The Hubble Telescope, mankind’s primary star catcher launched into the Earth’s orbit in 1990, turns 30. For decades it has been recording the births and deaths of stars, collisions and idiosyncrasies of galaxies, beaming down an unprecedented view of the workings of heaven.
To celebrate the space telescope’s 30th, NASA has issued a selection of photographs labelled “30 celestial gems”. They are galaxies, star clusters, and great gas clouds and space materials tumultuously amalgamating to give birth to new stars and planets.
Meanwhile, on earth, a breed of sky spies are capturing the same mystic processes with equipment, light years away from the sophistication of the Hubble. They are astrophotographers. Once a specialised branch of photography in India, staring into space is catching on. Don’t be surprised if you see a young man or woman adjusting his telescope and camera at a vantage point in Pangong Tso in Leh-Ladakh, Coorg or Jaisalmer. Astrophotographers flew off last week to vantage points in Latin America to capture the rare total solar eclipse on December 14.
This special kind of lensmen look for the darkness to lead them to the light. The darkest of places, away from the light pollution of cities and towns, are best suited for their job. The eye takes around 30 seconds to adjust to total darkness after the pupils dilate and lets in light in quantities, thousands of times more than normal. But the Universe is an ever dazzlingly dynamic theatre of colours and light, as well as endless darkness. The astrophotographer, by capturing the endless steam of stellar history, attempts to place the apostrophes in its story.
Astronomy is evidenced to have started with the Babylonians about 1,600 years ago. It was given its structural cosmological framework by the Greeks. The astronomer Thales used maths and data to predict eclipses. Hipparchus is the father of the first star catalogue and recorded the names of constellations. Much before Galileo and the Roman Catholic Church’s dogmatic arrogance, Eratosthenes based his calculations on the Earth being round. Pope Urban VII would’ve been apoplectic hearing that Aristarchus had conceived a Solar System with the Sun at its centre with the Earth and the planets revolving around it while the Moon orbits the Earth.
In 200 AD, the Greek astronomer Ptolemy wrote the Almagest, considered the greatest treatise on the stars and planetary movements. Astronomy like all great sciences engaged in the examination of origins of man and the Universe is embedded with philosophers. Modern philosophers creating a digital Almagest with a camera, tripod and remote release simply show that nothing changes while everything changes. It’s the immutable law of the Universe.
Neeraj Ladia
Science Communicator & Head, Space Chennai
"Last year, I captured the Chandrayaan-2 launch at Sriharikota. This image was featured on NASA’s Astronomy Picture of the Day and I consider that a milestone in my career.”
Over a decade ago, when he stepped into astronomy and astrophotography, technological advancements were limited. Despite the limitations, a handful of astronomy enthusiasts-turned-mentors tapped into their knowledge to shoot the space, starry skies and deep-sky objects with basic analogues and SLR cameras, Ladia says. “Since then, we have come a long way. From rocket launches, eclipses, the sun, planets to nebulae, over the years, I have been able to witness the interstellar scape and take the imagery and the learnings to the masses and budding enthusiasts,” he adds. Today, with the rise of social media, and several knowledge-sharing platforms, awareness of astrophotography has increased manifold. The images, albeit being processed, have become an appealing feature and often trigger the imagination of the netizens.
A piece of advice: You not only have to have a basic understanding of the camera and its mechanism but also of the subjects that encompass astronomy. Be a constant learner.
Favourite spots: Spiti Valley, Sariska National Park (Rajasthan), Chandra Taal Lake @neeraj.ladia
What’s Astrophotography?
Astrophotography is another subgenre of photography. It is all about capturing images of the night sky—the spectacular objects that either you see with the human eye (the moon, stars etc) or the Milky Way, nebulae or distant planets in the deep space.
A Beginner’s Guide
Dark Skies: Find dark skies, free of light pollution. The moon also plays a crucial role in lighting up the night. If you are shooting during a full moon or even a half moon, stars will appear washed out by its light. So, photographing the stars during the new moon phase is ideal. Not possible? Verify the rise and set times of the moon, and align these with the times that the Milky Way is visible. This can be done using a phone app or Google search.
The Right Equipment
Camera: It should have the feature to change lenses; cameras that come with a fixed lens often lack the necessary aperture. A wide fast lens—at least 24mm or wider and has an aperture of f/2.8 or lower—is ideal. The night sky is vast and your aim should be to capture as much of the scene as possible. A wide-angle lens lets the photographer compose with enough room for an intriguing foreground and scintillating Milky Way. It's dark, so let as much light into the sensors as possible. Using a fast lens capable of reaching f/2.8 or lower can ensure success.
Composition is the Key
Composition is the most important element of a photograph. Spend some time around your location to check where the Milky Way will rise and set, and how you can have it interlace with your foreground to create a frame.
Settings Do a Balancing Act
Owing to the lack of light, it’s important to determine how as much light as possible can be let into the sensor, without bringing in loads of noise. The first step is the aperture. The lowest aperture possible lets in the most light, so a setting of f/2.8 or lower is necessary. Next is shutter speed, which will be determined by your focal length. Since the earth is rotating, the stars in the pictures will appear as dashes instead of pinpoints if the shutter speed is too long. This is known as star trailing. The longer the focal length, the shorter your shutter speed will have to be. Now, keep ISO as low as possible, for a low noise image.
The Digital Darkroom
The colour of your original raw images can vary widely depending on the original white balance used. Naturally the night has tones of blue, and thus a photographer should start with a cool white balance. Choosing the same white balance every time is the first step to creating continuity throughout your images. The handling of colour and white balance in the digital darkroom can be a delicate process. So, ensure that your monitor is routinely calibrated to maintain the uniformity that you wanted to create through the shooting process.
Tripod: A sturdy tripod is important during weather conditions like high winds, ocean tides or river currents. Also, some handy tools that will make your life easier are: A headlamp that lets you to keep your hands free; a remote trigger that helps keep your hands off the shutter and the camera free of shake; and some light to illuminate the foreground subject.
Abridged from shutterbug.com and other web sources
Prabhu S Kutti
Science Communicator-Astrophotographer, Chennai
“The fact that we can capture objects that are millions of light-years away from the Earth and have a copy of it is mindboggling.”
Growing up in Tiruchy, Tamil Nadu, Kutti was always blessed with limited city lights and a pristine night sky. He used to watch the expanse from his terrace for hours together. After graduating from an engineering college and job-hunting for a while, he decided to follow his passion and enrolled himself in an Astrophysics diploma course at the Madurai Kamarajar University. “Meanwhile, I worked in a health care unit to save funds for my first telescope. This gave me a lot of perspectives. I took to photography and learned its nuances too,” says Kutti, who came across the Indian Amateur Astrophotographers group on Facebook and became a spectator of the remarkable images of the cosmos taken by veterans and amateurs. He eventually learned more about the equipment needed, different layers of image processing and other aspects of astrophotography. “I took a loan and bought a 16-inch telescope, becoming one of the few in Tamil Nadu to own the colossal telescope. This journey involved saving up a lot of money and financial planning,” he says.
What he enjoys most: How what we visually observe through the telescope is different from what the camera clicks. One long exposure image can lace the object with colours and details.
Astrophotography is... more than pointing and shooting, and involves several hours, days and months of shooting and processing.
@Prabhuskutti
Keerthi Kiran
Astrophotographer, Bengaluru
“The hobby is gaining momentum and growing strength-to-strength. Hopefully, there will come a time when it turns into a well-paying job.”
Astrophotography in India has been steadily picking up, says Kiran. An active Facebook group called the Indian Amateur Astrophotographer has 4,000-odd members from across India. The Bangalore Astronomical Society (BAS), a group that he is part of, too has several members and they’ve been continually on the path of promoting astronomy as a hobby through visual observations, outreach sessions for students, including those from rural areas. Though Kiran’s journey in the field began only a decade ago, the interest germinated in him when he was younger. “I remember visiting the planetarium every first Sunday of the month and attending astronomy classes. Viewing the sky through the telescope, and exploring the rings of Saturn for the first time hooked me to it. Ever since, I have been not only trying to document deep-sky objects but have also learned a lot of technical nuances,” he says. While a lot of investment is involved in becoming a photographer, it is the joy and satisfaction that the job gives that keeps most of them going, according to Kiran. The technological advancement, including several AI-based software, has helped enthusiasts like Kiran take clear images of the night sky.
A piece of advice Since the stars keep moving, they need to be shot in long exposure, forming trails. One needs a good tracker, a good DSLR and photography lenses to do that. In the case of shooting smaller objects, a telescope is vital.
Sona Shahani Shukla
Astrophotographer, New Delhi
“Currently, there are not a lot of female astrophotographers. However, I am hopeful that the trend will change and that more of us shoot for the stars, like literally.”
Her earliest memories of enjoying the night sky are observing the stars and constellations along with her family. She has been hooked on to it since then. “However, life catches up and you lose track. After 15-odd years of being an entrepreneur, my love for astronomy resurfaced in 2018 when I visited the Nehru Planetarium. It became a recurring event—to visit and gaze at the sky. When a local astronomy group curated a ‘Jupiter and Saturn viewing event’, I took part in it and there’s been no looking back,” Sona says. She went on to buy her first telescope—a Celestron astromaster 130eq—with her savings. “During one of my observations of the moon with it, my daughter mooted that I put my iPhone through the eyepiece of the telescope and see if I can capture the object. I was astonished by the detailed result. This fuelled my interest and I began attending ‘star parties’ and by 2019, I bought the SkyWatcher 8-inch Collapsible Dobsonian. I started documenting Saturn, Venus and Jupiter and to an extent—my toughest target so far—Mars,” she says. Delving into astrophotography has not only opened up new perspectives about the cosmos but has also helped her in connecting with like-minded people from various Astro platforms from across the country.
Prized possessions: Celestron astromaster 130eq, SkyWatcher 8-inch Collapsible Dobsonian
Abhijit Juvekar
Astrophotographer, MUMBAI
In 1997, while he was still in school, Juvekar had the opportunity to be part of night sky observation camps that were conducted in Vangani, Maharashtra. He was introduced to the world of deep-sky objects. “I was fascinated, to say the least, and began reading books on the subject, checked photos that were published by NASA and by 2010, I even bought my own telescope—a Skywatcher manual telescope—and a DSLR camera. Soon, I went on to shoot the moon,” he says. But at that point, Juvekar realised that the number of people taking astrophotography as a hobby in India was only a handful. He, however, used to come across several resources from countries like the US and the UK. This trend has changed over the years. “I wanted to explore the planets, moon, galaxies and nebulae from my home. This was something that many didn’t do due to the existing light pollution. I took it up as a challenge and procured specialised monochrome cameras with special filters. Though I was skeptical, I have so far been successful,” he says. Last month, when NASA announced an asteroid as big as Burj Khalifa to barrel past earth, Juvekar captured the spectacle too.
His first equipment: Skywatcher manual telescope, DSLR camera
“Astrophotography can go mainstream if more people and planetariums which have the credibility and knowledge conduct certificate courses and ‘star parties’ for the public to create awareness.”
Suresh Mohan
Astrophotographer, Chennai
Fifteen years ago, a fascination for the night sky and the unseen which began at an early age, pushed Mohan to pursue astrophotography. He began procuring the necessary equipment—from mounts to telescopes. His learnings and understanding of the subject mostly came from the internet. Soon, he became one of the first people in the country to practice ‘Deep-sky photography’ of galaxies and nebulae. Over the years, he has been invited to schools, colleges, IITs, and other platforms across the country to conduct workshops and deliver talks on the subject. In 2009, he bought his first piece of equipment—the Astro-Physics Mach 1 mount for $8,000 and a Takahashi telescope. “Astrophotography is not only an expensive hobby but it also demands the availability of a conducive environment to shoot images. Time, technology, clear skies and other weather factors are major prerequisites to capturing subjects in the sky. Since city lights are a major deterrent to capturing good space images, I travel away from the city and its lights for at least four days a month to capture and process images of the skies,” says Mohan.
His first equipment Astro-Physics Mach 1 mount and a Takahashi telescope
A favourite spot Ladakh
Memorable moment Staying at the Indian Astronomical Observatory’s guest house in Hanle. The guestbook had the name of former President, late APJ Abdul Kalam.
“Today, with enthusiasts both old and young picking astrophotography as a serious hobby, the awareness about it is on a rise. But it hasn’t reached the level of a ‘feasible career-option’ yet.”
Bhavanandhi
Night Sky Photographer, Chennai
“Night photography, a branch of astrophotography, can be done with an entry-level camera and a wide lens/any normal lens."
Bhavanandhi’s journey into night photography began around five years ago when he went camping in Nagalapuram. “I witnessed the pristine night sky and I vividly remember spotting Jupiter and Mars. I was curious to know more about the sky and the things that embedded it. As I embarked on the expedition, I bought my first camera—a Nikon D5300, travelled to Kolli Hills, a mountain range which is hardly polluted to shoot the night sky. That marked the beginning of a very long journey.” Bhavanandhi gathered information from resources and books, honed his skills and even began taking interested people to places like Poombarai to teach them the basics of the craft. By 2017, he quit his cushy bank job and leaped into night photography full-time. He began hosting people, took groups to Andaman islands and soaked in the spectacular night sky. “Once at the Chidiyatapu beach (10km away from the city centre) in Port Blair, I slept under a blanket of stars, gazing at them. Around 1 am, the glittering streaks of stars felt like fireballs moving around clouds. It was surreal,” he recalls. Andaman and Nicobar, Spiti Valley and Hanle in Ladakh remain some of his favourite spots for astrophotography. “I used to frequent a resort in Kodanad, another favourite spot of mine for night photography, and earlier this year, I was offered the job of resort manager by them. I took it up. Now, I not only have a full-time job but as part of it, I also get to stargaze, conduct night photography sessions and revel in the sky’s beauty,” Bhavanandhi says.
Books that fuelled his interest Cosmos by Carl Sagan, The Collapsing Universe by Isaac Asimov and Big Bang by Simone Singh
Favourite spots Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Spiti Valley, Hanle in Ladakh, Kodanad in Nilgiris
@bhava.nandhi
Recommended Beginner Equipment
Camera
Canon T7i: Rs 1,29,999
Nikon D5600: Rs 44,990
Kit Zoom Lens
Canon 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6: Rs 70,000
Nikon 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6: Rs 10,450
Short Telephoto
Canon 50mm f/1.8: Rs 8,995
Nikon 50mm f/1.8: Rs 6,950
Long Telephoto
Canon 200mm f/2.8: Rs 1,03,995
Nikon 180mm f/2.8: Rs 1,45,990
Telescope
Astro-Tech AT65EDQ Quadruplet Apochromatic Refractor: Rs 48,000
Mount
Orion Sirius: Rs 1,20,000
Atlas Mounts: Rs 3,60,000
Remote Release
Canon TC80-N3: Rs 9,195
Vello ShutterBoss: Rs 9,700
T-Mount Adapter
Orion 2-inch T-mount adapter: Rs 12,500
Light Pollution filter
Hoya Intensifier: Rs 3,300
Astronomik CLS-CCD clip-in filter: Rs 26,268
Power
LP-E17 battery: Rs 3,095
Autoguider
Orion Mini-Autoguider: Rs 14,000
Join to Follow Your Passion
Ahmedabad
Astronomy Club
Delhi Astronomy Club
Sky Watchers
Association of
Bardhaman
Jabalpur Astronomy Club
Amateur Astronomical Society of Punjab
Big Bang Astronomy Club
Kutch Amateur
Astronomers Club
Titan Astronomy pro
Stella Universe
Cosmic Wonders
Learn from the Best
Aperture Telescopes
Log on to aperturetelescopes.com for information on regular sky photo trips
Institute of Astronomy & Space Science, Pune
Email info@iass.in for information regarding certificate and diploma courses
Sky Photo Trip: Astrophotography Workshop
Travel to Majkhali, Ranikhet, in Uttarakhand for a cosmic experience photographing the night skies with Ajay Talwar (Email: ajaytalwar80@yahoo.com)
Astrophotography Tours by DCP Expeditions
Email info@dcpexpeditions.com for information on guided field trips
Astrophotographers attempt to record and understand the Universe as technology expands the world and data brings it closer. As the Hubble Telescope turns 30, heavenly pursuits have grown from a niche passion into a full-scale pursuit in the Indian camera world.
