If you want to use a DSLR camera, mirrorless camera, or just your smartphone, this guide ‘Astrophotography For Beginners’ walks you through the gear, techniques, and tips to start astrophotography with confidence.
No jargon, no pressure—just practical advice for families, hobbyists, and curious explorers.
If you’re just getting started, you can explore our astrophotography hub for a complete overview of equipment, techniques, and beginner-friendly guides.
Astrophotography requires some kit to get started. So lets take a look at some options for what you’ll need, how they work, and things to look out for.
Table Of Contents
- 2. Using A Camera Mount
- 2.1 Tripod
- 2.2 Star Tracker
- 2.3 Telescope
- 3. What Kind Of Photos Can You Take?
- 3.1 Landscape/Milky Way Shots
- 3.2 Planetary Photos
- 3.3 Moon Shots
- 3.4 Deep Sky Objects
Side Note: Many beginners actually start with binoculars before moving into photography – as you can discover in our guide to the best binoculars for stargazing.
1. Astrophotography Basics
1.1 Choosing a Camera
For astrophotography, beginners will usually want a camera with manual controls and interchangeable lenses — either a DSLR (Digital Single Lens Reflex) or a mirrorless camera.
DSLR Cameras:
- How they work: Use a mirror to reflect light to an optical viewfinder.
- Pros: Larger lens selection, longer battery life, optical viewfinder.
- Cons: Bulkier and heavier than many mirrorless cameras.
When the shutter releases, the mirror flips up and allows light to fall directly onto the sensor.
Mirrorless Cameras:
- How they work: Light passes directly onto the image sensor with no mirror.
- Pros: Lighter and more compact, often easier to carry for extended night-sky sessions.
- Cons: Battery life can be shorter than some DSLRs, and lens choice varies between camera systems.
Mirrorless cameras display a live preview through an electronic viewfinder or rear screen.
Tip: Both DSLR and mirrorless cameras can produce excellent night-sky images. The right choice depends on factors such as size, weight, lens choice and how you plan to use the camera.
Looking for your first camera? Check out our guide to The Best Astrophotography Camera For Beginners to help you choose the right setup.
1.2 Camera Sensors Explained
Your sensor size affects your field of view and low-light performance.
Full-Frame Sensors (36mm × 24mm)
- Excellent potential for low-light performance
- Wider field of view
- Ideal for Milky Way landscapes
Crop Sensors
- Smaller sensor = narrower field of view
- Narrower field of view can make distant subjects appear larger in the frame
- The narrower field of view can be useful for planets and smaller deep-sky targets
A sensor contains millions of tiny light-sensitive elements called photosites. A 32MP sensor has around 32 million photosites, each recording light from the scene.
1.3 Understanding ISO
- ISO controls how strongly the camera amplifies the light recorded by the sensor.
- Higher ISO = a brighter image, but can also increase visible noise
- Lower ISO = less amplification and potentially less visible noise, but the image may be too dark
Starter settings:
- Milky Way: ISO 800–1600 is a useful starting range for many cameras.
- Deep sky: ISO 800–1600 can be a starting point, but the ideal setting depends on your camera, target and exposure method.
Rule of Thumb:
- Image too dark → increase ISO
- Image too grainy → lower ISO
1.4 Choosing the Right Lens
Best Lens Types
- Wide-Angle (14-20mm): Well suited to night-sky landscapes and Milky Way photography.
- Telephoto (200-600mm): Useful for the Moon, planets and smaller deep-sky targets.
Key Lens Terms
- Aperture (f-number): Lower f-number = more light (f/1.8–f/2.8 can be useful for astrophotography)
- Prime Lens: Fixed focal length; often available with wide maximum apertures, making them useful for astrophotography.
- Zoom lens: Flexible but usually slower in low light
- Manual Focus: Usually essential for achieving sharp stars and deep-sky images.
Interchangeable-lens cameras can use a wide variety of lenses, from wide-angle lenses that capture a large area of the night sky to telephoto lenses that give a narrower view of distant subjects.
For astrophotography, choosing the right lens can have as much impact on your results as choosing the camera itself.
A camera lens is mainly described by its maximum aperture and focal length.
Aperture Explained
The aperture is the adjustable opening at the centre of the lens that lets light into the camera, and it works in a similar way to the pupil of your eye. It can be made bigger or smaller to allow more or less light to reach the camera sensor.
The blades in this lens block any light except through the aperture (centre hole)
The aperture setting is typically identified by an f-number, written as “f/” followed by a number. A lens with a large maximum aperture is often described as a ‘fast’ lens.
- f/1.8 or f/2.8 → large opening → lets in lots of light.
- f/8 or f/11 → small opening → lets in less light.
Focal Length Explained
Focal length is measured in millimetres and determines how wide or narrow the view through a lens will be. For example, common focal lengths include 24mm, 50mm and 100mm.
This tells us how much of a particular scene will be captured by that lens, and is referred to as the angle of view.
- Short focal length: (14–24mm): Wide view
- Long focal length: (100–600mm): Narrow view
Short focal lengths are well suited to capturing wide night-sky landscapes, while longer focal lengths are useful for the Moon and more distant targets.
If you’re using a Nikon camera, see our Best Nikon Lens for Astrophotography guide for more detailed lens recommendations.
2. Using A Camera Mount
In addition to a camera and lens, you should set yourself up with a camera mount for stable picture taking. This could either be on a fixed tripod, a star tracker or a telescope.
Mount Type → Best For
- Fixed tripod → Milky Way & nightscapes
- Star tracker → Deep sky
- Telescope → Planets & Moon
2.1 Tripods
look for one that is:
- Strong but portable
- Rated to handle your camera (and star tracker if added)
- Equipped with a suitable head for flexible movement
- Lightweight in construction, but not at the expense of stability
Stability is one of the most important features of a good tripod. Any movement, for example from wind or accidentally touching the camera, can cause blurred images during long exposures.
If you’re not sure which tripod to choose, see our tripod recommendations for long-exposure astrophotography for some suitable options.
Tip: A remote shutter release or the camera’s self-timer can help prevent camera shake when you take the shot.
One limitation of a fixed tripod is that long exposures can cause star trails to appear in your photos. A star tracker can compensate for the Earth’s rotation and allow much longer exposures without the stars appearing as trails.
Star trails are caused by the rotation of the Earth. During a long exposure, the stars appear to move across the sky, creating trails rather than sharp points of light.
For longer exposures of deep-sky targets, however, a star tracker can allow you to capture more detail without the stars appearing as trails.
2.2 Star Trackers
- Small, portable, and beginner-friendly
- Sits between your tripod and camera
- Useful for longer-exposure deep-sky images without a telescope
A star tracker is a motorised mount that follows the apparent movement of the night sky. It allows a camera to take longer exposures while keeping the stars relatively sharp, making it particularly useful for deep-sky photography.
A star tracker rotates the camera to match the apparent movement of the stars caused by the Earth’s rotation, reducing star trails and allowing longer exposures.
When correctly polar-aligned, the tracker follows the apparent movement of the stars across the sky.
2.3 Telescopes
If you already have a telescope, you can attach a DSLR or mirrorless camera using the appropriate adapter. Even smartphones can be connected to a telescope using smartphone adapters.
This set-up is particularly useful for:
- Planetary close-ups (Jupiter, Saturn, Mars)
- Moon photography
- Deep-sky targets such as nebulae and galaxies
If you’re just starting out and want something compact, a beginner-friendly tabletop telescope can be a good way to experiment with Moon and planetary imaging before considering a larger setup.
3. What Kind of Photos Can You Take?
Astrophotography offers many ways to explore the night sky. Here are the most popular beginner-friendly options.
3.1 Landscape / Milky Way Shots
Night-sky landscape photography, particularly Milky Way photography, is a popular starting point for beginners because you can achieve good results with relatively simple equipment.
Useful starting settings:
- Mode: Manual
- Lens: Around 14–24mm is a useful range for wide-field shots
- Aperture: Use a wide aperture, such as f/1.8–f/2.8, if available
- Exposure: Start around 10–20 seconds on a fixed tripod and adjust as needed
- ISO: Around 800–1600 can be a useful starting point, depending on your camera and conditions
A full-frame camera can provide a wider field of view with the same focal length, but APS-C cameras can also produce excellent Milky Way images.
3.2 Planetary Photos
While Milky Way photography usually calls for a wide-angle lens, photographing planets gives you several options depending on the equipment you have.
Options:
- Use wide-angle settings for landscape shots that include bright planets
- Attach your camera to a telescope for detailed close-ups
- Use a long telephoto lens for tighter framing
Planets appear tiny, so magnification is key. A crop-sensor camera can help fill more of the frame with a distant planet because of its narrower field of view, although the lens or telescope and focal length are also important.
3.3 Moon Shots
The Moon is bright, making it much easier to photograph than faint deep-sky targets.
Useful starting settings:
- Lens: A long focal length, such as 300–600mm, can give good close-ups
- Aperture: Around f/8–f/11 can be a useful starting point
- Shutter speed: Start around 1/125–1/250 second and adjust as needed
- ISO: Around 100–400 is a useful starting range
- Use a timer or remote release: Helps reduce camera shake
Different lunar phases reveal different features and shadows on the Moon’s surface, making it one of the most satisfying objects for beginners to photograph.
The Moon moves across the sky relatively quickly, so a reasonably fast shutter speed can help reduce motion blur and keep details sharp.
A lunar filter can be useful for reducing the Moon’s brightness when viewing or photographing it through a telescope. See our best moon filters for telescopes guide for more information.
3.4 Deep Sky Objects (Nebulae, Clusters, Galaxies)
If you’re using a camera without a telescope, a star tracker can make longer-exposure deep-sky astrophotography much more practical. The tracker should be mounted securely on a suitable tripod.
Deep-sky targets are faint, so a stable setup and longer exposures can help capture more detail.
Without a Telescope
- Lens: Around 100–200mm can be useful for smaller deep-sky targets
- Aperture: Around f/2–f/2.8 can be a useful starting point
- ISO: Around 800–1600 can be a useful starting range
- Exposure: Start around 30–60 seconds and adjust according to your setup
With a Telescope
- The telescope acts as the camera’s lens
- ISO: Around 800 can be a useful starting point
- Exposure: Around 60–120 seconds can be a starting point, depending on the target and equipment
- Tracking mount: Required for exposures of this length
If you have a telescope, attaching a mirrorless camera or DSLR allows the telescope to act as the camera’s lens. Its longer focal length can give you a much narrower field of view, making it possible to capture smaller deep-sky targets in greater detail.
Conclusion: Start Simple and Grow at Your Own Pace
Astrophotography doesn’t have to be expensive or intimidating.
With just a basic camera, a sturdy tripod, and a little patience, you can begin capturing the Moon, the stars, and the Milky Way without needing a complicated setup.
As your confidence grows, you can expand into faster lenses, star trackers, or even telescopes — but none of that is required to take your first step.
Choose the type of night-sky photography that excites you most, experiment with the settings in this guide, and enjoy the process of learning. Every night out under the stars will teach you something new.
If you want to explore more beginner-friendly gear and techniques, take a look at our other AstronomyShack guides — and most importantly, have fun capturing the night sky.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Can you do astrophotography without a star tracker?
Yes — beginners can get great results with just a camera and tripod. For wide-angle Milky Way and night-scape shots, you don’t need a tracker at all. A star tracker becomes helpful only when you want long-exposure deep sky images like nebulae and galaxies.
2. Do I need a full-frame camera for astrophotography?
No. Full-frame cameras perform better in low light, but crop-sensor cameras are perfectly capable and even offer advantages for planetary and Moon photography due to their narrower field of view. The most important thing is having manual control over exposure, aperture, and ISO.
3. What settings should beginners use for astrophotography?
A good starting point for Milky Way photography is:
- Aperture: f/1.8–f/2.8
- Exposure: 20–30 seconds
- ISO: 800–1600
These settings will vary slightly depending on your lens and local light conditions, but they provide a reliable baseline for first attempts.
4. What lens is best for a beginner astrophotographer?
A wide-angle lens between 14–20mm with a fast aperture (f/1.8–f/2.8) is ideal for capturing wide night-sky landscapes. For Moon and planetary shots, a long telephoto lens — typically 300–600mm — or a telescope adapter works best.
5. How do I focus my camera for night-sky photography?
Switch to manual focus, point your camera at a bright star or the Moon, and zoom in using live view. Slowly adjust the focus ring until the star is as small and sharp as possible. Many lenses have “infinity” marks, but they’re not always precise, so manual fine-tuning is essential.
