Nikon D5300 first attempt

[Ama]

I have a Nikon D5300 and I have decided to learn some astrophotography skills over the summer. I was able to take some pictures yesterday on my first attempt:


DSC_01709 by amarachin13, on Flickr

Any suggestions for a beginner in astrophotography?

(Edit: Sorted image links -- Rick)

[The Thing]

Hi Ama,

Thats a good first attempt. Delphinius and Sagitta are easy to recognise, Altair to the left and Cygnus just making it in above. I don't know the camera but there are some things that will help you get a better shot of a starscape like this. Manually focus the lens if possible, the foreground is sharp but the stars not so much. Looks like you were using a tripod. Also was there a focus assist light or flash on? The foreground veg seems very bright. Let us know what camera settings you are using, ISO, focal length, aperture as it helps us with suggestions.

If you have the opportunity point your camera north west just under Ursa Major half way between the plough and the horizon and you should pick up Comet Neowise without much difficulty. Have fun!

Duncan

[Ama]

Hi Duncan,

I used a Nikon 18-55 mm, ISO 640, F/3.5 with a 30 second exposure. I didn't realise but it was on autofocus so I will use manual focus today when Itry and do some more photography and hopefully catch Neowise! The flash wasn't on but the dining room light was on which was next close to the camera - I will have it off today? For longer exposures they says its best to have a remote for shutter release. Do you know the best ones to buy or one that I could borrow?

Ama 

[The Thing]

Hi  Ama,

Yeah, house lights off! There is enough light pollution around as it is

You can get a remote release from ebay or Amazon for not much money, they usually can also do multilple timed exposures as well which is very handy e.g. 10x60s. Meantime you could use the self-timer function, some camera let you choose 10s or 2s delay. It allows you to trigger the shutter and step back to avoid camera movement from the button push.

Hope that helps

Duncan

[Carole]

Ama, that is a good start and I agree with Duncan.  The easiest thing to get focus is to use a Bahtinov mask.  You look at a bright star and adjust the focus until the Bahtinov crosshairs central spike is accurately through the middle of the crossing spikes.

This is a Bahtinov mask you place it over your aperture.  It's easier to get one with bolts through the edges so you can rest it on the lens without it slipping.



The trouble with a camera lens is you need a small one and they are not that easy to get hold of.

I do have a spare one I can lend you and also an intervalometer I can lend you neither of which I use very often.

This is the spike pattern:


Carole

 

[Carole]

Additionally, using a static tripod will limit you to short exposures and what you can achieve as long exposures will mean long trailed stars as the Earth rotates.  but it's a good start and you can certainly do star trails which are very rewarding.

I found this one on the internet as our gallery seems to be faulty at the moment:
Always good to have something in the foreground:



If you are not using a static tripod tell us what you have.

Carole

[Ama]

Hi Duncan,

I was able to buy a remote release on Amazon that will arrive tomorrow. This will probably help in the long term in terms of astrophotography.

Ama

[Ama]

Hi Carole,

Thank you so much for the advice! I was able to buy an intervalometer of amazon that will arrive tomorrow. Is it possible to borrow the Bahtinov mask? Yes, I hope to be able to take a star trail tomorrow when the intervalometer arrives. I do have a static tripod for now. in terms of astrophotography I need to think in the long term and what equipment I'll need. Do you know any good photoshop/editing software to use?

Thanks, Ama

[Carole]

Yes you can borrow the Bahtinov mask. 

Generally most people starting out use Deep Sky stacker for stacking the exposures, it is free.
More exposures of the same image will make for a cleaner result.

As for processing, I use Photoshop CS3 an older version which I bought years ago, but you have to rent it now.  There are other software around for post-processing which Duncan will know more about as he seems to have tried everything out.  I think one is Startools, and I think Gimp is free too, but I could never get on with it, but some-one posted up a video tutorial for Gimp the other day. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fSxdHrO0zfU

PM me your phone number and/or E mail address and we can arrange for you to pick up the Bahtinov Mask.  It's adjustable so should fit various size lenses.

Carole 

[The Thing]

For star trails take 30+ pics of around 30s each pointing the camera at the pole star. Use Iso 800 or 1600 and a wide lens e.g 35mm with  the lens stopped down one or two f numbers to help get sharp stars. Use StarTrails or similar software to assemble the final trail pic. Have fun!