TOP 10 TIPS FOR AMAZING ASTRO SHOTS

9Clear nights

Check the weather to make sure it’s going to be a clear, cloud-free night at your location.

10New moon

The new moon phase reflects little to no sunlight, so it’s ideal for night shoots with low light pollution.

11Spare batteries

Charge your batteries and take plenty of spares: shooting in cold weather can empty them quickly.

12Keep warm

Wear warm clothes, gloves, thermals, thick socks and a wellpadded winter coat to stay warm.

13Fight lens fog

You can get electric heat bands to wrap around your lenses to warm them and stop condensation.

14Go with friends

Shooting at night isn’t danger-free, so buddy up with a friend or another photographer.

15Star trails

Take a continuous stream of 30-second exposures for at least an hour, and merge them together into a fantastic star trail image.

16Composites

Take a shot with your foreground in focus and another of your stars, and merge them together for super-sharp astro landscapes.

17Go wide!

An ultra-wide-angle lens is perfect for astro, as you’ll be able to fit even more stars in the frame.

18Time of year

It’s easier to shoot in winter as the nights are longer – but the Milky Way is less visible in the UK.