As I continue my series on astrophotography I thought it might be helpful to discuss some of the places that are available for you to receive hands on lessons in the subject.
I got my first taste of astrophotography at Chicago’s Alder Planetarium. Located along the banks of Lake Michigan, the center is a premier public resource for learning about astronomy. It is also staffed by some of the nation’s best astrophotographers.
If you live in the area or are planning a trip to Chicago sometime in the near future I would highly recommend attending Alder’s Planetarium’s “Far Out Fridays.” On the first Friday of each month from 4:30 p.m.-10:00p.m. you can take advantage of the many astrophotography opportunities presented by the planetarium. Bring your telescope (if you have one otherwise the planetarium has dozens set up for guests to gaze through) and your camera and staff members will help you capture some incredible shots of the night sky.
While there you can learn about recent improvements in technology that have made planetary imaging much easier than in the past. Most of the astrophotographers employed at the planetarium have small cameras that attach directly to telescopes via a computer, such as the Celestron NexImage Solar System Imager, Meade’s Deep Sky Imager or Phillips TouCam Pro webcam, which are capable of producing incredible images.
Once your camera is properly mounted on the telescope you will be able to capture images with the click of a computer mouse, which means you can snap (or click) a number of frames in rapid succession. When you are done you simply sort through the shots and delete those that didn’t capture what you intended. The remaining shots can be stacked using a number of software programs, including Registax. By stacking an image you will be able to reduce pixel clutter and the end result will yield a more detailed and sharper photograph.
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