Can we turn our astrophotography learning curve into structured tiers of learning?

 Blogger isn't always the most intuitive platform to navigate - but it is free and simple to use and manage. 

To help you find information quickly on this blog, you can

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• visit my home page https://undersouthwestskies.blogspot.com/p/welcome-to-my-astronomy-and.html

Astrophotography ‘Experience Tiers’ with Integrated ‘Gear Ladders’

Learning astrophotography can feel a little like navigating the night sky without a star chart. You know there are incredible destinations out there - but it’s not always clear where you are, how far you’ve come, or which direction to head next.

As an educator of over forty years, I’ve long been fascinated by how people progress when learning new knowledge and skills. Recently, that curiosity has turned toward my own journey into astrophotography. In a previous post, “Is Astrophotography Hard?” (https://undersouthwestskies.blogspot.com/2026/01/discussion-is-astrophotography-hard.html ), I explored the common challenges beginners face when entering this exciting hobby and what the typical learning journey might look like, based on my own experiences.

In this post, I’d like to take that thinking a step further.

Is it possible to identify clear experience tiers in astrophotography—stages of learning that help beginners and intermediate astrophotographers understand where they are and what comes next?

Think of this as a learning ladder, or perhaps a series of stepping stones across a river. Each tier represents a combination of knowledge, skills, and equipment that can help us move forward with more confidence and less frustration.

In this article, I share:

• A proposed tiered structure based on astrophotography knowledge and practical skills
• How each learning tier might align with astrophotography gear choices that support progress within - or to - the next level

These ideas are very much exploratory. I’m starting from a few simple premises.

First, there is an extraordinary amount of high-quality astrophotography advice available - online, in books, and through local astronomy and photography clubs. Second, most of us learn reactively: we search for answers only when we hit a problem. Finally, Astrophotographers, by nature, are excellent problem-solvers.

However, these approaches can be haphazard. Without a clear sense of where we are now and where we want to go, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed or discouraged early on.

This is where progression-tier thinking comes in.

I should be clear: I still consider myself a beginner. Some of what follows may feel like educated guesswork. But this framework is my attempt to map out the astrophotography learning journey -from first exposure to growing confidence - so I can better understand my own next steps.

I warmly invite you to discuss, constructively critique, and contribute your own ideas in the comments at the end of the post. If we combine our perspectives, perhaps we can build a clearer roadmap for all beginners in the wider astrophotography community.

As always - clear skies, stay safe, and enjoy the wonder above.

Steve

Tier 1 – Curious Beginner

Core goal: Capture the night sky and understand fundamentals.

🌌 Wide-Field Typical Gear DSLR or mirrorless camera 14–35mm fast lens (f/1.8–f/2.8) Tripod Capture Skills Manual focus at infinity Exposure control (ISO, aperture, shutter) Rule of 500 / NPF Basic composition with foreground Processing Skills Lightroom / basic Photoshop White balance correction Contrast & clarity Single-frame noise reduction	🔭 Deep-Sky Typical Gear DSLR or mirrorless Telephoto lens (70–300mm) Tripod Capture Skills Target recognition (Moon, clusters) Understanding sky rotation Short exposures to avoid trailing Processing Skills Cropping and basic tonal edits Minimal sharpening Learning limits of untracked imaging		🪐 Planetary / Lunar Typical Gear DSLR or mirrorless Telephoto lens or small telescope Basic eyepiece projection (optional) Capture Skills Manual focus Exposure control for bright targets Capturing Jupiter moons / lunar detail Processing Skills Basic sharpening Simple exposure blending for Moon
Tier 1 – Curious Beginner Failure mode: Expectation vs reality gap Common Failures Stars not sharp → misfocus at infinity Images noisy → high ISO + single exposure Milky Way barely visible → light pollution shock Frustration from comparing to online images Root Causes No understanding of signal vs noise Trusting autofocus or hard infinity stops Underestimating light pollution Fixes (Not Gear) Learn live-view focus techniques Accept stacking necessity Shoot at darker locations Reset expectations		Tier 1 – Curious Beginner Symptom: “My photos look nothing like what I expected.” ✅ Capture Recovery Checklist Switch to manual focus Zoom in on a bright star in live view Refocus after temperature changes Lower ISO, lengthen exposure Shoot RAW only ✅ Processing Recovery Checklist Reset all sliders to zero Fix white balance first Apply contrast before noise reduction Avoid clarity/texture until last Stop here if: stars are sharp and sky detail appears.

Why People Stall at Each Tier

Tier	Most Common Stall Reason
1 → 2	Unrealistic expectations

Tier 2 – Entry-Level Imaging

Core goal: Increase signal through tracking or stacking.

🌌 Wide-Field Typical Gear Star tracker (SkyTracker / Star Adventurer class) Ball head or wedge 14–50mm fast lens Intervalometer Capture Skills Rough polar alignment Multi-minute exposures Sky vs foreground separation Session planning (moon phase, location) Processing Skills First stacking attempts Gradient struggles Color balancing Noise reduction via stacking	🔭 Deep-Sky Typical Gear Entry-level equatorial mount Small refractor or telephoto lens DSLR or mirrorless Capture Skills Tracking fundamentals Framing large DSOs Capturing multiple subs Processing Skills DeepSkyStacker / Siril Darks and bias frames Basic histogram stretching Star bloat issues		🪐 Planetary / Lunar Typical Gear Small-to-medium telescope (Mak / SCT / refractor) Planetary camera (entry-level) Basic Barlow Capture Skills Video capture Region of interest (ROI) Awareness of collimation Processing Skills AutoStakkert! stacking RegiStax wavelets (heavy-handed) Limited color control
Tier 2 – Entry-Level Imaging Failure mode: “I bought tracking—why isn’t it amazing?” Common Failures Polar alignment errors Overlong subs causing star trailing Poor framing due to rushed setup Processing gradients overwhelming the image Root Causes Treating trackers/mounts as “plug and play” No exposure optimization Learning stacking after shooting poor data Fixes Practice polar alignment repeatedly Shorter subs, more of them Learn gradient removal early Inspect subs before committing a whole night		Tier 2 – Entry-Level Imaging Symptom: “Tracking didn’t fix my images.” ✅ Capture Recovery Checklist Re-do polar alignment from scratch Shorten sub-exposure length Inspect each sub for trailing Confirm tripod stability Reframe after alignment ✅ Processing Recovery Checklist Stack without calibration (test) Stack with calibration (compare) Check for uneven flats Remove gradients before stretching Stretch slowly in multiple passes Stop here if: stars are round in stacked linear image.

Why People Stall at Each Tier

Tier	Most Common Stall Reason
2 → 3	Poor fundamentals

Tier 3 – Competent Amateur

Core goal: Repeatable results and controlled workflows.

🌌 Wide-Field Typical Gear High-quality tracker or small EQ mount Fast prime lenses Portable power setup Capture Skills Accurate polar alignment Aperture optimization Multi-night sky data Panoramas & mosaics Processing Skills Sky-only stacking Foreground blending Gradient removal Star size control	🔭 Deep-Sky Typical Gear Reliable EQ mount Autoguiding setup Modded DSLR or OSC astro camera Small refractor (60–80mm) Capture Skills Guiding calibration Exposure optimization Consistent calibration frames Session planning by altitude & moon Processing Skills Nonlinear stretching Color calibration Noise reduction with masks Early star/background separation		🪐 Planetary / Lunar Typical Gear Medium-to-large aperture telescope Dedicated planetary camera Motorized focuser (optional) Capture Skills Seeing evaluation Accurate focus (Bahtinov or live metrics) Regular collimation Processing Skills WinJUPOS derotation Controlled wavelets RGB alignment Artifact suppression
Tier 3 – Competent Amateur Failure mode: Hidden system inefficiencies Common Failures Inconsistent results night-to-night Calibration frames not matching lights Guiding chasing seeing “Good but never great” images Root Causes Poor repeatability Over-aggressive guiding settings Incomplete understanding of calibration theory Fixes Standardize capture routines Measure guiding RMS vs image scale Validate flats every session Log session parameters		Tier 3 – Competent Amateur Symptom: “Results vary wildly between nights.” ✅ Capture Recovery Checklist Verify guiding RMS vs image scale Disable aggressive guiding corrections Confirm focus after meridian flip Dither is enabled and working Check cable drag and balance ✅ Processing Recovery Checklist Inspect linear image before stretch Confirm flats match optical train Remove gradients before color work Separate stars from background (if needed) Apply noise reduction before strong stretch Stop here if: linear image already looks clean.

Why People Stall at Each Tier

Tier	Most Common Stall Reason
3 → 4	Workflow inconsistency

Tier 4 – Advanced Astrophotographer

Core goal: Maximize data quality and efficiency.

🌌 Wide-Field Typical Gear High-end tracker or full EQ mount Full-frame camera Narrowband filters for wide-field Precise polar alignment tools Capture Skills Multi-night mosaics Narrowband wide-field capture Consistent framing Advanced planning Processing Skills Linear workflows Star removal & recomposition Advanced color mapping Noise modeling	🔭 Deep-Sky Typical Gear Premium EQ mount Mono camera + filter wheel Autofocus system Narrowband filters Capture Skills Sub-length optimization per filter Accurate dithering Multi-night integration RMS and seeing monitoring Processing Skills Deconvolution SHO palette control Complex masking Star morphology management		🪐 Planetary / Lunar Typical Gear Large aperture SCT or Newtonian ADC (Atmospheric Dispersion Corrector) High-speed camera Precision collimation tools Capture Skills Optimal focal ratio selection Seeing-limited capture strategy Long-session planning Processing Skills Multi-session derotation Deconvolution Subtle wavelet layering
Tier 4 – Advanced Astrophotographer Failure mode: Complexity overload Common Failures Overprocessing artifacts Deconvolution ringing Narrowband color imbalance Time spent fixing data instead of capturing good data Root Causes Applying advanced tools without diagnostics Forcing SHO palettes Insufficient integration per filter Fixes Evaluate data quality before stretching Simplify workflows Increase total integration time Use reference images for color sanity checks		Tier 4 – Advanced Astrophotographer Symptom: “Data looks good, final image looks bad.” ✅ Capture Recovery Checklist Review sub-exposure stats per filter Check integration time balance (RGB/Ha/etc.) Confirm dithering scale Evaluate seeing logs Reject poor nights instead of fixing them ✅ Processing Recovery Checklist Revert to linear image Disable deconvolution temporarily Check star masks for leakage Reduce processing step count Compare against reference images Stop here if: artifacts disappear in simpler workflow.

Why People Stall at Each Tier

Tier	Most Common Stall Reason
4 → 5	Overcomplexity

Tier 5 – Expert / Technical Imager

Core goal: System optimization and intentional output.

🌌 Wide-Field Typical Gear Precision mount Sensor tilt/backfocus correction tools Automated capture software Capture Skills Custom mosaic design Data consistency across months Extreme faint dust capture Processing Skills Photometric color calibration Advanced gradient modeling High-resolution panoramas Personal aesthetic control	🔭 Deep-Sky Typical Gear Observatory-class mount Fully automated imaging system Advanced guiding and focus control Capture Skills End-to-end automation Optical tuning Drizzle integration Scientific-grade datasets Processing Skills Custom PixInsight scripts Signal-to-noise optimization Sophisticated star control workflows		🪐 Planetary / Lunar Typical Gear Custom planetary rigs Optimized optical trains Ultra-high frame-rate cameras Capture Skills Optimal sampling theory applied Seeing statistics awareness Precision thermal control Processing Skills Multi-channel blending Physical color accuracy Advanced deconvolution theory
Tier 5 – Expert / Technical Imager Failure mode: Diminishing returns Common Failures Obsessing over marginal gains Endless equipment tuning Data perfectionism blocking completion Images technically perfect but emotionally flat Root Causes Chasing numbers instead of intent Over-optimization Losing artistic direction Fixes Define intent before capture Stop tuning when performance is within tolerance Finish projects Solicit external critique		Tier 5 – Expert / Technical Imager Symptom: “Everything is technically correct, but it’s not working.” ✅ Capture Recovery Checklist Verify system hasn’t drifted out of tolerance Re-measure tilt and backfocus Review automation logs Confirm gain/exposure still optimal Re-test with a known easy target ✅ Processing Recovery Checklist Process a subset of the data Disable custom scripts Use default parameters Evaluate SNR numerically Finish the image deliberately Stop here if: simpler processing looks better.

Why People Stall at Each Tier

Tier	Most Common Stall Reason
5 → 6	Loss of experimentation

Tier 6 – Mentor / Master

Core goal: Teaching, innovation, or scientific contribution.

🌌 Wide-Field Typical Gear Observatory-grade wide-field systems Robotic capture pipelines Capture Skills Survey projects Ultra-faint IFN imaging Large-scale mosaics Processing Skills Workflow design Teaching composition and processing Publication-quality results	🔭 Deep-Sky Typical Gear Custom observatories Research-grade instrumentation Capture Skills Precision photometry / astrometry Scientific collaboration Processing Skills Technique innovation Reference-quality datasets Instruction and mentorship		🪐 Planetary / Lunar Typical Gear World-class aperture systems Custom cameras and optics Capture Skills Pushing diffraction limits Professional seeing analysis Processing Skills New technique development Educational content creation Benchmark planetary imagery
Tier 6 – Mentor / Master Failure mode: Stagnation through mastery Common Failures Repeating the same workflows Innovation paralysis Burnout from perfection standards Teaching without updating techniques Root Causes Comfort with known success Reduced experimentation Overcommitment to mentoring or publishing Fixes Deliberate experimentation Cross-discipline learning Collaborative projects Periodic skill reset challenges		Tier 6 – Mentor / Master Symptom: “Progress feels stagnant.” ✅ Capture Recovery Checklist Change target type or scale Image in suboptimal conditions intentionally Remove automation for one session Collaborate on shared data Set experimental goals ✅ Processing Recovery Checklist Process someone else’s raw data Revisit an old dataset with new tools Teach a workflow out loud Break your own rules Publish something imperfect Stop here if: curiosity returns.

Emergency Cross-Tier Checklist

Use this when nothing makes sense.

1. Check focus
2. Check tracking
3. Check calibration frames
4. Check gradients
5. Check expectations

Technique tutorial - writing a script and shooting plan for a video short on astrophotography

 Blogger isn't always the most intuitive platform to navigate - but it is free and simple to use and manage. 

To help you find information quickly on this blog, you can

• use the search bar using key words e.g. Asiair mini
• use the blog menu list by date 
• use this page which will be regularly updated https://undersouthwestskies.blogspot.com/2025/12/want-to-find-something-quickly-on-my.html
• visit my home page https://undersouthwestskies.blogspot.com/p/welcome-to-my-astronomy-and.html

You may or may not, be aware that until recently, I ran another blog alongside this one. A very successful dinghy cruising blog about the micro adventures I had in my small boat 'Arwen' which was linked to a highly popular YouTube channel 'Arwen's Meanderings'. 

Whilst I haven't decided yet whether to start another YouTube channel on astrophotography (there are plenty of superb channels out there already, so what could I possibly add that would be useful and different), I do miss making creative video content. So, in today's post I share 

• my plans for a 'video short' about a typical astrophotography night for me
• a list of 'B' roll footage I need to capture for this video

I have done one or two short videos altready but they have been pretty simplistic - just a series of timelapses spliced together with a few onscreen comments. 

However, I feel it is time to go beyond this approach. A proper video with voice over and 'real-life' commentary to camera. A 'chaptered' approach that breaks down step by step the sections of a typical astrophotography night. 

So, without further ado what might I include in such a video? 

My first ever 'proper' video 'short' for YouTube

Here are my initial chapter headings for a video short which will be somewhere between 2 - 5 minutes in length:

HOOK: THE UNIVERSE IS PATIENT AND CAN ASTROPHOTOGRAPHY TAKE MOST OF THE NIGHT?

🔥 Goal: To establish wonder and cinematic tone

CHAPTER ONE: PREPARATION IN SILENCE and The Night Begins Before Nightfall

Goal: To show the planning, preparation, unpacking - setting the scene

CHAPTER TWO: ALIGNING WITH THE SKY and Waiting for Darkness

Goal: Visualize the technical alignment and focusing processes without overexplaining

CHAPTER THREE: LETTING THE NIGHT WORK and The Gear Isn’t Fancy, It’s Precise

Equipment Beauty Shots       Finding Something You Can’t See      Slewing & Plate Solving       Autoguiding

Goal: To show the slewing, plate solving and autoguiding processes along with the patience, waiting and quiet of long exposures

CHAPTER FOUR: DAWN & REVELATION

Goal: Concluding with payoff: sunrise + final image creation 

I suspect there will be a couple more chapters than this. I find that shooting video is organic and often I will suddenly shoot something I didn't initially thinkl of during the storyboarding stage. 

Tips for Filming

From  fifteen years experience of shooting over 250 dinghy cruising videos, here is my take on the key filming tips: 

• Shoot wide + close for every key moment - you will thank yourself later during editing 
• Use slow pans and tilts - cinematic movement sells the short and wins likes and subscribers
• Capture longer clips than needed - can trim in video editing
• Red light for night scenes - keeps the natural dark look
• Timelapses: plan them early; run while shooting close-ups
• Minimal narration for a short - let the images and sound tell the story of the night

A 'B' roll shooting clips checklist for out in the field

I always envied the creative YouTubers who could go out andf just shoot a video without recourse to a plan or storyboard. Me? I needed a checklist. there is nothing worse than coming home and discovering you have missed vital shots that tell the key aspects of the story! 

PREAMBLE INTRODUCTION: the universe is patient

o   Time lapse dusk fading to dark

o   Stars beginning to appear

o   Mount tracking in dark

o   Red headlamp glow on mount tracking

o   Dslr shutter firing

o   Red headlamp on hands adjusting scope

o   Focus on blinking LED

o   Me standing beside the rig, red light nearby

o   Slow push-in shot of the setup

PRE-PLANNING – pre trip preparation

☐ Weather app (clouds / wind) clear-skies
☐ Moon phase graphic
☐ Sky map / target selection – sky safari
☐ Notes or phone planning – sketch book
☐ Packing gear into bags; into car
☐ Batteries charging
☐ SD card insert

o   Photopills planning

o   Google maps – location hunting

o   Food being prepared and packed 

JOURNEY  – getting there

o   Car head lights dark lane

o   Pulling into car park location spot

o   Driving onto site

WAITING FOR DARK - Preparing in Silence

☐ Sunset timelapse and Blue hour sky
☐ Gear laid out in boot, untouched
☐ Watching sky quietly
☐ First stars appearing

o   Gear being unpacked in soft twilight

o   Batteries being checked, cables laid

o   Close-ups: telescope lens, mount knobs, red light

o   Sunset fading, first stars appearing

o   Inspecting tripod site

o   Reversing car into position

GEAR OVERVIEW AND SET UP -  The Gear Isn’t Fancy, It’s Precise

☐ Full rig wide shot – slow panning
☐ Refractor lens glass and reflected sky
☐ EQM-35 mount motors humming
☐ Counterweights close up
☐ DSLR mounted
☐ Cable management

o   Setting up tripod and levelling

o   Spirit levels

o   Installing batteries

o   Adding rig

o   Connecting cables

o   Balancing rig

Close ups:

o   Mount knobs

o   Asiair mini and guide scope

o   Cables – macro – plugged in sockets

o   Mount motors

o   Slow pan across entire rig

o   Cables neatly routed

o   Temp gauge 

POLAR ALIGNMENT AND FINDING THE TARGET  - Pointing the Mount at the Universe  and aligning with the sky

☐ ASIAIR polar alignment screen – record screenshots
☐ Adjusting alt/az knobs – hands close up red light
☐ North Star (if visible) and green laser pen alignment
☐ Tripod feet on ground
☐ Tightening bolts

o   ASIAIR Mini screen glowing, mount slewing

o   Camera perched on telescope

o   Moving 60d during PA

Finding Something You Can’t See

o   Plate solving confirmed screenshot

o   Target name/co-ordinates screen shot

o   Scope pointing into darkness

o   Dslr test images focus

Slewing & Plate Solving

o   Mount slewing across sky

o   Camera preview showing “empty” sky

Focus Is Everything

☐ Bahtinov mask on scope
☐ Diffraction spikes on screen
☐ Adjusting focuser
☐ Breath in cold air
☐ Locking focus

o   Appropriate screenshot recordings asiair app

o   Guide scope camera

o   Stars steady on screen

AUTOGUIDING - Letting the Mount Fix Its Own Mistakes

☐ Guide scope & camera
☐ Guiding graph stabilizing
☐ Steady guide star
☐ Mount micro-corrections

o   Dslr test images

o   Dslr test image checking – histogram

o   Inputting settings on asiair app

o   Mount tracking

o   Guide scope and guide camera

o   ASIAIR guiding graph stabilizing

o   Close-up of steady star

o   Mount making micro-corrections

o    Close up asiair

THE QUIET HOURS -  Letting the Night Work  Long, Calm Shots 

☐ Exposure countdown timer
☐ Repeating shutter clicks
☐ Milky Way / star drift
☐ Dew forming
☐ Dew heater straps and controller
☐ ASIAIR dashboard check
☐ Sitting quietly near rig
☐ Long static sky shots

o   Setting up chair and table

o   Stove boiling and Making tea

o   Sat in chair munching sandwich

o   Dew forming on grass

o   Sitting quietly near the rig

o   Checking ASIAIR dashboard

o   Clouds passing (if any)

o   Long static shots

PACKING UP – the end is in sight

☐ Dawn glow behind rig
☐ Powering down ASIAIR
☐ Removing camera
☐ Packing gear
☐ Birds / morning ambience

o   Looking over site nothing left

o   Empty space where rig once was

o   Driving out of car park

o   Boot – gear packed up, slamming boot

o   Dawn glow behind rig

o   Powering down ASIAIR

o   Removing camera from scope

o   Packing gear carefully

o   Birds beginning to chirp

OUTRO - Dawn & Revelation

☐ Empty sky at sunrise

o   First rays of light to east on horizon
☐ Horizon fade to black

o   Faint morning glow, horizon brightening

o   Packing gear slowly

o   Laptop shows final stacked image

o   Pull back to wide starry sky fading to dawn

o   Transition from dark field → computer screen → final processed image

o   Slow reveal of finished deep-sky photo

FINAL IMAGE - The Image Revealed

☐ Laptop with stacked image
☐ Histogram stretch
☐ Before / after
☐ Final processed image (full screen)

o   Different parts of SIRIL work flow

Ending visual:

o   Final deep-sky image full screen (fade out)

o   Soft text overlay: “A night under the stars”

o   Laptop with stacked image appearing

o   Before/after slider

o   Final processed deep-sky image full screen

Below you will find some images which put the above together as a checklist. I hope it helps. 

Let me know your thoughts, comments and observations in the comment box below.

In my next post, I will offer some thoughts about a possible commentary - what kind of verbal content might I focus on? 

As always, clear skies, stay safe and have fun out there. 

Steve 

Imaging session: NGC 7822 and the mystery of the unplanned meridian flip

Blogger isn't always the most intuitive platform to navigate - but it is free and simple to use and manage. 

To help you find information quickly on this blog, you can

• use the search bar using key words e.g. Asiair mini
• use the blog menu list by date 
• use this page which will be regularly updated https://undersouthwestskies.blogspot.com/2025/12/want-to-find-something-quickly-on-my.html
• visit my home page https://undersouthwestskies.blogspot.com/p/welcome-to-my-astronomy-and.html

 Imaging Session Report: NGC 7822 and the Mystery of the Unplanned Meridian Flip

Astrophotography has a funny way of keeping you humble. Some nights everything aligns perfectly; on others, the universe seems to shrug and say, “Not tonight.” This was very much one of those nights.

In this post, I’ll:

• Introduce the deep-sky object I actually captured
• Outline my original imaging plan
• Break down what went wrong (and why)
• Share my post-processing workflow based on the data I managed to collect

Think of this session as a road trip where the satnav fails, the fuel gauge lies, and you somehow end up discovering an interesting town you never planned to visit.

A Confession: This Wasn’t the Target

Let’s start with a confession.

NGC 7822 was not my intended target.
I had planned to image IC 1805 – the Heart Nebula, but plate solving simply refused to cooperate. No matter what I tried, the mount and ASIAIR stubbornly kept slewing to the same location.

Eventually, after two hours of wrestling with software, cables, and my own patience, I gave in. The system kept defaulting to NGC 7822, so I accepted the hint from the cosmos and went with it.

Accidental target? Yes.
Regret? Surprisingly, no.

What Is NGC 7822?

NGC 7822 is a vast emission nebula located in the constellation Cepheus, right on the border with Cassiopeia. It’s a challenging object visually - like trying to spot mist in a dark valley - but long-exposure imaging reveals its dramatic structure.

This glowing star-forming region sits at the end of a giant molecular cloud, approximately 3,000 light-years from Earth. It’s a stellar nursery, quietly shaping new suns while we struggle to point our telescopes at it.

Object details:

• Right Ascension: 00h 01m 28.35s
• Declination: +68° 42′ 43.2″
• Magnitude: +8.0
• Apparent size: 60 × 30 arcminutes

Astrophotography Equipment Used

For transparency (and troubleshooting), here’s the full imaging setup:

• EQM-35 Pro mount
• William Optics Zenithstar 61 II with 61A field flattener
• Canon 800D (astro-modded)
• ASIAIR Mini
• ZWO 120mm Mini guide camera
• RVO 32mm f/4 guide scope
• Optolong L-eNhance clip-in filter
• Celestron Lithium Pro power pack
• Three 25,000 mAh power banks
• Dummy battery for camera
• Two dew heater straps (main scope and guide scope)
• MSM green laser pen (polar scope alignment)
• Google Pixel 6a smartphone
• Samsung Galaxy A9 tablet (used as a light panel with a homemade sleeve)

Setup and the Battle With Plate Solving

After a rough polar alignment earlier, I balanced the rig in RA and Dec, powered everything up, and launched the ASIAIR.

Finding IC 1805 proved almost impossible. It was nearly at the zenith - an awkward position that made accurate slewing and plate solving unreliable. Each attempt snapped back to NGC 7822 like a compass needle refusing to point north.

From setup to surrender took two full hours. My imaging window - before clouds rolled in - was limited to 18:30–00:15, and by 20:00 I still had nothing running. Motivation was draining fast.

Eventually, I stopped fighting it. Guiding calibration went smoothly, and imaging finally began.

Environmental Challenges: The Odds Were Stacked

Several factors conspired against this session:

🌕 Moon and Location

With roads dangerously icy (nine car crashes on my road in two hours—including a police car), I stayed in the back garden.

Unfortunately:

• A steep, wooded slope blocks the southern sky
• The house blocks the north
• My usable sky runs north-west to east, above 70° elevation
• The site is Bortle 5
• The Moon was 96% full

Trying to image faint nebulosity under these conditions is tricky, is it not.

Imaging Plan (That Mostly Didn’t Happen)

After test shots, the plan was:

• ISO 800
• Bulb mode
• 300 seconds × 40 lights
• 20 darks
• 20 bias frames
• 20 flats

Reality, however, had other ideas.

Seventeen light frames in, power problems began.

Power Failures and a Rogue Meridian Flip

Both the camera power bank and the main mount power source started losing charge—despite being fully charged that morning.

Fifteen minutes later, the mount performed a completely unscheduled meridian flip, even though the ASIAIR indicated several hours remaining. It was like watching my car suddenly turn around on the motorway because it thought I'd missed a junction. 

Possible Causes: ASIAIR Issues

I’ve only experienced ASIAIR problems once before. These are the likely suspects:

• The mount and app were not properly synced
• Incorrect latitude or longitude was entered 
• The app may have mistakenly believed it was in the southern hemisphere

Any of these could explain the premature meridian flip.

Possible Causes: Power Bank Failures

For the first time, I wrapped the power banks in loose bubble wrap to protect them from temperatures dropping to –3°C. They were attached to the steel tripod legs using 3D-printed clips.

Possible explanations:

• The bubble wrap caused overheating
• Cold air pooled around the tripod at the base of the slope, draining batteries faster than expected

Cold behaves like water - it flows downhill and collects where you least want it.

Post-Processing Workflow

Given the limited data, processing was kept simple and efficient.

Affinity Photo

• Stacked 17 light frames
• Curves and levels to restore colour balance and exposure

Siril

• Background extraction
• Plate solving
• SSPC colour calibration
• Veralux Hypermetric Stretch
• Cosmic Clarity denoise
• Cosmic Clarity sharpening

Final Touches

• Minor contrast and colour tweaks back in Affinity Photo

I’ll share a more detailed workflow later this week.

Final Thoughts: Lessons From a Difficult Night

Not every astrophotography session is a triumph - but every one teaches something.

If you have thoughts on:

• What I may have done wrong during mount setup?
• Why the ASIAIR behaved unpredictably?
• What might have caused the power failures?

… please leave a comment below. I’d love to hear your insights.

Thanks for stopping by. I hope you found this post useful, reassuring, or at least relatable.

Clear skies, stay safe, and happy astrophotography,
Steve 🌌