"A Deep Dive into Rod Prazeres' Astrophotography Obsession"
Astrophotographer Rod Prazeres Shines in the Cosmic Realm
Rod Prazeres, based in Brisbane, Australia, has made a name for himself in the world of astronomy and astrophotography. His captivating images have been featured in renowned publications such as BBC Sky at Night and Astronomy Now magazines, and he has even been shortlisted for the prestigious Astronomy Photographer of the Year (APY16) competition.
Prazeres' passion lies in deep-sky astrophotography, particularly the sculpted beauty of nebulae and supernova remnants. His journey into this celestial realm began less than two years ago, but his rapid progress is a testament to his dedication and the guidance he received from mentors like Adam Cohen.
One of Prazeres' most notable achievements is winning the William Optics International Astrophotography Competition and the nPAE Northern Hemisphere Astrophotography Competition. His image of the Carina Nebula was even selected for exhibition at the Royal Observatory Greenwich in London until August 2025.
To create his cosmic animations, Prazeres employs software like Adobe After Effects, using layered high-resolution stills to bring the universe to life. The process involves subtle zooms, pans, and rotational movements, parallax effects, and separating star layers from nebulae.
His imaging toolkit is impressive, including telescopes like the Askar 130PHQ and the William Optics RedCat 51 II, cameras such as the ZWO ASI2600MM Pro monochrome, and filters like Antlia 3nm narrowband and Baader RGB. He also uses ASIAir for automating imaging tasks and a Sky-Watcher NEQ6-Pro and Wave 150i mounts to stabilise his equipment.
Prazeres' post-processing work is primarily done in PixInsight, a mastery he credits to Masters of PixInsight and Adam Block's courses. He also acknowledges the significant improvement in his work due to advanced workshops provided by Steeve Body.
Planning for an astrophotography session is meticulous, considering factors like the moon phase, target visibility, and light pollution. Tools like Stellarium, Telescopius, astronomy.tools, and Light Pollution Map are essential in this process.
For those interested in direct enquiries or collaborations, Prazeres can be reached at [email protected]. His work can also be followed on Instagram, and his images are available as fine art prints.
[1] This information about the Southern Pinwheel Galaxy (M 83) was captured using a Skywatcher 254mm f/4.7 telescope paired with a Skywatcher AZEQ6 GT mount and a Greika guiding system.
[2] Prazeres' post-processing workflow involves stacking images using Starry Landscape Stacker and Astro Pixel Processor, stitching panoramas with PTGui, and applying stretching and color adjustments to enhance the final image.
- Rod Prazeres, a Brisbane-based astrophotographer, used a Skywatcher 254mm f/4.7 telescope, a Skywatcher AZEQ6 GT mount, and a Greika guiding system to capture the Southern Pinwheel Galaxy (M 83).
- In his post-processing workflow, Prazeres stacks images using Starry Landscape Stacker and Astro Pixel Processor, stitches panoramas with PTGui, and applies stretching and color adjustments to enhance the final image.
- Prazeres' tools for astrophotography include telescopes like the Askar 130PHQ and the William Optics RedCat 51 II, cameras such as the ZWO ASI2600MM Pro monochrome, and filters like Antlia 3nm narrowband and Baader RGB.
- ASIAir is used by Prazeres to automate imaging tasks, and he uses a Sky-Watcher NEQ6-Pro and Wave 150i mounts to stabilize his equipment.
- Prazeres' post-processing work is primarily done in PixInsight, a software he has mastered through courses taught by Masters of PixInsight and Adam Block.
- Advanced workshops provided by Steeve Body have also played a significant role in improving Prazeres' work.
- Tools like Stellarium, Telescopius, astronomy.tools, and Light Pollution Map are essential for Prazeres when planning an astrophotography session, considering factors like the moon phase, target visibility, and light pollution.
