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The Astrophotography Manual, Second Edition is for photographers ready to move beyond standard SLR cameras and editing software to create beautiful images of nebulas, galaxies, clusters, and the stars. Beginning with a brief astronomy primer, this book takes readers through the full astrophotography process, from choosing and using equipment to image capture, calibration, and processing. This combination of technical background and hands-on approach brings the science down to earth, with practical methods to ensure success.


This second edition now includes:








Over 170 pages of new content within 22 new chapters, with 600 full-color illustrations.







Covers a wide range of hardware, including mobile devices, remote control and new technologies.







Further insights into leading software, including automation, Sequence Generator Pro and PixInsight







Ground-breaking practical chapters on hardware and software as well as alternative astrophotography pursuits

The Astrophotography Manual: A Practical and Scientific Approach to Deep Sky Imaging

Part I. Astronomy Primer





1. The Diverse Universe of Astrophotography





2. Space





3. Catalogs





4. Four Dimensions and Counting





5. Limits of Perception





Part II. Choosing Equipment





6. The Ingredients of Success





7. New Tools





8. General Equipment





9. Imaging Equipment





10. A Portable System





Part III. Setting Up





11. Hardware Setup





12. Software Setup





13. Wireless/Remote Operation





Part IV. Image Capture





14. Sensors and Exposure





15. Focusing





16. Autoguiding and Tracking





17. Pointing and Tracking Models





18. Sequencing, Automation and Scripting





19. Mosaics





Part V. Image Calibration and Processing





20. Post Exposure





21. Getting Started in PixInsight





22. Image Calibration and Stacking





23. Linear Image Processing





24. Non-linear Image Processing





Part VI. Pix Insights





25. Pre-Processing





26. Seeing Stars





27. Noise Reduction and Sharpening





28. Image Stretching





29. Color Filter Array (CFA) Processing





30. Narrowband Image Processing





Part VII. First Light Assignments





31. Practical Examples





32. M3 (Globular Cluster)





33. M51a/b (Whirlpool Galaxy)





34. M45 (Pleiades Open Cluster)





35. C27 (Crescent Nebula) in Narrowband





36. M31 (Andromeda Galaxy)





37. IC 1805 (Heart Nebula) in False Color





38. Comet C/2014 Q2





39. M27 (Dumbbell Nebula)





40. M3 (Globular Cluster) revisited





41. 3-D Image Processing





42. Vacation Image





43. Horsehead and Flame Nebula





44. Wide-field Mosaic





45. Exoplanet





Appendices





A. Diagnostics and Problem Solving





B. Summer Projects





C. Automatic Observatory Control





D. Collimating a Ritchey Chretien Telescope





E. Templates





F. Bibliography and Resources