To get started in deep sky astrophotography, you must have, at a minimum, a motorized mount allowing sufficiently precise tracking of the objects to be imaged. Also, before undertaking the photography of deep sky objects or planets, it is necessary to determine the equipment to be put in place and to carry out a very good positioning of the mount. In this section, the following will be discussed:
- Astronomical calculations : It is important to know the configuration of the equipment to be set up to produce an image of a deep sky object and planets.
- Telescope collimation : It is important to adjust the optics of the instrument to ensure the quality of the images.
- Setting up the telescope : The quality of the photos depends largely on a good equatorial setting of the telescope.
- Find the polar axis of rotation : Explanation of a simple and precise method of aligning the telescope in an equatorial position on the celestial North Pole.
- Make a PEC : PEC (for "Periodic Error Correction" in English) is an important element to increase the tracking accuracy of the object to be imaged.
- Autoguiding the mount.
- Focusing the camera.
- Suggested exposure times.
- Maximum exposure time per photo depending on light pollution.
- Use of narrow band filters to combat light pollution
Richard Beauregard
The Sky Astro -CCD
Revised 2021/02/22