Have you ever stepped outside on a crystal clear night and wished you could capture the moon and the stars with your own camera? It’s not as difficult to accomplish as you might think. Continuing my series on astrophotography, now that you know what type of camera you should be using let’s discuss the best ways to capture constellations.
TRIPOD
Unless you are part rock and can steady your hands during your entire shoot I would highly suggest placing your camera on a tripod. Once you have your camera attached properly you can begin taking exposures of 10 to 25 seconds. For constellations, use ISO 800 or faster. With a wide-angle lens, set the camera to its lowest f-stop, focus at infinity, and take an exposure of 20 to 30 seconds. Most digital cameras have timer settings that allow exposures of different durations. If you have a 5 megapixel camera (at least), you should be able to capture brighter constellations at dusk without any problems using a tripod.
TELESCOPE
Many people who are trying to capture a frameworthy astrophoto shoot through a telescope. If you are just starting out you might consider focusing on the moon before you move on to constellations. You can take photos through a telescope in two ways: Either attach your camera directly to the telescope (turning the scope into a giant camera lens), or place the camera up to the eyepiece. If you choose the former option you will need to invest in an adapter that allows your camera to be attached directly to the telescope or to the eyepiece. Adapters can be purchased at most camera shops and are made for a wide range of camera models. If you choose to shoot through the telescope it’s a good idea to examine the focal length of the telescope. A focal length of 800-1200mm will yield decent shots of the moon. As far as exposure times are concerned they will vary depending on the moon’s phase and the focal ratio of the telescope used.
COMPOSITION
The key to a great astrophoto is composition. Rather than raising your camera and shooting straight up into the sky consider adding an object to the foreground, such as a tree, a house or some mountains.
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