astrophotography

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    Astrophotography is a specialised type of photography that entails taking photographs of items in the night sky such as planets, stars, and deep sky objects.Astrophotography is used to reveal objects which are too faint to observe with the naked eye, as both film and digital cameras can accumulate and sum photons over long periods of time.Astrophotography poses challenges which are distinct from normal photography in that the subject is usually extremely faint, and often small in angular size. Effective astrophotography requires the use of many of the following techniques:
  • Mounting the camera at the focal point of a large telescope
  • Emulsions designed for low light sensitivity
  • Very long exposure times (one hour or more is common)
  • Tracking the subject to compensate for the rotation of the Earth during the exposure
  • Gas hypersensitizing of emulsions
  • Use of filters to reduce background fogging due to light pollution of the night sky.The first astrophoto is attributed to John William Draper, who took a photo of the moon in 1840. His son, Henry Draper, later became the first person to photograph the Orion Nebula in 1880, which was essentially the first deep sky astrophoto.Since the early 1990s, most professional observatories switched to using charge-coupled deviceCCD devices for astronomical imaging. They have numerous advantages, with increased sensitivity and more linear response. The principle disadvantage is a significant reduction in the field of view. CCDs require specific modifications for best effect in the low light conditions of astronomy, such as:
  • cryogenicscryogenic cooling to reduce thermal noise
  • compensation for non-uniform pixel sensitivity
  • biasingEmulsion based astrophotography remains popular with amateur astronomyamateur astronomers, but even here CCD imaging is becoming relatively cheap and is starting to replace wet photography.

    See also -
  • David Malin
  • !Maksutov-Cassegrain_telescope< li> National Geographic Society - Palomar Observatory Sky Survey
  • Photographic plate
  • Photography

    External links -
  • europa.com - The Early History of Astrophotography
  • licha.de - Amateur Astrophotographies of The Messier !ObjectsCategory:Astrophotograp hy Category:Astronomical imagingCategory:Photography by !genrede:Astrofotografiefr:Astr ophotographienl:Astrofotografi epl:Astrofotografia
  • Websites


    Pleiades Software
    Home of the PixInsight Project, a modular, open-architecture, portable image processing platform specialized in astrophotography.
    http://pleiades-astrophoto.com/

    Carlo e Mauro Margaro. Il sito di fotografia astronomica.
    Carlo e Mauro Margaro. Il sito di fotografia astronomica. Una collezione di fotografie amatoriali di nebulose, galassie, comete e pianeti.
    http://www.margaro.it/

    Astrophotography by Jerry Lodriguss
    Deep-sky astronomical photographs, tips and techniques for astrophotography, and digital enhancement in Photoshop.
    http://www.astropix.com

    Galaxy Photography
    Tips and advice on astrophotography from Jason Ware. Also includes his photos of space and the equipment he uses.
    http://www.galaxyphoto.com/

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