Beginner Astrophotography Setup [A How To]

Post author:Kevin Francis
Post published:July 27, 2020
Post category:Astrophotography / Beginner Astrophotography / Telescope / Telescope Mount

https://youtu.be/NAoeZax48ow The beginner astrophotography setup takes many forms. There's no one way to setup for astrophotography. It's simply about taking the steps to do it. Therefore, never fear, Kevin's setup…

Messier 31 Andromeda Galaxy Telescope & Mount: Orion ST-80 with Astroview Mount Camera: Canon EOS XTi Guiding: None Location: Carrollton, VA Sky: Bortle Class 5Acquisition & Calibration: - Filter: None - APT (Astrophotography Tool) - ISO 1600 - 40 Light Frames @ 120 s - 62 Dark Frames @ 120 s - 19 Flat Frames - 60 Bias Frames - Total Integration Time: 80 minutes

Wide Field Astrophotography and First Light with My Orion ST-80 [Andromeda Galaxy]

Post author:Kevin Francis
Post published:October 6, 2019
Post category:Astronomy / Galaxies / Night Sky / Telescope / Wide Field Astrophotography

Because it's small and great for wide field astrophotography picked up an Orion ST-80 telescope. The ST stands for Short Tube. In case you're wondering, first light, simply means the…

Google Pixel Really Blue using the NOAA Magnetic Field Calculator to determine true north

My Polar Alignment Methods [Telescope Setup]

Post author:Kevin Francis
Post published:June 2, 2019
Post category:Astrophotography / Deep Sky / Long Exposure Astrophotography / Telescope / Telescope Mount / Wide Field Astrophotography

Messier 51 or M51 or Whirlpool Galaxy. Telescope: RRRT (Fan Mountain) Camera: SBIG STX-16803 Exposure: Red: 14 @ 2 min Blue: 14 @ 2 min Visible: 14 @ 2 min…

Messier 51 or M51 or Whirlpool Galaxy. Telescope: RRRT (Fan Mountain) Camera: SBIG STX-16803 Exposure: Red: 14 @ 2 min Blue: 14 @ 2 min Visible: 14 @ 2 min Total - 84 minutes exposure

Messier 51 On The RRRT [Whirlpool Galaxy]

Post author:Kevin Francis
Post published:May 11, 2019
Post category:Astronomy / Astrophotography / Deep Sky / Long Exposure Astrophotography / Night Sky / Telescope

Remember my last article? You know the one about my experience at the Fan Mountain Observatory in April 2019. The outcome was to target Messier 51 or the Whirlpool Galaxy…

Fan Mountain Observatory Complex which houses the 30 inch and 40 inch telescopes.

UVA, Norfolk State & Me [Fan Mountain Observatory]

Post author:Kevin Francis
Post published:May 2, 2019
Post category:Astronomy / Astrophysics / Night Sky / Telescope / Universe

Fresh off seeing my UVA Cavaliers win the NCAA Mens Basketball Championship, I couldn't wait to visit grounds. In fact I packed all my UVA gear

Orion Astroview 6: Equipment Spotlight [Moving Prime Focus]

Post author:Kevin Francis
Post published:March 10, 2019
Post category:Astronomy / DSLR Camera / Nebula / Night Sky / Telescope

I moved prime focus without cutting the OTA (Optical Tube Assembly) on my Orion Astroview 6 telescope. Huh? How? No way? The first thing I did when the Canon EOS…

3D printed Bahtinov Masks

Bahtinov Mask: Equipment Spotlight [Focus]

Post author:Kevin Francis
Post published:February 2, 2019
Post category:Astronomy / Astrophysics / DSLR Camera / Telescope

I 3D printed a Bahtinov Mask, so I can clearly see the sky. There are numerous objects in the night sky. Using a telescope brings them into view but how…

Canon EOS XTi: Equipment Spotlight [DSLR Camera]

Post author:Kevin Francis
Post published:January 26, 2019
Post category:Astronomy / DSLR Camera / Nebula / Night Sky

The Canon EOs XTi joins my astrophotography family. I started using my Google Pixel Really Blue to photograph night sky objects. I've captured the Orion Nebula, Sun, stars, planets, star…

2019 Total Lunar Eclipse [Astrophotography]

Post author:Kevin Francis
Post published:January 22, 2019
Post category:Astronomy / Lunar Eclipse / Moon / Night Sky

Progression from start to totality Total Lunar Eclipse The total lunar eclipse was beautiful! I took more than 500 pictures of this event to create this photo. The 2019 total…

Telescope: Meade EXT-125 Camera: Google Pixel

Dark Sky Astrophotography [Smokey Mountain Getaway]

Post author:Kevin Francis
Post published:August 30, 2018
Post category:Astronomy / Night Sky / Planets / Smartphone / Telescope / Universe

August is a busy month for my family, and we took a weekend to visit the Smokey Mountains in Gatlinburg, Tennessee. Wow what a great opportunity to do dark sky…