My First Deep Sky Adventure: NGC 7000 Under Bortle 6 Skies
As an aspiring astrophotographer, I'm thrilled to share my very first attempt at capturing a deep-sky object with a DSLR camera and a star tracker. For this endeavor, I set my sights on NGC 7000, also known as the North America Nebula, under Bortle 6 skies.
The Gear and the Setup
My equipment for this shoot consisted of:
- Camera: Stock Canon 1200D (a trusty 2014 DSLR)
- Lens: Canon 75-300mm EF lens (f/4-5.6, my trusty kit lens)
- Tracking Mount: Sky Memo S Tracker (the Japanese version of the Star Adventurer)
I opted for a focal length of 135mm at an aperture of f/5.0. The ISO was set to 3200, with 30-second exposures. In total, I captured 200 frames, along with 25 dark frames, 50 flats, and biases to aid in processing.
The Processing Journey
Post-capture, I relied on a familiar workflow:
- Stacking: DeepSkyStacker (DSS) was my tool of choice for aligning and stacking the captured frames.
- Processing: Siril and GIMP were used for noise reduction and composition. I also experimented with Starnet++ for star removal, allowing me to focus on the nebula's details.
The Result and Reflections
This is my first astrophoto using a DSLR and a tracker, and I'm still learning the ropes. I'm aware that the image exhibits a noticeable amount of noise, but I'm proud of the progress made. In an effort to add a unique touch, I also incorporated some DIY diffraction spike strings into the final image.
It's a humble beginning, but the journey of capturing the cosmos is incredibly rewarding. I'm eager to continue refining my techniques and exploring more celestial wonders!
