Astrophotography Cheat Sheet

10 steps to using your camera in the dark

ASTROPHOTOGRAPHY

The following is a handy reference guide to complement the Kielder Observatory

CHEAT SHEET

Astrophotography events. Familiarise yourselves with these 10 steps to assist you

in operating your camera in darkness and taking photographs of the night sky.

T I P 1

T I P 2

T I P 3

T I P 4

T I P 5

INFINITY FOCUS

ISO

APERTURE

SHUTTER SPEED

THE ‘600’ RULE

600/f=T

Focussing a camera lens

Recommended setting 1600.

Recommended setting f/4 or

Recommended setting 20

A guide to calculating the

in the dark can be difficult.

Increasing ISO sensitivity

lower. This determines the size

seconds (20".) Under low light

maximum exposure time you

Learn where infinity focus lies

allows your camera to collect

of the hole that light passes

conditions your camera will

can use before star trails

on your camera lens before

light faster. But beware, pushing

through on your lens. The lower

need to expose for a longer

begin to appear in your

heading out and remember

it too high may add unwanted

the number, the bigger the hole

period of time. So long in fact

photograph. Divide 600 by

to turn off autofocus.

“‘noise’ to your image.

and the more light that will

that keeping it still will be

the focal length of your lens.

reach your camera sensor.

an issue (See Tip 6).

ie: 600/18 = 33 seconds.

*Tips 2-4 are a single subset called the Exposure Triangle

T I P 6

T I P 7

T I P 8

T I P 9

T I P 1 0

REDUCE MOVEMENT

WHITE BALANCE

KEEP YOUR LENS WARM

DARK SKIES

LEARN HOW TO FIND NORTH

Any photograph exposed for

Recommended setting 3400k.

If the temperature of your lens’

Finding a location you can

Whether you’re interested

longer than 1/60th second

Although not technically

glass drops below the ambient

familiarise yourself with is

in capturing the Aurora

requires camera stabilisation.

correct, a cooler white balance

temperature, unwanted dew

easier than navigating an

Borealis or recording star

A tripod is essential.

will result in a more visually

will form on the surface.

unknown field in the dark.

trails, finding the North Star

An intervalometer can be

pleasing blue sky. Set your

Manage this with dedicated

To find your closest dark

Polaris in the night sky

useful for timelapses.

camera to shoot in RAW and

lens warmers or keep a

sky location use an

is essential for navigating

A camera setting called

you can adjust white balance

spare in a warm place.

online resource like

the stars.

‘mirror lockup’ will reduce

later without any loss

.uk

shutter shake.

in image quality.

Please note that the above tips and settings are meant as a guide only on preparing your camera for night time photography. Different locations, environments and equipment will require altering camera settings to suit.

Software Packages: • ADOBE LIGHTROOM & PHOTOSHOP Essential for any line of photography practise • GIMP Powerful, free software for image editing.

• STARSTAX Stack images to create one single frame of star trails. • LRTIMELAPSE Powerful time lapse creation tool that works with Adobe Lightroom.