Customer Astrophotography Gallery
Welcome to the Dark Clear Skies customer gallery — a showcase of breathtaking deep-sky and planetary images captured by our passionate community of astronomy enthusiasts. Every photo below was taken using equipment supplied by Dark Clear Skies UK, proving what’s possible when skill, dedication, and the right tools come together under clear night skies.
Featured Photographer: Kevin Wilcox
Location: Newcastle, Staffordshire, UK (Bortle 6)
Recognition: Shortlisted for Astronomy Photographer of the Year 2025 — Best Newcomer
Equipment: Supplied by Dark Clear Skies UK
Kevin’s stunning work highlights the incredible detail and colour that can be achieved even from moderately light-polluted skies. His passion and perseverance continue to inspire both newcomers and experienced astrophotographers alike.
Featured Photographer: Darren Cotton
Location: Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire, UK (Bortle 5)
Equipment: ZWO Seestar S50 Smart Telescope
Recognition: Dark Clear Skies Community Contributor
Darren captured this beautiful image using the Seestar S50 smart telescope — a compact, all-in-one imaging system perfect for both beginners and experienced observers. His image reveals the intricate dust lanes and subtle colour gradients of the night sky, demonstrating just how powerful smart telescopes have become for deep-sky astrophotography.
Darren’s results are a perfect example of how technology and creativity can combine to make the wonders of the universe accessible to everyone — whether observing from a city garden or a dark-sky site.
Featured Photographer: Peter Shah (Roboscopes)
Project: Dancing on Ice – Fire and Ice LDN821
Published: August 16, 2025
Total Integration Time: 15h 48m
Integration per filter:
– R: 1h 30m (180 × 30")
– G: 1h (180 × 20")
– B: 48m (180 × 16")
– Hα: 5h (180 × 100")
– OIII: 7h 30m (180 × 150")
Equipment:
– Telescope: ASA N12 / 12N
– Camera: Player One Poseidon-M Pro
– Mount: Software Bisque Paramount ME GEM
– Filters: Antlia 3nm Narrowband H-alpha 50 mm, Antlia 3nm Narrowband Oxygen III 50 mm, Antlia 3nm Narrowband Sulfur II 50 mm, Antlia Blue 50 mm, Antlia Green 50 mm, Antlia Luminance 50 mm, Antlia Red 50 mm
– Software: Pleiades Astrophoto PixInsight
Peter’s “Dancing on Ice” composition captures the delicate interplay between interstellar dust and glowing nebulae within the LDN821 region. The combination of Antlia narrowband filters and the Player One Poseidon-M Pro camera delivers remarkable clarity, depth, and tonal precision — a testament to what can be achieved with high-end imaging systems and expert post-processing.
For more information and the full technical breakdown, visit Peter Shah’s AstroBin page.
Share Your Images
We love seeing what our customers capture under the night sky. If you’d like your work featured here, please email your image and a short description (including your name, location, and setup details) to contact@darkclearskies.co.uk.
Join our growing community of UK stargazers and show the world what you can achieve with the right gear — and a bit of patience!