My first try at astrophotography was a total blur, literally.

I was in my yard in Springfield last month, trying to take a picture of Jupiter with my new phone mount on my telescope. I got everything set up, but when I looked at the screen, the planet was just a fuzzy white blob. I realized I hadn't focused the telescope at all before attaching the phone, so the camera was just seeing a big blur. I had to take the phone off, focus on a bright star by eye, and then very carefully put the phone back on without bumping the scope. It took three tries to get a clear shot. Has anyone else messed up the focus like that when starting out?

3 comments

3 Comments

burns.fiona22d ago

My first shot was just a blurry star.

lilycraig22d ago

My first shot was a blurry star too, @burns.fiona.

emery_miller2017d ago

Totally feel that. (I think @lilycraig gets it too.) Focusing is the hardest part when you're new. I spent a whole night just trying to get a single clear dot of Saturn. It's so easy to bump the scope and lose it. That moment when it finally snaps into focus is the best feeling though.