This time, we spoke with astrophotography enthusiast Cody Bancroft, who shared his personal experience of trial, error, and eventually finding clarity through the right gear.
When Cody first started astrophotography, he was using a Sky-Watcher AZ-GTi (ALT-AZ) mount on a William Optics wedge, paired with a 102mm Maksutov-Cassegrain telescope. He wasn’t able to properly polar align, and guiding with PHD2 was inconsistent at best. Most of his nights were spent fiddling with gear, trying to troubleshoot issues, and buying accessories he later realized he didn’t need. Despite the effort, he barely got any imaging time—and when he did, the results were often disappointing.
But everything changed in December 2023, when he received an AM5 mount as a Christmas gift.
“The results I got from just that one upgrade gave me the ‘aha’moment I needed,” he says. “It helped me see the direction I needed to go in.”
From there, his setup quickly evolved:
Astro-Tech 72EDII refractor, ASIAIR Plus, ASI294MC Pro, ASI120MM guide camera, EAF. And most recently, a 50mm William Optics Uniguide guide scope.
Cody also shared two stunning shots captured with this setup (prior to adding the 50mm guide scope), which clearly show just how far he’s come.
From June 25th to June 29th, under the pristine, dark skies of Northern California, nearly 500 stargazers, astrophotographers, and cosmic dreamers gathered for the Golden State Star Party (GSSP)—a celebration
“Ever since I was a kid, I’ve been fascinated by the universe.”“I wouldn’t say it has changed me fundamentally, but it’s definitely become an important part of my life.”That simple
To most people, this might just look like a pretty picture. But to astrophotographer Cem Diken, it’s the result of three years of chasing a nearly invisible ghost in the
I was born in Guadalajara, I’m 38 years old, a musician, communications and electronics engineer, and president of the Guadalajara Astronomical Society A.C. since 2020. First Contact with Astronomy Since
This stunning collaborative project comes from astrophotographers Alex Linde and Thomas Hansson, who joined forces across borders to photograph the Whirlpool Galaxy from Sweden, Poland, and Texas, USA. Thomas traveled across
