CLUB NEWS

September 2026

Dear All,

September brings a welcome shift for stargazers across the UK as the autumn observing season officially begins. With the autumn equinox taking place this month, nights are lengthening noticeably, offering significantly more hours of true astronomical darkness compared to the short nights of midsummer. Seasonal observing conditions tend to improve with crisper, clearer atmosphere and steady seeing conditions, making it an excellent time to dust off optical equipment and head outside.

Don't forget to send us any images you have taken or post them on the Facebook Group!

This months talk 3rd September 2026 delivered by Mike Lewis:

Have you ever taken astrophotography images and wondered how people produce those stunning deep-sky photographs full of detail, colour, and low noise?

Join us for a Beginner's Guide to Image Stacking, where we'll explore one of the most important steps in astrophotography processing.

This session is designed for those who are just starting out, but will also include enough detail to help you take your first steps towards producing higher-quality images.

You don't need a tracking mount, you don't need a telescope.

What We'll Cover

✅ What image stacking is and why we do it

✅ A small dive into frame types

✅ How stacking improves signal-to-noise ratio

✅ Basic workflow from image capture to final stacked image

✅ Overview of popular free and paid stacking software

✅ How to capture and try your first stack

Look forward to seeing you all!

Warm Regards,

Walsall Astronomical Society