34 replies to this topic

[Stas]

to nbanjogal

In any case my d200 gives worth results((

[nikoninjection]

I've finally got somewhere!

A bit cold and windy tonight, with lots of light pollution, but worth it.

I saw an aircraft, so just pointed in the general direction.
image.jpg

Pleiades.
image.jpg

Cassiopeia and just a hint of M31 Andromeda Galaxy
image.jpg

What is the formation in the middle photograph?

[morticiaskeeper]

The top one is looking due south, an aircraft is trailing E-W

The middle shot is Pleiades, otherwise known as the Seven Sisters.

Bottom is looking East, Cassiopeia is top left, Andromeda is pretty much central, running left to right, above that, there is a little brown dot, that is the Andromeda galaxy, our nearest neighbour.

[morticiaskeeper]

I went out to my dark site tonight.

 

D80, ISO 1600, Optomax 450mm F8  2.5 seconds.

 

[Stas]

to morticiaskeeper

 

On your photo even with exposure time 2.5 seconds you can see that stars are moving. To avoid this you should use a wide angle lens. Also I think it is too dark. Why did you chose f8?

[Adam]

The 50mm is an old Asahi, so will be 75mm on the D80. It also needs a mount adaptor with a correction lens, losing a stop. So it's back to f3.5 but at 75mm rather than 18mm. Those Asahi lenses seem to fetch good money on eBay, might have to sell it. I went out last night, just as the cloud started to come over. I fired off a quick shot of mainly light polluted cloud. The hole in the cloud showed stars! All NR turned off, ISO3200, f3.5,10 seconds. It's almost as if the NR thought the stars were sensor hotspots.

The corrective adapter is probably going to adversely affect sharpness, so I'd avoid it for start photos.

 

 

I've finally got somewhere!

A bit cold and windy tonight, with lots of light pollution, but worth it.

I saw an aircraft, so just pointed in the general direction.
image.jpg

Pleiades.
image.jpg

Cassiopeia and just a hint of M31 Andromeda Galaxy
image.jpg

Nice job!  Motion blur is visible in the second shot, but the first and last look good. 

[morticiaskeeper]

I took most of my shots with an 18mm, but...

I had the 450mm in the car, so, according to the laws of carrying too much gear, I had to use it!

It also shows how stars move so quickly, if I were using my telescope, it would be 1000mm, which is why we need equatorial mounts.

The 18mm shots picked up lots more, but I still don't get the clouds of the Milky Way. Although M31 Andromeda Galaxy was recognisable.

[Tony892]

Thanks for all the tips in this trail, very helpful.

[airdrie]

What a great thread!

I've spent many nights getting chilled to the bone or eaten alive by mosquitos trying to capture the night sky.

[BonOlgirl]

I've finally got somewhere!

A bit cold and windy tonight, with lots of light pollution, but worth it.

I saw an aircraft, so just pointed in the general direction.
image.jpg

Pleiades.
image.jpg

Cassiopeia and just a hint of M31 Andromeda Galaxy
image.jpg

 How weird is this!....I also shot Pleiades just last night. With my D3000, I used my 18-55mm lens at 38mm, f/5.6 with ISO 100 and a 30 second exposure. Don't like the noise with a high ISO. Don't like the long exposure either, so from now on when I shoot the stars, I'm going with a shorter exposure...less trails.

 

So here's MY Pleiades.....

Hello Adam and Stas, thanks loads for the pointers.

I'm heading on holiday next week to the Lake District (North of England), and it'll be very remote. I'm hoping for some clear skies so I can try out some of the techniques mentioned in the links, and your suggestions Adam.

 

I had a teacher at school who built astrotracers, and I've been meaning to have a go for years. Perhaps a couple of good shots of static skies will help motivate.

 

I'll post some results... although I can't promise quality!

 

Ps. Adam, I do have a tripod (it's not great, but will do), but I was going to use the self timer instead of a remote. As a side point, I didn't think there was a remote for the D40?

 

Nevermind - I just bought the ML-L3 Remote Control from Amazon- hopefully it'll arrive before I go...

Good luck! Hope to see some of those pics here 

What a great thread!

I've spent many nights getting chilled to the bone or eaten alive by mosquitos trying to capture the night sky.

Oh my gosh! This is awesome! I envy those who live with the northern lights!! Absolutely beautiful!!

Attached Thumbnails

• 

[Ramshackl]

Wow, thanks loads for the comments and images!

 

It turns out my original plans for holiday photography in the Lake district were scuppered by ill children & hospital visits. Now that they're better and that, I thought I'd take advantage of the wonderfully clear night and head out into the Peak District National Park to get some shots.

 

I'll publish the metadata when I've had a chance to properly review the shots, but for now here are the unedited ones straight from my camera. Overall I'm pleased with my first stab at night photography... particularly the shot of the plough. However, feedback is really appreciated- please don't be afraid to call it like it is. I'm here to learn, after all!

 

 

 

 

 

 

There are a couple more in my image gallery if you're interested.

[Tony892]

What a great thread!
I've spent many nights getting chilled to the bone or eaten alive by mosquitos trying to capture the night sky.

Welcome to the site and your photo is really something to sit and look at for a period of time, you really captured the beauty of the sky.

[Stas]

What a great thread!

I've spent many nights getting chilled to the bone or eaten alive by mosquitos trying to capture the night sky.

 

Airdrie, your photo awsome! Tell please about equipment and settings that you used. And the light on the road, is it from car? My only point to your photo is the shadow (as I understand yours) below.

[Ramshackl]

 How weird is this!....I also shot Pleiades just last night. With my D3000, I used my 18-55mm lens at 38mm, f/5.6 with ISO 100 and a 30 second exposure. Don't like the noise with a high ISO. Don't like the long exposure either, so from now on when I shoot the stars, I'm going with a shorter exposure...less trails.

 

So here's MY Pleiades.....

Good luck! Hope to see some of those pics here 

Oh my gosh! This is awesome! I envy those who live with the northern lights!! Absolutely beautiful!!

 

Hi BonOIgirl, I thought since you posted your Pleiades, I should post mine too!

I think my focus is off though :-/

 

What a great thread!

I've spent many nights getting chilled to the bone or eaten alive by mosquitos trying to capture the night sky.

 

Wow.

 

Seriously, great photo - I hope to have something that matches it someday! Can I ask what tripod you have? Mine is a cheap piece of crap, and even a small breeze can be enough to smudge an image :-/

[BonOlgirl]

Nice pleiades 

 

Hi BonOIgirl, I thought since you posted your Pleiades, I should post mine too!

I think my focus is off though :-/

 

 

Not off by much! Very nice!