Astrophotography at Bortle 5

We are quickly approaching what is being dubbed as the Great American Eclipse, with its path stretching from Mexico, the United States, and through to Canada on April 8, 2024. In this episode, we will talk about how to get ready for this event of a lifetime!  IMAGE CREDIT: GreatAmericanEclipse.com SOLAR ECLIPSE What is a solar eclipse?  A solar eclipse is when the moon is in a position to partially or totally block the light of the Sun.    There are around two to five solar eclipses per year, with a total eclipse happening around every 18 months on our planet.   So let's talk about 5 TIPS you can do to get ready for the eclipse. 1.  LEARN ABOUT ECLIPSES Eclipses of the Sun and Moon are fascinating.   Before our modern understanding, eclipses were viewed as bad omen of things to come, evoking fear in many.    Eclipses are fascinating events to learn about.  And so is astronomy!   You can learn more about this eclipse by going to GREAT AMERICAN ECLIPSE: https://www.greatamericaneclip

Stacking is the process of importing your video files where the software selects your better images, aligns them, producing a final image should be sharp and impressive. Hi, my name is Erik and I'm an amateur astrophotographer.    In this episode,  we will explore how to use ASIVideoStack and AutoStakkert Version 4.0 to stack your imaging session and try to determine which stacking software is better. WHAT YOU NEED TO START For this demo, we will need video files of the Sun, our stacking software ASIVideoStack and AutoStakkert!, and I will use Photoshop to make the final edits. If your unfamiliar on how to image the Sun, please check out my  GUIDE FOR SOLAR IMAGING  for more details. To get really clear and crisp images of the Sun, I recommend taking videos of the Sun (or Moon and planets) using the lucky imaging technique.  Lucky imaging is where you use the video feature of your astrophotography camera to take a high number of short exposures so it minimizes the effect of Earth&#

MYSTERY OF THE MISSING SUN Imaging the Sun has been a lot of fun with my Lunt 40mm Solar Telescope.   With viewing the Sun with my eyepieces through this solar telescope, the Sun comes into full view.   Sunspots, prominences, filaments, and more.   But when it comes to imaging the Sun, I am missing a portion of our Star through my ZWO cameras.   Where did it go? My name is Erik and I am an amateur astrophotographer.  In today's episode, let's talk about why is the Sun being cut off in my imaging camera, and what you can do to get it back. WARNING:   Before we go into this episode, as a reminder, never point a telescope or viewfinder at the Sun with a proper and undamaged solar filter!   The damage to your eye will be instantaneous and likely irreversible. STARLIGHT Stars emit light across a range of wavelengths in the electromagnetic spectrum.   Our Sun produces electromagnetic waves in the form of gamma rays, x-rays, ultraviolet, visible light, infrared light, microwaves, and