16 - Astrophotography [ongoing…]
Thanks for stopping by, here’s a present to you:
In case you are also a very visual person, I made this visual representation of the instructions by DeepSkyStacker for faster reference.
And, some resources you might find useful:
Stellarium live star map
Forecast for Astrophotography
2025 09 11 - Experimenting
After experimenting with calibration frames, I’m blown away at the difference they make.
The right image is an experiment. I wanted to see how DeepSkyStacker handles different angles; Pretty great, obviously.
These are straight after stacking, no editing.
This next one is a vertical composite using the free Image Composite Editor.
With compositing mode changes (“Soft light”) it’s really effective to overlay a black fade png, kind of simulating a Graduated ND filter, to bring out the contrast in the sky.
These next ones are not stacked; the right really shows light pollution in the city center.
2025 08 24 - higher iso test
I learned a valuable lesson today in embracing higher ISO, and I took extra care with my calibration frames.
These are the cleanest images I made, yet, and I can’t believe I managed to get a glimpse of the Triangulum galaxy (M33) in the center middle of the Andromeda shot.
More to come once the weather clears a bit in northern germany :)
Canon M50, Sigma 30mm (48mm equivalent), 1.8
4-seconds x 30 shots + 20 shots per calibration frame type (darks, bias, flats)
2025 08 18 - Andromeda,
It was a BEAUTIFULLY clear night out, so I decided to try my luck at 100ISO with my 48mm-equivalent set-up. Next time I’ll try the recommended higher ISO for my Canon M50, this was my first test adding Bias and Flats. I left much earlier than I wanted to because I kept hearing weird noises in the bushes and I was alone in the dark…
Ursa Major (full image)
60 x 4s shots
Andromeda (full image)
100 x 4s shots
Cassiopeia (full image)
110 x 4s shots
2025 08 13 - Perseid pt 2
I went out again to see remnants of the Perseid showers after their peak, but only saw two meteors. I did however get a cool Andromeda shot, plus a very annoying but well-placed satellite.
Same shot, but stacked without so much satellite activity.
I couldn’t find anything on why this banding happens, so I assume it’s the low bit depth of my camera, even though some 50 photos were stacked. Very strange, but I still like that shot.
Andromeda (full image)
2025 08 12 - Peak of this year’s Perseid showers
I was out to see the Perseid showers during their peak and in the unideal circumstances managed to see five or six beautiful meteor streaks.
Unintentionally, I captured satellites. Many, many satellites. That’s what the many many small streaks are in many of the photos.
There were tons of people out for it, which is awesome.
Cepheus, Cassiopeia, Lacerta (full image)
As the moon came up:
Perseus, Triangulum, Aries, Andromeda, Pegasus, Cassiopeia (full image)
2025 03 05
Monocerus, Orion, Eridanus (full image)
2025 02 01 - Parts of constellations Eridanus, Monoceros, Lepus
From my apartment building’s courtyard, near a busy/bright street.
