The Astrophotography Manual is for those photographers who aspire to move beyond using standard SLR cameras and editing software, and who are ready to create beautiful images of nebulas, galaxies, clusters, and the solar system. Beginning with a brief astronomy primer, this book takes readers through the full astrophotography process, from choosing and using equipment through image capture, calibration, and processing. This combination of technical background information and the hands-on approach brings the science down to earth with a practical method to plan for success. Features include: Over 400 images, graphs, and tables to illustrate these concepts A wide range of hardware to be used, including smartphones, tablets, and the latest mount technologies How to utilize a variety of leading software such as Maxim DL, Nebulosity, Sequence Generator Pro, Photoshop, and PixInsight Case studies showing how and when to use certain tools and overcoming technical challenges How sensor performance and light pollution relate to image quality and exposure planning

Author Biography

Chris Woodhouse was born in England, and during his teenage years was a keen amateur photographer. After receiving an M.Eng. in Electronics at Bath University, he designed communication and optical gauging equipment before joining an automotive company. As a member of the Royal Photographic Society, he gained an Associate distinction in 2002. During the last thirty years, he has pursued his passion for all forms of photography, mostly in monochrome. This, coupled with his design experience, led him to invent and patent several unique darkroom timers and meters, which are sold throughout the world. After the success of his first book, Way Beyond Monochrome, he turned his attention to digital monochrome and astrophotography. He quickly found the technical challenges of astrophotography responded well to methodical and scientific methods; together with his photographic eye and experience, he produces beautiful and fascinating images.