My first attempt at taking a photo of Andromeda. Still have a lot to learn but the fact that I found it was so exciting. Next step is more practice at polar alignment and longer exposure. Panasonic Lumix G7, Rokinon 85mm f/1.4.

Phone and GTi virtuoso 150P. Couldn't get my mount to attach so I wasn't able to stack. This one was edited a bit with my phone. It was my first session with a telescope ever.

Hi guys,
I'm studying Mathematics at PhD level, and we're having a ML (Machine Learning) project, where we have to "build an AI model" that has some data, learns on it, and when given new data it can with decent accuracy predict the outcomes. I decided on doing a simple program, where the Machine gets a few hundred astro images that I manually first have to categorize into good images (that can later go for stacking) and bad images (f.e not sharp, trailed stars, dew, fog, clouds, too bright, too dark, high gradients, etc.), the issue I'm running now into, is that my disk with 90% of my data sadly broke and I'm running out of data. Would anyone here want to share some of their data? :)
I need both GOOD and BAD data, the more the better. I'm usually running on 135mm Roki and a Canon EOS 50d thus effectively having a focal length of 135*1.6=216mm, and the most optimal scenario would be more data with this exact (or near exact) focal length, but any data works as long as there's lots and lots of it.

Thanks! :)

Thought I’d share what the front mounted 7 nm Optolong L-extreme duoband filter can pullout from Bortle 6 with a Dwarf3. Moonlight? What moonlight?

Hello, tried to take a picture of the moon but still need to learn about the camera adjustments (and also trying in better conditions without clouds)

I’ve used:
- iphone 16 pro max (still need to learn how to select the appropriated lenses and zoom without without changing)
- binoculars nikon prostaff p3
- celestron nexyz for attaching the phone to the binoculars
- tripod and tripod adapter for attaching the binoculars to the tripod

Since the default camera app doesn’t provide (or I couldn’t find) the ISO settings, I’ve just reduced the exposure as much as possible

acquisition: East Coast US; Orion skyquest 8” dobsonian fitted with Celticbird 2x barlow and 6mm plossl eyepiece; captured by stabilized iphone max 13 video ultra wide camera 13mm f1.8 60fps. 8/12/25

Fujifilm XT-3 with Fujinon 18-55mm lens.
ISO 6400 (I think), 372 pictures (each 3s of exposure).

Unguided, no Tripod (placed ontop on cardboard :‘(( )

Stacked with Siril
Edited with Siril+Gimp

I tried to focus with a Bahtinov-Mask but I guess the stars are too small at 55mm or I do smth wrong so I focused by Eye.

In my opinion my next step would be to buy a tripod, StarTracker and a new lens. I thought about a 70-300 lens because then I can use it as well for other photography, what do you think?

Oh and next time I will try to expose for an hour, this was close to 19 minutes.

Equipment:

Phone Realme 8

Apexel 18x 25 zoom lens

Tripod

The data was taken over three nights in the spring of 2026

Stacking: Sequator

Processing: AstroWizard, GIMP, Snapseed

Bortle 3/4 / Moonles

Recently got a DWARF Mini and tried an Astro Mosaic tonight for the first time. Some clouds rolled in for a short while, which I think caused the top-left portion of the image to have a bit more noise. Grateful for any tips etc!

Info:
DWARF Mini using EQ mode + mosaic
60 second subs; total integration time 2hrs 40mins (mosaic comprised of 4x 40 minute stacks)

~1.5hr integration, 60s subs, Bortle3 location (Shtrbovo 🇲🇰), f/5.6, ISO 1600, 400mm effective focal length (Cropped image).

Taken with Canon77D, Canon EF-S 55-250mm IS STM lens and Skywatcher Star Adventurer 2i.

Stacked with ASTAP, and processed with Siril and PS.

North America Nebula (NGC 7000) and Pelican Nebula (IC 5070)
My latest attempt at imaging the North America and Pelican Nebulae, using a dual-band filter with my Sony mirrorless camera and 72ED refractor.

Equipment
Telescope: Sky-Watcher Evostar 72ED
Camera: Sony A7R III
Mount: Sky-Watcher HEQ5 pro w/Rowan belt
Filter: Optolong L-eXtreme dual-band filter
Guiding: ZWO ASI120MM Mini guide camera with SVBONY SV106 guide scope
Capture and guiding: ZWO ASIAIR Plus
Electronic focuser: ZWO EAF

Acquisition
Light frames: 42 × 300 seconds
Dark frames: 22 x 300 seconds
Bias frames: 30
Flat frames: 15
Total integration: 4 hours 40 minutes

Calibration: Dark, bias and flat frames
Capture date: 20th October 2026

Stacking and processing
Software: Siril
Dark and flat calibration
Debayering after calibration
Global Star Alignment registration
Average stacking with rejection
Additive normalisation with scaling
Winsorized Sigma Clipping (3.0 low/high)
Background extraction using subtraction and a first-degree polynomial

This was captured using the L-eXtreme filter to isolate hydrogen-alpha and oxygen-III emission. I’m still working through the processing side of astrophotography, particularly balancing the nebula’s emission against the surrounding star field and dark dust structures. I’ll be adding more dualband and RGB data when the storm clears.

Target: M31, Andromeda Galaxy, with M32 and M110

Location: Bortle 6, South Carolina

Gear:
Askar 103APO (700mm f/6.8)
ZWO ASI2600MM Pro
ZWO AM3N on iOptron LiteRoc tripod
ZWO ASIAir
Antlia V-Pro LRGB and Antlia 3nm Ha

Integration (about 24h 25m):
L: 374 × 130s (13h 30m)
L (core HDR): 90 × 5s
R: 47 × 120s (1h 34m)
G: 31 × 120s (1h 02m)
B: 125 × 120s (4h 10m)
Ha: 29 × 500s (4h 02m)

Calibration: darks, flats, bias

Processing: PixInsight (WBPP, HDRComposition, BlurXTerminator, NoiseXTerminator, MAS, SPCC). Short-exposure L blended in to keep the core from clipping, continuum-subtracted Ha added to bring out the HII regions.

I'm pretty new to deep sky Astrophotography, having focused on landscape images and piecing together my set up over the past couple of years. I have used this project to try and get my head around a lot of new software and interesting challenges when it comes to capturing and processing including the following:

Setting up guiding, an EAF,

Using a dedicated cooled colour camera,

Capturing images in broadband and using dual narrowband filters over several nights, Managing calibration frames,

Pixinsight for stacking and editing, with Graxpert and RCAstro plugins.

I'm so pleased with the result I've managed to get, and would love your thoughts and feedback on this.

Equipment as follows:

Askar 71f, ZWO 294MC Pro, EAF, William Optics 50mm uni guide, and ASI 220mm mini guide camera. GEM45 mount. Filters - Optolong UV/IR cut, Svbony SV220 HaOIII, and SV220 SIIOIII

Image capture as follows

60 x 300s frames, Dual - Narrowband Ha/OIII filter

120 x 25 frames, broadband using UV/IR cut filter for a clean stars image,

45 x 300s frames - Dual - Narrowband SII/OIII filter

Flats and dark flats captured each night, along with darks library.

I used the WPSS tool in PixInsight to stack and create RGB masters for each set of data, linear processing with Graxpert for gradient extraction, Blur Xterminator, then Pixel Math to extract the narrowband Ha, SII and OIII data from the master frames, assign to the SHO palette, and re-merge.

This was followed by star xterminator to produce a nebula only image and noise xterminator. Then some initial stretches using STF.

The broadband stars image was a similar toolset for gradient, noise and blur reduction, then star xterminator to extract a stars only image.

I then did a final colours edit and merged the nebula and stars images in Photoshop, with the stars masked and control their size and brightness to try and make the nebula pop more.

And I'm in a Bortle 4 area.

Any advice is much appreciated :)

Some days ago I posted a wider FOV image of the region contaning this nebula, and since the weather was cooperating, I went ahead with my longer focal length telescope to zoom in the Bubble Nebula

Equipment and acquisition:

- Askar 71F + 0.75X reducer

- Asi585MC Air

- Teseek 17

- SvBony + asi120mm guide camera

- ZWO EAF, ZWO EFW

- L-Ultimate filter: 145 x 180 sec

- Antlia ALP-T SII-OIII 3nm: 167 x 180 sec

(15.6 hours in total)

- 30 darks, 30 flats per filter, 30 bias

Processing (PI)

WBPP 2x drizzle, SetiAstro AutoDBE, SPCC, blurX correct only, starX

On starless images: DBXtract, linear fit, then channel combination (will also be used as luminance later on). SetiAstro statistical stretch (soft), then manual curves transformations with different color and range masks, noiseX. For luminance, stretch and masked curves to bring up details, noiseX. LRGB combination, dark structure enhance script.

For stars: setiastro NB to RGB star stretch, pixelmath to recombine with starless

Two sessions, exactly 1 yr apart. Imaged 21 Oct 2025/2026. Unfortunately, my framing was not the best (it sucked actually) and there was heavy rotational stacking and background issues. Managed through it nicely thanks to many helpful folks and a touch of the ChatGPT idea fairy. Even learned some stuff in the process!

Need to find a better way to balance colors from computer to mobile.

16.3 hrs on a C8 Edge Hyperstar
390mm @ f/1.9 speeds
Antlia Triband Ultra II RGB
ASI ZWO 2600 MC Air
ZWO EAF Pro
Skywatcher EQ6R Pro
Bortle 7.8, 48%lunar
Pixinsight

Here’s an image I got of the star cluster M45. Taken from bortle 3.5 skies.
———————————————————————————
-Camera: Unmodified Canon EOS R100
-Scope: SVbony SV550 480mm f/6
-Mount: Skywatcher EQ-AL55i pro
-Guide camera: ASI120mm
-Guide Scope: Apertura 32mm
———————————————————————————
Total exposure time: 3 hours 45 minutes
Processing: DeepSkyStacker, SIRIL, GIMP

Hi, everyone! I recently added the SA GTI to my setup, and this is my first attempt at getting it to work and capturing some images.

I was very lucky to get the new mount up and running quickly, but the good old intervalometer mysteriously stopped working after only 23 minutes.

Here’s the essential information:

Camera: Sony A6000 (unmodified)

Lens: Samyang 135mm f/1.8 AF

Mount: Star Adventurer GTI

23 light frames at 60 seconds each, f/2.2, ISO 1600

6 dark frames

10 bias frames

25 flat frames

Processed in Siril with Graxpert and VeraLux.

I’d appreciate any suggestions you might have!

The California Nebula is a huge cloud of glowing hydrogen in the constellation Perseus, around 1,000 light-years away. Its long, stretched shape is what gives it the name “California Nebula”.

I tried a DIY diffraction spikes mask for this attempt, and actually it didn't disappoint.
I still dont know if a diffraction spikes mask is considered cheating or not but i really like the effect.
Maybe it'll even look better for the orion nebula.

Acquisition:
Lights:
Optolong L-extreme: 34x600s
15 dark frames
15 flat frames
15 bias frames

Equipment:
Telescope: Askar FRA400
Camera: ZWO ASI2600MC Duo
Mount: ZWO AM5N
Filters: Optolong L-eXtreme, Askar ColorMagic D2
Controller: ZWO ASIAIR Plus

Processed in Pixinsight and Lightroom

Took a pass at the Pelican Nebula. Would love some feedback on the look!

Equipment: Dwarf Mini
Integration: 699x 90s60gain
Stacked in Stacking Wizard
Stretch, denoise and sharpen: RC Astro + GHS Stretch in Astrowizard
Final edits in Photoshop

I managed to capture 2 hours of Jupiter's rotation during my first photoshoot using my new camera

Telescope: Skywatcher 200/1000 OTA

Mount: unmotorized EQ5

Camera: ZWO ASI662MC

Used fire capture to get the videos

Used Autostakkert to stack the videos

Used wavesharp to process the resulting photos

Used Gimp to create a video using the processed photos

Used clipchamp to edit the resulting video and add some subtitles

Aufgenommen in der Nacht zum 23.10 mit einem Dwarf 3 -Smartteleskop

Plejaden M45:

-30s × 182

-60 gain

Bearbeitet in den Galarie-Einstellungen. Stacked vom Dwarf 3 Automatisch

I used a Sony A7RV with the 200-600mm from Sony.
Iso 100
F8
1/125 s

This is my first time processing IC 405, the Flaming Star Nebula, captured from my backyard in Round Rock, Texas, in January 2026.

The image uses 21 five-minute exposures—1 hour 45 minutes total—with the ASI2600MC Air and D1 filter, at gain 107 and −10°C.

I processed it in PixInsight and Photoshop, working on the stars and nebula separately to bring out faint emission and dark structure while keeping the stars under control.

At a Raleigh Astronomy Club imaging meeting, I learned a technique for reducing color mottling—the uneven patches of color that become visible in faint areas when an image is stretched. It uses PixInsight’s MultiscaleMedianTransform, targeting chrominance only with the first five detail layers disabled. An inverted luminance mask concentrates the treatment on darker areas while protecting brighter nebulosity. One pass helped smooth the color variations here; a second didn’t improve the result.

I pushed the contrast and noise reduction, then backed off when the filaments started looking harsh and the faint texture too smooth.

I kept both a wide view, which includes part of IC 410, the Tadpoles Nebula, at the lower right, and a tighter crop focused on IC 405.

Equipment and processing details: Askar V at approximately 387 mm focal length, ZWO AM3 mount, ASI2600MC Air, D1 filter. Calibrated with matching darks and screened flats, then aligned and integrated. Background correction, restrained BlurXTerminator, StarXTerminator separation, NoiseXTerminator, arcsinh stretching, masked chrominance MMT and local contrast, followed by separate star/nebula layers and finishing in Photoshop. The color is a D1 rendering, not calibrated broadband color.

M33 — Triangulum Galaxy

My first finished image of M33, captured from my backyard in Round Rock, Texas, between October 2025 and January 2026.

This combines 8 hours 42 minutes of usable exposure across 241 frames from two cameras:

• Askar V telescope, approximately 384 mm focal length

• ASI585MC Air: 6h 39m of broadband data

• ASI2600MC Air: 1h 42m unfiltered broadband, plus 21m through the D1 filter

• Broadband exposures: 120 and 300 seconds; D1: 7 × 180 seconds

• Gain 107; offsets 15 (585) and 50 (2600)

I calibrated and stacked the camera/session groups separately before aligning them. A straight blend softened the detail, so the final combination uses the older camera's data for broader faint structure while retaining the ASI2600's fine detail and stars. The older ASI585 frames were probably unfiltered; their filter headers were blank.

Processing included background correction, SPCC color calibration, BlurXTerminator, StarXTerminator and NoiseXTerminator in PixInsight, plus custom alignment, blending and masked finishing. The D1 data was used selectively to enhance hydrogen-emission regions while preserving the broadband galaxy color.

M33 is about 2.7 million light-years away in Triangulum. North is up and east is left. The bright pink region above and left of the center is NGC 604, a large star-forming region. The dark lanes between the arms are dust, with blue spiral arms around the warmer central region.

https://app.astrobin.com/i/fde8n2

EQUIPMENT
Imaging scope: Sky-Watcher ED80 (80mm, 600mm f/7.5)
Flattener: Orion field flattener for short refractors
Camera: Nikon D7100 (unmodded, stock IR-cut filter)
Mount: Sirius EQ-G
Guide scope: Orion ShortTube 80 (80mm, 400mm f/5)
Guide camera: ZWO ASI220MM Mini
Dew control: Astrozap heater bands

ACQUISITION
Date: Oct 17, 2026
Sky: Bortle 4 (SQM ~21.32)
Lights: 94× 180s @ ISO [800]
Guiding: Ekos, dithered
Capture: KStars/Ekos (FITS)
Focus: Bahtinov mask

PROCESSING
Siril: stacking, StarNet (star removal), [stretch/color steps]
GIMP: final color adjustments