The moon is the only natural satellite in the sky that’s permanent, and it makes a great subject for taking night photos, especially when it reaches certain phases of its orbit, such as super moons.

The moon is also notoriously difficult to take pictures of with anything other than high-quality photography gear, mostly because anything less than a DSLR camera simply can’t deal with the low lighting and the distance of the moon. Here, we will look at what it takes to capture pictures of the moon successfully.

The Camera

Unfortunately, not even the highest quality digital cameras will be able to take pictures of the moon as well as a mid-range DSLR. This is because a DSLR camera gives the user total control of the camera that’s being used, as well as the different settings that are needed to take a picture. The camera and its attached lens need to be tweaked properly in order to be able to capture an object like the moon, and to be able to organically filter out the bright light.

The Lens

The lens is another important aspect to consider, but with a DSLR camera the user will either want a telephoto lens or a telescope with the appropriate attachment. A telescope is generally the better option if available, as it has a much more powerful lens that’s able to better focus on the moon at night, and because they’re always set on legs, telescopes don’t tend to move around, or cause blurriness once set up correctly. While it is possible to use a telephoto lens to take a high-quality picture, the user should note that it will require some patience in order to snap a shot that’s worth saving.

Smartphones

For those that are not able to afford a DSLR camera, as they can be quite expensive, it is possible to use a smartphone to do it, but this means having to get a hold of a special lens attachment that goes on the front of the phone. These can be somewhat difficult to get a hold of, and they won’t fit all phone models. It should also be noted that not all of these lens attachments work as intended, but if the user is able to find one that works well, they should be able to take good pictures. Using good software is also a must, as not every kind of camera app is able to properly process the amount of light that the moon emits. An upside to this is having a smartphone that can be used to play and have a good time with.

Learn The Moon Cycles

The moon has a very precise cycle that it sticks to persistently, and it’s easy enough to download an app that will alert the user when a certain moon phase is going to occur. It can be good practice to take different pictures of the moon and test out the different settings to see how they work. The lighting is the hardest aspect to master, but there are many free online guides that can teach how lighting works and how best to use it.