Astrophotographers take pictures of constellations and other interstellar phenomena.
Anyone with a digital camera can pursue the hobby of astrophotography. Just place the camera on a tripod or stable surface and experiment with low shutter speeds to capture as much light as possible. Like many hobbies, a budding astrophotographer needs to decide how far he wants to get involved and how much money to spend as cameras come at many price points.
Webcams
A webcam can be a good starting point for astrophotography hobbyists.
Many beginners start with webcams, which can produce nice images of the moon and planets and are available for under $100. Webcams actually take a video and the "bad" images are filtered out to produce a clean image. For best results, hook a telescope up to the webcam. The Celestron NexImage is popular because it comes with a telescope adapter and software to process the videos. The Meade LPI is also popular due to its long shutter speed -- better for taking pictures of planets.
DSLRs
A DSLR can be used to take photos of comets.
Digital Single-Lens Reflex (DSLR) cameras are useful for astrophotography because they are multipurpose -- use them for regular photography during the day, and fit them with telescopes or lenses to take photos at night. Their multiple uses may justify the cost, which at $500 to $3,000 can still be cheaper than dedicated astrophotography cameras. Canon EOS and Digital Rebel models are recommended for astrophotography, along with Nikon D40-D300 models.
High-End Planetary Cameras
High-end planetary cameras go beyond the limitations of simpler webcams. They use a Firewire connection instead of a USB port, so the videos in an AVI format are transmitted to the computer faster and with less "noise" and data compression. This type of camera can produce highly detailed images of planets and can be used to take scientific images. The Imaging Source 1024 by 768 High Resolution FireWire Color Telescope Camera can also interpolate colors on raw data.
Very Specialized Astrophotgraphy Cameras
Dedicated astrophotography cameras with charge-coupled device (CCD) chips powering the image sensor can shoot far into space. CCD cameras are highly light sensitive, and since they can heat up during the long exposures required for astrophotography, specialist cameras have a built-in cooling device. The Santa Barbara Instrument Group (SBIG) features a line of specialist cameras at prices ranging from $1,500 to $6,000 that can take pictures of comets, nebulae, star clusters and galaxies.
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