Exploring the Cosmos

Discover My Astrophotography Passion

My Passion

Unveiling the Beauty of the Cosmos Through Photography

At Tracking the Stars, I share stunning astrophotography of celestial wonders, illuminating the cosmos through my lens. Each photo offers insights and educational content, helping visitors appreciate the night sky.

Tracking the Stars is a culmination of my love for astrophotography, where countless hours spent capturing celestial events translate into breathtaking visuals. Visitors can experience not just the beauty, but also the stories behind each image, enhancing their understanding of our universe.

My Journey

The Evolution of Tracking the Stars

My interest in astronomy dates back to my teenage years when I photographed the night sky using a 35mm film camera that I modified to keep the release open manually.

I returned to the hobby more recently with the purchase of a Nikon D750 and the Star Adventurer GTi star tracker.

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Equipment

Most of my images are taken in rural Wisconsin at a class 4 (Bortle scale) site.

The camera is an unmodified Nikon D750 with a Zoom-Nikkor 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6G telephoto lens on an Oben CT-3565 Carbon Fiber tripod.

More recently, I am employing the Sky-Watcher Star Adventurer GTi star tracker connected to iPhone 13 to take longer exposures.

The Process

Understanding My Approach to Astrophotography

I am using Siril for post-processing most of my images.

Stack

Stack images using bias, dark and flat files; background extraction
and photometric color calibration.

Stretch

Stretch star-less image using asign and/or histogram transformation.

Adjust

Detail-adjustments like color saturation in Photoshop