Which software can I use for astrophotography?

Dr Simon Bennett of The Widescreen Centre tells us which software is needed to get the most out of your astro images

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Astro imaging can be challenging but, as shown in this image of the Horsehead Nebula taken and processed by astrophotographer Steven Coates, can be extremely rewarding

Astro imaging can be challenging but, as shown in this image of the Horsehead Nebula taken and processed by astrophotographer Steven Coates, can be extremely rewarding

Astrophotography (or astro imaging) is one of the more complicated subsets both of astronomy and of photography – but to the dedicated, can be a very rewarding past-time.

Amateurs today can take images that rival earlier efforts by the Hubble Space Telescope, thanks to modern software and image processing techniques. Digital imaging allows individual images to be processed, stacked together, and mosaicked to produce stunning results. Correct equipment is a must – including the software. Free programs from the web such as Registax, FireCapture, WinJUPOS, Stellarium and Deep Sky Stacker are great programs to begin with. More proficient software is available from many companies including Backyard EOS and APT – and arguably the best tutorial is PixInsight. Those who stay with the game invariably end up with MaxIm DL from Cyanogen Imaging.

Answered by Dr Simon Bennett at The Widescreen Centre

Image courtesy of Steven Coates

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