Astrophotography is the practice of taking pictures of objects in space. Because there are many kinds of celestial objects, with very different brightness levels and sizes, no single piece of equipment can be used for all types of astrophotography. This exhibition mainly focuses on deep-sky photography, although some ideas about digital imaging can be used in all types.

Astrophotography is generally divided into three main types.

Fixed Photography:

Using a camera and a steady tripod, photographers capture constellations, the Milky Way, or star-filled skies together with scenery on the ground. This type of photography focuses on composition and visual beauty.

Deep-sky Photography:

This type captures dim objects such as nebulae, star clusters, and galaxies. It requires long exposure times and the use of an equatorial mount, which is a device that follows the movement of the stars to offset the rotation of the Earth. Large telescopes with focal lengths of several hundred millimeters or more are often used.

Planetary Photography:

To show details on planets or the Moon, photographers aim for the highest possible image sharpness. This is done by using very short exposure times and a method called “lucky imaging,” which selects the clearest images from thousands of shots taken through the Earth's atmosphere.

Different types of astrophotography allow us to gradually explore the many sides of the universe, from stunning starry skies to faraway galaxies.