Astrophotography: do you know why you are doing it?

[silv]

yup. That's the question.

Which part of AP do you enjoy doing? Or maybe even: from which part in AP do you hope to gain enjoyment?

[silv]

This long read hopefully explains why I'm asking this. AP can be very annoying for various reasons. It's expensive, it's difficult, it's frustrating. Continued frustration can cement in depressive brain chemistry, having an observable negative impact on overall life quality, both, personally and for the individuals around us. Whether we ourselves actually "observe" that or are blind to the consequences of our actions.

[LewisM]

For me it is to actually see the splendour of the cosmos, not look with my feeble eyes at a fuzzy grey patch, with averted vision, convincing myself it is what I am looking at :) I need to see real detail, colour, structure, not...a fuzzy grey nothingness.

To each their own - I really don't need a 20" scope to see a SMALL amount of colour compared to what I can see with a camera :) I do OCCASIONALLY enjoy cruising star fields with a wide EP or planets, but less often than imaging. I have used large instruments, and visual just doesn't grab me still.

[rrussell1962]

How very odd Lewis, I am a visual observer for all the reasons that you are not! I have tried imaging - all too hard, cables and laptops all over the place.

[multiweb]

You can get lost in the night sky. It puts life into perspective and all your day to day problems go away and seem insignificant. And you get to image awesome stuff and tinker with scopes. What's not to like?

[Slawomir]

The best part is sharing results with those who are interested, even if for a brief moment, and because I collect and process the data, I feel there is a different level of understanding of what the image actually represents. So doing astrophotography yourself allows for a narrative to go with a (hopefully) pretty picture. That's how I see it anyway. But my adventure with astrophotography started after I realised how limiting light pollution is for visual astronomy - it was just a tad too difficult for me to pursue visual astronomy from our balcony in Rockdale overlooking Sydney airport. Narrowband was a revelation :)

[Atmos]

It is a really interesting question! For me, I got into astrophotography after a number of years of visual astronomy and while I was studying astrophysics. I've always enjoyed photography and this seemed like the perfect match of interests, astronomy and photography.

I enjoy being able to photograph the sky and see things that I wouldn't be able to see otherwise, this is the point that Lewis was getting at. Being very technical minded I enjoy that technical aspect which is a part of the reason I enjoy mosaics; being able to photography entire areas at high resolution for later enjoyment.

Then there is the physics background where it is about trying to understand what has happened in the past in any particular region. A big part of my Masters was studying globular clusters and their evolution and that is something that I would like to, at some stage in the future, be able to research more through astrophotography.

As Suavi also mentions, it is nice to have a community to share the hard work with :)

[glend]

Motivations do change over time, the reason you started may not be the reason you stay. Recent health problems certainly force a re-assessment of the rational behind the effort. Frankly, the importance of imaging has changed significantly, to the point where it has to be set aside. A near death experience is wonderful for focusing your priorities, especially when you have years worth of data and finished images of the objects you find most fascinating.
As far as sharing my work with others (with the exception of family and friends), I learned early that (at least here) it is a sure way to make you feel bad about what you have achieved. Once you have learned your craft, and are happy with your results, that should be enough.

[RickS]

I enjoy most aspects of AP but I find processing the most challenging and interesting part. Image capture is pretty cool too when you're chasing something that hasn't been imaged (well) before.

Cheers,
Rick.

[Shiraz]

Imaging is really the only way to continue the hobby as the eyes age. Sure it can be hard to get everything working well, but the results can be shared with others - which can a huge bonus at times. Cheers Ray

[Lee]

I like how, with my little 8" newt in my rather light polluted backyard, I can see intricate details in galaxies that you'd probably need a metre of aperture to see visually. Watching the movement of planets from night to night, watching the movement of stars from year to year. I enjoy putting my eye to the eyepiece occasionally, but imaging is the ultimate aperture expander.....

[Karlzburg]

I do it for the excitement of what I may get, i don't have any fancy set up a max of 3 cables ( power, hand controller and camera control ) I sit and freeze with my equipment outside and stare at the sky and think nothing or learning the stars ( get a me away from the Kardashians too, not a fan of reality TV). When I'm ready I'll print my pics and hang them on the walls or give them at xmas.
Plus I can't see half of what camera can, the 30 sec shot to see if you're on the mark and it shows where I want to be, i have my little fist pumps :lol:

[RyanJones]

Initially it was purely to share with others what I could see. Little did I realise how little I was seeing. So as small point and shoots were showing me things I could see, the step to a DSLR was enevitable. Suddenly I'm presented with everything that the eyes can't see and the adiction begins.

Part of the reason I've not discarded my " slow " scope as being too slow is because of the challenges it presents. As if this hobby doesn't present us with enough. I thrive on the challenge. And yes I love the pretty picures but the real enjoyment is capturing them. The saying has been cleaned up for myriad of reality TV shows and is now called " the journey " but essentially it's the old adage that the chase is better than the catch.

That's the personal satisfaction taken care of, then there's the physics side of what we are looking at. It feeds my need for understanding as I read about how the objects came to be then further more feeds me need to question everything. I don't want to " know ", I want to understand and my mind can end up on amazing adventures into the unknown over studying one object I've captured. The depths of discovery cannot but underestimated and the sheer magnitude of the time and distances we are a part of are incomprehensible.

For me Astrophotography feeds so much of my mind and far more than I ever conceived.

[g__day]

Optimising the imaging process to get a result I like - I love learning and tinkering with complex technologies and star gazing is sublime...

[that_guy]

At this point I'm in too deep to stop. That's the main reason I keep doing what I'm doing.

[Startrek]

I enjoy both visual and AP , one takes no time to set up and the other can take 2 or 3 hours but once you attain the skills and have the equipment to take reasonable images it’s so rewarding you can’t go back only forward
Another reason is my eye sight is slowly deteriorating in my right eye , I have astigmatism, PVD and constant floaters and peripheral flashes, so I only have one good eye for visual work which I enjoy immensely.If at some stage in the future my good eye decides to give me trouble , I will have to give the visual away but will still be able to image. So for me AP provides a great deal of challenges,rewards and enjoyment now and will be my saviour and backstop in the future
PS: I still get a buzz out of viewing a 1st quarter moon at the terminator on a good seeing night through my 12” GoTo Dob and Ethos / Delos eye pieces. It’s truly a spacewalk feeling hovering above the mountains and craters. You can’t do that with AP !!

[Icearcher]

For me its a few things.

I think the main one is the learning curve, theres always something new to learn and to figure out, a new challenge or just learning how a piece of equipment works. Its this challenge that keeps my brain engaged and its good to have a challenge in life.

Secondly, its the getting away from everyday life and just relaxing by myself, as others have said, it really puts the day to day life in perspective when you are gazing at an entire universe.

And then theres the excitement when you capture something that you have been working towards and all the pieces just fall in to place. Case in point, my recent capture of the lagoon nebular, I was running some test/framing shots at crazy ISO but I was so excited to see it large on the laptop screen that I took a pic on my phone to send to a mate just to share the joy.

Its a fun hobby and I dont think I will be giving it up anytime soon.

Regards
Chris

[Ant0nio]

That's a very timely question for me, lately I've been struggling with the notion that astrophotography has taken the fun out of stargazing for me, after investing a good deal of time & money recently with plenty of frustration involved in getting a worthwhile result. That said, the results have been more & more rewarding as I progress. I'd have to say the most enjoyment I've had has been the visual experience when I first got involved in this hobby & I think that is what I have been missing lately, for me there is nothing quite like that connection you have looking at the heavens through some quality glass. But...I always craved more detail, initially I bought a camera to make live viewing available to my 90yr old Dad & I think the experience of seeing IC434 materialize during a live stack is what got me hooked on astrophotoghraphy, the vast number of objects too faint to appreciate visually & the challenge to produce a quality image is what drives me. In retrospect I guess it's all about maintaining a balance. Thanks for the therapy Annette & apologies for the long winded reply.
Clear skies (we wish),
Tony

[cometcatcher]

I just do it for the pretty pictures. :) Yes there are pretty pictures from others, but like carpentry there is pleasure and accomplishment in doing it yourself.

[speach]

I just like throwing good money after bad

[xelasnave]

I got the bug when I put a little 2 meg camera to the EP and obtained a respectable shot of the Moon.

The fun I had processing that and similar images I will never forget.

I find the challenge something else given I am just a mug and not all that good with computers.


I find it exciting to capture objects that I can not see visually.

I did enjoy searching for bright or dark spots with binos and then taking photos to "discover" what that patch held.

I do think the game has the advantage of pushing one past their comfort zone.

I know in the last year I have become more patient and now able to manage the times when something does not work.

The big thing it has done for me (again) has got me up off my back and doing physical things that I have good excuse to avoid.

Building my "cube" was perhaps the most demanding thing I have ever done...given my sever phisical limitations..I did need a walker to go out ...it was constructed in the garage and dragged piece by piece up the stairs over a long period when once I could do such a job in a weekend.

And I am sure my legs have improved due to the forced effort.

Getting the narrow band set up took me from finding objects manually to, hopefully next time out, using plate solving.

I also got great satisfaction pulling down my mounts and getting the best performance possible from them.
The first site to cover a eq6 hot up was in Spanish and it was so good to go thru that experience.

And I get so much joy from wide fields using a cheap camera and lens that you would snap family photos.

I love the processing side very much...I turn up the colour or select a small section of a photo and blow it up and up to see just how far you can go.

None of those images are fit for posting but they are not for anyone else but me.

I also like how you are driven to get every little part of the act perfect and the little inventions you generate.

When I came up with the baffled dew tube it was so exciting to find out later that Hubble used the same idea or after thinking about a dragonfly set up to see someone did it and it was so good.

For those folk who find it frustrating or think its beyond them I say that it is only a matter of patience and persistance.

And as to the cost the fact is you can do excellent work with a dslr on a sky adventurer mount...even a static tripod really.

Also try not to compare your efforts with others as that will leave you mostly disappointed...

Taking up astrophotography is one of the best things I have ever done.
Alex

[Terry B]

Interesting.
Mine is the opposite.
I find the processing tedious but enjoy being next to the telescope seeing the images appear on my screen.
Maybe this is why I mostly do photometry and spectroscopy. The results are immediate.

[graham.hobart]

I'm with Terry B about this, though it is nice to see pretty pics and make an annual calender, I enjoy the peaceful part of sitting in my dome with a glass and a scope and watching the skies and the scope and the titillation of the image down load. For me it's become my zen moments- away from work kids and house, under a clear sky, peering into infinity, thinking big concepts. Having a nice pic to show the folks is a bonus.
Graz:thumbsup:

[astro_nutt]

I did visual Astronomy for 17 years before I moved to Astrophotography. For me it was the right time to try, so it started with me learning to use a camera then taking short images of the Moon. From there I built a scope for the camera and was rewarded by details I could never imagine. It provided me with images that would normally be obtained from a larger scope. I kept it simple, using the limitation of what I have without too much technology.
I find it rewarding when the raw images are processed and it's just "WOW!" So for me, I'm happy with the results I've achieved and better opportunities await me.
And like visual Astronomy, it is trial and error, but the rewards
outweigh the efforts.
Cheers!

[Stonius]

Just starting out on that journey myself, but I enjoy the fact that the images can be manipulated to bring out various aspects of the details, and that they are permanent, not ephemeral. So what I see in the planets, for example as they boil away, or in a nebula with averted vision, becomes solid and unmistakeably 'there'. I also like that there is a record of what was up there that night. Don't get me wrong, I enjoy visual too. The dream is to become proficient enough that I can set the photography rig going and step away to do visual until I feel like going to bed. Or even, maybe some nights to have my rig 'tag along' cataloging and taking photos of the stuff I'm looking at visually. In this way it can work as a visual aid, where it shows details I may want to stretch my eyes to try and catch. In this case, the objective wouldn't be perfect imaging (more like 'Astrogram'), and would need careful use of an eyepatch to be worthwhile. Haven't actually tried it yet, but I think this could be fun.

But apart from that, there is a joy in being able to share what I'm seeing with other people, especially people who don't realise that you can see this stuff from earth with amateur gear.

I also like the technical challenge (and find it equally frustrating too). I like learning about new things, and learning new aspects of things I thought I knew about. For example, cameras are an entirely new ball game when you are talking about astrophotography.

I like experimenting with data, finding different ways to squeeze out better images.

By way of example, the other night, I screwed up completely and only managed to get a handful of L, R & G subs of M42. I thought I'd have to wait till next time, till I realised the blue was inherent in the luminance channel, and managed to pull an image from the data that was far better than I imagined I'd get.

Another aspect of it that I like is the fact that it saves you time at the eyepiece. I took a lovely crescent moon shot the other night. Identifying all the craters and finding out how big they were would have taken ages. But with a quick photo, I can pore over it to my hearts content later on, and pick up on things I might have missed out on in the moment at the eyepiece.

That's my 2cents, anyway. Wait - we're talking about astrophotography here. That's my $10,000 anyway. :-D

[RickS]

Hi Terry & Graz,

I can understand that and I really do enjoy time under dark skies, especially with a few other like-minded individuals to chat with (and share wine & cheese, perhaps) while the scope is whirring away. It's just that I find the capture part becomes fairly mechanical and that processing is more challenging... for me at least.

I guess we're all different. I believe there are actually people who would rather look through an eyepiece :eyepop:

Cheers,
Rick.

[Stonius]

I should also add, that I've always been bothered by the stuff I can't see. I'm sure people have felt the same. That's why aperture fever exists. Photography enables me to overcome those limitations.

Admittedly, some of my friends wonder why I do it when I could just look at the same pictures in a book, but there's something different about doing it yourself - getting intimate with the subject in a way you wouldn't with a cursory glance at a finished picture.

Besides, if people weren't to take pictures of things other people have taken better pictures of, Tourists wouldn't bother taking cameras with them on holiday. It's about your personal experience with that famous person place or thing.

Markus

[Merlin66]

I’m with Terry, gave up on AP to focus on Spectroscopy and solar imaging.
What surprises me about people spending hours and hours taking an image, is the they don’t seem to analyse the data they have collected.
I hate to think of the comets, nova and variable stars that have been missed.
I suppose that’s the difference between taking pretty pictures and the science of astronomy.

[Slawomir]

A fair point Ken about real science and just pretty pictures.

But I do not think that everyone would be finding much pleasure in systematical data analysis, graphs and error analysis after a busy day of demanding mental work. In the end astro is for the most just a hobby/passion. With its many forms, different people gravitate to different aspects of astro, depending on their circumstances and personal preferences.

Pretty pictures also have their place and IMHO an important role of inspiring and popularising astronomy by attracting attention of those who are not necessarily interested in looking beyond this blue rock floating through space. If it wasn't for pretty pictures, Hubble would have long been forgotten.

[lazjen]

It's been touched on by a few people here some of the reasons why I do AP. I do like to get the pretty pictures. At times I do enjoy the challenges of getting all the pieces in place to do the imaging as well - sometimes though I just wish it would all work so I can just get the data.

I'd like to do more than just AP and head into doing something scientific, but I do not realistically have the time for it while full time working - at least for the approach I've been using so far. I'm heading towards more automation and hope this might open up more opportunities for me to diversify.

[mynameiscd]

My first inspiration was in about 1975 and i was staying at my older cousins house and he had a simple reflector ( probably a Tasco ) an eq with a clockwork motor and a 35mm camera.
He took some shots of Saturn and then took the rest of the film of asteroids.
Next day i helped him develop the b/w film and he caught a pretty blurry image of Saturn but on one frame of stars there was a little line and that was the first image of an asteroid i saw.
He then explain the motion of stars vs the asteroid and why it was a little line not like any of the other stars.
Actually processing the photos and the explanation of how it all works sold the whole astrophotography to me but it took about 20 years to get started.
Now we are spoilt with digital and the type of images we get and processing tools that are cheeply available.
Im still a real beginner but having the enless resources available really helps you when sometimes it a bit daunting then you read somthing here of see a youtube video and it all make sense.
I am so glad my 14 year old cousin got me inspired when I was about 9.
By the way he's now a professor working at Lunt university in Sweeden with access to some pretty good astro gear but he's more into Visual Neuroscience - Computational Neuroscience - Biomimetics - Neuromorphic Engineering.
Maybe I'll stick to basic astrophotography for now.
Cheers
Andy

[Merlin66]

Suavi,
Agreed.
I was just suggesting one more step after acquiring the image....just check the field against a previous image ( or CdC etc) and look for changes...no mathematics involved just a bit of concentration for a few minutes.