Great Smoky Mountains National Park offers some of the best stargazing in the Eastern United States. Its expansive size, high peaks, and scenic vistas, combined with its distance from major cities, make the Smokies an ideal place to observe the night sky and reveal its majesty with photography tools.
In this beginner-friendly webinar, we’ll cover the fundamentals of astrophotography and share some helpful tips you can use at home and in the field:
- Gear essentials
- Best practices and safety
- Planning, apps, and resources
- Composition and camera settings
- Timing throughout the year
- Suitable locations around the Smokies
We’ll wrap with a few notes on post-processing your work, ways you can help reduce light pollution in your area, and a Q&A.
Guide Andrew Vest
Activity Rating Easy: At this Branch Out session, participants will have a relaxed experience requiring little or no physical activity.
Meeting & Event Location Online webinar. Registrants will receive the meeting link and instructions before the event.
What to Bring
For this activity:
- A computer, tablet, or mobile device capable of connecting to the Internet.
About Your Guide
Andrew joined the Smokies Life in 2022 and serves as the Membership Engagement Specialist. As an avid hiker and photographer, he has been lucky to travel to and photograph landscapes, wildlife, and night skies across the United States, Canada, and Europe.
Andrew combines his love of the outdoors with his passion for community service, volunteering with the Virginia Master Naturalists Roanoke Valley Chapter, Project FeederWatch, CoCoRaHS, and GLOBE Observer. He completed a Chaparral Naturalist Certification Course in California in 2019 and fulfilled the Virginia Master Naturalist Certification requirements in 2025. He and his wonderful wife live in Roanoke, VA, with their two cats and two dogs.
Required Reading
Event Disclaimer
This information has been designed to be as accurate as possible; however, all programs are subject to change for multiple reasons, including weather.
Questions?
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Member Fee $45
Guest Fee $85
As a member, you are invited and encouraged to bring along a guest. This fee includes admission to this event and a year-long Park Keeper membership for your guest.