Introduction to Digital Astrophotography Telescope and Observatory: DurangoSkies.com

Introduction to Digital Astrophotography	$34.95
[Intro_Digita]	In Stock Keycode: DSINV_A

This book is a 400+ page comprehensive, nuts-and-bolts introduction to digital astro-imaging written by Robert Reeves, an accomplished author and film imager with nearly 50 years of experience who has enthusiastically made the transition to digital imaging. Robert describes how the family digital camera you probably already own can be used to take spectacular pictures of the night sky. This is especially true if you have purchased a digital camera within the past several years - even some entry level point-and-shoot digital cameras take pictures of the Moon and planets that rival or exceed the best film images. If you already own a digital camera, telescope, and computer you probably only require a camera adapter and image processing software - some of which is free - to begin your night sky imaging adventures and unlike film you see your results almost instantly!

Among the topics covered are:

What digital cameras can do (and what they can"t).
How much resolution is enough?
Web cams - spectacular immediate gratification on the cheap!
Why is digital imaging often easier, much easier, than film?
What are the special considerations for digital astrophotography?
What are the various types of astrophotography and which is best for me and my equipment?
How do I go about choosing a digital camera (or exploiting the strengths of the one I have now)?
Which lenses are best for which targets and how do I go about testing them?
How do I setup and align my telescope?
What is image processing and how do I go about it?

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Nearly 50 years ago Robert Reeves began his astrophotography adventure with his parent"s Voightlander 120-format camera. His first exposure from his south-Texas garage roof was the brightest object in the sky, which turned out to be Jupiter. Unlike today"s readily available books and accessories that make astrophotography more user friendly, back then the budding enthusiast was left to his or her own devices. Robert was not deterred and found a lifelong avocation of imaging the universe with his camera. His images have been published in the leading astronomy magazines and books and in 2000 he wrote the highly acclaimed book Wide-Field Astrophotography.

ABOUT THE FRONT COVER PHOTOGRAPHY

To assemble this spectacular composite of M42, the Great Nebula in Orion, exposures of differing ISOs were taken and combined by Rick Krejci to show both the bright inner core of the nebula and its fainter outer portions. Three five-minute exposures at ISO 100, 6 five-minute exposures at ISO 200, 7 fiveminute exposures at ISO 400, and 3 five-minute exposures at ISO 800, all taken with a Canon 10D through a Takahashi CN212 at f /3.9, were combined to create the final image.