How I Captured My First Deep Sky Object – And What I Learned

When I first pointed my telescope toward the stars, I didn’t expect the experience to completely shift how I see the night sky. What started as a simple experiment turned into hours of trial, error, excitement, and awe.

Here’s the story of how I captured my very first deep sky object (DSO) — and a few lessons I wish someone had told me earlier.

🔭 The Target: The Andromeda Galaxy

It was a clear, cold night. I had just set up my gear — a basic equatorial mount, a DSLR, and a beginner’s refractor telescope. After a bit of polar alignment frustration (which honestly took longer than I’d like to admit), I picked my target: Andromeda. It’s big, bright, and perfect for first-timers.

🧰 The Setup

I used:

A DSLR with an intervalometer
135mm lens (yep, not even a telescope at first)
A star tracker (Sky-Watcher Star Adventurer)
No filters, no guiding — just patience

I shot around 60 x 30s exposures before the battery died. I had no idea if I was doing anything right.

🖥️ The Processing Chaos

The next morning, I loaded my frames into DeepSkyStacker. The result? A blurry, pinkish blob.

But after some YouTube tutorials, trial runs in Photoshop, and learning how to stretch histograms, a faint spiral started to appear. I was hooked.

💡 What I Learned

1. Start Simple, Then Upgrade

You don’t need fancy gear to get started. Even a star tracker and camera lens can show galaxies and nebulae.

2. Post-Processing Is Half the Magic

Half the beauty in astrophotography lies in editing. Don’t be discouraged by the raw files.

3. Dark Frames and Flats Matter

Trust me — take the time to shoot your calibration frames. They clean up your image a lot.

4. Instagram Isn’t Reality

The stunning images you see online took years of practice. Be patient with yourself.

✨ Why This Shot Matters to Me

This first image of Andromeda wasn’t perfect. But it was mine. And every time I look at it, I’m reminded that with a bit of passion and curiosity, anyone can connect with the cosmos.

Whether you’re just starting out or considering a gear upgrade, remember: the sky is always ready for you. All you need is a little patience, and a lot of heart.

Abisography