Beginner's Guide to Astrophotography

Now everyone can learn to take great pictures of the cosmos!The night sky is filled with immense beauty and mystery, and its no wonder so many photographers want to learn how to take great photographs of all it contains: the moon, stars, planets, galaxies, and beyond. But for photographers just getting started photographing the cosmos, some books veer into advanced territory way too quickly, filled with difficult theory and long, expensive lists of must-have gear.If youre just starting your adventure in astrophotography, The Beginners Guide to Astrophotographyis the book for you! Photographer Mike Shaw teaches you everything you need to know to capture great images of the night skywithout breaking the bank or needing an advanced physics degree.In this book, youll quickly gain an understanding of the night sky, then dive into gear and settings. Regardless of the camera you own (smartphone, DSLR, or mirrorless), youll be able to capture shots you love. Youll learn all about the gear you absolutely need (and what you dont) as well as the accessories that will make your astrophotography life easier. Then youll dive into camera technique: exposure settings, focusing tricks, and composition techniques to get the shot. Youll also learn about the best apps for astronomy, weather, planning, and navigation. Mike walks you through how to plan a shoot, set up for it, and capture your images. Finally, youll learn the post-processing techniques that will have your images looking their best.Youll learn how to photograph: The moon (full, crescent, lunar eclipse, solar eclipse) The Milky Way (the core, the central band) Constellations (Orion, Perseus, Scorpius, etc.) Asterisms (Big Dipper, Summer Triangle, Orions Belt, etc.) Star trails Planets (Venus, Jupiter, Saturn, Mars) Aurora Borealis Meteors Satellites (such as the Internaional Space Station) Nebulae Star Clusters Galaxies Comets And more!Table of ContentsChapter 1: What Is Astrophotography, Exactly?Chapter 2: Understanding the Night Sky for AstrophotographersChapter 3: Astrophotography Equipment, Setup, and TechniqueChapter 4: Landscape Astrophotography SubjectsChapter 5: Deep Sky Astrophotography SubjectsChapter 6: Choosing Where and When to ShootChapter 7: Synthesis: Your First Astrophotography SessionChapter 8: Making Your Astrophotography Images Look AmazingChapter 9: Advanced Astrophotography