For those of you who are just getting started out on your astrophotography journey, then you’ll know that it’s one of the most spectacular kinds of photography out there.
It is not only full of different possibilities, but it’s also really easy to get into too. With some forms of photography, you need lots of elaborate equipment, and tricky shooting locations, but one of the great things about astrophotography is that you can literally do it anywhere.
This is true even if you live in an area where there’s lots of light pollution, like in a major city. It’s still possible to take amazing astrophotography, even in these kinds of locations.
Belo, we’re going to be taking a look at some amazing astrophotography ideas to get you started on your journey today. We hope that we’re able to provide you with the inspiration you need to get shooting.
1. The Moon
Let’s start off our list with one of the most spectacular subjects for astrophotography – the moon. If you’re just getting started with this type of photography, then we’d recommend that you start out with the moon as your subject, as it’s one of the easiest to photograph.
The moon is also a fantastic option if you live in a major city where there’s lots and lots of light pollution.
You don’t need to worry about not being able to see this subject in your images, because it always comes out beautifully. It also opens you up to a lot of different photographic opportunities, such as gorgeous cityscapes.
You don’t even need a proper camera to take an amazing photo of this celestial subject. All you need is access to a telescope, then press your smartphone up to the lens and capture it.
2. Noctilucent Clouds
The next astrophotography idea that we’d like to present you with are noctilucent clouds.
For those of you who don’t already know, noctilucent clouds are known as being the highest clouds in the earth’s atmosphere. They are subject to both climate change, and influences from the surface of the earth.
Some scientists even believe that they work as good indicators of things going on in the atmosphere. In addition to all of this, they make them a great subject for night time photography. They look incredibly beautiful, and create amazing gradients in your pictures.
If you want to take some photographs of these wondrous objects, then all you need to do is set your camera to auto expose, and then click the button! They’re another one that’s super easy to take pictures of.
3. Star Trails
Another great idea for astrophotography are star trails. These are a little bit tricker to take photos of, and will take some adjustments on your end with the camera.
If you want to take a good photograph of star trails, then make sure that your ISO is 800-1600. In addition to this, you want to make sure that your aperture is as wide as possible.
In addition to all of this, make sure that you’ve set your shutter speed to anywhere between 30 seconds and 1 full minute. This will help to make sure that you get a nice long trail in the photograph.
This can help you to take some truly amazing photos that are incredibly unique.
4. Constellations
Constellations are another type of astrophotography that can be quite difficult to capture. We’d recommend that you take these kinds of photos in a rural location, where there isn’t much light pollution obstructing the photographs.
These types of photos sometimes won’t even show up in the clearest of skies, and so you can go ahead and download a few different apps on your mobile phone, that help them to stand out.
We’d recommend taking a closer look at this one, which helps you to locate the different constellations in the night’s sky.
The app will show you the locations of each of the major constellations, including the Orion’s belt.
5. International Space Station Satellites
If you want to take a photograph of something that’s a little bit different, then you could look out for some international space station satellites that may be flying overhead at the time.
You can track when these are expected to move through the area, and have your equipment ready to go by the time they’re flying overhead.
You can actually download several apps which track these objects as they move through space, and so you can get an incredibly specific idea of when you’re about to encounter them moving through the sky.
Final Thoughts
To sum up, there are a whole host of different night shots that you can take, regardless of whether you live somewhere rural, or with lots of light pollution.
If you’re just getting started out with this type of photography, then we’d recommend that you take a look at some of the suggestions above, as they’re perfect for beginners.
We hope that this article has helped to provide you with some inspiration.
Frequently Asked Questions
Now that we’ve taken a closer look at some of the very best astrophotography ideas, we can move on to discuss some of our frequently asked questions.
Can You Do Astrophotography In The UK?
Some of you reading this article might be wondering if it’s possible to do astrophotography in the UK. The simple answer to this question is yes, it’s absolutely possible to do astrophotography in the UK . The UK is actually a great option if you want to get started out with astrophotography, purely because it has very little light pollution.
It has very dark skies, and contains approximately 100 stargazing sites, making it recognizable as one of the best places to take these kinds of photos.
What Does Astrophotography Do?
So, what does astrophotography consist of, and what does it do? It essentially means taking photos of everything and anything within the night’s sky, including the moon, star trails, the milky way, and even galaxies.
What Is The Rule Of 11 In Photography?
If you’re just getting started out with astrophotography, then chances are that you’ve heard of the rule of 11.
This essentially means that when you’re taking a photograph of the moon, you should set the aperture to f/11, and the shutter speed to the ISO film speed.
Where Is The Darkest Sky In The UK?
Northumberland is recognized as having the darkest sky in the whole of the UK. Every year, Northumberland hosts a Dark Sky Festival.
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