AI: A New Field Assistant
Using AI to plan smarter, not work less
Astrophotography has always been a dialogue between intention and limitation.
Urban skies, unpredictable weather, and the slow pace of night work ask for a kind of patience that becomes its own discipline. Over the past year, I’ve learned to embrace that rhythm — to treat each session as a negotiation with the sky rather than a battle against it.
Recently, I've started exploring how AI can support that process. Not as a shortcut, and not as a replacement for experience, but as a thinking partner that helps me prepare more intentionally. The aim isn’t automation. It’s clarity.
This post shares an example of how I’m using AI to compare filters, refine exposure strategies, and build seasonal presets for winter and spring targets. These tools don’t replace the craft — they help me approach the craft with more confidence and fewer unknowns.
Why AI?
Urban astrophotography is a game of margins. Every decision — filter choice, sub‑length, gain, histogram placement — carries more weight when the sky is bright and time is limited. AI helps me:
• Compare gear combinations quickly
• Build structured presets for seasonal targets
• Anticipate challenges before I’m in the field
• Document my process in a consistent, repeatable way
It’s not about outsourcing judgment. It’s about sharpening it.
I fed Copilot my equipment specs and filter options, then asked it to suggest pairings for specific winter and spring targets under Bortle 9 conditions. The table below is a guide for the seasons ahead — a way to choose targets with a bit more clarity and a bit less guesswork as I refine a consistent one‑hour workflow through the winter and spring skies of 2026.
| Target | Best Filter | Why This Filter Works | Gain (ASI585MC) |
Histogram Peak (%) |
Sub Length | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| M42 — Orion Nebula | Optolong L‑QEF | Mixed emission + reflection; quad‑band preserves natural color and core structure | 252 | 20–25% | 30–45s | Short subs prevent core blowout; consider 15–20s for Trapezium if blending |
| Horsehead & Flame | SVBONY SV220 | Dual‑band Ha/OIII isolation boosts contrast in the faint IC 434 curtain | 300 | 25–30% | 45–60s | Muted stars; Flame loses some warmth — prioritizes Horsehead contrast |
| Rosette Nebula | SVBONY SV220 | Strong Ha response; dual‑band enhances rim and inner cavity | 300 | 25–30% | 45–60s | One of the best winter dual‑band targets |
| Flaming Star (IC 405) | Optolong L‑QEF | Preserves blue reflection component; narrowband alone loses color | 252 | 20–25% | 30–45s | Great FRA300 framing |
| Tadpoles (IC 410) | SVBONY SV240 | Aggressive LP suppression; enhances faint Ha tendrils | 350 | 30–35% | 60s | Stars may need cleanup |
| Spider & Fly (IC 417) | SVBONY SV240 | Boosts faint Ha arcs and filaments | 350 | 30–35% | 60s | Excellent faint‑nebula winter target |
| California Nebula | SVBONY SV240 | Strong Ha target; narrowband isolates the long filament cleanly | 350 | 30–35% | 60s | Large target — FRA300 frames beautifully |
| M78 (Reflection Nebula) | Optolong L‑QEF | Quad‑band preserves reflection color; narrowband misses the signal entirely | 252 | 20–25% | 30–45s | Hardest target on list — needs ideal conditions or multiple sessions |
| Leo Triplet | Optolong L‑QEF | Broadband‑friendly; preserves galaxy color and dust lanes | 252 | 20–25% | 30–45s | Short subs help keep gradients manageable |
| Markarian's Chain | Optolong L‑QEF | Natural color preservation; galaxies respond poorly to narrowband | 252 | 20–25% | 30–45s | FRA300 gives a beautiful wide framing |
| Whale & Hockey Stick | Optolong L‑QEF | Broadband needed for galaxy structure and color | 252 | 20–25% | 45s | Great spring pairing for 1‑hour sessions |
| M81 — Bode's Galaxy | Optolong L‑QEF | Broadband preserves spiral structure, dust lanes, and natural color | 252 | 20–25% | 45s | Excellent FRA300 framing with M82 |
| M82 — Cigar Galaxy | Optolong L‑QEF | Broadband captures starburst core and reddish outflow regions | 252 | 20–25% | 45s | Pairs perfectly with M81 in one frame |
| M101 — Pinwheel Galaxy | Optolong L‑QEF | Preserves faint outer arms; narrowband loses broadband structure | 252 | 20–25% | 45s | Best near zenith; low surface brightness — watch for gradients |
Looking Ahead
As the seasons unfold, I’ll return to this table often — not as a fixed prescription, but as a living reference. Some filters will surprise me. Some targets will resist. But with each attempt, the process becomes more familiar, more repeatable, and more honest.
That’s where AI fits: Not to decide. But to help me ask better questions — and keep the conversation with the sky moving forward.
Clear skies,
Pete