The 100 Best Astrophotography Targets

This is the first guidebook to specifically target the best objects for backyard astrophotography. It reveals, for each month of the year, the choicest celestial treasures within the reach of a commercial CCD camera and how to get the most spectacular results.

Any amateur astronomer who is interested in astrophotography, particularly if just getting started, needs to know what objects are best for imaging in each month of the year. These are not necessarily the same objects that are the most spectacular or intriguing visually. The camera reveals different things and has different requirements. What objects in the sky tonight are large enough, bright enough, and high enough to be photographed? This book reveals, for each month of the year, the choicest celestial treasures within the reach of a commercial CCD camera. Helpful hints and advice on framing, exposures, and filters are included. Each deep sky object is explained in beautiful detail, so that observers will gain a richer understanding of these astronomical objects. This is not a book that dwells on the technology of CCD, Webcam, wet, or other types of astrophotography. Neither is it a book about in-depth computer processing of the images (although this topic is included). Detailed discussions of these topics can be found in other publications. This book focuses on what northern latitude objects to image at any given time of the year to get the most spectacular results.

Preface. Introduction.- Section 1: The 100 Best Astrophotography Targets. January - Mostly Nebulae.- February - Clusters and Nebulae.- March - Clusters and Galaxies.- April - Galaxy Pairs and Clusters.- May - Diversity of Galaxy Shapes.- June - Globular Clusters and More Galaxies.- July - Just Globular Clusters.- August - Planetary and Emission Nebulae.- September - Autumn Assortment.- October - Halloween Treats.- November - The Great Galaxies.- December - Celestial Potpourri.- Section 2: Getting Started in CCD Imaging. Equipment for Astrophotography.- Acquiring the Image.- The Order of Image Processing.- Index.- Acknowledgements.- About the Author.