This book “Explore the Universe through astrophotography: capturing pictures with telescopes and PLAY software” includes the following chapters:
- The Symphony of Modern Astrophotography: Beyond the Telescope
- Two Pathways to Astrophotography: Planetary/Lunar vs. Deep-Sky
- Deep-sky objects to photograph in every season
- Astrophotography with Telescopes: a Step-by-Step Guide
- PLAY software for EAGLE or Windows 10/11 computers
- Use PLAY to Capture Images
- Use PLAY and SharpCap to capture Moon and the Planets
- How to Control PLL Observatory Stations with EAGLE Computer and PLAY
- Useful astronomy software that can be used together with PLAY
- Best Windows settings to optimize your computer performance
From Introduction of Book “Explore the Universe through astrophotography: capturing pictures with telescopes and PLAY software”:
Exploring the Universe has always been a fascinating adventure. While looking through a telescope brings the night sky closer to us, there's something even more magical about astrophotography that takes this experience to a whole new level. Imagine being able to see colors and details in the stars and galaxies that you can't see with just your eyes. That's what astrophotography does—it shows us the universe in ways we've never seen before.
When we just look through a telescope, we're a bit limited. Our eyes aren't great at seeing in the dark, and many amazing things in the sky don't stand out to us. Even though visual use of a telescope is exciting, there's so much more out there that we're missing if we just observe with our eye. This is where the magic of astrophotography comes in. By taking pictures of the sky with cameras that can capture light over a long period of time, astrophotographers can take pictures of objects that simply can’t ben seen through a telescope eyepiece. These pictures can show us the beautiful colors and intricate details of far-off galaxies and nebulae, bringing to us the wonders of the universe even with a compact telescope. Of course having a large instrument allows you to capture more light and record finer details but even with a compact telescope, equipped with the right technology, you can record stunning pictures of the night sky.
Astrophotography is both a science and an art. You need to know about telescopes, cameras, various accessories and this may not be an easy thing when you start. This is why I wrote this book, so you can start using your telescope now, without spending too much time trying to understand how to make it work. And this is why PrimaLuceLab developed PLAY software, that allows you to make astrophotography with telescope and camera you prefer, in an easier way.
But you also need to have a good eye for what makes a beautiful picture. This mix of skills makes astrophotography a special and rewarding hobby that may produce even professional level results. And for teachers and students, astrophotography is a fun and exciting way to learn about space. It makes science feel real and close, sparking curiosity and wonder about the universe and everything in it.
In the end, astrophotography gives us a unique view of the universe that allows us to connect to it in a deep and meaningful way. Through astrophotography, we're not just observers; we're space explorers, sharing the incredible beauty of the cosmos with everyone.
Book details:
- Author: Filippo Bradaschia
- Publication date: October 2014
- Number of pages: 150
- Publisher: PrimaLuceLab
- Language: English
