Category Archives: Astrophotography

2023 is only three weeks old, but already we’re about to witness the closest observable pairing of naked-eye planets this year. 

Venus and Saturn will be in conjunction on Sunday (Jan. 22), appearing close enough together in the sky to both be seen through a telescope. The close pairing will also be visible to the naked-eye.

Astrophotography is popular with hobbyists, advanced amateurs, and professionals alike, and a high-quality camera is essential for capturing the cosmos. With NASA’s recent achievements and the number of celestial events that have been visible from planet earth in recent years, it’s no surprise that interest in this style of photography continues to grow. The best cameras for astrophotography will help you capture the beauty of the stars from your own backyard — although it will certainly help if your backyard happens to be in an area without much light pollution! 

— Best Overall: Nikon D850
— Best Mirrorless: Sony A7 III
— Best APS-C: Fujifilm X-T4
— Best Deep Sky: ZWO Optical asi183mc Pro
— Best Budget: Canon EOS 6D Mark II

How We Picked the Best Cameras for Astrophotography

When selecting the cameras in this buying guide we considered sensor size, megapixel capability, low-light performance and budget. When compiling our choices, we made sure to include a mixture of DSLR cameras, mirrorless cameras, and at least one dedicated astrophotography camera. Products that appear in this guide were selected through a mixture of hands-on use, editorial reviews, and user feedback. 

Best Cameras for Astrophotography: Reviews and Recommendations

Best Overall: Nikon D850 

Why It Made The Cut: The 45.7 megapixel sensor found inside the Nikon D850 makes it a beast when it comes to shooting astrophotography — giving shooters ultra-detailed images with very little digital noise, even at high ISOs. 

Specs: 

— Sensor: 45.7 megapixel
— ISO Range: 64 to 25600 (expandable to 102400)
— Weight: 2.22 pounds (body only) 

Pros:

— 4K video capability
— Rear tilting touchscreen for easy composition
— Excellent weather sealing 

Cons:

— Large and heavy compared to other options

The Nikon D850 is a standout for capturing the galaxy. Its 45.7-megapixel sensor means files that are detailed and high-res enough that you can crop into them without fretting over pixel loss. The D850 can shoot 4K UHD video at 30 frames per second (fps), performs well at high ISOs, and has fully illuminated buttons on its body, making it easy to operate in the dark. Although the D850 has an optical viewfinder, the camera’s rear tilting touchscreen makes it easier to focus in dark environments, without having to keep your eye to the lens. 

Although it’s bulkier than some of the other options on the market, the D850 has a rugged build that will work well in even the harshest environments, and you simply can’t beat the high-megapixel images it takes of the night sky.

Best Mirrorless: Sony A7 III

Why It Made The Cut: The Sony A7 III remains one of the best mirrorless cameras for low light photography, making it a great tool for the aspiring astrophotographer, plus, since it’s an older model it has a slightly less expensive price point. 

Specs: 

— Sensor: 24.2 megapixel
— ISO Range: 100 to 51200 (expandable 50 to 204,800)
— Weight: 1.43 pounds (body only) 

Pros:

— Older model means savings up-front
— 693-point AF (autofocus) system
— Large capacity body, rated for 710 shots per charge

Cons: 

— Newer model available 

The Sony A7 III provides an excellent mixture of features that will appeal to astrophotographers who are interested in a versatile camera that can be used for other types of photography as well. Although there is a newer model available in the Sony A7 IV, the A7 III remains a highly capable camera and a great entry point into full-frame mirrorless cameras. It has a large-capacity Sony battery that can shoot approximately 710 shots per charge, excellent performance in low-light situations, and autofocus points that cover 93 percent of the camera’s frame. That capability makes this camera a great tool for composing wind-angle starscape shots that also include elements like rock formations or distant lighthouses.

Best APS-C: Fujifilm X-T4

Why It Made The Cut: Fujifilm’s flagship mirrorless APS-C camera is a powerful tool for shooting in the dark. The tactile dials also make it more comfortable to operate in low-light conditions than some of its competitors. 

Specs:

— Sensor: 26.1 megapixel
— ISO Range: 160-to 2800 (expandable 80 to 51200)
— Weight: 1.34 pounds (body only) 

Pros:

— 425 phase-detect AF points
— Fully articulating LCD screen for easy composing
— 10-bit 4K video recording capabilities
— Tactile controls 

Cons:

— Doesn’t come with an external charger 

This lightweight APS-C camera is an excellent choice for the astrophotographer who is interested in both stills and video. Fujifilm has created a camera that performs well in both departments and makes it easy to switch back and forth between the two. The Fujifilm X-T4’s 425 AF points work well in low lighting conditions, and the 26.1- megapixel sensor should provide plenty of resolution for most astrophotographers. It  includes a number of beautiful film-simulation modes for enhancing your starscapes in-camera, and the tactile controls make it easy to change settings when working late at night in low-light conditions.

Best for Deep Sky: ZWO Optical asi183mc Pro

Why It Made The Cut: The ZWO Optical asi183mc Pro is designed to be used with a telescope for capturing deep-sky objects like nebulae, supernova remnants and the moon. It’s a specialized piece of equipment that will be able to capture exquisite details that a DSLR or mirrorless camera would certainly miss. 

Specs:

— Sensor: 20.1 megapixel
— ISO Range: Scope-mounted astrophotography camera
— Weight: .0308 pounds

Pros:

— Capable of capturing details that other cameras would miss
— USB 3 output
— Easy-to-use astrophotography camera 

Cons: 

— Requires a telescope to use
— Requires specific software to process images 

Once it’s attached to a great telescope, the ZWO Optical asi183mc Pro is a dedicated astrophotography camera that will allow you to get detailed shots of deep-sky objects. The electronic shutter minimizes camera shake and it can shoot at up to 19 frames per second. An integrated TEC cooling system reduces sensor temperature when it’s in use, which helps reduce noise when capturing objects located in deep sky. 

Like all astrophotography cameras, the ZWO will need to be plugged in and connected to specific software to actually process the images that it captures. However, this particular model is designed to be used without RGB color filters — minimizing the amount of equipment you will need when you head out to shoot.

Best Budget: Canon EOS 6D Mark II

Why It Made The Cut: This older model DSLR is still capable of capturing the beauty of the night sky with its 26.2 megapixel sensor and expansive ISO range, plus since it’s an older model it will be a touch more affordable than some of the other options in this guide. 

Specs: 

— Sensor: 26.2 megapixel
— ISO Range: 100 to 40000 (expandable to 50 to102400)
— Weight: 1.69 pounds (body only) 

Pros: 

— Vari-angle touch screen for easy composing
— 4K timelapse mode
— Budget-friendly choice 

Cons:

— No 4K video
— Single SD slot
— Not the most impressive dynamic range 

Although the Canon EOS 6D Mark II is half a decade old, this mid-range DSLR remains an excellent budget-friendly choice for astrophotographers. It’s one of the lightest full-frame DSLRs on the market, has an impressive ISO range that makes it good for shooting late at night, and since it’s a EF-mount lens, the glass that it utilizes is significantly more budget friendly than some of the other options in this buying guide. The vari-angle touch screen also makes it easy to compose images without having to use the optical viewfinder, and although it lacks 4K video capabilities, it does offer interesting features like a 4K time-lapse mode.

Things to Consider Before Buying a Camera for Astrophotography

Many of the most hyped up specs found on modern day cameras are irrelevant when it comes to astrophotography — meaning the most expensive and newest model might not always be the best suited for shooting late at night. For example, when you’re shooting astrophotography, your camera is going to be mounted on a tripod, so specs like in-body stabilization, or extremely fast autofocus won’t hold much weight. Here’s what you should be paying attention to before you purchase a camera for astrophotography. 

Megapixels and Sensor Size 

Generally speaking, a camera with a larger sensor will perform better at higher ISOs than a camera with a smaller sensor. Having a camera that can produce an image with limited noise at a high ISO is important for astrophotography. When you shoot late at night, you will likely push your camera to a high ISO, so that it can capture subtle nighttime detail. Cameras with large sensors deliver more pixels and better detail. Larger sensors also mean that the camera is more efficient at collecting light to produce high-quality images. 

Mirrorless vs. DSLR vs. Dedicated Astrophotography Camera

 When it comes to astrophotography, the debate over whether mirrorless or DSLR is better is sort of a moot point. Generally speaking, a mirrorless camera will have a lightweight body, but will be pricier than an older model DSLR. A DSLR will generally have more lens options — and with astrophotography the lens that is attached to your camera is typically more important than whatever body you are shooting with. Many of the advanced settings found in mirrorless cameras aren’t really relevant to astrophotography either. A third option that is overlooked by many photographers, is a dedicated astrophotography camera. These cameras attach to a telescope and give photographers the tools to capture objects in deep space that can’t be viewed with the naked eye. 

FAQs

Q: How many megapixels does a camera need for astrophotography?

A camera that can shoot more megapixels will ultimately give you a more detailed image, which is something that’s pretty important in astrophotography. While a 45.7- megapixel camera will render more detail in your shots of the sky, these files will also take up more hard-drive space to store. Most modern mirrorless cameras with a 26-megapixel sensor will give you plenty of details for astrophotography, but more megapixels certainly won’t hurt. If you’re looking for the most pixels, just expect to pay more up front for your camera, and have ample hard drive space to store those large files. 

Q: What kind of camera is best for astrophotography?

An astro-specific camera that can be mounted to a telescope is probably the “best” at astrophotography, as it will get you the clearest shots of the night sky. Unfortunately these cameras are only designed for this purpose and won’t be nearly as versatile as some of the DSLRs and mirrorless cameras that can be used for astrophotography. They also require that you own a telescope to mount them on. If you’re planning to shoot the stars with a DSLR or mirrorless camera, look for something that has high ISO capabilities and is good at controlling image noise. 

Q: Can any camera do astrophotography?

Most modern DSLRs and mirrorless cameras are a good fit for astrophotography because of their large sensor sizes, high ISO capabilities and control of image noise. 

Q: Is mirrorless better for astrophotography?

Mirrorless and DSLRs are both fine choices for astrophotography, but realistically there are a lot more mirrorless options currently on the market. A modern day mirrorless camera will do a great job in low light conditions, and is more compact than a DSLR, making it easy to travel with. However, older DSLR models will often have large sensors and can be found for better deals on the refurbished market. 

Q: Which is better for astrophotography, Canon or Nikon?

Canon and Nikon both produce great cameras that can be used for astrophotography. Which is better is really a matter of preference. For many photographers it comes down to what lenses they already have in their collection. 

Q: How do I start astrophotography?

Getting started with astrophotography is easy — head to a place with limited light pollution, grab a tripod to stabilize your shots, and start shooting. For a related tool, here is our guide to the best binoculars for astrophotography.

Q: What gear do you need for astrophotography?

In addition to a camera that can handle shooting at high ISOs with minimal noise, you will want a wide, fast aperture lens and a tripod — so that you can stabilize your long exposures as you capture the beauty of the night sky.

Final Thoughts

The specs and settings that make a camera good for astrophotography are very different from what makes a camera good at other forms of photography — meaning you don’t necessarily need to splurge and get the newest or most expensive camera on the market to get gear that will be great at capturing the night skies. When shopping for a camera for astrophotography, the most important specs to consider are its sensor size, megapixel capabilities and its ISO range. The crucial thing to look for is a camera that will perform well and create low-noise images when it is operating at high ISOs. For a great budget pick, consider the Canon EOS 6D Mark II, which is a capable and classic option that still promises strong results. If you’re looking for a great option to use with your telescope, the ZWO Optical asi183mc Pro will go farther than the competition. The Nikon D850 on the other hand, is our overall favorite for most people for its power and versatility.

This post was created by a non-news editorial team at Recurrent Media, Futurism’s owner. Futurism may receive a portion of sales on products linked within this post.

Comets are notoriously fickle things. Some are given high expectations of putting on a good show and fail to deliver. In contrast, others, originally thought to be unremarkable, may suddenly flare up to glow at a magnitude that’s visible to the unaided eye. In general, it’s quite difficult to say just how a comet will behave.

In this guide, we’ll be highlighting the latest naked eye comet passing by Earth and give you plenty of tips on how to observe and photograph this and many other types of comets. We’ll be covering the best viewing locations, exploring ideal viewing situations and making concrete suggestions to specific telescopes and binoculars that will aid skywatchers as they observe the comet, as well as outlining the history of each comet and where it’s come from.

© Provided by Android Police

It’s incredible how much mobile photography has evolved in the last decade on the top Android phones. With Google’s astrophotography mode on the Google Pixel 3 and later, it’s easier than ever to capture constellations and even the Milky Way that were once only accessible with expensive gear and hours of editing.

How astrophotography works

Astrophotography involves capturing images of space objects and the night sky. You need some practice and experience to become an expert in this form of photography. Google’s Astrophotography mode simplifies the process, so you don’t have to tweak the ISO, exposure, or settings. Google uses a dollop of AI to handle things that would otherwise require a lot of deliberation from you and gives a polished result with no tweaking required.

It takes multiple 16-second shots and stacks them to compensate for the light a small smartphone sensor can capture. It removes artifacts that are an unwanted byproduct of long-exposure shots and uses AI to detect night sky components, which are then enhanced to make them stand out.

The over-simplification of shooting the night sky might be a letdown for semi-professional and professional photographers. Still, if you’re one, you probably have access to better gear and know your way around it.

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All pictures were shot using the Pixel 6’s Astrophotography mode and edited in Lightroom for Android.

While you can get some good shots without much preparation or additional accessories, the best results warrant efforts.

Get a tripod

You don’t need a tripod, as all you need to trigger astrophotography mode is to keep your phone stable. It is achievable by propping up your phone at an angle against a solid object like a rock or a brick. However, the setup gives you little flexibility in positioning, and you might block the display, making it difficult to frame the right shot.

It’s recommended that you invest in a reliable tripod so that you can set your phone at a desirable angle. After all, not everyone has steady hands. Instead of focusing on keeping your phone steady, you can attach it to a tripod and get stunning sky results.

As for getting a tripod, you don’t need to shell out much. An affordable one will do the trick. This $15 mobile tripod works just fine, and its flexible legs mean you can mount it on railings, fences, and branches, apart from using it on flat surfaces.

Seek the help of weather and light pollution apps

Even with all the right gear and Google’s AI smarts, you won’t get good results if you’re in an area with high light pollution or the weather is not on your side. It’s not difficult to get both of those aspects in your favor, and there are a few handy apps to help you nudge in the right direction.

Several weather conditions affect astrophotography, but the first thing you need to consider is clouds. A cloudy sky blocks you from viewing stars, and moving clouds often spoil long-exposure shots, resulting in hazy images.

Another thing to consider is the phase of the moon and whether to include it in the frame of your shot. A full-moon night proves to be a bright source of light and can make it challenging to pick up fainter stars. However, if you want to capture more than a silhouette of the landscape along with the night sky, your best bet is to go out when the moon is a waning or waxing crescent. Google recommends taking photos of stars at least 45 to 90 minutes after sunset.

There are plenty of weather apps to choose from, and you can’t go wrong with any of them. Just make sure they provide the information you need to identify a good time to go out shooting. We recommend Weather Underground. It provides useful information like AQI, wind speeds, and moon phases, and it’s fairly accurate with its weather predictions. However, feel free to try a few of them and see which one works the best for you.

Additionally, we recommend using Light Pollution Maps as it helps find the darkest areas around you, which is the ideal condition for astrophotography. It has additional paid features like a cloud cover map, an ISS tracker, and an aurora visibility map that you can unlock.

Unless you’re a learned person in astronomy, you may have a hard time figuring out what you’re looking at in the night sky. So, you might want an app to identify stars, constellations, and other celestial objects. Star Walk 2 uses AR to make identifying objects as easy as pointing the phone at them. If you’re looking for a particular constellation, star, or planet, the app offers guided navigation in AR.

Ready, set, go!

Now that you have a tripod, a fully charged Pixel, a clear night, and favorable weather conditions, it’s time to get snapping.

1. Set up your phone on the tripod and make sure the grip is holding it tight. You don’t want the wind to move your phone while taking shots.
2. Open the camera app, switch to Night Sight mode, and adjust the viewfinder to get the desired framing. While the Pixel can handle light sources without blowing them up, avoid light sources if you want to capture as many stars as possible.
3. When your phone is stable, you’ll see the moon icon on the shutter button change to stars which means astrophotography mode is turned on.

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4. If you don’t have a Bluetooth remote (that comes with many tripods) or a smartwatch to press the shutter button remotely, turn on the self-timer. Using a self-timer ensures the phone remains steady when the Pixel starts capturing. To turn it on, tap the Settings icon in the upper-left corner and choose the length of the timer (3s or 10s) from the pop-up menu.
5. Now that you’re ready, click the shutter button and let the Pixel do its magic. Do not touch your phone during image processing. If you use a Pixel 4 or later, this process can take about four minutes, and a countdown timer on the display lets you know when it’s done capturing. Since it’s difficult to frame a shot in darkness, you might want to repeat the process several times until you get the shot you want.

If you have the newest Pixel 6 or Pixel 7 series with Tensor CPU, the process is quicker than on old Pixel phones. On Pixel 4 and later, your phone automatically clicks a timelapse of the night when you take a photo with astrophotography mode. You can turn off the feature using the steps below.

1. Open the Camera app on your Pixel phone.
2. Tap the down arrow in the upper-left corner.
3. Open More settings.

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4. Scroll to Advanced.
5. Disable the time lapse for astrophotography toggle from the following menu.

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A bit of editing goes a long way

Google’s processing takes care of a significant part of the editing errands associated with astrophotography, but there’s always more you can do to make your shots look better. If you’re comfortable using desktop editing apps, feel free to use them, as they often give you more creative control over the process. However, you can get a better-looking image by toying around in a mobile photo editing app like Lightroom for Android. It’s quick and easy.

The first thing to do is reduce the exposure a bit and crank up the contrast. It makes the sky darker and helps the stars stand out. If the image has a distracting foreground, boost the shadows and use the healing tool to mask a relatively bright object. The tweak leads to more dramatic-looking shots.

You might notice that the picture can often turn out to be a bit warm or dull with Google’s processing. If you’re not a fan of this look, reduce the temperature of the image and increase the tint and saturation by a dash.

The last thing to engage in is noise reduction because there’s only so much light your phone’s small camera sensor can capture when the lights are out. Push the slider to the end, which often results in a much cleaner image. Play around with it to get the desired result.

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Unedited JPEG vs. edited

This isn’t an exhaustive rundown of the editing process and isn’t the only way to do it. Editing is a subjective process, so what works for you might not be the same. But following the few steps mentioned above results in a better image without putting in a lot of effort. While you’re at it, you might want to glance at these simple tips to improve your editing game.

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Unedited astro shot vs. Google Photos’ Astro Filter

If manually editing images is not your forte, plenty of Lightroom presets can take care of the process for you to deliver a better-looking image. There isn’t a one-size-fits-all because the changes you might want to apply depend on the image, so feel free to scour through Google and find a filter that achieves the look you want.

For the ones who don’t want to put in any effort, the Google Photos built-in image editor also has an Astro filter that can work like a charm at times (check out the result above). The app is packed with several image editing tools to get the desired results in no time. You can tweak brightness, contrast, HDR, white point, highlights, saturation, warmth, and black point.

You can also use the default AI-based suggestions option to improve space photos with a single tap.

Google locks several image editing features behind the Google One subscription. If you aren’t sure of what Google One is, check our dedicated guide to check monthly prices and benefits with each plan.

Astrophotography on rival offerings

Due to limited availability and Google’s shaky track record with Pixel hardware, most users prefer an iPhone or a Samsung Galaxy phone. Let’s take a quick look at Apple and Samsung’s take on astrophotography.

While Apple offers a Night Mode to capture dark scenes effortlessly, it doesn’t pack a dedicated astrophotography mode on iPhone. You need to use a tripod and a pro camera app. You’ll also need to tweak several options to get desired results. It’s limited to enthusiasts only.

During the Galaxy S22 launch event in 2022, Samsung announced massive improvements to the Night Mode on the latest flagship. But the company waited till October 2022 to release a separate Astrophotography mode on the S22 series.

However, there are several limitations. It’s not baked into the stock camera app. You need to use Samsung’s Expert RAW app, which lets you shoot photos in RAW format with HDR. The mode packs a guide to pinpoint the location of stars and the solar system. The minimum duration is set to four minutes and extends to 10 minutes for better results. As expected, don’t try astrophotography mode without a tripod.

The stars are ‘closer’ than they ever were

Few things in the world are as inspiring and breathtaking as the sparkling night sky, and it’s incredible to see that mobile photography has evolved to a stage where even a novice can capture these stunning moments without the gear or the know-how. If you want to get better at taking shots, our camera guide on the Google Pixel 7 is a great place to get started.

On Saturday (Jan. 14) the face of the moon will be half-illuminated as it enters its third quarter or last quarter phase.

According to In the Sky (opens in new tab) for observers in New York City, the last quarter moon will rise at 22:20 EST (0320 GMT) and will become visible soon after at around 00:18 on Sunday, Jan. 15 (0518 GMT). The last quarter moon will remain visible through sunset and until around 11:28 EST (1628 GMT).

Compositing is one of the most creative techniques in image editing, and it’s easier than you might think. All it takes is a few simple layer skills. Affinity Photo 2 (opens in new tab) offers a host of useful compositing tools to get you started, from clever selection features that let you isolate and cut out objects, to intuitive masking and transforming tools that let you position each element with ease and blend everything together into a cohesive whole. 

In this project, we’ll explore these tools and features while creating a great flower portrait composite. We begin by cutting out our subject so that we can place flowers in front and behind the figure. Once done, we can copy in a range of flower images, using selections and masks to remove their backgrounds and then placing them to fit around the subject. This involves one of the most powerful selection tools in Affinity Photo – the Refine command. It allows us to make incredibly precise selections by seeking out and improving edges for us.