Orion Nebula photos made easy

The Orion Nebula, one of the most bright and spectacular deep-sky objects in the night sky, is located just 1,500 light years away from Earth. While it may appear as a smudge to the naked eye, the Orion Nebula is the nearest large star-forming region to Earth. With long-exposure astrophotography, more color and detail can be revealed, showcasing this star-forming region in its full glory. Though many astrophotography projects require a telescope, the Orion Nebula can also be captured with an ordinary camera lens, making it an ideal target for beginners.

The Orion Nebula is bright and easy to locate, making it a perfect subject for novice astrophotographers. Capturing a successful image depends on planning and approach, as demonstrated by the author, who photographed the Nebula from their backyard using a DSLR camera and lens.

Trevor Jones from AstroBackyard demonstrates a straightforward approach to capturing the Orion Nebula. Watch the video below for a step-by-step guide.

Quick tips for Orion nebula photos success:

• Use a star tracker to take longer exposures without star trailing.
• Lower the F-stop of the camera lens for better star quality.
• Use a light pollution filter to enhance contrast.
• Take multiple sub-exposures and stack them for better results.
• Process the stacked image in Adobe Photoshop to stretch the data.
• Start with a wide field lens
• Do not take super long expsoures, Orion is bright

The Orion Nebula and Running Man Nebula using a 200mm camera lens: Orion Nebula photos with Trevor Jones from astrobackyard

Astrophotography is about more than just taking pictures - it’s about connecting with the night sky. With tools like the ZWO ASIAIR and N.I.N.A software, users can take full control over their imaging sessions, but a DSLR camera offers a more hands-on, real-time experience. The author’s favorite aspect of this process is watching each image improve with every shot.

While telescopes offer several advantages for deep-sky astrophotography, camera lenses—especially zoom lenses—are often preferred by newcomers. The author has captured many bright deep-sky nebulae using a basic Canon EF 75-300mm zoom lens, and for this project, a Canon RF 70-200mm F/2.8L lens was chosen for its light-gathering ability.

To photograph the Orion Nebula, an interchangeable lens camera with full manual control is required. A DSLR camera like the Canon Rebel T7 or a mirrorless camera like the Canon EOS Ra are ideal for the task. These cameras are capable of exposures up to 30 seconds, suitable for nightscapes, Milky Way photography, and deep-sky imaging. For this project, 60-second exposures were used, employing a remote shutter release cable with an intervalometer for automation.

Equipment breakdown:

• Carbon Fiber Tripod: to hold the star tracker.
• Star Tracker: with a counterweight for balance.
• Dovetail Bar: from a guide scope to mount the camera and lens.
• DSLR/Mirrorless Camera: with a flip-out screen.
• Camera Lens: a 70-200mm zoom lens set to its longest focal length.
• Light Pollution Filter: a clip-in model for the camera.
• Dew Heater Band: to prevent frost on the lens.
• Remote Shutter Release Cable: with an intervalometer.

Portability

This setup is compact enough for easy transportation to a dark sky site. If using the Sky-Watcher GTi’s batteries, no additional power station is needed except for the dew heater band. The system was run from the author's backyard, connected to an exterior AC outlet with USB ports for power.

Attaching a dovetail bar to the lens collar allows for better balancing of the rig

The Canon EOS Ra, a mirrorless camera with an astro-modified CMOS sensor, is an excellent choice for astrophotography. The EOS Ra is the successor to the Canon EOS 60Da and is highly regarded for its performance in capturing deep-sky objects.

Telephoto zoom lens

A camera lens with a long focal length, such as the Canon RF 70-200mm F/2.8 lens, is ideal for photographing the Orion Nebula. The 200mm focal length is sufficient to capture the nebula in detail, and the F/2.8 aperture allows for plenty of light to be gathered. However, the author found an F/4 setting to provide the best-looking stars, despite the F/2.8 aperture’s ability to gather more light.

For emission nebulae, a multi-bandpass or narrowband filter may be necessary to capture impactful hydrogen-alpha image data, which can be combined with existing color data for an even more dynamic result.

Star tracker

While capturing an image of the Orion Nebula on a regular tripod is possible, a star tracker is essential for long-exposure astrophotography. Even a 5-second exposure at 200mm on a stationary tripod will show star trails. A star tracker, such as the one used by the author, allows for longer exposures with more precise tracking of celestial objects.

To operate the star tracker, the author uses the SynScan Pro mobile app, which controls the tracker via WiFi. The model used can support up to 14 pounds of gear, suitable for telephoto lenses and small refractor telescopes like the William Optics RedCat 61.

Setting up your imaging session

To achieve sharp, round stars in long-exposure shots, two key factors must be considered: accurate polar alignment and proper balancing of the camera gear on the star tracker. Polar alignment ensures that the star tracker is correctly oriented with the celestial pole, and balancing the camera equipment prevents it from tilting during exposure.

Finding the target

To locate the Orion Nebula, the author manually pointed the camera and lens toward the object, utilizing the GTi’s GoTo functionality to ensure precise tracking. By performing a one-star alignment with Rigel, a bright star in the Orion constellation, the star tracker was able to lock onto the target. After aligning, the mount moved at a sidereal rate to match the motion of the stars.

Framing the target

Once the star tracker was properly aligned, the mount automatically pointed to the Orion Nebula. The author fine-tuned the position to ensure the nebula was centered. The Orion Nebula, located within the Orion constellation, is easy to spot and photograph due to its brightness and proximity to other prominent stars, such as those in Orion’s Belt.