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AMATEUR ASTROPHOTOGRAPHY: INITIAL CONSIDERATIONS. (Edited August 24, 2022.)
If you are reading this article, you are searching for responsible advise.
Warning: NATURE and only Nature is THE determinant factor of whether there will be Clear Skies at a given location at a given night and for how long. Thereto the increasing interest by Amateur Astronomers in "convenient" backyard Electronically Assisted Astronomy (EAA).
SERIOUS AMATEUR ASTRO-PHOTOGRAPHERS spend most entire clear sky nights, at remote dark observation sites (in order to avoid metropolitan and suburban light pollution), with very expensive scopes, mounts, computers, powers supplies and cameras, alone, or in the company of another amateur friend or two, often in extreme weather conditions and in the unpleasant company of voracious insects.
They may return home with sufficient sets of time exposures of one or two deep space objects (galaxies, nebulae, clusters..) that need to be processed using several computer image processing programs.
Each metropolitan, suburban and rural area or region may offer more or less favorable conditions, within a more or less reasonable distance, weather permitting, for astronomical observation and/or astrophotography. Statistically, how many clear nights per year do you have where you live? The answer to this question is important because it will determine, how many opportunities you may have each year for observation or astrophotography.
Important: It is NATURE who schedules clear nights for astronomical observation or astrophotography, and your only opportunities to enjoy the financial investment you decide to make, to further your interest in the hobby of Amateur Astrophotography.
And finally: What is your particular family situation? Your age? Your children's age? Your job schedule? Your wife's job? Will your family join you in these new endeavors? Could this new interest interfere with other “scheduled” evening activities (PTA, family, community, professional education, …)? Or your job?
You may have been asked:
What is your interest in astrophotography? PLANETARY? OR DEEP SPACE?
An introduction on each of these subjects will have to be the subject of separate articles, since it involves the learning of advanced technical skills and:
An understanding of the physics in the optics of telescopes and cameras.
Types of mounts and its effects in time exposure photography.
Computers and imaging processing Software.
Cameras, and astrophotography accessories.
A description of the technical knowledge and important financial investment (commitment) required in each case.
As an introduction to Planetary Astrophotography, you may mount your home Digital of DSLR camera on your tripod and take some pictures or the Moon. Mount your video camera on the same tripod and take some video of the Moon. Try the telephoto feature. Experiment. You may be surprised at the results.
Beware Consumer (Caveat Emptor): BEFORE YOU ARE LURED INTO INVESTING MANY HUNDREDS AND EVEN THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS IN FANCY AND EXPENSIVE: TRIPODS, EQUATORIAL MOUNTS, and/or ASTRO-CAMERAS and accessories, PLEASE CONSIDER THIS VERY IMPORTANT FACT OF THIS HOBBY.
NATURE and only NATURE is THE determinant factor of whether there will be Clear Skies at a given location at a given night and for how long.
And you will find very few of them convenient to you, each year.
July 27,2014
December 31, 2016 - updated.
October 4, 2022 - updated
MIAMI-DADE ASTRONOMY INSTITUTE PROJECT
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