Widefield Astrophotography with a Nikon D4s

This is my first ever attempt at Astrophotography, it is of the Gemini Constellation photobombed by Mars. It was taken on an un-modded Nikon D4s under a Bortle 7 sky. The Nikon was in Manual Mode at 1600 ISO with 50 x 2 seconds exposures.

The Lense used was a Sigma 24-70mm f2.8 at 70mm and set to F3.5. The focusing was set to just off infinity and I used the built in intervalometer, the built in horizontal finder, and the camera was mounted using a Vixen Dovetail on a Sky-Watcher EQ 3-2 mount. No Star Tracker was used.

The image was processed in Siril before being exported to Adobe Lightroom for enhancing the black points, slight increase in vibrancy and sharpening and finish with noise reduction.

For my next attempt I will increase the ISO, increase the number of captures and manually reposition the camera between each block of 20 images that I take.

I also have a Fuji X-T1 which I will look at using and then look to attach the cameras to my Sky-Watcher reflector telescope.

I appreciate that this is a short post full of figures, but I am amazed at how well (in my eyes) my first attempt has worked out.

I can’t wait to have another go, the only thing holding me back are the cloudy skies and next time I will make sure I have gloves and a hat, it was fr1gg1ng cold out there.