The MoonshotMastery Academy
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SHELF IV · DEEP SKY

“I have the mount and a small telescope, and I want to photograph a nebula, not just look at one.”

Deep-Sky Imaging with a Small Refractor

A complete imaging night with a small refractor: framing, focus with a mask, sub-exposure length, filters for light-polluted skies, and calibration frames, from first set-up to a folder of data you can trust.

A red and orange emission nebula threaded with dark dust among dense stars

What you will be able to do

  1. Plan, frame and capture a deep-sky target in one night
  2. Choose exposure, gain and filters for your sky
  3. Capture calibration frames that actually calibrate

Night log: the units

  1. UNIT 01 Choosing targets and framing them 7 lessons · 1 h 38 min
  2. UNIT 02 Camera, telescope and field of view 7 lessons · 1 h 38 min
  3. UNIT 03 Focus and keeping it 6 lessons · 1 h 24 min
  4. UNIT 04 Sub-exposures, gain and filters 8 lessons · 1 h 52 min
  5. UNIT 05 Calibration frames 7 lessons · 1 h 38 min
  6. UNIT 06 Five targets, start to finish 10 lessons · 2 h 20 min

What is included

  • Five targets imaged on screen across a season, from set-up to packed-away
  • Focusing with a Bahtinov mask and keeping focus through the night
  • Choosing sub-exposure length, gain and filters for a British suburban sky
  • Darks, flats and bias frames: why, when and how
  • 18 months of streaming access

Who it suits

Imagers with a tracking mount who are ready to put a small telescope and a camera on it.

Questions about this course

What do I need before I start?

Phone or camera + tripod, Tracking mount, A telescope. Nothing has to be bought in advance: the course opens with what to choose and why.

How long will it take me?

There are 45 lessons, 10 h 30 min of video in all. At about 4 hours a week that is roughly 3 weeks, but the pace is yours: clear nights decide more than the calendar.

How long can I watch it, and is there a tutor?

You can stream every lesson for 18 months from when access starts. The lessons are recorded: there is no live tutor and no marking, and the videos cannot be downloaded.

Pairs well with