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From the beginning of human civilization, weve been fascinated by what lies beyond our sky.
Now, with advancements in technology, were able to answer the questions that have plagued us for centuries.
Through astrophotography, photographers can record celestial objects and large patches of the night sky.
The first solar eclipse photo taken on July 28, 1951 by Berkowski.
What is Astrophotography?
Astrophotographyis one of the earliest types ofscientific photography.
The specialized field first appeared in the mid-19th century from the efforts of amateur astronomers.
Andrew Ainslie Common’s photograph of a nebula—the first to record stars that were too faint for the human eye to see.
The first solar eclipse photo taken on July 28, 1951 by Berkowski.
The Sun proved trickier.
Shortly after the success of Draper, others tried to capture a glimpse of the star.
Saturn’s ring as the dwarf its moon, Mimas. Image captured in July 2016 by the Cassini spacecraft.
The group effort was led byDr.
(Dr. Busch observed elsewhere.)
Berkowski attached a camera to a heliometeran instrument designed for measuring the Suns diameter.
Saturn’s outer ring B.
He exposed the daguerreotype plate for84 secondsin the telescopes focus and successfully obtained the incredible image.
The turning point for astrophotography was the advent ofdry plate photographybetter known as thegelatin process.
It was a simpler and cheaper approach, which allowed for more people to experiment and try it.
Junocam Image Set 893 – Polar Time Lapse Sequence.Photo: Jim Plaxco, artsnova.com
He was able to capture multiple images, some of which took up to an hour to expose.
Still used today, CCDs are super light-sensitive and can record a wide visual field.
They are configured on multi-mirror and segmented telescopes.
Great Red Spot. Photo:Liroma-52
Its impossible to talk about astrophotography without mentioningNASA.
The organization has always paved the way for exciting scientific advancements and discoveries in space.
Their spacecrafts calledCassiniandGalileohave had an in-depth look at Saturn and Jupiter, respectively.
Photo: Neil Zeller
Saturn
Theunmanned Cassini spacecraftbegan studying Saturn in 2004.
It’s been busy; every week since November 2016, it has gathered information about the planets rings.
In February 2017, it was halfway through its 20 orbits that document them at an increasingly close range.
Photo: Daniel Kordan
The results are both educational and awe-inspiring, showcasing the rich details of ring A and ring B. Saturn’s ring as the dwarf its moon, Mimas.
Image captured in July 2016 by the Cassini spacecraft.
Saturn’s outer ring B.
Learn How to Shoot Night Photography, Craftsy
On April 26, 2017, the spacecraft started its Grand Finale mission.
The risky attempt is sure to reveal even more about the iconic planet.
Jupiter
NASAs Juno space probehas had a long journey.
Here, the RAW images are published for amateur astronomers to download and retouch.
Junocam Image Set 893 Polar Time Lapse Sequence.Photo: Jim Plaxco, artsnova.com
Great Red Spot.
This is, in part, thanks to Junocam’s engineering.
It has a 58-degree field of view with four filters.
Junocam is a wide-angle camera designed to capture the unique polar perspective of Jupiter offered by Junos polar orbit.
Junocam is on the spacecraft explicitly to reach out to the public and share the excitement of space exploration.
The plan was for it to explore until 2018 but it is still active as of 2021.
But, that doesnt mean these astrophotographers cant capture their own stunning images of the cosmos here on Earth.
How to Take Your Own Astrophotography
You too can capture the distant stars.
As with other fields of photography, you’re able to get super hi-tech or keep it simple.
Some serious astrophotographers will invest instar trackersand lens designed especially for astrophotography.
But, you dont need special equipment to produce these types of imagesjust good quality gear and photography know-how.
If not, your pictures will turn out dark.
Tiny tweaks in aperture and movement can make a big difference in the final photo.
They have the best signal-to-noise ratio that allows for cleaner shadows that won’t appear grainy.
TheNikon D750is one such camera.
Best lens for astrophotography:Try wide-angle (and ultra wide angle) lens for the best results.
Some of the best astrophotography lens include theTamron 15-30mm f/2.8, theSigma 20mm f/1.4and theNikon 20mm f/1.8.
you’re free to have the top camera and lens, but what matters the most is location.
Check out some of the exciting offerings from sites likeCraftsyandCreativeLive.
Hesays, My goal is to capture in my camera, the story my eyes could never tell you.
The self-taught photographer enhances his images in Photoshop, digitally stacking individual photographs to create his otherworldly composite images.
His one-of-a-kind images are particularly unique because of the unusual colors and distinct spiral formations of the star trails.
Goran Strand
Swedish photographerGoran Strandspecializes in astrophotography.
His work has been featured in a Coldplay music video and has even been published as stamps in Sweden.
Ben Coffman
Portland-based photographerBen Coffmanspends most of his nights capturing the starry skies of Oregon.
Focusing on nighttime photography gives Coffman a different approach with fresh perspectives to familiar places.
The Portland-based photographer often shoots during odd hours to achieve awe-inspiring, long exposure shots.
Mike Wilson
Mike Wilsonis a self-taught photographer from the UK.
Wilson then developed the passion for capturing the incredible vistas the world has to offer.
He has grown his portfolio from landscapes and nightscapes to aerial photography.
Oscar Keserci
Finnish photographerOscar Kesercioffers us glimpses of tranquil starry nights.
The self-taught photographer captures breathtaking images that showcase dark skies full of millions of brilliant celestial points.
Some of his images even take an entire 24-hour period to shoot.
Jason De Freitas
Australian PhotographerJason De Freitasis well known for his analog astrophotography.
De Freitas chooses to work in-cameraversus working digitally on Photoshopto challenge himself.
He knows that with plenty of research and ample planning, the result is always worth it.
Marcell Pace
Italian school teacher turned astrophotographerMarcella Pacehas a true passion for astronomy.
10 years' worth of images are truly a sight to see.
