c/astronomy-photos

Unpopular opinion: I find processing moon photos WAY more satisfying than capturing them.

Figuring out wavelet sharpening in Registax made my lunar craters pop like NEVER before.

Our club's latest contest has everyone debating photo realism...

We had a Milky Way photo win that was clearly edited to bring out colors you'd never see with the naked eye. Some members loved it, saying it inspires people and shows hidden beauty. Others were upset, calling it dishonest and not true astronomy. I've seen similar trends online where vibrant nebulae shots get all the attention. It makes me wonder if we're losing the raw wonder of the night sky. Where do you all stand on editing for astrophotography?

2 comments

mason.paige•2d ago

My hot take after countless star parties: nebula photos are losing their charm.

Over-editing makes them look like DIGITAL art, not space.

2 comments

sean_murray•3d ago

I finally gave in and let my camera chill outside before night shots

Was always too eager to start, so my pics had this grainy look from sensor heat. Now I just plop it outside for a bit first, and boom, the stars come out crisp and clear. Such a small change, but it really helped.

2 comments

torres.drew•3d ago

My desert trip proved you don't need clear skies for great astro photos

I mean, I went to the Mojave last month hoping for perfect conditions, but it was partly cloudy every night. I still managed to get some really good milky way shots by stacking a bunch of short exposures. The clouds actually made the photos look more interesting, with cool light effects. Idk, maybe it's just me, but I think folks stress too much about having a totally clear sky.

2 comments

xena_kim82•4d ago

Can we talk about using a kitchen colander for star alignment?

I found that placing a colander over my camera lens helps frame star clusters. It's a silly trick but actually works for getting rough alignment before I make small adjustments.

2 comments

lewis.diana•4d ago

That weird haze in my Pleiades photo isn't clouds, it's light pollution

I took my telescope out to capture the Pleiades last weekend. The raw files have this annoying orange tint that wasn't there a few years ago, and I read it's from more LED lights in town. Are other astrophotographers dealing with this, and what filters do you use to cut through it?

2 comments

river182•4d ago

My Orion Nebula pic caused a mix-up at the stargazing meet

I spent weeks trying to get a clear shot of the Orion Nebula with my basic telescope. Last night, everything lined up, and I finally captured it without too much blur. At our local astronomy club meet, I was pumped to share my new photo. I passed my phone around, and one guy squinted at it for a long time. He said, 'Cool shot of the Andromeda Galaxy, man!' which made me pause. I had to gently correct him, and everyone got a good laugh out of it. It was awkward at first, but then we all started talking about how similar some deep-sky objects can look. In the end, my little win led to a fun learning moment for everyone.

2 comments

val_henderson•5d ago

Warning: Moon phase ruined my galaxy shot last week.

Forgot to check the lunar calendar. Ended up with washed-out stars. Now I set reminders on my phone. Saves so much time and gas.

2 comments

rowan426•8d ago

Cleaning out my shed unlocked better pictures of the stars

I used to get bummed when my astronomy photos came out blurry and full of specks. Last month, I finally tackled the messy shed where I keep my telescope and camera stuff. Pulling out old boxes and dusty lens cases, I realized my main lens had a huge smudge right on it. Ngl, I had been using it for months without a proper check. So I spent an afternoon wiping everything down and putting gear in labeled bins by type. The next time I set up for the Milky Way, my frames were way clearer right from the start. Seeing those sharp star trails on my screen felt like a whole new hobby. Tbh, I guess sometimes the answer isn't fancier gear, it's just knowing where your stuff is and keeping it clean.

2 comments

jessica681•8d ago

Erasing that satellite trail from my galaxy photo has me feeling shady

I finally got a clear picture of the Triangulum galaxy after months of trying. During editing, I noticed a bright satellite streak right through the middle. With some quick work in my software, I made it disappear completely. Everyone who saw it said the photo looked perfect and untouched. But I keep remembering that the streak was really there in the sky. It hit me that I'm showing people a version of space that isn't fully true. Now I'm stuck on whether cleaning up photos crosses a line for honesty.

3 comments

thomash39•10d ago

Stopped taking flat frames and my galaxy shots got sharper

Everyone pushes flat frames to fix dust spots and vignetting... I dropped that step from my routine last spring. For my refractor setup, the lens is so clean that the flats were just adding blur from slight misalignments. Now I spend that time on extra exposure, and the core details in my Andromeda photos are way better.

3 comments

piper175•11d ago

My hike to the peak last night was good for more than just sore legs

The view of the Milky Way from up there made the climb worth it.

3 comments