Cheaper camera equipment is giving rise to a new wave of budding astronomers around the region and snapping a good image is much easier than you might think.
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Tamworth Regional Astronomy Club is leading the charge on the night-time pursuit.
Treasurer and photographer Stuart Goff said rookies can get started with as little as a DSLR camera, tripod and a dark sky.
“You don’t need a big expensive telescope,” Mr Goff said. “You can start with just a camera in a stable position. From there they can expand their knowledge.”
Fellow amateur astronomer Phil Betts shoots photos from his phone and even a “$16 zoom lense” camera which he said did an equal job.
Mr Betts joined the club about 18 months ago and said his interest was sparked by the accessibility of camera technology.
“The technology has made [astronomy] photos a lot more achievable,” he said.
You don’t need a big expensive telescope.
- Stuart Goff, Tamworth Regional Astronomy Club
The ideal time for astronomy photography is when looking at the centre of the universe when the sky is dense with stars and nebula. At this time of year, that’s in the bleary-eyed hours of 3-4am. Mr Hoff said the struggle out of bed might be tough but the results can be spectacular.
“When you get a photo at that time, you really notice the difference,” he said.
His ultimate goal was to capture lightening and stars simultaneously. It doesn’t happen often and is more about being at the right place, at the right time.
Another newcomer to the astronomy game is Scott Jackson, whose passion for radio technology has expanded beyond the atmosphere.
He described a photo taken by another club member of a meteor using a long exposure and an everyday, DLSR camera. “It’s really that simple,” he said.
Fairfax photographer Gareth Gardner put together a great video of how to snap the best images of astronomy photos.
Or for more on Tamworth Regional Astronomy and how to get involved, visit the club’s Facebook page.
We would love to see your star/astronomy photos. Email: mail.nvi@fairfaxmedia.com.au