Astrophotography: 14 MUST KNOW Starting Tips!

Image Processing Guide: bit.ly/astro-processing
1) Astrophotography is more than deep-sky imaging
2) Become obsessed with your progress
3) If it were easy, everyone would do it
4) Take online advice with a grain of salt
5) Your mount is really important, get a good one
6) Don’t start with a long focal length telescope!
7) Get ready for image processing
8) Weather is cruel, and you will obsess over it
9) It's expensive - there is no way around it
10) Social media sharing joys and letdowns...
11) Get out there and shoot
12) Dark skies make a big difference
13) Don’t be afraid of the dark…
14) Join your local astronomy club

[@mashpotatomountainobserver3338]

You made me realize about three years ago that it was possible to see deep space objects in such detail from a backyard. Until then I thought a huge observatory was needed to get such images. It's been a very rewarding three years full of ups and downs and not until recently have I produced an image that could actually hang on a wall. Yet the amazing sights to be seen and the fun nights have made it all well worth it. Doing visual first then EEA and then on to astrophotography has been a life changing experience. It has helped me profoundly and given the confidence to accomplish very complex tasks when cold, tired and frustrated. Truely a life-long pursuit of looking up at the heavens and wondering. Thank you very much for letting me know.

[@donbouc]

, .! L

[@berniestang2616]

Im new . I know trials ahead . Im wanting to photograph Andromeda !

[@williamkacensky4796]

If you're in a grizzly state wearing headphones is not a good idea.

[@Space_and_weather]

Very much, I've gotten snuck up on by a bear while reading and only noticed it cause it sneezed

[@NatanielsArt]

Or mountain lions

[@nordic5490]

@@NatanielsArt 200x more people are killed by dogs than mountain lions

[@skyblockjake]

Blasting angry music out of a big speaker work? In mountain lion and wolf country here.

[@NatanielsArt]

@@nordic5490 very possibly, luckily I haven't encountered a wild dog while shooting in the middle of nowhere

[@Astro_Lugia]

I’m 14 and just got my first telescope. It’s nothing fancy but it does the job. And holy moly I’m hooked. I’m out there every night looking at random things, even if they just look like white dots. When I get bored of just white dots, I look for other things like planets and well, the moon. Sometimes you just have to get your telescope and go to random stars just to see what they are

[@potatochip2287]

I got a 4.5 inch reflector telescope for Christmas, I went out last night and looked at Jupiter and the Orion Nebula, I didn’t get a single image of either before my toes almost froze off in the 10°F weather , but I had the time of my life looking at what I did look at, and figuring everything out, I’m excited for what’s to come in my future of astrophotography , you are a big inspiration for me :).

[@priyanshuraha]

All the best👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻😁

[@XPFTP]

i did my very 1st imaging with a 4.5 . i did a video of jupiter. it was small but yeah know... i loved every min of it. then i got the bug hard. went to a 12 inch dob. then came the hardcore starting out imaging. eq mount AVX. still use it ... orion 80 edapo the gray workhorse they sold. old canon 350 ir self moded. love every min of it.

[@Paulie1978100]

It's an amazing buzz!! truly addictive!!, well done bro!

[@philipps3988]

Happened to me just 3 years ago when my son gave me a real small simple scope - but seeing Jupiter and Orion through it got me completely hooked…now running a C11 and a C14 and can’t get enough 😂 enjoy!!!!

[@CaptConnoissuer]

This video has been so reaffirming to my struggles I’ve been doing Astro photography for about 2 1/2 years now and I’m still not quite in the place I want to be yet. My main problem is how expensive the hobby is. I’m 14 and don’t have a job so it takes me a long time to gather all the equipment I need from various sources, but this video has inspired me to keep going and I really have seen a lot of progress from when I’ve started, so thank you.

[@southernexposure123]

@Ayodeji Oyetosho: Congratulations. I'm an olden dude, age 74 at the moment. Some years back (and I now forget the exact details) one of my first and most appreciated pictures was made with a short fL lens on a DSLR type camera. It was Andromeda shot on a non-tracking tripod, a shutter speed of maybe 1 or 2 seconds and the lens was maybe 100 mm or was it 200 mm (memory fails lol) but I do remember it was a prime lens. I got something like 750 subs. I placed the object at one side of the live view screen and shot until it reached the other side of the camera screen. I'd get 50 or maybe it was 75 subs before moving the camera again for the next several shots. It took quite some time to get the stacking done in my computer. Then, I cropped it like crazy, but still got a highly satisfactory final picture after editing. I could see color, the spiral arms and the dust lanes and the stars were pretty well focused. These days getting focus is more challenging. I'm happy to hear you're beginning the hobby at an age where you can get focus a lot easier than I can now. 😃 Keep going the way you're headed and you'll progress at a steady rate. Don't allow short supply of money discourage you. My main advice is to pick targets that will fit the lens you have (there's likely a lot more of those than you might first think) and shoot those targets every chance you have. Good luck.

[@trutris124]

Bro I am 16 and don’t have a job at the moment bc of college. I got a celestron astroamaster 130AZ given to me because it was not used. It is definitely expensive, but take your time and use what you got. Right now, I am just using my phone and the telescope and I am getting some nice photos of mars and Jupiter.

[@michaelclancy7874]

@@trutris124 ZWO Seestar S500 $500 It will blow your mind. Or a used Canon T6 and a Used Rokinon 135,,F2 lens

[@Amo_Astra]

@@trutris124bro 16 and in college? Crazy.

[@trutris124]

@@Amo_Astra now I am 17. Yes, I was dual enrolled

[@KreatandZonalwolf2]

this advice did help i was capturing the orion nebula and i kept trying i'm really proud of my self it may not be the best but your right i took it I me spend my time learning to do this and you helped

[@help8help]

I drive a semi for a living and I see so many beautiful places. I’ve been trying for two months and I finally finally got a good landscape with thousands of stars in the sky. I’m just blown away with how much more my camera can see mounted on a tripod with a 20 second exposure. I saw a black hillside and a couple stars.

[@lichasvocke8642]

As a newcomer in Astrophotography i can only confirm everything you said. Im doing this hobby now for 2 years and just a few month ago i got to the point where my images are like i wanted them to be. It was a lot of frustration, trial and error to get there but its worth it! Awesome video Trevor Hopefully this will get more people started in this hobby like i did because of you 2 years ago!

[@finnreumers1506]

I agree as well but also as a newcomer I don't agree that you need an EQ mount to take deep space images. I use an alt az mount because they are cheaper and easier to use. I just connect my DSLR and lens to it, align it and I can take amazing photos that im proud of.

[@416pp]

What’s your current setup?

[@tarang221]

@@finnreumers1506 alt az is enough for dso ?

[@thisissparta3965]

There is no bigger question than 'Who are we, where are we from?' Jodie Foster, Contact and Professor Brian Cox 'We are all made from Star stuff'. You talk of frustration but frustration is what people with questions experience. Passion leads to experimentation, experimentation leads to answers. Too many folks on the astro journey expecting immediate results. As a martial artist then I can tell you the journey is lifelong, so is same for any pursuit of excellence. Being inquisitive and being persistent is the key to astronomy. If you don't have an answer then someone else prolly will. Trevor Jones has that passion and following those that are better is what leads you to becoming better. You don't get to be the chess champion without beating the grandmaster. In other words, a wise man knows he can't know everything. One thing I know as a researcher, if you need an answer, Google it. As Mulder and Scully would say ' The truth is out there'.

[@lichasvocke8642]

​@@416pp If you meant me with the question: Scope: TsOptics 80/480 Apo Cam: ZWO Asi 294mc pro Mount: Skywatcher HEQ5 pro

[@trentoncook8719]

“Don’t be afraid of the dark” *me glancing over at the handgun in my kit* “Check.”

[@claudiogoncalves1985]

The 13° its on spot. I get annoyed with too much silence and with the noises when alone in a strange place. Get used to the loneliness it's the most important step that i need to take.

[@velvetboy9949]

Thanks for the tips Trevor! I’m only 9 months into my astro journey, and I can’t say I’ll stop watching these beginner tips videos! Always good to refresh on where I need to put my attention. I’ve gotten some great photos and I have to put credit where credit is due and say you’ve helped me a ton. Clear skies! :)

[@VladMatejka]

A few days ago i repaired an old Meade 900mm by 60mm refractor. .965 eyepiece and got my dslr on it. I got it tuned to Jupiter and low and behold the image was grey. I didn't care. I could see some moons. I did everything i think I could and the image was still gray - winter and cirrus clouds probably didn't help, but it didn't matter. I got to see what those who came before us saw when their knowledge of what was out there was barely moving along. It's not as pretty as a space probe or large telescope image, but it gave me chills. Doing it yourself is a totally different experience. You have to take the small victories I agree. It's about the journey, not the end.

[@stevethomas5978]

Awesome video and tips as always Trevor. Thank you also for including your fellow astronomers.

[@MissileGuidance]

Awesome video Trevor ! 🔥

[@3DAstroTC]

So glad to know you dude, your videos and style have inspired me through the years!

[@JamesBossert]

Hands down my favorite astrophotography channel. This is amazing. Thank you for the inspiration and the passion!

[@stevesomers7366]

Wise words! You are doing wonderful work!

[@moe452]

I'm starting out my rig and I've picked deep sky imaging. Thank you! and I cant wait to get it ready and to start sharing

[@christiehall361]

I love this! Great advice! I’m a beginner and this is so helpful! Thank you! 😊

[@DeveshPande]

Great video Trevor. Nicely summed up all the issues we regularly face

[@sinsunjajpdfja8293]

I love how calm peaceful and positive you guys are

[@alandyer910]

Thanks for including my nugget of advice!

[@gregerianne3880]

Fantastic advice and wisdom both for beginners and we who are not quite beginners but are always reaching for 'better than my last one'. Thanks for being such a great inspiration over the years, Trevor, and for bringing astrophotography down to earth for those of us who may have thought it was beyond our grasp. Take the next step, love the journey, and never stop being amazed by what can be seen from this tiny corner of the universe. Thank you!

[@JFTN123]

Priceless advice!

[@dylan-reece]

Absolutely Fantastic Video Trevor. Thanks for including all of Us. And for all you do for our Astro Community. Rock On! \m/ Bloodstone.

[@coreyrueckheim3881]

Your most encouraging and helpful video yet. Thank you!

[@SteveZodiac777]

Great stuff Trevor - inspirational!

[@DevilDan2009]

Thanks Trevor and all the others out there....I've been learning so much the past year thanks to all the info we can get thru your videos and web sites. I'm Starting the adventure keeping my Orion 80 ED that I bought used last year and I just made myself a great Christmas gift....The Sky Watcher AZ/EQ 6.....Clear Sky !!

[@adityathakur2653]

Excellent video! I am new to Astro photography but I have taken my first few deep sky as well as planetary photos and based on those experiences I find that Trevor’s advice is spot. I also really find his videos inspirational! Thanks Trevor!

[@ld1897]

You are truly inspirational to me, I started this journey because off you, and I'm enjoying the process. I needed this video, thank you. I've had some amazing victories and just as many disappointments; weather, focusing, willingness to go somewhere dark and being afraid, but I'm in it for life.

[@philipchilli6405]

Well done mate. Great video. Nailed every point. Helped me too.

[@splasher7]

Great video! I've been around telescopes off and on for well over 40 years, and still learning in small steps. I can relate to all of the information you discuss here.

[@trevorbray7960]

Thank you Trevor for the many educational and motivational videos. I started AP 3 years ago and your channel has been a huge help in learning this craft. It is a tremendous hobby that never gets old and fills so many different buckets science, technology, exploration, art could go on on. What amazes me is the advancements in the gear. I recently started downsizing and just got the asi am5 matched with a wo flt91, 2600mc, ASIAIR plus and an eaf and what a huge difference in portability, ease of use, and quality of image! Keep creating and sharing content. Your fan base appreciates all you efforts. Happy holidays! Clear skies!

[@graham-hodgetts]

Hugely relatable video. The ups and downs. The frustration and joy. Thank you for inspiring us to keep going. After a few nights in the UK around -3 degrees and not much to show from it, other than skills gained and numb fingers.

[@jamesmartinez8083]

Thank you so much for your tips, you are totally correct.

[@mattm2507]

Hey I bought your book and, I’m just blown away at how detailed you made it. It’s like reading a tutorial. I wasn’t expecting 133 pages either. Thanks 😊

[@RazorChrist]

I just passed my first full year doing astro photography, and it's been quite a year of learning. But your tips over the months have helped immensely. The obsession with weather is no joke..lol. But astronomy has been a passion of mine since I was a kid, and I'm finally able to explore that passion. There have been some crushing lows between fighting my rig or going two months with bad weather. But you have to be dedicated to this craft, or it'll make you walk away quick. But being under the stars is a kind of therapy for me and it's not something I'm going to be giving up any time soon. Cheers and clear skies, Trevor!

[@maximuscassius3121]

Trevor you are the best honestly...Thank you Ash and Rudy!😎

[@santoslo77]

Extremely informative video! I agree with always celebrating any amount of progress. I’m just beginning to get into astrophotography, and just last week I was able to capture a small image of the Orion Nebula. Just that feeling got me so pumped! I’m so excited to see what’s in store for my future with astrophotography. But I’ll always remember that it’s never gonna be easy. Even the best of the best make mistakes.

[@edinfific2576]

Thank you for very practical and realistic advices.

[@woodywoodman4309]

Thank you for all the information and instruction you have added to my journey to learn.

[@nenaboricua1221]

SUPER helpful video! I just found your channel and i am absolutely loving it. Thanks for the information and beautiful scenery.

[@JimOutLoud]

Tremendous video. Thank you for your candid advise.

[@adiii.]

Thank you! I’m just wanting to get into Astrophotography and your videos have been so helpful!

[@xchaser69]

Excellent Video Trevor.

[@jicasas]

I wish I had this video starting out last year but even so, all this advice is gold even a year in. Thanks for this, and I appreciate all of your vids!

[@astrocatinfo]

One of the best videos you’ve shared. Thanks for that Trevor ❤

[@1pcmedic]

Yes, all true! The satisfying feeling of personal progress is priceless, with anything.

[@PeteCroft1]

Good video Trev, when you start out in astrophotography there is so much to learn and thats just on the hardware side! I came from a photographic background which helped but still a steep learning curve. I am now starting to get my head round Pixinsight, good processing is what really makes an image shine. Have a good Christmas, Trev, Ash and Rudy.

[@user-ff7uc5xb9v]

Thank you, Trevor!

[@NorthOfSweden_Astro]

Thank you! Been doing this for 1year now and a lot of fails but i love it, i will keep up my work thanks to you! Truly inspired about your work! Im all alone around here with this interest, so its me and your channel!

[@elithic]

Geez, what a fabulous video. Not only filled with great, relevant information (for beginners and experienced astrophotographers alike), but presented in such a kind, understanding, and engaging way. Trevor, you're a master at teaching this.

[@jimmazurek5589]

Excellent advice. Oh, so true! It has been a joy to follow your journey in AP from the beginning.

[@toanthai]

Great tips, Trevor! I have doing AP for a total of 4 months now. I have been watching your channel for years. I have a Canon 6D, Star Adventure 2i and Svbony sv503 70ED. Recently, I added an ASIAIR plus and a guide scope. This helps a lot with longer exposure 😊 Keep cranking these videos. I will be watching them. Clear skies!

[@AstroRef68]

I love ❤️ the advice. Thanks so much

[@whoe_whate8487]

Thanks for the great tips Trevor. Im a beginner, and still have no clue what I’m doing, but I’ll take every opportunity to improve and get out there and take some pictures. A few nights ago I saw the Andromeda Galaxy for the first time through my telescope, and it really inspired me. And you’re correct, this is a VERY expensive hobby. Given enough time, I think i’ll be able to save up for some actual gear!

[@amsterdamguy520]

Informative video. And truly inspiring!

[@CWJester]

I agree with obsessing over your own progress! I was eyeballing astrophotography with nothing more than a DSLR and a tripod for a few years thanks to you. Since then Orion was my first object and came out rather small and blurry. Over the course of days and weeks I improved not only my imaging but my processing as well! Sure, I am basically capped at 2 second exposures now, but the detail I was able to get out of the Orion Nebula as well as the Andromeda Galaxy has been phenomenal. Ordered a RedCat51 and a tracking mount so hopefully I can take much more detailed images!

[@DevalSinghBaghel]

Best video till date! You inspired me to enter in this hobby and continuously inspiring to stay grounded. Love all the content you creat.❤️

[@ktww7559]

Thanks for being an inspiration for me joining this hobby. I just got my first mount with and using my DSLR with a kid lense. No idea what I'm doing yet. Let the fun begin! Great video!

[@pierpaologiacomoni6846]

Thanks Trevor, your work simply stunning and I can actually feel the passion listening you. I'm a discrete amateur photographer and I'm looking for my first telescope and star approaching some basic astrophotography.

[@maurizioangelo64]

Trevor, all true, and thanks for all you done to Us in this fantastic passion!

[@titobattaglia7932]

Man… you're great. I've started out in December '21 (my very first image - a very happy debut with M42 - was shot in the Bortle 9 of Rome), have spent every available night among the cows since (sometimes freezing, sometimes a bit jumpy) and am hooked for life and spoiling for the next clear night. You've been a constant help and inspiration throughout - one voice among very few others (two real-life astro-friends and a couple books) I've relied upon for my advancement and enjoyment. A HUGE "thank you" from Italy!

[@Brians_Astro-Adventures]

Great video 👍🔭 Clear skies Keep the camera rolling Love the radio idea

[@sabyasachibanerjee124]

Very honest and useful advice. Will need to seriously introspect on what I really want and how committed I am ready to be. Thanks for the eye openers.

[@astrofckups4305]

Great video Trevor, some great inspiration for beginners on the wonderful and frustrating journey as an astrophotographer. Some technical tips I wish I could go back and tell myself when I started - dithering, bahtinov masks, plan your target and framing in Stellarium and Blackwater Skies, and don't be afraid to image a target over multiple nights - worth it!

[@mejksonnenschein]

I haven't seen such an inspiring and motivational video in a long time. Thank you for that.

[@angelsalas7884]

Great video Trevor! I started astrophotography after taking a picture of the orion nebula with a smartphone on a dobson telescope and I was hooked. After 2 full years of astrophotography, I can't help but agree with all you mentioned especially the awful cloudy weather all of 2022 has had and that we gotta be patient, next year might be better. These great tips can help to keep us all motivated no matter the time we have been in this hobby. Thanks for inspiring so many to take up this amazing hobby!

[@Baldharlow]

Very inspiring. And thank you for the thumbnail montage at the end. That was awesome!

[@spirithealershamanism]

Thanks - bought the book! I am looking forward to learning your more recent ideas of layering and bringing out the h-Alpha goodness

[@briankotak403]

Super pumped that you were one of the first KZbin astrophotographers that I discovered when I started thinking about igniting my life-long passion for astronomy in 2020. You constantly give thoughtful advice. #5 - invest in a good mount that can handle larger and heavier rigs in the future. My first purchase was a beefy mount. It took almost a year to subsequently get a telescope! Spent many days just staring at the mount in my home office. It has served me well though (3 telescopes later). Thanks for your dedication to this amazing hobby and your exceptional videos. Merry Christmas to you, Ash and Rudy! Clear skies my friend. Dr B from Manitoba, Canada 🇨🇦

[@rudyamaya2532]

What great tips. I have been in this hobby for the last 2 years, and just now are my photos getting to the point where I can consider enlarging and printing. Point #15 - don't get discourage with your initial images. They will get so much better and it okay to continuously revisit the same target year after year.

[@SuzanneWhitehead-ot9fi]

Your huge Celestron models are truly amazing! I love them!

[@mrcrashash]

Thank you Trevor. I have been at this just a little over one year. What a long strange trip it has been. I still have not made one photo yet that I would even print or post. This has got to be the biggest rabbit hole of a hobby I have ever fallen into. Your videos are always encouraging and keeps me going. Practice makes perfect they say and it sure applies to this hobby. I still enjoy just doing visual astronomy and showing my adult kids the rings of Saturn or even looking at the moon in it's phases showing the craters of it's surface. Even at my age it is still fun to learn new things and this hobby sure fit's the bill. Thanks again for all you are doing.

[@clausschuh3410]

Great video! Thx for the advice

[@kenproctor3824]

Once again, Trevor, terrific insights, terrific help and encouragement. Thanks!

[@TomHarnish]

Your advice is always excellent. I especially appreciate the high SNR in your videos.

[@jamesw5713]

Also, its amazing how your early bad images can still impress you and keep you motivated, simply because, you made it.

[@astroenthusiast1611]

Brilliant video Trevor one of your best, asking the community for their views was a masterstroke. Keep up the good work.

[@Ch1psahoy]

2:23 I'm a long time musician dabbling in astrophotography- I've struggled with feelings of inadequacy with my music, how little I've released, my small set of fans.... But that part changed the way I think about it. I couldn't have recorded or mixed any of this stuff a few years ago. I couldn't have played guitar like this 10 years. Heck I've even seen my photo and video progress over the last year. Thank you so much for that. I came looking for astro tips and ended up tearing up lmao

[@lensoffrey]

I've learned a lot from your channel. I really appreciate your posts. Entering winter #2 in the hobby! I cant wait.

[@rareviewphotography]

Really great home truth advice in this video. Thankyou for the well balanced view on this frustrating/fantastic hobby!

[@martinwhatman5027]

Bloody awesome and inspiring. Cheers.

[@ericwilkes1840]

Wonderful video, thanks for sharing this with us, agree with every word.

[@astrocarone9671]

what an awesome video Trevor. Thank you.

[@BertL1]

After years of watching the stars and enjoying my photography hobby, I have yet to make the jump into Astrophotography. It’s a goal, and one I will commit to one day. While I watch all your videos, this one is perhaps the best food for thought I’ve come upon in a long time that has lit more of a fire under me to at long last perhaps take the leap. Thank you. It’s bookmarked and I’ll watch it again, I’m sure. You will be part of the reason I ultimately get into the hobby.

[@mikehardy8247]

My friends and family see me pursuing this hobby with distane. Because it takes a lot of integration time, more editing time, it's a waste of time (according to them). This makes me lonely, depressed, and bitter. Tonight first clear skies in weeks. I'll be out there in low teen F. Bortle 9 skies. Seems to me like my local astronomy club sees beginners as dumb, and don't seem friendly. Been following you for years now. Big cost of hobby, that you've afforded to overcome, is a house in dark skies. Wish I would have known this 25 years ago. And your statement about always having next season. I'm old far fewer years in front of me . Thanks for putting up with my wining. STILL LOVE IT!

[@bluecollarboys6294]

Trevor this really encourages me man. I’ve just started this year with my simple Celestron 127 Mak and my iPhone on a mount, I lit up when I saw the first long exposure picture of the Orion Nebula I took, blurry and all!! But I just ordered my first camera for a telescope and I couldn’t be more excited. As imperfect as my current rig, and skill set is, I haven’t been this excited for a hobby in years! Thanks for the encouragement and content; it makes me proud to be entering a new community so vibrant and exciting.

[@anthonyflores9336]

Sounds like really great and true advice!

[@astronomylover]

Hello Trevor. I love your videos a lot your images are amazing. You inspired me to start Astrophotography in 2022.

[@jerrysarnataro6296]

I am just starting this amazing hobby. Thank you for this inspirational video!!

[@libertysoutlook5160]

I'm looking to pursue this. I love the images. I live in New Mexico and camp at high altitude, normally above 8000 feet. The unaided view of the Milky Way has been inspirational enough! Thanks for the information.

[@writerian]

I've watched this vid three times now. It's the best pep talk I've ever received. Thanks Trevor. You rock!

[@paulk119]

I love your channel! Thank you so much for sharing your knowledge and experience with us new folks. Always encouraging and hugely helpful..

[@c63blackseries63]

Extremely valuable advices here, I myself just started and found out how expensive the hobby can be - and trust me I love some expensive hobbies. Very frustrating for a non-photographer to learn the huge amount of detailed techniques. But it's watching professionals motivations like this one that will keep me going! Thanks for sharing!

[@bryanjohnston3114]

You give the best advice, I’m trying get my rig together and I’m getting close.

[@TheKrishna1995]

I sure agree with the weather being bad, i got a redcat51 recently and was really excited to use it. Then clouds rolled in . Part of it is on me that i bought a telescope in winter. I am still excited to use it every chance i get.

[@craigwallace6601]

Excellent advice and reflections. I would love to hear more about how you are printing your images- I think I'm ready to head in that direction, but would love to see how others do it! Cheers

[@kallesirvio2695]

Damn, #8 really hit home. I chose maybe the two worst hobbies to have somewhere with frequent bad weather, motorcycling and astrophotography.

[@markswain4111]

Excellent video--Bravo! It countained sound advice from someone who has made the journey. I have enjoyed all of your many videos over the years. Thank you for sharing!