Introduction
Where there are no street lamps and traffic lights, the sky is awakened, and the cosmos filled with stars and galaxies is revealed. Taking photos of celestial objects is more difficult than most think. Nearly any telescope can take pictures, but their quality lies in the hands of the quality of the equipment, the photographer’s criteria, level of expertise, and the amount of work one puts into learning. As with choosing a camera, choosing the best telescope depends on numerous factors.
Astrophotography
Astrophotography is defined as photographing celestial bodies and events such as the stars, the Moon, the Sun, planets, asteroids, and galaxies. Night photography of the sky full of stars or the Moon is also recognized as astrophotography. Some prevalent instances of astrophotography are photos of star trails and the Milky Way.
Astrophotography is immensely popular when it comes to modern astronomy. It is immensely time-consuming as well, as every photo demands hours of data processing. That is why astrophotographers are also known to be incredibly patient. When it comes to astrophotography, there is a steep learning curve, and the first step is choosing the right telescope.
Factors to Take Into Account
- Level of experience: Of course, you first need to establish the fact whether you are a beginner or a seasoned expert. If you belong to the former group, do not forget that every expert was once a beginner. That the expert astrophotographer you are thinking about now was just like you at one point.
- Budget: This factor is self-explanatory, as it refers to how much money you need to spend, or rather how much you are willing to spend on a telescope.
- Whether you plan on photographing from your backyard, drive an hour to a fairly dark sky site, the size and weight of the telescope will always be relevant. Clearly, a huge and heavy telescope is not needed if you are observing and photographing by yourself, especially if you need to lift and carry it constantly.
- Area of interest: The best type of telescope depends on what kind of photography you intend on doing. For photographing planets, the Sun, or the Moon, a high-quality scope with a moderately long focal length is needed. For photographing Star Clusters, nebulae, or Galaxies, a fast, short focal length telescope will provide best results.
Telescopes for Astrophotography
Apochromatic Refractor Telescopes
This type of telescope utilizes an objective lens of extra-low dispersion glass that minimizes crisp images without chromatic aberration. Many believe that Apochromatic Refractors are the best telescopes for astrophotography.
Apochromatic refractors are also compact, lightweight, and easy to carry around. These telescopes have exceptional color correction, adapt to temperatures quickly, and are simple to focus. This type of telescope is recommended for entry-level astrophotographers.
Reflecting Telescopes
A reflecting telescope is a telescope that employs a combination of curved mirrors. These mirrors reflect light and produce an image.
These types of telescopes offer additional kinds of optical aberrations. However, it is a design that provides for big diameter objectives. To put it differently, the reflecting telescope is excellent for close-up photographs of planets, but not so much for deep-sky astrophotography.
Conclusion
Functionality and usefulness are two factors every astrophotographer should keep in mind when it comes to photographing the night sky. Determining which is the best telescope for you is a difficult task that should help you develop your passion, not ruin it. That is why we hope that this article will help you to stop taking pictures and begin taking photos instead.
