Meet Astrophotographer Nicola Bugin: An 8-Year Journey from a Light-Polluted Backyard to NASA APOD

Hi! My name is Nicola Bugin and I live in a town in northern Italy called Borgoricco. I’m really happy that my photo of WR-134 has been so successful that it was awarded as Asiweek! I started doing astrophotography in 2018 and since then my passion has only grown, giving me great satisfaction that I never thought I would achieve.

1. How It All Began

I’ve been fascinated by the starry sky since I was a kid. I remember that when I was 7 or 8, I could see lots of stars from my home garden, which I unfortunately can’t do anymore because of the growing light pollution. I’ve also always been interested in documentaries about astronomy and physics, but I only started practicing astronomy recently, more precisely in 2018. Afterward, I started buying my first tools to watch the stars.

Was there a specific moment that made you think: “I need to photograph this”?

My first telescope was a 200f5 Newtonian with an equatorial mount, with which I started observing the stars. Then, while browsing the web, I was amazed to discover that you could also take photos of galaxies and nebulae, so I bought my first DSLR and started taking my first awful photos, and from that moment I fell into the spiral of astrophotography!

How did your journey evolve from that first inspiration to where you are now?

It has been a really tough journey, full of unexpected events and frustrations, but honestly, it still is! I remember the first photo I ever took was M42, the Orion Nebula. Looking at it now almost makes me laugh, but I remember when I took it I couldn’t believe my eyes: I had photographed an object 1,300 light-years away! It’s been 8 years since then, and even though my experience has grown a lot, I still feel the same emotions.

2. The Setup

Tell us about your current astrophotography setup — what’s your main gear combo right now?

At the moment my setup consists of an RC8 telescope, a Skywatcher AZEQ6 and Heq5pro mount, a ZWO ASI 294 MM/MC, RGB filters and narrowband filters, two ASIAIR, and two autoguiding system. I’m also setting up a Canon 70-300 lens for wide-field shots. By the way I’m about to replace the RC8 telescope with a 126/880 refractor. I also have a modified DSLR and a tripod to photograph the Milky Way when I go to dark places.

Has your setup changed much over time? (e.g. from DSLR to dedicated astro camera)

Which piece of equipment has been the biggest game-changer for you?

Over the years I’ve changed various instruments: mirror telescopes, refractors, camera lenses, etc… When it comes to cameras, as I’ve already said, I started with a DSLR and after a year I immediately switched to a monochrome camera. This is one of the accessories that changed my life. At first, it was tough because I skipped the color astronomy camera stage and went straight to monochrome, but it was the best choice especially since I shoot under a very light-polluted sky. Another accessory that changed my life was AsiAir. Before, I used to connect everything to my laptop and that was really frustrating, but life became easier thanks to AsiAir.

3. Under the Stars

What kind of skies do you usually shoot under? (Backyard, dark site, remote desert…?)

The sky in my area is absolutely not suitable for broadband photography, being moderately light-polluted (bortle 8). Anyway, I can still photograph emission nebulae with narrowband filters, which have really saved my life. What bothers me the most where I live is the humidity: the Po Valley is becoming more humid than a rainforest! Taking photos from my backyard is definitely very convenient, but I always prefer going under darker skies, like in the Dolomites or at the mouth of the Po River.

When you’re out shooting, what’s your favorite moment — the first frame, the quiet, or the result afterward?

I really enjoy sharing this passion with some astrophotographer friends, and I have a great time with them, from setting up the equipment to coffee time. But recently I bought a Dobson telescope, so while my equipment is doing its thing, I have fun searching for deep sky objects, and I also really enjoy being alone under the starry sky in complete silence, that’s something I absolutely love.

4. The Challenge

Astrophotography isn’t always easy. What’s been your toughest challenge recently — and how did you deal with it?

I think astrophotography is a constant challenge. I’ve been doing astrophotography for over 8 years now, but there’s always something to learn, something that doesn’t work and needs fixing, there are always unexpected things.

What’s the biggest lesson you’ve learned since you started imaging?

What I’ve learned is that you shouldn’t get discouraged. As I said before, there are a lot of variables that can affect the outcome of a photo: bad weather, something wrong with the equipment, poor seeing… I’ve wasted entire nights because of these issues, but that gives me the drive to try again and do better each time, and when the results come, it’s really satisfying.

5. The Processing

How do you normally do post-processing? Would you like to share your workflow with us?

How has your approach to processing evolved over time?
Currently I use PixInsight and Photoshop; describing the entire workflow would probably be too long and boring. I can say that I come from the so-called ‘old school’, meaning a time before the tools we have today existed, which make post-processing much easier. So I was able to cut my teeth on the old methods for removing gradients, reducing noise, etc. Post-processing methods have changed a lot in recent years and allow for better results, but I think they should be used in moderation so as not to alter the final image too much.

6. The Achievement

Is there one image or project that you’re especially proud of? What story does that image tell — about the sky, or about you as an astrophotographer?

The image that has given me the most satisfaction so far has been the one of the IC1871 nebula, which allowed me to win the NASA APOD. It made me very proud because it was taken from my backyard with heavy light pollution!

Do you have a favorite celestial target that you return to again and again? Why that one?

The Orion constellation and the Cygnus constellation are my favorite areas because I’ve changed several telescopes during my career, and every time you change the focal length, you discover new and interesting things. These areas are full of nebulae and very interesting objects. Also, the Orion Nebula was the first object I photographed, so I’m really attached to it.

7. The Vision — Looking Ahead

What are your goals or dream projects for the coming year?

This year has been full of achievements for me, including the NASA APOD and other recognitions. Also, I’m part of a group called Fratell’Astri, and we focus on outreach through public events with telescope observations and astrophotography exhibitions. I hope our group can grow because it gives us so much satisfaction to see people observing the Moon and stars and hear them say ‘wow!!’

Is there a target, a trip, or a new piece of gear you’re excited to try next?

My dream is to go under a really dark sky like the one in Atacama, but I’m not so sure because I’m certain that when I get back home under my “beautiful” bortle 8 sky, I’ll just feel like crying!

8.The Connection — ZWO in Your Journey

How did you first hear about ZWO, and what made you choose it?

I got to know the ZWO brand from some reviews on YouTube, and they spoke about it so well that I wanted to try it, immediately buying a 294MM. Later my friend introduced me to AsiAir, and I have to say that my life literally changed afterward. The jump from laptop to AsiAir was significant, and I would never go back.

Which ZWO products are part of your current setup? What difference have they made?

From the ZWO brand, I own a monochrome 294 and a color one to use when I’m under dark skies. Then I have 2 AsiAirs, a filter wheel, and two guiding cameras: 120 mm and 120 mc.

What features or products would you love to see from ZWO in the future?

I would like some improvements to be made on AsiAir, for example regarding the star map, I would like some objects to be more visible, such as dark nebulae. Planning the sensor orientation is sometimes difficult because the nebulae are not visible and you have to navigate using the stars in the preview. An automatic sensor warm-up at the end of the photography session would also be very useful. Despite these small details, I find AsiAir really fantastic and I couldn’t do without it!