How to Photograph The Moon Through Telescope

While you can take good pictures of the moon with a 300mm lens, a longer lens will help you fill the frame with the moon. However, extremely long lenses are expensive so we can turn to a less expensive alternative and take moon photographs through a telescope. Yes, telescopes can be very expensive as well but good results can be achieved with a cell phone, an inexpensive telescope, and a bit of patience.

Two Methods of Telescope Photography

Afocal - The most inexpensive method of taking photographs through a telescope is called afocal. This means that you focus the telescope on the object you want to photograph and then point your camera into the eyepiece to take the photo. This method works well for point and shoot cameras and cell phones. It is highly dependent on the size of the eyepiece for your telescope. The larger the eyepiece, the easier it will be to aim the camera and avoid vignetting. The trickiest part about the afocal method is keeping everything steady. For light cameras you can tape the camera to the telescope (carefully please). For larger cameras you may need to use a tripod.

Prime Focus - A slightly more expensive method is prime focus. For this type of photography you'll need a couple of added pieces of equipment. You'll need a TRing and a TAdapter designed for your camera and your telescope. These should cost around $25 each. These pieces of equipment will allow you to attach your camera directly to the telescope without the lens or eyepiece. This method allows for sharper focus and less time spent lining up the camera with the telescope for each shot.

Read Full at :About.com