Astrophotography

Astrophotography is photography of celestial objects such as the Moon, stars and distant galaxies.

1. 1840: John William Draper takes the first photograph of the MoonAstrosurf: History of Astrophotography Timeline
2. 1850: First star photograph taken by John Adams Whipple and William Cranch BondAstrosurf: History of Astrophotography Timeline
3. 1853: Joseph Bancroft Reade photographs the SunAstrosurf: History of Astrophotography Timeline
4. 1879: Andrew Ainslie Common photographs the planet JupiterAstrosurf: History of Astrophotography Timeline
5. 1978: Construction of the Hubble Telescope begins

Longer exposure times allow more light to be captured by the camera, which helps capture faint objects and colors not seen by the naked eye. Typical exposure times for astrophotos can last anywhere from several minutes to several hours, though the Earth's movement will cause blurring the longer the photo is exposed. The aperture should be as wide as possible and the focus should be set for the furthest distance possible.Space.com: Astrophotography 101: How to Take Stellar Pictures (June 27, 2003)