Guidance for an Amazing Hobby
Patrick 
What is signal-to-noise ratio and why is it important? The simplest definition would be the ratio of captured digital signal vs the captured noise acquired during the imaging process. In general, it is a measure of the quality of the image. Today’s digital cameras generate noise simply from the electronics inside the camera. Ideally, when … Read more
The star names have evolved historically. Several early civilizations were very aware and interested in celestial objects, phenomena, and events. The Greeks, Romans, and early Arabs were prolific “namers” of stars. For example, Betelgeuse (pronounced like “beetle juice”), a bright star in the constellation Orion, gets its name from the Arabic word for “shoulder of … Read more
Astrophotography is a very rewarding hobby. Many really good images are being taken all around the world from less-than-ideal night skies, in or near major cities by taking advantage of today’s technology. But there really is no substitute for a pristine, dark night sky for getting the absolute best photos or for just taking in … Read more
Manufacturer: Lunt Price: $5077with rack-and-pinion focuser With the upcoming April 2024 North America Eclipse approaching, I thought it would be interesting to pique the interest of astronomy enthusiasts in solar observing before the big event by reviewing a solar telescope. Quality telescopes can be a bit pricey, and telescopes made specifically for solar observing are … Read more
Manufacturer: QHY Price $2399 (bundles are a bit more) The QHY 268M 26 MP is a monochrome astrophotography camera that features a 26-megapixel back-illuminated Sony IMX571 sensor. Because of the back illumination, the quantum efficiency is very high and the dark noise is very low. The sensor also has a large full well capacity of … Read more
A rare treat is in store for the three major countries of North America on April 8, 2024, when a total solar eclipse follows a path making landfall starting near Mazatlán, Mexico, traveling through the south-central part of the U.S. and tracking northeast until it leaves the U.S. near Caribou, Maine. Many people in … Read more
Summer in much of the world brings warm temperatures and often times brings nighttime dew. Dew accumulation can ruin a night of astrophotography by decreasing and diffusing the light that reaches the eyepiece or camera sensor. To fight dew on a telescope, you can employ several methods and tools to minimize or eliminate its impact … Read more
Manufacturer: Zwo Price: $3499 Zwo is well known in the astrophotography world for producing excellent astronomy gear at reasonable prices. Well, now the company has ramped up the competition for quality refractor telescopes designed specifically for astrophotography, also called astrographs. The ZWO FF130 Apo 130mm f/7.7 Petzval Refractor Telescope is a high-end telescope that is … Read more
What can an astrophotographer do when the sky is cloudy? As we all know, this often happens right after we get a new piece of equipment! When faced with a cloudy night, amateur astronomers can still engage in several activities that don’t require clear skies for observing celestial objects. Here are a few things you … Read more
Manufacturer: William Optics Price: $1598 William Optics RedCat 61 Apochromatic Petzval Refractor William Optics has done it again. Following up its wildly popular RedCat 51 and RedCat 71, the company has released its new RedCat 61. The latest version comes with some new enhancements including its novel patented internal focusing mechanism. This scope features a … Read more