Astrophotography

How-to guides, case studies, and equipment recommendations to help you take amazing photos of the stars, planets and other objects in space.

Astrophotography equipment

• Astronomy Photographer of the Year: Equipment Analysis 2019-2021 – See our analysis of what equipment has been used in nearly 400 images shortlisted for the world’s leading astrophotography competition in the past three years.
• Best Camera for Astrophotography – see our up-to-date recommendations on the best DSLR and mirrorless cameras for photographing the stars.
  • Astro Modified Cameras – what are they and how to get one.
  • Best Nikon Camera for Astrophotography – What is the best model from Nikon?
  • Best Pentax Camera for Astrophotography – What are the best options from Pentax?
  • The Nikon D810A – read about this specialist astrophotography DSLR.
• Best Lens for Astrophotography – if you want to photograph the Milky Way, you’ll want a good quality wide-angle lens like those featured in this article.
  • Best 14mm Lenses – 14mm lenses are some of the best for landscape photography and astrophotography. Find the best options for different camera brands – Nikon, Canon, Sony, Pentax, Fujifilm and Olympus.
• Best Telescope for Astrophotography – if you want a telescope that specializes in photographing space, then you’ll need something different than one that is mostly for viewing. See our recommendations here.
  • Stellina vs eVscope vs Equinox – check out our overview of these smart hybrid telescopes that have cameras built-in.
  • What is an Astrograph? – If you’ve come across this category of telescope and wanted to understand more then check out this article.
• Best Astrophotography Mount – vitally important to accompany a telescope is a good quality mount that will allow you to find and track objects in the night sky.
• Best Star Tracker for Astrophotography – star trackers are amazing pieces of equipment that greatly aid Milky Way and other astrophotography. They allow your camera to track the rotation of the Earth so you can have longer exposures without star trails.
• Best Tripod for Astrophotography – a sturdy tripod is essential for astrophotography. You need to avoid any vibration ruining your long exposures.
• What Equipment Do You Need for Astrophotography? – check out our comprehensive guide to what astrophotography equipment you need in your setup.
• Astrophotography on a Budget – How to save money whilst building an astrophotography set up for landscape or deep sky imaging.
• Best Intervalometer (For Canon, Nikon & Sony Cameras) – An intervalometer can be a great and cheap way to give you the extra control of your camera that you need for astrophotography.

Astrophotography guides & tutorials

• Astrophotography: The Ultimate Beginner’s Guide – read our complete overview of everything you need to know about astrophotography.
• How to Take Pictures of Stars – Beginners’ Step-by-Step Guide to Star & Night Sky Photography
• What’s in the Sky Tonight From My Location? – find out the best tools to use to work out what is visible for you on any night
• Night Vision Astrophotography & Astronomy – Read our beginners’ guide to using a night vision device to aid your stargazing and imaging
• How to Photograph the Milky Way – step-by-step guide to planning and capturing your image.
• Light Pollution and Astrophotography – understand how light pollution affects astrophotography and how you can get around the problem.
• Best Astrophotography Apps – find the best smartphone apps to help your astrophotography.
• Smartphone Astrophotography – see our guide to capturing the stars and planets with your phone’s camera.
• Best Astrophotography Books – increase your knowledge with these books.
• Instagram astronomy – find the best astrophotographers to follow on Instagram.
• Best Astrophotography YouTube channels – check our list of the best channels to follow with great free learning resources.
• Best Places To Share Astrophotography Images – see our guide to building an online astrophotography portfolio and promoting your images.
• Astrophotography Competitions & Contests For You To Enter – See our list of astrophotography competitions from all over the world so that you can find the right ones to enter and win prizes.

Astrophotography case studies

• Daniel Stein – how to photograph the Milky Way in New York.
• TolgaAstro – capturing the Andromeda galaxy.
• Deep Sky West – how two friends build a remote astrophotography observatory.
• Josh Sweet – how to create an astrophotography panorama.
• Abdul Dremali – how he captured Mars, Saturn, Jupiter and the Milky Way in one picture.
• Laura Krause – shooting the stars in the Los Angeles desert
• Michael Ver Sprill – capturing the Milky Way in Washington.
• Leonardo Orazi – Milky Way and deep-sky astrophotography in Italy.
• Connor Matherne – deep sky and Milky way astrophotography in Colorado.
• Talman Madsen – photographing the Milky Way from New Zealand.
• Ken Crawford – how to photograph the Horsehead nebula.
• Ivan Slade – photographing the Milky Way from Australia.
• Marcus Cote – how to shoot a Milky Way selfie.