tells me we need to buy food and pay bills apparently....
Yeah I wouldn't call the AM5 a "starter" mount, but something like the Sky-Watcher AZ GTi WiFi Alt-Az is much more affordable, computer controlled mount for the beginner.
I had great success with the skywatcher EQM 35 and holds a decent amount of weight at 26 pounds max load I use both a refractor and have a 8 inch reflector both work really well with it
It's definitely expensive, but it's a mount you won't need to replace if you want to use larger telescopes. Also, it's very compact and easy to travel with.
Watching this video is like living another life one more time and here you go, you realize you current position in Astronomy field. 💥 It is hard to realize when you are already flowing on the go that but when you take time and look back you see everything you have done and how far you have came and last but not the least is how beautiful the journey was along with all the Ups and down. We are really grateful that you let us be a part of this beautiful journey with you. Cheers Trevor Jones 🍻🥂 Cheers to AstroBackyard 🎉
This is amazing, I'm currently working for astronomical research institute, and I learned things about astrophotography for researches. All components are amazing and basically well-engineered specially for this field.
Having delivered a presentation to my students on Astrophotography, I am excited about how much my presentation was in parallel with this video.. It reminded me of how far I have come in Astrophotography watching and learning from Trevor on Astrobackyard. The video and its quality is another benchmark for me to improve my content to continue inspiring my students to get into the amazing world of Astrophotography.
Howdy, just started learning about astro 😅 Got a nikon z6 ii and 2 lenses, nikkor z 50-250 and sigam 150-600, dad has tracker for his camera setup with 35mm uw but i will borrow it, i did some photos of the moon just 2 days ago, like 200 pictures and stacked them with luminar ai. This winter i rly wanna capture M31 and i never did something like this before. I know my lenses arent the best for astro stuff but it will be fine for me.
Since I have been following you for a few years, I have learned a lot, and I still do. And so I wanted to say thank you. I started with an SCT 9.25 "hard start" with my Canon 550D. Then I went the route of a small APO, the Meade 70/350 (6000) with an Asi 294 MC. ED127 and a Rasa were then added.. You are a real inspiration for our hobby.........
What fabulous information! You are so good at putting astro technical information into simple easy to understand words. I am an astro newby - a blue sky photographer who loves the star/planet movement, night sky patterns, and far away objects. I already have great photography gear to get started. This was the perfect intro to my next step to go deeper. I will eagerly be back to learn more. The journey begins .... thank you!
Your experience with getting the fuzzy out of focus picture of orion was exactly my experience too. Just breathtaking knowing that such wonders were just just barely out of sight and that I could capture them with enough patience and expertise.
I photographed my first aurora borealis this week. I was hooked even though they didn't look as cool as those iphone photos. The process of tinkering settings of dslr was the best. Few days later I captured Arcturus. While it was 5-10 seconds long streak I was hooked more. This video truly explains all a super newbie needs. I won't buy star tracker yet but will try wide angle and stacking. For all my 2 photos has been single photos. Thank you for great summary
Excellent video with great recommendations. Your video production quality has grown at least as much as your astrophotography. I have to say your success is due in great part to your sharing your enthusiasm and joy doing this hobby. Don't ever lose that!
What a great video. I have just retired and have done some semi pro photography over the years……..now I want the deep sky images you have shown here. I already have a pro level DSLR, but no know.edge of all the other items required. Your detailed video covers everything and I will start doing my research now, looking at the products you recommend! Thank you!!
A good refresher video to get me back into thinking about astrophotography in time for me to get my gear out the garage and set up ready for the longer nights coming up
Hello. I attended your beginner talk at Starfest 2024 and just wanted to say how much I appreciated the advice you gave on how to take great astrophotos. I've been dabbling for quite a while. I've been a mostly visual observer for more then 35 years, but you and others like you have inspired me to take the next step to get deeper into this hobby. I've stacked my first photos in the last few years and found with your tutorials and various software tips I could create some beautiful shots. My question however is who can print the photos in high quality. Can you tell me how you got yours printed. What company do you use if any. I understand you have a graphic artist background so you must have some good insight about this. The photos by the way were done with the Rokinon 135 f 2.0. which you recommended piggybacked on my LX-90. So no super guiding required. I love this lens !! Keep up the great work !!😀😀
Thank u so much for getting me in this hobby trevor, i bought a used celestron 5se and heq5 and saw saturn for the first time tonight and im absolutely thrilled.
0:40 i have just had this exact experience. Totally by accident I caught the ring nebula whilst trying to look at caldwell 20 (i missed by quite an angle) and I'm absolutely over the moon with it. It does however prove to me i need a go-to mount 😅
Always great tutorials Trevor. Your passion transcends and gives us the fever and perseverance we need. Very refreshing! Thanks buddy Clear skies to you man Carl
Great video - of course, you're the guy 🤩! I got started even "lower" with my still beloved pocket camera Canon 7X on a tripod. It's not cheap, but boy is this a versatile little beast! And as it happened to you I was hooked after taking a beautiful picture of the ISS passing in front Cassiopeia over Lake Constance 😍. My first upgrade camera-wise was what I still use today: A good Canon DSLR (90D) that I use daytime as well - and still love five years later. Mount / telescope wise I did what probably too many do: Save a 1000 Swiss franks, go online into an online store and choose the scope that was on sale at that moment 🫣🤣 ... but it wasn't a bad choice, Celestron 6SE, a bit too long of a focal length, an alt-az-mount, but I wouldn't miss any minute I spent with it outside! But it was a battle between me and the mount at the beginning! At the moment I took a step back camera / lense-wise using mostly my camera with different lenses, on the other hand I took it a notch up with the Star Adventurer GTi. And I just can't stop being amazed of what is possible with this simple setup! As you say, stacking is key! I will never forget when I installed Siril on my little MacBook and stacked 10 poor images, I still think it's magic! My dream-setup would be everything you mentioned: AM3-mount, a ZWO color-camera, redcat 51 and ASIAir pro. But all this ads up ... maybe when I grow up ... (I'll turn 55 shortly ☺). Thx!
Thank you for all the great videos over the years. It’s a beautiful hobby and you have helped people like me evolve our skills. I bought a Redcat because of one of your videos to try wider field imaging and absolutely love that little scope. I also started narrow band imaging from another one of your videos and it has taken my imaging to another level. Now I’m all in with an observatory and in the continuous pursuit of my next best picture. It’s an addiction folks. LOL! Thanks again Trevor.
Thank you so much Trevor for that video. Sometimes I get lost in the technical details of your videos but I'll keep this one in my favorites for reference. I've bought the SkyAdventurer, I have a good camera, but I still struggle to polar align and since I'm smack in Montreal, the light pollution is intense.
I think the thing that got me started into astrophotography was literally that fact that I just wanted to show my friends what I was seeing, because I just thought it was so cool that I wanted to share it, and then it occurred to me that I could start sharing the photos online for even more people to see and it just went from there
I wish I saw this video 2 years ago when I started to delve deeper into the hobby. Awesome video, very well explained even the smallest details for beginners!
@astrobackyard Just wanted to let you know that the links for the Guide Camera & Controller are the same, so the Guide Camera link is incorrect. Great video and very informative. I'm looking to get started myself, but finances are definitely holding me back in this hobby. I do have a Canon EOS R10 Mirrorless Camera, but saving up to get the Startracker mount to get started. I tried doing the point and shoot tripod and it just wasn't efficient for me. Thanks for all the great videos!
I'm super green, like seedling green lol. Bought my first ever telescope, a Celestron travel scope 70 and have been out every other night learning how to set it up and use my phone to take pics of the moon. I'm truly excited to have stumbled onto this channel and to break down the dense amount of info in this video alone. What a great video and presentation, thank you!
I'm a newbie and after a lengthy introduction/education I went with Seestar. Six months and over 100 images later. I'm an old guy with mobility issues and needed a hobby. I don't travel, I setup on my deck. I knew full moon was coming in a couple days but bad weather was forcast. So last night I captured a 97% blue moon in less than 10 minutes. The night before I got galaxy M74. 32M ly away. Having too much fun. Isn't that what hobbies are supposed to be about? I say, embrace the technology.
@@johndaley9188 me too. i love the simpicity of the seestar. only thing i regret is, you see the quality difference between 500$ and 4000$ :) within the Pictures
I'm from Brazil and I feel a mix of joy and deep sadness when watching your videos since even in the USA this equipment is expensive, here for us, it's extremely expensive. I have a Celestron 130 EQ and I think that astrophotography will be a retirement hobby for me. 😂
My first telescope is my grandpa's SCT. I am still learning how handle the thing. It is quite difficult to find objects when you dont have a go-to mount. It does have a tracking mount tho, so that is nice.
Really enjoy your videos and realize that are geared towards beginners and/or getting people interested in our hobby. Have you ever considered producing some content on intermediate and advanced topics such as pixinsight workflows and advanced hardware / filters reviews?
Great video, gave me a lot to think about. Which is standard for me all I ever seem to do is think about astrophotography never get started. I have photographed a few eclipses with my camera. I've also done visual astronomy for years, I have a Meade ACF. I've been thinking about the William Optics ZenithStar 61 II APO to do some deep space astrophotography. Then I start wondering if I should save up and get a triplet telescope inset of a doublet. I suspect I just have to stop doing research, pick something, and get started. After all you don't get any pictures if you never start taking them.
Great video Trevor. I am surprised that while you mentioned the ASIAIR as being a great addition to AP, you did not mention the new smart telescopes like the Seestar and others. They have really revolutionized AP and made it so much easier for beginners.
live in cairns 16 o south and when the skys clear especially tablelands aka elevation seeing is unbelievable fantastic the tropical bulge the neg thicker air humidity .Wondering equator get both nth and sth dso objects recently got the trifid and lagooon in same image regulary 70o and higher here .Planetary get clear images but hardly any definition astro program simplified to convert to avi and process pipp so many options are really tough going!
I watch your channel for the entertainment, but each video makes me want to take the next step and invest some money to do it myself. This one in particular 👏
Great informative video. One thing I rarely see mentioned, however, is the availability of secondhand equipment on sites such as cloudy nights classifieds and others of the sort. Yes, it is an expensive hobby, but some of the sticker shock may be eased if more people are made aware of good used equipment, sometimes even complete setups, at a fraction of the price of new more often than not. The most important thing a beginner can do is shop around before just dishing out cash. Still, that's not at all meant to insult this video. It's still great work, as always!
I've just gotten my first setup, first hobby I am fully invested since I started watching your channel. You have truly have an amazing channel Trevor ❤️ I am just waiting for Tsuchin-Atlas Comet in September. Any tips for tracking comets through Star Adventure 2i Pro?
Another nice video Trevor! Two comments if I may… You didn’t mention the new category of Electronically Assisted Astronomy (EEA) with portable telescopes like Dwarf II (my favorite) and Seestar. Also you should mention the PC requirements for processing/stacking the huge amount of photos (and gigabytes) involved. There also storage considerations and backup options ;-) Keep up the good work!
Great video! I shoot astro with a Nikon Z8 and a 70-200mm 2.8 or 400m 4.5 lens. I mostly get great results with this combo (plus skywatcher gti), but I'm wondering how much improvement I would expect to get if I went for a dedicated astro camera and telescope?
Great vid !! Can you please do one for the other 2 categories you mentioned, landscaping and planetary.. i appreciate all the effort, time and info you have provided. Big thank you 🙏🏼
Just getting started with Seestar - but my long-term astrophotgraphy goal (so far) is to image interesting, uncommon objects, like Arp interacting galaxies and interesting planetary nebulae, but I'm not sure if these are uncommon because they are so difficult or just simply too small and dim to get from suburban to rural skies. I'd also be interested in trying to get some objects that are a challenge and still have a bit of mystery surrounding them - my first one would be the flying dragon nebula - and trying to get a lot of data, perhaps with many different filters to try to find something that might reveal a bit of the remaining mystery about the object. I know these goals might be way over the top, but I want to preserve my beginner's enthusiasm for as long as possible. Any advice about my long-term goal targets? I assume the Arp galaxies are all within the realm of possibility, but I'm not so sure on the interesting planetary nebulae. I have a feeling a lot of the really interesting planetary nebulae I remember seeing over the years were probably from Hubble, so I don't know what's realistic from rural skies and something like a C11 Edge on a very solid EQ mount. All advice is appreciated. Thanks!
Agreed everything is pricey. I could afford to buy a camera, lenses etc but they mount up to serious money if you find its not for you. I have a fairly basic telescope so decided to buy a smart telescope eg Dwarflab. Yeah its still a lot of cash but by my reckoning cheaper than camera’s, lenses, etc etc or goto telescopes plus a camera. If it doesnt work out its still a lot to ‘write off’ but less than even what appears to be the cheaper gear. Maybe its an option to consider.
There is always the used market. Personally got into the hobby with a T3i, a Star Adventurer mount, and a cheap tripod all bought used on Facebook marketplace for a fraction of the price of new.
Thank you for your video and great inspiration to start with astro photography! I have ordered a Move Shoot Move Nomad tracker to start with my Sony a7iv body.
Hi. Back in the previous century I used to do astrophotography, typically 30 minute exposures unguided. A few times my stars ended up as ovals, usually not too bad. I would spend over half an hour leveling and polar aligning. Recently moved to dark skies (Retired) and wondered if I could get back into photographing deep sky objects. My question is, does the stacking software handle a minor amount of drift? Or do I need a new mount with automated everything? A goto function would be fun. Star-hopping is a bit of a task.
Nice, Trevor! I'd love to see how you did your Stellarium custom horizon. I especially would like to know how to do it without any Apple technology, since we have none, just Windows, Linux, and Android. I know lots of people talk about the Theodolite app, but they seem to be averse to developing apps for non-Apple users.
This presentation provides a much more accurate definition of 'amateur' than popular perception permits. If only people were more aware of original (i.e. accurate) meanings than currently used we would avoid many of today's problems in general.
Thanks for this amazingly helpful video. As a beginner interested in night sky/landscape photography, what imaging software would you recommend for stacking images? Many thanks
Hey Trevor, I hope this is something fresh and exciting for you! Could you try out this 3D-printed OnStep GoTo system designed by Mr. Deep Addicted (Ken) from Printables? He's made remarkable strides in developing 3D-printed telescope GoTos. In this expanding hobby, it would be great to see if 3D-printed GoTos can make a difference for beginner astrophotographers. It opens up the possibility for anyone to build their own at home.
The product links are identical for Option 2 Guide Camera and Option 2 Controller. And for Option 3 Guide Camera and Controller -- all the same link. I'm hoping for a camera recommendation in both options.
Its the cost of the mounts that gets me ! plus the fact that when i point my dslr (nikon d3200) at the sky you can't see anything so your guessing a bit !
Oh, and by the way: Celebrating the little victories has become my way of living my life ☺! I don't exaggerate, but I try to be aware of the good things that happen every day and greet them with a smile 😊!
@AstroBackyard Hey, Trevor! I recently got a Canon EOS M200 and a 650mm focal length 5 inch reflector with the iExos 100-2 PMC-8, and I threw in a little 2x barlow lense in there too. Haven't done anything with it yet, but should it be good for deep sky astrophotography?
Your right its definitely a humbling experience 😆 ive been having a few different telescopes for years, but just got into trying and learning astrophotography. Pretty much every pic I've taken is tradh 😆
Had the exact same feelings after my first shots of the Milky Way core, Magellanic clouds and even more so with my first Newtonian telescope (cheapest used I could get) - Orion nebula
Dark matter is dilated mass. Mass that is dilated is smeared through spacetime relative to an outside observer. It's the phenomenon our high school teachers were talking about when they said "mass becomes infinite at the speed of light". A graph illustrates its squared nature, dilation increases at an exponential rate the closer you get to the speed of light. A time dilation graph illustrates the same phenomenon, it's not just time that gets dilated. Dilation will occur wherever there is an astronomical quantity of mass because high mass means high momentum. It has been accepted for a long time that it is occurring in the centers of very high mass stars and the overwhelming majority of galaxy centers. The mass at the center of our own galaxy is dilated. This means that there is no valid XYZ coordinate we can attribute to it, you can't point your finger at something that is smeared through spacetime. In other words that mass is all around us. Dilation does not occur in galaxies with low mass centers because they do not have enough mass to achieve relativistic velocities. It has been confirmed in 6 very low mass galaxies including NGC 1052-DF2 and DF4 to have no dark matter, in other words they have normal rotation rates. All binary stars have normal rotation rates for the same reason.
My only hold back is having one laptop to do all the work, It runs PHD2 no problem, Stellarium, to control the mount no problems, stacking DSS, no worries, the crashes happen when I then import 700+MB files to PS.... A dell 5500 i5 8G ram with block of cheese for a graphics card... I find it even bogs down on normal photography... Are there any mini pc's worth having that will do the lot without bricking itself??? 🤔
Hello! I would like to buy an EQ3 pro GoTo mount, and I was wondering if it could support a 750p Newtonian telescope for astrophotography. Additionally, I would appreciate it if you could let me know whether a guiding telescope and camera are really necessary for astrophotography. Thank you!
I love that comment Trevor, “We are all just a bunch of nerds geeking out about space”
How true!
Cheers Simon
As many say, Trevor is a legend within this hobby. It's because of his videos that I've got into astrophotography. He's assisted me with choosing equipment, best methods to take images, process them, and most importantly, enjoy the hobby. Thank you Trevor ;)
Thank you!!
This will become a classic. You not only gave a great overview of how it’s done but you also put everything in perspective. All beginners should watch it. Great job!
I appreciate that!
This was an incredible video mate, you've raised the bar again! - I can't imagine how much effort went into this :-)
Side note: Imagine my surprise when the OG who got me into all this in the first place gave my channel a mention too, haha!! What a surreal feeling, thank you so much mate!! 🙏
Clear skies! ❤
Thank you, Luke! You're channel is such a amazing resource for the astro-community!
Thanks for this brief synopsis of what you recommend! When I grow up ( I'm only 67😬) I want to buy a redcat.😊
This is a phenomenal video! It’s also helped me realize how much I’ve learned since my first time watching one of your videos almost 5 years ago.
Thank you 😊
Fantastic summary. Similarly, I started with a DSLR and telephoto lens on a tripod to capture the Orion Nebula. I also did Eta Carina and managed to get an image of the Sombrero before getting any dedicated astro gear.
My next investment was an EQ mount and an intervalometer, which allowed longer exposures and opened up a lot of the sky. My first and only telescope so far is an 8" SCT, which I picked up for a very good price pre-owned (it was bought but never used). From this I have done smaller planetary nebulae and the moon and planets - first with a DSLR and then with an ASI224MC planetary camera. The planetary camera introduced me to using a laptop to control my rig, so now I capture and track with a laptop.
I am now looking at getting a heavier payload mount for my SCT and using the current one for a lighter wide-field setup. For the lighter setup I am thinking of going for an APO, but not quite sure what to go with yet. Budget is a big thing in astrophotography - my wife tells me we need to buy food and pay bills apparently....
That was an amazing video Trevor! So much work went into it, well done!
.....aaaaand at the moment I checked the price for the AM5 mount only to "start with", I'm out 😅
Yeah I wouldn't call the AM5 a "starter" mount, but something like the Sky-Watcher AZ GTi WiFi Alt-Az is much more affordable, computer controlled mount for the beginner.
Get the sky watcher star adventurer GTI or the ioptron skygyuider pro
As an alternative to the GTi, you could get the Explore Scientific iExos-100 GT ($559)
I had great success with the skywatcher EQM 35 and holds a decent amount of weight at 26 pounds max load I use both a refractor and have a 8 inch reflector both work really well with it
It's definitely expensive, but it's a mount you won't need to replace if you want to use larger telescopes. Also, it's very compact and easy to travel with.
Watching this video is like living another life one more time and here you go, you realize you current position in Astronomy field. 💥
It is hard to realize when you are already flowing on the go that but when you take time and look back you see everything you have done and how far you have came and last but not the least is how beautiful the journey was along with all the Ups and down.
We are really grateful that you let us be a part of this beautiful journey with you.
Cheers Trevor Jones 🍻🥂
Cheers to AstroBackyard 🎉
Impressive coverage and conciseness! Clearly, a lot of effort went into this, and it's bound to inspire many to give it a try
Thank you!
2:50 stacking can increase signal or reduce noise but not both at the same time
This is amazing, I'm currently working for astronomical research institute, and I learned things about astrophotography for researches. All components are amazing and basically well-engineered specially for this field.
This is hands down the best introduction I've seen and I've verb researching astrophotography for a while!
Once again, you’ve knocked it out of the park! Super helpful, easy to understand and well explained. Thank you!
I love what astrophotography does, I have gone back to visual and simple lunar and planetary photos. Thanks for the video!
Having delivered a presentation to my students on Astrophotography, I am excited about how much my presentation was in parallel with this video.. It reminded me of how far I have come in Astrophotography watching and learning from Trevor on Astrobackyard. The video and its quality is another benchmark for me to improve my content to continue inspiring my students to get into the amazing world of Astrophotography.
Howdy, just started learning about astro 😅 Got a nikon z6 ii and 2 lenses, nikkor z 50-250 and sigam 150-600, dad has tracker for his camera setup with 35mm uw but i will borrow it, i did some photos of the moon just 2 days ago, like 200 pictures and stacked them with luminar ai. This winter i rly wanna capture M31 and i never did something like this before. I know my lenses arent the best for astro stuff but it will be fine for me.
Since I have been following you for a few years, I have learned a lot, and I still do. And so I wanted to say thank you. I started with an SCT 9.25 "hard start" with my Canon 550D.
Then I went the route of a small APO, the Meade 70/350 (6000) with an Asi 294 MC. ED127 and a Rasa were then added..
You are a real inspiration for our hobby.........
What fabulous information! You are so good at putting astro technical information into simple easy to understand words. I am an astro newby - a blue sky photographer who loves the star/planet movement, night sky patterns, and far away objects. I already have great photography gear to get started. This was the perfect intro to my next step to go deeper. I will eagerly be back to learn more. The journey begins .... thank you!
Your experience with getting the fuzzy out of focus picture of orion was exactly my experience too. Just breathtaking knowing that such wonders were just just barely out of sight and that I could capture them with enough patience and expertise.
Wow. Absolute home run on this video. Really describes the journey ahead for this of us who are new and intrigued by the hobby.
I photographed my first aurora borealis this week. I was hooked even though they didn't look as cool as those iphone photos. The process of tinkering settings of dslr was the best. Few days later I captured Arcturus. While it was 5-10 seconds long streak I was hooked more. This video truly explains all a super newbie needs. I won't buy star tracker yet but will try wide angle and stacking. For all my 2 photos has been single photos. Thank you for great summary
Excellent video with great recommendations. Your video production quality has grown at least as much as your astrophotography. I have to say your success is due in great part to your sharing your enthusiasm and joy doing this hobby. Don't ever lose that!
What a great video. I have just retired and have done some semi pro photography over the years……..now I want the deep sky images you have shown here. I already have a pro level DSLR, but no know.edge of all the other items required. Your detailed video covers everything and I will start doing my research now, looking at the products you recommend! Thank you!!
A good refresher video to get me back into thinking about astrophotography in time for me to get my gear out the garage and set up ready for the longer nights coming up
One of the best introductory videos on astrophotography I’ve seen Trevor! Great job. Dr B from Manitoba, Canada 🇨🇦
Hello. I attended your beginner talk at Starfest 2024 and just wanted to say how much I appreciated the advice you gave on how to take great astrophotos. I've been dabbling for quite a while. I've been a mostly visual observer for more then 35 years, but you and others like you have inspired me to take the next step to get deeper into this hobby. I've stacked my first photos in the last few years and found with your tutorials and various software tips I could create some beautiful shots. My question however is who can print the photos in high quality. Can you tell me how you got yours printed. What company do you use if any. I understand you have a graphic artist background so you must have some good insight about this. The photos by the way were done with the Rokinon 135 f 2.0. which you recommended piggybacked on my LX-90. So no super guiding required. I love this lens !! Keep up the great work !!😀😀
I think of it as a big, rotating painting on a ceiling and we're picking different spots on the painting to focus in on.
Thank u so much for getting me in this hobby trevor, i bought a used celestron 5se and heq5 and saw saturn for the first time tonight and im absolutely thrilled.
This is so good, a great "view from space" of what astrophotography is about, with loads of helpful detail. Thanks!
0:40 i have just had this exact experience. Totally by accident I caught the ring nebula whilst trying to look at caldwell 20 (i missed by quite an angle) and I'm absolutely over the moon with it. It does however prove to me i need a go-to mount 😅
Always great tutorials Trevor. Your passion transcends and gives us the fever and perseverance we need. Very refreshing! Thanks buddy
Clear skies to you man
Carl
Thank you!!
Great video - of course, you're the guy 🤩! I got started even "lower" with my still beloved pocket camera Canon 7X on a tripod. It's not cheap, but boy is this a versatile little beast! And as it happened to you I was hooked after taking a beautiful picture of the ISS passing in front Cassiopeia over Lake Constance 😍. My first upgrade camera-wise was what I still use today: A good Canon DSLR (90D) that I use daytime as well - and still love five years later. Mount / telescope wise I did what probably too many do: Save a 1000 Swiss franks, go online into an online store and choose the scope that was on sale at that moment 🫣🤣 ... but it wasn't a bad choice, Celestron 6SE, a bit too long of a focal length, an alt-az-mount, but I wouldn't miss any minute I spent with it outside! But it was a battle between me and the mount at the beginning! At the moment I took a step back camera / lense-wise using mostly my camera with different lenses, on the other hand I took it a notch up with the Star Adventurer GTi. And I just can't stop being amazed of what is possible with this simple setup! As you say, stacking is key! I will never forget when I installed Siril on my little MacBook and stacked 10 poor images, I still think it's magic! My dream-setup would be everything you mentioned: AM3-mount, a ZWO color-camera, redcat 51 and ASIAir pro. But all this ads up ... maybe when I grow up ... (I'll turn 55 shortly ☺). Thx!
Thank you for all the great videos over the years. It’s a beautiful hobby and you have helped people like me evolve our skills. I bought a Redcat because of one of your videos to try wider field imaging and absolutely love that little scope. I also started narrow band imaging from another one of your videos and it has taken my imaging to another level. Now I’m all in with an observatory and in the continuous pursuit of my next best picture. It’s an addiction folks. LOL! Thanks again Trevor.
Trevor, Thanks for doing this video. It really helps us rookies out there. Keep doing what your doing
Thank you so much Trevor for that video. Sometimes I get lost in the technical details of your videos but I'll keep this one in my favorites for reference. I've bought the SkyAdventurer, I have a good camera, but I still struggle to polar align and since I'm smack in Montreal, the light pollution is intense.
I think the thing that got me started into astrophotography was literally that fact that I just wanted to show my friends what I was seeing, because I just thought it was so cool that I wanted to share it, and then it occurred to me that I could start sharing the photos online for even more people to see and it just went from there
I wish I saw this video 2 years ago when I started to delve deeper into the hobby. Awesome video, very well explained even the smallest details for beginners!
This is a brilliant introduction and a very good reality check template for all aspiring astro-photographers
@astrobackyard Just wanted to let you know that the links for the Guide Camera & Controller are the same, so the Guide Camera link is incorrect. Great video and very informative. I'm looking to get started myself, but finances are definitely holding me back in this hobby. I do have a Canon EOS R10 Mirrorless Camera, but saving up to get the Startracker mount to get started. I tried doing the point and shoot tripod and it just wasn't efficient for me. Thanks for all the great videos!
I'm super green, like seedling green lol. Bought my first ever telescope, a Celestron travel scope 70 and have been out every other night learning how to set it up and use my phone to take pics of the moon. I'm truly excited to have stumbled onto this channel and to break down the dense amount of info in this video alone. What a great video and presentation, thank you!
All the best... and welcome to the club 😎
really great video, but you forgot the beginner system Seestar S50, Dwarf 2, Dwarf 3 or similar
I'm a newbie and after a lengthy introduction/education I went with Seestar. Six months and over 100 images later. I'm an old guy with mobility issues and needed a hobby. I don't travel, I setup on my deck. I knew full moon was coming in a couple days but bad weather was forcast. So last night I captured a 97% blue moon in less than 10 minutes. The night before I got galaxy M74. 32M ly away. Having too much fun. Isn't that what hobbies are supposed to be about? I say, embrace the technology.
@@johndaley9188 me too. i love the simpicity of the seestar. only thing i regret is, you see the quality difference between 500$ and 4000$ :) within the Pictures
I'm from Brazil and I feel a mix of joy and deep sadness when watching your videos since even in the USA this equipment is expensive, here for us, it's extremely expensive. I have a Celestron 130 EQ and I think that astrophotography will be a retirement hobby for me. 😂
Great video, Trevor, in capturing a clear overview of a captivating hobby 👍
Got into the hobby a few years ago. Thanks for the update on the state of things. The new mounts and what software is out there.
My first telescope is my grandpa's SCT. I am still learning how handle the thing. It is quite difficult to find objects when you dont have a go-to mount. It does have a tracking mount tho, so that is nice.
Really enjoy your videos and realize that are geared towards beginners and/or getting people interested in our hobby. Have you ever considered producing some content on intermediate and advanced topics such as pixinsight workflows and advanced hardware / filters reviews?
Great video, gave me a lot to think about. Which is standard for me all I ever seem to do is think about astrophotography never get started. I have photographed a few eclipses with my camera. I've also done visual astronomy for years, I have a Meade ACF. I've been thinking about the William Optics ZenithStar 61 II APO to do some deep space astrophotography. Then I start wondering if I should save up and get a triplet telescope inset of a doublet. I suspect I just have to stop doing research, pick something, and get started. After all you don't get any pictures if you never start taking them.
Great video Trevor. I am surprised that while you mentioned the ASIAIR as being a great addition to AP, you did not mention the new smart telescopes like the Seestar and others. They have really revolutionized AP and made it so much easier for beginners.
Thank you Trevor. I am grateful that we can hear your powerful expertise.
live in cairns 16 o south and when the skys clear especially tablelands aka elevation seeing is unbelievable fantastic the tropical bulge the neg thicker air humidity .Wondering equator get both nth and sth dso objects recently got the trifid and lagooon in same image regulary 70o and higher here .Planetary get clear images but hardly any definition astro program simplified to convert to avi and process pipp so many options are really tough going!
This is a really great video. Nice job Trevor. Clear skies.
I watch your channel for the entertainment, but each video makes me want to take the next step and invest some money to do it myself. This one in particular 👏
Excellent video, Trevor! Yes, I happen to be one of those perfectionists. Thanks for putting this into perspective again for me - Cheers!
This was helpful and I've been subscribed for several years already. Clear skies!
Great informative video. One thing I rarely see mentioned, however, is the availability of secondhand equipment on sites such as cloudy nights classifieds and others of the sort. Yes, it is an expensive hobby, but some of the sticker shock may be eased if more people are made aware of good used equipment, sometimes even complete setups, at a fraction of the price of new more often than not. The most important thing a beginner can do is shop around before just dishing out cash.
Still, that's not at all meant to insult this video. It's still great work, as always!
What a tsunami of knowledge and important info. Loved every second.
I wish there was an option to subscribe the channel twice. ❤
I've just gotten my first setup, first hobby I am fully invested since I started watching your channel. You have truly have an amazing channel Trevor ❤️
I am just waiting for Tsuchin-Atlas Comet in September. Any tips for tracking comets through Star Adventure 2i Pro?
Another nice video Trevor! Two comments if I may…
You didn’t mention the new category of Electronically Assisted Astronomy (EEA) with portable telescopes like Dwarf II (my favorite) and Seestar.
Also you should mention the PC requirements for processing/stacking the huge amount of photos (and gigabytes) involved. There also storage considerations and backup options ;-)
Keep up the good work!
Great video! I shoot astro with a Nikon Z8 and a 70-200mm 2.8 or 400m 4.5 lens. I mostly get great results with this combo (plus skywatcher gti), but I'm wondering how much improvement I would expect to get if I went for a dedicated astro camera and telescope?
Great vid !! Can you please do one for the other 2 categories you mentioned, landscaping and planetary.. i appreciate all the effort, time and info you have provided. Big thank you 🙏🏼
Brilliant Video. I wish it was available at the start of my astro photography journey. Thanks Trevor.
Hello! Im really wanting to capture Galaxy images, What are some good telescopes to capture Galaxies?
Just getting started with Seestar - but my long-term astrophotgraphy goal (so far) is to image interesting, uncommon objects, like Arp interacting galaxies and interesting planetary nebulae, but I'm not sure if these are uncommon because they are so difficult or just simply too small and dim to get from suburban to rural skies. I'd also be interested in trying to get some objects that are a challenge and still have a bit of mystery surrounding them - my first one would be the flying dragon nebula - and trying to get a lot of data, perhaps with many different filters to try to find something that might reveal a bit of the remaining mystery about the object. I know these goals might be way over the top, but I want to preserve my beginner's enthusiasm for as long as possible.
Any advice about my long-term goal targets? I assume the Arp galaxies are all within the realm of possibility, but I'm not so sure on the interesting planetary nebulae. I have a feeling a lot of the really interesting planetary nebulae I remember seeing over the years were probably from Hubble, so I don't know what's realistic from rural skies and something like a C11 Edge on a very solid EQ mount. All advice is appreciated. Thanks!
the "starter" rig is a bit pricey 😓
Astrophotography is pricy.
Agreed everything is pricey. I could afford to buy a camera, lenses etc but they mount up to serious money if you find its not for you. I have a fairly basic telescope so decided to buy a smart telescope eg Dwarflab. Yeah its still a lot of cash but by my reckoning cheaper than camera’s, lenses, etc etc or goto telescopes plus a camera. If it doesnt work out its still a lot to ‘write off’ but less than even what appears to be the cheaper gear. Maybe its an option to consider.
There is always the used market. Personally got into the hobby with a T3i, a Star Adventurer mount, and a cheap tripod all bought used on Facebook marketplace for a fraction of the price of new.
You could sell a kidney. You have two lol
@@tyshantz8675 tad drastic but an option 🤣
Excellent video! Thank you (65 yr old in Arizona)
TO BE HONESTB ITS CRISP SIMPLE SUPERB NARRATION AND HAVE ALL MATERIAL. THANK YOU.
Thank you for your video and great inspiration to start with astro photography! I have ordered a Move Shoot Move Nomad tracker to start with my Sony a7iv body.
Hi. Back in the previous century I used to do astrophotography, typically 30 minute exposures unguided. A few times my stars ended up as ovals, usually not too bad. I would spend over half an hour leveling and polar aligning.
Recently moved to dark skies (Retired) and wondered if I could get back into photographing deep sky objects. My question is, does the stacking software handle a minor amount of drift? Or do I need a new mount with automated everything? A goto function would be fun. Star-hopping is a bit of a task.
Nice, Trevor! I'd love to see how you did your Stellarium custom horizon. I especially would like to know how to do it without any Apple technology, since we have none, just Windows, Linux, and Android. I know lots of people talk about the Theodolite app, but they seem to be averse to developing apps for non-Apple users.
This presentation provides a much more accurate definition of 'amateur' than popular perception permits. If only people were more aware of original (i.e. accurate) meanings than currently used we would avoid many of today's problems in general.
Wow! This video is amazing very well explained I love that you give different opinions for different budgets, new subscriber, thanks for sharing.
Thanks for this amazingly helpful video. As a beginner interested in night sky/landscape photography, what imaging software would you recommend for stacking images? Many thanks
Deep Sky Stacker!
Hey Trevor, I hope this is something fresh and exciting for you! Could you try out this 3D-printed OnStep GoTo system designed by Mr. Deep Addicted (Ken) from Printables? He's made remarkable strides in developing 3D-printed telescope GoTos. In this expanding hobby, it would be great to see if 3D-printed GoTos can make a difference for beginner astrophotographers. It opens up the possibility for anyone to build their own at home.
The product links are identical for Option 2 Guide Camera and Option 2 Controller. And for Option 3 Guide Camera and Controller -- all the same link. I'm hoping for a camera recommendation in both options.
Love your channel !! So inspiring.
04:36 what model is this red box? I think it would fit my uses perfectly! :)
Thank you very much. I have a question, is using a telescope or using a lense with same focal length same ??
Its the cost of the mounts that gets me ! plus the fact that when i point my dslr (nikon d3200) at the sky you can't see anything so your guessing a bit !
Oh, and by the way: Celebrating the little victories has become my way of living my life ☺! I don't exaggerate, but I try to be aware of the good things that happen every day and greet them with a smile 😊!
@AstroBackyard Hey, Trevor! I recently got a Canon EOS M200 and a 650mm focal length 5 inch reflector with the iExos 100-2 PMC-8, and I threw in a little 2x barlow lense in there too. Haven't done anything with it yet, but should it be good for deep sky astrophotography?
You've just turned a 34 yr married guy feel like a kid again... thanks!
Another great video with helpful information.
Awesome video Trevor. If this had been available when I started, I could have saved myself so much heartache (and probably $$$ too 😂)
Your right its definitely a humbling experience 😆 ive been having a few different telescopes for years, but just got into trying and learning astrophotography. Pretty much every pic I've taken is tradh 😆
Luv the video mate so well thought out.......and explained.
Hey Trevor, do you happen to have a new video on capturing calibration frames with a dedicated astrocam and the zwo asiair?
Great guide. Thank you Trevor
This made my day, thank you!
Had the exact same feelings after my first shots of the Milky Way core, Magellanic clouds and even more so with my first Newtonian telescope (cheapest used I could get) - Orion nebula
Thank you for all the inspiration in this video!
Wow! Cheers for this. A lot to take in and I'll have to start with baby steps. 😃👍
Amazing video. Thanks so much for sharing!!
Dark matter is dilated mass. Mass that is dilated is smeared through spacetime relative to an outside observer. It's the phenomenon our high school teachers were talking about when they said "mass becomes infinite at the speed of light". A graph illustrates its squared nature, dilation increases at an exponential rate the closer you get to the speed of light. A time dilation graph illustrates the same phenomenon, it's not just time that gets dilated.
Dilation will occur wherever there is an astronomical quantity of mass because high mass means high momentum. It has been accepted for a long time that it is occurring in the centers of very high mass stars and the overwhelming majority of galaxy centers.
The mass at the center of our own galaxy is dilated. This means that there is no valid XYZ coordinate we can attribute to it, you can't point your finger at something that is smeared through spacetime. In other words that mass is all around us.
Dilation does not occur in galaxies with low mass centers because they do not have enough mass to achieve relativistic velocities. It has been confirmed in 6 very low mass galaxies including NGC 1052-DF2 and DF4 to have no dark matter, in other words they have normal rotation rates. All binary stars have normal rotation rates for the same reason.
my first scope and only scope is the skywatcher 80ed, best thing ive ever bought
My only hold back is having one laptop to do all the work,
It runs PHD2 no problem, Stellarium, to control the mount no problems, stacking DSS, no worries, the crashes happen when I then import 700+MB files to PS....
A dell 5500 i5 8G ram with block of cheese for a graphics card...
I find it even bogs down on normal photography...
Are there any mini pc's worth having that will do the lot without bricking itself??? 🤔
Very well overviewed Trevor😊
Hello! I would like to buy an EQ3 pro GoTo mount, and I was wondering if it could support a 750p Newtonian telescope for astrophotography. Additionally, I would appreciate it if you could let me know whether a guiding telescope and camera are really necessary for astrophotography.
Thank you!
Thank you SO much for sharing this!