Shooting the Stars: Astrophotography 101
A hands-on field session for tracked night-sky imaging, camera setup, exposure, framing, and real astrophotography workflow.
Our events are small-group, hands-on nights built around what the sky is actually doing—not a canned tour with the same few objects every time. Depending on the season, Moon phase, and current sky, we may spend the night exploring planets, lunar landscapes, star clusters, nebulae, galaxies, the Milky Way, or a rare celestial event. You’ll observe through quality telescopes, learn how to find your way around the sky, hear the science and stories behind what you’re seeing, and have plenty of time to ask questions and look again. We also offer dedicated astrophotography nights for guests who want to learn how real night-sky images are captured. Keeping the groups small means more time at the telescope, more personal guidance, and a much deeper experience under Hawaiʻi’s night sky.
Every date below has its own event page with the observing focus, time, and details for that night.
A hands-on field session for tracked night-sky imaging, camera setup, exposure, framing, and real astrophotography workflow.
Watch the Moon rise already deep in Earth’s shadow, then follow the eclipse as the lunar surface gradually returns to full brightness.
Scorpius stretches across the southern sky with fiery Antares at its heart, surrounded by some of the richest star fields in the Milky Way. We’ll explore the nebulae, clusters, and glowing depths of Sagittarius and Scorpius before the summer sky begins slipping west.
Scorpius stretches across the southern sky with fiery Antares at its heart, surrounded by some of the richest star fields in the Milky Way. We’ll explore the nebulae, clusters, and glowing depths of Sagittarius and Scorpius before the summer sky begins slipping west.
A hands-on field session for tracked night-sky imaging, camera setup, exposure, framing, and real astrophotography workflow.
Scorpius stretches across the southern sky with fiery Antares at its heart, surrounded by some of the richest star fields in the Milky Way. We’ll explore the nebulae, clusters, and glowing depths of Sagittarius and Scorpius before the summer sky begins slipping west.
Scorpius stretches across the southern sky with fiery Antares at its heart, surrounded by some of the richest star fields in the Milky Way. We’ll explore the nebulae, clusters, and glowing depths of Sagittarius and Scorpius before the summer sky begins slipping west.
A hands-on field session for tracked night-sky imaging, camera setup, exposure, framing, and real astrophotography workflow.
Scorpius stretches across the southern sky with fiery Antares at its heart, surrounded by some of the richest star fields in the Milky Way. We’ll explore the nebulae, clusters, and glowing depths of Sagittarius and Scorpius before the summer sky begins slipping west.
A Moon-focused telescope night exploring lunar geology, bright crater rays, maria, mountain ranges, and seasonal bright targets.
Andromeda and Cassiopeia take over the autumn sky as the great Andromeda Galaxy climbs into prime viewing position. The Double Cluster, Pleiades, and the first returning winter constellations make this a season of galaxies, star clusters, and changing skies.
A special telescope night centered on Saturn at its best observing window of the year, including its rings and brighter moons.
A hands-on field session for tracked night-sky imaging, camera setup, exposure, framing, and real astrophotography workflow.
Andromeda and Cassiopeia take over the autumn sky as the great Andromeda Galaxy climbs into prime viewing position. The Double Cluster, Pleiades, and the first returning winter constellations make this a season of galaxies, star clusters, and changing skies.
Andromeda and Cassiopeia take over the autumn sky as the great Andromeda Galaxy climbs into prime viewing position. The Double Cluster, Pleiades, and the first returning winter constellations make this a season of galaxies, star clusters, and changing skies.
A hands-on field session for tracked night-sky imaging, camera setup, exposure, framing, and real astrophotography workflow.
Andromeda and Cassiopeia take over the autumn sky as the great Andromeda Galaxy climbs into prime viewing position. The Double Cluster, Pleiades, and the first returning winter constellations make this a season of galaxies, star clusters, and changing skies.
A Moon-focused telescope night exploring lunar geology, bright crater rays, maria, mountain ranges, and seasonal bright targets.
Andromeda and Cassiopeia take over the autumn sky as the great Andromeda Galaxy climbs into prime viewing position. The Double Cluster, Pleiades, and the first returning winter constellations make this a season of galaxies, star clusters, and changing skies.
A hands-on field session for tracked night-sky imaging, camera setup, exposure, framing, and real astrophotography workflow.
Andromeda and Cassiopeia take over the autumn sky as the great Andromeda Galaxy climbs into prime viewing position. The Double Cluster, Pleiades, and the first returning winter constellations make this a season of galaxies, star clusters, and changing skies.
Andromeda and Cassiopeia take over the autumn sky as the great Andromeda Galaxy climbs into prime viewing position. The Double Cluster, Pleiades, and the first returning winter constellations make this a season of galaxies, star clusters, and changing skies.
A hands-on field session for tracked night-sky imaging, camera setup, exposure, framing, and real astrophotography workflow.
Andromeda and Cassiopeia take over the autumn sky as the great Andromeda Galaxy climbs into prime viewing position. The Double Cluster, Pleiades, and the first returning winter constellations make this a season of galaxies, star clusters, and changing skies.
A Moon-focused night with craters and mountain ranges, followed by the Pleiades, bright double stars, and Orion rising in the east.
A Moon-focused telescope night exploring lunar geology, bright crater rays, maria, mountain ranges, and seasonal bright targets.
Andromeda and Cassiopeia take over the autumn sky as the great Andromeda Galaxy climbs into prime viewing position. The Double Cluster, Pleiades, and the first returning winter constellations make this a season of galaxies, star clusters, and changing skies.
A hands-on field session for tracked night-sky imaging, camera setup, exposure, framing, and real astrophotography workflow.
Orion returns in force, bringing the Orion Nebula, brilliant winter stars, Taurus, the Pleiades, and some of the most recognizable constellations in the night sky. These months offer a spectacular mix of bright nebulae, colorful stars, clusters, and classic telescope targets.
Orion returns in force, bringing the Orion Nebula, brilliant winter stars, Taurus, the Pleiades, and some of the most recognizable constellations in the night sky. These months offer a spectacular mix of bright nebulae, colorful stars, clusters, and classic telescope targets.
A late-night session for one of the year’s most reliable meteor showers, with Gemini, Orion, and the winter sky overhead.
A hands-on field session for tracked night-sky imaging, camera setup, exposure, framing, and real astrophotography workflow.
Orion returns in force, bringing the Orion Nebula, brilliant winter stars, Taurus, the Pleiades, and some of the most recognizable constellations in the night sky. These months offer a spectacular mix of bright nebulae, colorful stars, clusters, and classic telescope targets.
A Moon-focused telescope night exploring lunar geology, bright crater rays, maria, mountain ranges, and seasonal bright targets.
Orion returns in force, bringing the Orion Nebula, brilliant winter stars, Taurus, the Pleiades, and some of the most recognizable constellations in the night sky. These months offer a spectacular mix of bright nebulae, colorful stars, clusters, and classic telescope targets.
A hands-on field session for tracked night-sky imaging, camera setup, exposure, framing, and real astrophotography workflow.
Orion returns in force, bringing the Orion Nebula, brilliant winter stars, Taurus, the Pleiades, and some of the most recognizable constellations in the night sky. These months offer a spectacular mix of bright nebulae, colorful stars, clusters, and classic telescope targets.
Orion returns in force, bringing the Orion Nebula, brilliant winter stars, Taurus, the Pleiades, and some of the most recognizable constellations in the night sky. These months offer a spectacular mix of bright nebulae, colorful stars, clusters, and classic telescope targets.
A hands-on field session for tracked night-sky imaging, camera setup, exposure, framing, and real astrophotography workflow.
Orion returns in force, bringing the Orion Nebula, brilliant winter stars, Taurus, the Pleiades, and some of the most recognizable constellations in the night sky. These months offer a spectacular mix of bright nebulae, colorful stars, clusters, and classic telescope targets.
A Moon-focused telescope night exploring lunar geology, bright crater rays, maria, mountain ranges, and seasonal bright targets.
Orion returns in force, bringing the Orion Nebula, brilliant winter stars, Taurus, the Pleiades, and some of the most recognizable constellations in the night sky. These months offer a spectacular mix of bright nebulae, colorful stars, clusters, and classic telescope targets.
A hands-on field session for tracked night-sky imaging, camera setup, exposure, framing, and real astrophotography workflow.
Orion returns in force, bringing the Orion Nebula, brilliant winter stars, Taurus, the Pleiades, and some of the most recognizable constellations in the night sky. These months offer a spectacular mix of bright nebulae, colorful stars, clusters, and classic telescope targets.
Orion, Sirius, Gemini, Taurus, and Canis Major dominate the evening, filling the sky with some of the brightest stars and finest deep-sky objects of the year. As winter begins to fade westward, Leo and the first great galaxy fields of spring start rising in the east.
A hands-on field session for tracked night-sky imaging, camera setup, exposure, framing, and real astrophotography workflow.
Orion, Sirius, Gemini, Taurus, and Canis Major dominate the evening, filling the sky with some of the brightest stars and finest deep-sky objects of the year. As winter begins to fade westward, Leo and the first great galaxy fields of spring start rising in the east.
Jupiter and its Galilean moons share the night with Orion, the Pleiades, bright winter stars, clusters, and selected nebulae.
Orion, Sirius, Gemini, Taurus, and Canis Major dominate the evening, filling the sky with some of the brightest stars and finest deep-sky objects of the year. As winter begins to fade westward, Leo and the first great galaxy fields of spring start rising in the east.
A Moon-focused telescope night exploring lunar geology, bright crater rays, maria, mountain ranges, and seasonal bright targets.
A hands-on field session for tracked night-sky imaging, camera setup, exposure, framing, and real astrophotography workflow.
Orion, Sirius, Gemini, Taurus, and Canis Major dominate the evening, filling the sky with some of the brightest stars and finest deep-sky objects of the year. As winter begins to fade westward, Leo and the first great galaxy fields of spring start rising in the east.
Orion, Sirius, Gemini, Taurus, and Canis Major dominate the evening, filling the sky with some of the brightest stars and finest deep-sky objects of the year. As winter begins to fade westward, Leo and the first great galaxy fields of spring start rising in the east.
Orion, Sirius, Gemini, Taurus, and Canis Major dominate the evening, filling the sky with some of the brightest stars and finest deep-sky objects of the year. As winter begins to fade westward, Leo and the first great galaxy fields of spring start rising in the east.
Orion, Sirius, Gemini, Taurus, and Canis Major dominate the evening, filling the sky with some of the brightest stars and finest deep-sky objects of the year. As winter begins to fade westward, Leo and the first great galaxy fields of spring start rising in the east.
Orion, Sirius, Gemini, Taurus, and Canis Major dominate the evening, filling the sky with some of the brightest stars and finest deep-sky objects of the year. As winter begins to fade westward, Leo and the first great galaxy fields of spring start rising in the east.
The Milky Way fades from prominence and the view opens outward toward the immense galaxy fields of Leo, Virgo, and Coma Berenices. Under dark skies we can chase island universes millions of light-years away, including the Virgo Cluster, Markarian’s Chain, and other distant galaxies scattered across the spring sky.
The Milky Way fades from prominence and the view opens outward toward the immense galaxy fields of Leo, Virgo, and Coma Berenices. Under dark skies we can chase island universes millions of light-years away, including the Virgo Cluster, Markarian’s Chain, and other distant galaxies scattered across the spring sky.
The Milky Way fades from prominence and the view opens outward toward the immense galaxy fields of Leo, Virgo, and Coma Berenices. Under dark skies we can chase island universes millions of light-years away, including the Virgo Cluster, Markarian’s Chain, and other distant galaxies scattered across the spring sky.
The Milky Way fades from prominence and the view opens outward toward the immense galaxy fields of Leo, Virgo, and Coma Berenices. Under dark skies we can chase island universes millions of light-years away, including the Virgo Cluster, Markarian’s Chain, and other distant galaxies scattered across the spring sky.
The Milky Way fades from prominence and the view opens outward toward the immense galaxy fields of Leo, Virgo, and Coma Berenices. Under dark skies we can chase island universes millions of light-years away, including the Virgo Cluster, Markarian’s Chain, and other distant galaxies scattered across the spring sky.
The Milky Way fades from prominence and the view opens outward toward the immense galaxy fields of Leo, Virgo, and Coma Berenices. Under dark skies we can chase island universes millions of light-years away, including the Virgo Cluster, Markarian’s Chain, and other distant galaxies scattered across the spring sky.
The Milky Way fades from prominence and the view opens outward toward the immense galaxy fields of Leo, Virgo, and Coma Berenices. Under dark skies we can chase island universes millions of light-years away, including the Virgo Cluster, Markarian’s Chain, and other distant galaxies scattered across the spring sky.
The Milky Way fades from prominence and the view opens outward toward the immense galaxy fields of Leo, Virgo, and Coma Berenices. Under dark skies we can chase island universes millions of light-years away, including the Virgo Cluster, Markarian’s Chain, and other distant galaxies scattered across the spring sky.
The Milky Way fades from prominence and the view opens outward toward the immense galaxy fields of Leo, Virgo, and Coma Berenices. Under dark skies we can chase island universes millions of light-years away, including the Virgo Cluster, Markarian’s Chain, and other distant galaxies scattered across the spring sky.
The heart of our own galaxy climbs into the evening sky as Scorpius and Sagittarius rise beneath the bright summer Milky Way. Nebulae, globular clusters, dark dust lanes, and countless stars transform the southern sky into one of the richest observing regions of the entire year.
The heart of our own galaxy climbs into the evening sky as Scorpius and Sagittarius rise beneath the bright summer Milky Way. Nebulae, globular clusters, dark dust lanes, and countless stars transform the southern sky into one of the richest observing regions of the entire year.
The heart of our own galaxy climbs into the evening sky as Scorpius and Sagittarius rise beneath the bright summer Milky Way. Nebulae, globular clusters, dark dust lanes, and countless stars transform the southern sky into one of the richest observing regions of the entire year.
The heart of our own galaxy climbs into the evening sky as Scorpius and Sagittarius rise beneath the bright summer Milky Way. Nebulae, globular clusters, dark dust lanes, and countless stars transform the southern sky into one of the richest observing regions of the entire year.
The heart of our own galaxy climbs into the evening sky as Scorpius and Sagittarius rise beneath the bright summer Milky Way. Nebulae, globular clusters, dark dust lanes, and countless stars transform the southern sky into one of the richest observing regions of the entire year.
The heart of our own galaxy climbs into the evening sky as Scorpius and Sagittarius rise beneath the bright summer Milky Way. Nebulae, globular clusters, dark dust lanes, and countless stars transform the southern sky into one of the richest observing regions of the entire year.
The heart of our own galaxy climbs into the evening sky as Scorpius and Sagittarius rise beneath the bright summer Milky Way. Nebulae, globular clusters, dark dust lanes, and countless stars transform the southern sky into one of the richest observing regions of the entire year.
The heart of our own galaxy climbs into the evening sky as Scorpius and Sagittarius rise beneath the bright summer Milky Way. Nebulae, globular clusters, dark dust lanes, and countless stars transform the southern sky into one of the richest observing regions of the entire year.
The heart of our own galaxy climbs into the evening sky as Scorpius and Sagittarius rise beneath the bright summer Milky Way. Nebulae, globular clusters, dark dust lanes, and countless stars transform the southern sky into one of the richest observing regions of the entire year.
Scorpius stretches across the southern sky with fiery Antares at its heart, surrounded by some of the richest star fields in the Milky Way. We’ll explore the nebulae, clusters, and glowing depths of Sagittarius and Scorpius before the summer sky begins slipping west.
Scorpius stretches across the southern sky with fiery Antares at its heart, surrounded by some of the richest star fields in the Milky Way. We’ll explore the nebulae, clusters, and glowing depths of Sagittarius and Scorpius before the summer sky begins slipping west.
Scorpius stretches across the southern sky with fiery Antares at its heart, surrounded by some of the richest star fields in the Milky Way. We’ll explore the nebulae, clusters, and glowing depths of Sagittarius and Scorpius before the summer sky begins slipping west.
Scorpius stretches across the southern sky with fiery Antares at its heart, surrounded by some of the richest star fields in the Milky Way. We’ll explore the nebulae, clusters, and glowing depths of Sagittarius and Scorpius before the summer sky begins slipping west.
A hands-on field session for learning tracked night-sky imaging, camera setup, exposure, framing, and real astrophotography workflow.
A seasonal astronomy night whose observing focus changes with Hawaiʻi’s sky—from the Milky Way and Andromeda to Orion and the winter deep sky.
A Moon-focused telescope night for lunar geology, bright crater rays, maria, and seasonal targets that shine through moonlight.
Watch the Moon rise already deep in Earth’s shadow, then follow the eclipse as the lunar surface gradually returns to full brightness.
A dark-sky night for the Milky Way core, Sagittarius and Scorpius, Lagoon and Trifid Nebulae, clusters, and rich summer star fields.
A special telescope night centered on Saturn at its best observing window of the year, including its rings and brighter moons.
Andromeda, the Double Cluster, Cassiopeia and Cepheus take over as the summer Milky Way begins sinking west.
The Pleiades climb higher, Andromeda remains strong, the Double Cluster shines, and Orion begins returning later in the evening.
A Moon-focused night with craters and mountain ranges, followed by the Pleiades, bright double stars, and Orion rising in the east.
Orion returns with the Orion Nebula, Pleiades, Hyades, bright winter stars, and the rising winter Milky Way.
A late-night session for one of the year’s most reliable meteor showers, with Gemini, Orion and the winter sky overhead.
A dark winter night for Orion, the Horsehead and Flame region, Rosette, Pleiades, Sirius, and other winter targets.
A moonless session for faint winter nebulae, Orion, Rosette, the Jellyfish region, open clusters, and other deep-sky targets.
Jupiter and its Galilean moons share the night with Orion, the Pleiades, bright winter stars, and selected clusters and nebulae.
All currently scheduled nights from August through February are shown here. Purple dates are event nights—tap one for a quick preview, then open the full event page if you want more details.
19Shooting the Stars: Astrophotography 101
The observing plan can shift with weather, seeing, Moon phase, and what is best placed in the sky on the night of the event.