SMART Telescope Book Submissions
John Read is writing his next book… and YOU could be included!
John's upcoming book, 50 Things to See with a Smart Telescope, will feature photos taken by members of the LEARN TO STARGAZE community— and you have the chance to be included! Submit your own smart telescope images for a chance to be featured.
Any images used will be credited, and the contributor will receive a free copy of the book!
Here are some example targets we'd love to see in the book:
(But don’t limit yourself to this list. Think outside the box. We’d love to see lots of targets that can only be seen with a smart telescope!)
Submit targets found anywhere in the world (Both Northern and Southern hemisphere accepted!) and targets from any season!
Comets
Any targets from the Messier list
Crescent Nebula
Veil
Horsehead
Rosette
Helix Nebulea
Thors Helmet
Pacman
Submission Parameters:
Submit by September 30th, 2025
Photo must be taken on a smart telescope.
A single contributor may only submit a SINGLE photo of any target, but may submit as many targets as they want. We cannot accept more than one photo per target, so select your BEST shot.
If submitting more than one target, please submit a separate form for each target.
Photos should only make use of the data that was captured in the original photo (stretched and colour corrections are accepted).
No generative AI photos will be accepted. All photos must be captured and processed by the contributor.
No photos of the Sun or Moon
Southern and Northern Hemisphere are both encouraged.
All seasons welcomed.
Submission Requirements:
To be considered, in the form below be sure to include:
Your full name and an email that you check regularly so that we can reach out if we have questions.
Single Photo of a Target : A photo of the target. Ideally, files are TIFFs or PNG. Jpg & jpeg are accepted. In the description box specify the photo acquisition details, where and when the photo was taken, and exposure time.
Single Photo of Setup : A photo of the photography setup, and a description of the setup, including : the telescope, and any other pieces of equipment you used to capture the image, as well as number of stacked images and exposure.
Story : A 150-300 word story about this photo. Has it been published, or won the attention of someone awesome? Were there adventures or misadventures? Were you camping? Were there any wild animals? Did your friend/relative join you for the first time? Eg:
I took this photo in Mount Diable State Park. I went to throw something in the trash, and a racoon jumped out of the garbage can, hissing, and pawing. I was terrified. But then it slinked away behind the restrooms.