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 05 24 - m81 and m82
This is the first time I went out to shoot a specific object, instead of seeing when I could best shoot. Here’s my first attempt at M81 and M82.
They’re quite small in the frame, but I’m only using a €8 135mm!!
And some bonuses. Left to right: Image from iphone 12 vs same view with a 135mm, then a random cluster I found interesting (HERE on Astrometry)
Image from iphone 12
2026 05 23 - Polaris
A more thorough attempt with this lens.
1 sec exposure, ISO 4000, 350 images, 60 calibration frames, almost 6 minutes final exposure. I was expecting a nicer image… I need to do more testing!
2026 05 22 - 216mm set-up for €8
I got a new lens, expressly for Astrophotography. More info HERE on this €8 135mm f2.8 (216mm f4.5 equivalent on APS). Here’s a recent picture with it.
It’s 3.3 stops darker than my 1.4 and it’s a VERY old lens, but I’m so far it’s been a blast using it. Despite its flaws.
2026 01 18 - pre bhatinov
I printed a Bhatinov mask today after this first 2026 session.
2025 12 20 - Imminence
There was 10 min of clear skies after an Imminence gig so I rushed out and did what I could until clouds rolled over.
You can faintly see M37 and M35, even with only 3:30min total exposure.
2025 12 19 - Courtyard
Sadly the sky has been very non compliant, winter in Germany is miserable. Anyway, here’s a new shot.
2025 09 24 - London
I was visiting a friend in London and it was a crystal clear night (for London), but only had my phone on me. So, I was stubborn enough to sit in a dodgy park around midnight for this. And that’s me on the right because my phone was upside down on the floor. 😂
2025 09 23 - From my courtyard near a busy street
Despite the circumstances, these have become my favorite pictures I’ve taken because it was such an incredibly clear sky that night.
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, ursa major, cassiopeia
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.
