Astrophotography as a research area encompasses the development and application of imaging techniques to record and quantitatively analyze astronomical objects and phenomena across the electromagnetic spectrum. It involves optimization of detectors (e.g., CCDs, CMOS, infrared arrays), optics, filters, and image acquisition strategies to maximize signal-to-noise ratio and dynamic range under extremely low photon fluxes. Research focuses on calibration (bias, dark, flat-field correction), image registration, stacking, deconvolution, and photometric and astrometric extraction, as well as mitigation of atmospheric turbulence and light pollution. Astrophotographic methods underpin observational studies of stars, galaxies, nebulae, exoplanets, and transient events in both professional and advanced amateur astronomy.
This composite of seven images from the Mastcam-Z instrument aboard NASA's Perseverance Mars rover shows Earth, visible as a small bright dot moving from upper left to lower right, passing behind the Martian moon Phobos on ...
Astronomy
Aug 6, 2026
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Astronomers using the James Webb Space Telescope have captured one of the clearest views yet of how an early supermassive black hole may grow within a network of young galaxies. The compact active galaxy, seen just a billion ...
The 570-megapixel Department of Energy-fabricated Dark Energy Camera (DECam) captures a vibrant scene filled with swirls and stars reminiscent of Van Gogh's The Starry Night. This new cosmic masterpiece features the glowing ...
Astronomy
Jul 16, 2026
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The Canadian astronaut who was part of the historic Artemis II crew that successfully voyaged around the moon earlier this year is retiring from the nation's space agency, officials said Monday.
Space Exploration
Jul 6, 2026
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Dark matter is often portrayed as a cosmic loner, interacting with itself and the rest of the universe only through gravity. But what if dark matter particles also exert a hidden force on one another?
Astronomy
Jun 23, 2026
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The gleaming skyscrapers and bright lights of the United Arab Emirates draw the eyes of all who travel there, a sign of the Arabian Peninsula nation's rapid, oil-fueled development over the last decades into a major hub for ...
Astronomy
May 30, 2026
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This view of a crescent Mars was captured on May 15, 2026, at about 5:03 a.m. PDT by NASA's Psyche mission as it approached the planet for a gravity assist. Captured by the spacecraft's multispectral imager instrument, this ...
Space Exploration
May 20, 2026
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On a chilly yet beautifully clear evening last November, I sat on a video call with colleagues and happened to mention the live feed from the International Space Station—a real-time broadcast from onboard cameras as the station ...
Space Exploration
Apr 16, 2026
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At this point in NASA's human spaceflight story, researchers have a substantial amount of material—documents, artifacts and images—with which to tell the stories of past flights to space. But with NASA's Artemis II mission ...
Space Exploration
Apr 13, 2026
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As NASA's Artemis II mission completed its lunar flyby, the astronauts sent back a stunning image of the colorful Earth setting behind the moon. This breathtaking photo, called Earthset, draws inevitable comparisons with ...
Space Exploration
Apr 12, 2026
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