Alfredo Castillo Asks:
Hi, I will like to learn on what to buy to start taking astro photos I do own a cannon d40 camaraderie and love photography but I don’t own a telescope.
Answer
Thanks for contacting us. The first question is what do you want to image?
Astrophotography can be divided into three broad areas:
1- Solar System imaging (Sun, Moon and Planets)
2- Deep Space imaging (galaxies, nebulas etc) and
3- Sky Scape or Wide Sky Images which includes large areas to image the Milky Way constellations and photos including landmarks and sky images.
Technically you can do any kind with pretty much any camera but a general unwritten rule says each type of imaging requires specific types of cameras. The topic is extensive and includes also the type of mount, guiding and tracking capabilities. It also depends on the kind of results you wish to accomplish and if you think you will do astrophotography in a more “serious” way in the future.
In general your camera is useful for Wide Area imaging and basic Deep Sky Imaging using a telescope. You can use it on a tripod for Wide fields of the sky on short exposures. No need for a telescope for doing that. Our suggestion is to visit our club or your nearest astronomy Club and contact some of the very good astrophotographers we have. We can provide more information on the schedules of our public meetings. We are open on Saturday nights for public and several of us are there on a regular basis. If you are under 18 years of age, please make sure you visit or contact us with your parent or legal guardian.
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