Imaging deep sky objects under moonlight is challenging, especially for beginners. Here are the most common mistakes that can ruin your photos:
- Ignoring Moon Phase: Starting a session without checking the moon phase often leads to washed-out images.
- Overexposing the Sky: Increasing exposure time to compensate for moonlight can flood your image with skyglow.
- Skipping Filters: Not using moonlight or light pollution filters misses a key method to improve contrast.
- High ISO Without Adjustment: High ISO amplifies noise caused by moonlight, resulting in grainy images.
- Poor Calibration: Neglecting dark, flat, and bias frames makes it harder to remove moonlight-induced gradients during processing.
To get the best results, plan around moon phases, use appropriate filters, and adjust your camera settings carefully.
