Astro-Photographers from 16 to 100 years old will enjoy this experience.  This course is aimed at beginners, however more experienced Astro-photographers are welcome and will find the course useful.

No equipment is needed and advice and guidance on buying and using the right kit is part of the course. If you do have equipment of your own bring it along. Specifically, things to think about bringing are:

•         Camera. DSLR or specialist Astro cameras
•         Your own telescope if you have one
•         Laptop (to learn about processing and stacking etc)

If you are bringing your own DSLR we have adapters available for popular models of camera to enable you to use your camera with our telescopes during the event.

Additionally - specific questions can be emailed to our experts in advance, email us at chris@astro.ventures

The course covers the basic principals in taking pictures of astronomical objects such as nebulae, galaxies, stars and the planets. You'll get expert advice and guidance on the equipment you will need and how to get the best out of equipment you may already have. The course includes both theory and practical sessions including taking your own pictures in what is one of the best dark sky locations in the UK.   No previous knowledge or experience is required, and the course is ideally suited to the beginner starting out as an astrophotographer. If you have equipment that you'd like help with bring it along, this extended course will give you ample time to get to know your camera and astrophotography techniques followed by supervised imaging sessions and processing your images. Bring your camera & telescope if you have them and laptop (but they are not essential - you can use our equipment.)

If you are interested in taking wide field DSLR (nightscape) shots of the Milky Way, then you should book our Nightscape Photography courses. 

Course Specific Information.

2pm - Astrophotography Theory

• Equipment
• Telescope types and their suitability for astrophotography
• Tracking mounts and polar alignment
• Types of suitable camera
• DSLR basics, getting off the “auto” setting
• Specialist Astrophotography cameras
• Filters
• Image capture
• Taking long exposure pictures
• Multiple exposures
• Calibration exposures
• Guiding
• Understanding sky conditions and matching cameras to telescopes.
• Taking pictures of the Moon and planets
• Software used in image capture
• Stacking and calibrating images
• Staking software
•  Tweaking and processing your images

5:00 pm - Break

Evening session - Taking Pictures

(Note: The time at which we reconvene in the evening to take pictures will depend on the calendar and darkness.)

Putting into practice the afternoon session if you have your own equipment, we will help you set it up and we have telescopes you can use with your own cameras.

We will make time at the end of the imaging session to process your pictures

As of yet, we're unable to control the weather, so observing and photographing the skies can only go ahead if it's clear but you'll be pleased to know that all events will go ahead in any weather conditions.
In the event of inclement weather, the evening will be split between practical hands-on tuition learning how to put telescopes and cameras together and getting the best from your equipment. The second part of the evening will be an introduction to basic processing, using your own existing image data or the tutor’s.

Day One, Saturday.

After arrival and dinner in the award winning Battlesteads restaurant, join us at our dark sky observatory for one of our public observing events and learn how find your way around the stars. We will observe the most interesting objects, such as the Milky Way, star clusters, nebulae, double stars and galaxies.

Day Two, Sunday.

The morning is your own, take the chance to explore some of beautiful Northumberland or just rest in the bar after last night’s astronomy.

2pm - Astrophotography course. 

• Getting to know your camera
• DSLR basics, getting off the “auto” setting
• Taking pictures of the Milky Way, night skyscapes and photographing the Moon
• Attaching your camera to a telescope and taking long exposure pictures
• Taking pictures of the planets
• Specialist Astrophotography cameras
• Tweaking and processing your images

6:00 pm - Break for dinner

8:30pm Taking Pictures

Our resident Astrophotographer will ensure that this part of your experience is tailored to your experience level and equipment - if you have a specific thing you'd like to focus on then drop us an email and let us know.

Putting into practice the afternoon session astrophotography guests will have the exclusive use of the observatory to take their own pictures with the tutor on hand to provide advice and guidance.

As of yet, we're unable to control the weather, so observing and photographing the skies can only go ahead if it's clear but you'll be pleased to know that all events will go ahead in any weather conditions.

In the event of inclement weather on day 2, the evening will be split between practical hands-on tuition learning how to put telescopes and cameras together and getting the best from your equipment. The second part of the evening will be an introduction to basic processing, using your own existing data or the tutors images.

Day two of this event is also available as a single day Sunday course.