Photographing Stars & the Milkey Way?

Zascar

I was up in a remote part of Wicklow a few weekends ago - the one where there was loads of meteors etc - you could see an amazing amount of starts - the lack of light pollution makes some difference. You could also get a good view of the milky way - it was feint but it was much ore evident than I have ever seen it. I did not have my camera with me but I really now want to try to get out and take a photo likes some of the ones I have seen online etc.

Has anyone done this, any advice as to how to go about getting a good shot etc?

Thanks
Z

Gregor Samsa

The Milky Way is something I'd love to shoot, but never have had the chance.

Here's ans interesting example I came across recently:

http://www.petapixel.com/2012/08/15/spectacular-wedding-photo-showing-the-milky-way-floating-overhead/

and this too:

http://www.petapixel.com/2012/08/14/awe-inspiring-family-portrait-features-the-milky-way-as-the-backdrop/

Exposure settings are mentioned in the articles.

I don't know if you get dark enough (and clear enough) skies for shots like this in Ireland, but it would be worth a go.

trooney

Have had the good fortune once or twice to be in an area where the Milky Way was really visible. Whether I've done it justice or not I dunno...

OldGoat

I did a bit of reading on this after Iancar29 mentioned the Persied meteor shower. There are two schools of though on the best approach. One advocates really high ISO, the other say keeping the ISO to 100 or 200 is the better way to go. I've not found a decent discussion why either method might be better. Photographers just say thats the way to do it and stick to their guns.
Seems to me that low ISO gives less noise but the longer exposure will produce (digital) noise anyway. On the otherhand the high ISO will gobble in the light but is (on my pathetically old entrylevel camera) noisey as fcuk. Either method produces noise.

I shot a dozen or so low ISO shots varying on 15 to 30sec exposures and managed to capture the main constalations well enough but there was still too much ambiant light around to get the dimmer stars and all the shots have that horrible orange tint.

I tried a 3 minute exposure but at that length of time the stars started to leave lighttrails. I did see a bodge for making a gizmo* that moved the camera in time with the rotating world to allow for longer exposures. I might give it a go if my experiments with short exposures keeps failing.

Lessons learnt: Find somewhere darker, point the camera at areas of the sky that have the most stars in it, bring a torch, pick moonless nights.


*A Scotch Mount

11811

I came across this article today which goes through some good pointers.

http://improvephotography.com/5955/how-to-photograph-the-milky-way/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+ImprovePhotography+%28Improve+Photography%29

Should be well able to do it in Ireland, I've seen some examples taken down in Cork. Just have to travel a bit to somewhere remote to eliminate light pollution.

pete4130

6400 ISO
2.8
14mm on full frame
30 sec exposure.

Anything more than 30 seconds creates light trails that are too big to show the stars.

6400 on newer cameras like a 5D mkIII, D4 or the new 1D's is fine, so it 12,800 ISO probably. Low ISO for light trails I think.

I shot this in rural Australia so at night the sky has no light pollution really. You can't see your hand in front of your face its so dark.

Some post processing to bump the contrast and make the universe more prominent.

therealjamie

If you don't want star trails then your maximum shutter speed (in seconds) is 600/(full frame focal length). So if you have a 50mm lens on a crop sensor then the longest exposure you could have without star trails is 7.5 seconds.

Stephen P

Here's a How To... from the Digital Photography School
http://digital-photography-school.com/how-to-photograph-the-stars

amdgilmore

You'll also need a better spot than Wicklow. Even remote areas are still affected by light pollution from the East and Southeast.

There's a light pollution map of Ireland here:

http://www.kerryastronomyclub.com/graphics/lightpoll/ireland_wide_large_dmsp.gif

It's a bit crude, but you should be able to get a general idea of locations. It's the predictable spots, really - Burren, West Kerry, Connemara, Donegal. Seems like there's some spots in the midlands too, but nobody knows what those counties are called or how to get there.

I'm sure your wife/girlfriend/significant other would love a romantic trip to Connemara.

goods

is there any site that tells you when the milkyway will be up and where to look ?

OldGoat

I just use the Google SKy (free) app.

magicbastarder

pete4130 wrote: »

Some post processing to ... make the universe more prominent.

there's a filter for this in photoshop?

vic20

All you need is outdoors, no clouds & look UP!
(sorry but couldn't resist)

goods wrote: »

is there any site that tells you when the milkyway will be up and where to look ?

Paulw

BBC tv show Horizon, on now, has been showing some very very cool photos of the Milky Way.

tritium

My milky way shots are still a work in progress but got some nice ones recently in west Donegal ( will try to post one later)l. A couple of things that have been really useful;
Stellarium (free software) to figure when and where in the sky to shoot - just above Sagittarius in the south/ south-east from Late spring to early autumn seems to be the best time (others may have other thoughts on this)
A reasonably wide and fast lens- best I can do here is 10mm at f4 on my 7d but I can get a good 30ish seconds with that
Trying out deep sky stacker (free software) at present but it will likely be next year before I can see how well that works

Main thing is as dark as possible-if you can get a new moon in a rural area that would be just sweet

You might also look at building a barn door mount as another possibility - it's one of my somewhat (ahem) ongoing projects so I can't really tell you how successful or otherwise they can be

edit: this one is really noisy and needs some cleanup but it was one of the first ones that started to work so I'm attached to it

Iancar29

High Folks , with the dry clear nights ( ICY THOUGH! ) ahead theres gonna be more of a chance to capture the milky way .

I have to say i have yet to see a distant view of the milky way from Ireland , i remember i seen it once down in Killarney when i was small , was amazing. BUt living here in dublin without a car restricts me from the amazing sight being hidden from us .

Anyhow , if one was to get to a clear spot in the sky i would recommend the following settings .

WIde angle lens ( gives longer exposure time without stair trails )

F3.5 or below ..

ISO 3200 . The higher the Iso the more detail you will pick up , but this is horrible idea for any light polluted areas of any form as you'll just get more of a orange glow .

20 seconds exposure.

RAW

White balance- kelvin ... turn temp down a notch .. this will help keep the bluey colour of the sky .

Once going id set up the remote shutter and fire away on continuous Low as if doing a timelapse .

AT the end of all this you should have a decent set of images.

Stacking all these images up in a programme DEEP SKY STACKER , will bring out alot more detail and reduce alot of noise also.

Heres one of my shots of the milky way from BAdlands South Dakota . I used similar settings for this shot.



At the time then i also did a short timelapse... ( WATCH IN FULL HD ! )

At the time i didnt know of deep sky stacker so didnt shoot the best way for the programme.. but the images i used for that timelapse i was able to stack up ...
here is the result..



So i hope , if your near a prime location that yous get some clear skies and get some nice shots!

Ian

mlumley

Have a look at this guys photos,Damien Stenson Photography on facebook. Go to photos and he has one of the milkyway at the cliffs of moher, fantastic.

kelly1

Here's one I took a few weeks ago:



ISO3200, f/4 (have no wide 2.8), 30s

vader65

Wow, some of those photos above are absolutely amazing.

Gregor Samsa

Agreed, some amazing photos.

On a related note, there's a request in at the moment for an Astrophotography sub forum. Given that the people on this thread might have an interest in this, I thought it was worth mentioning.

See the request thread here:

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2056770582

ScumLord

phutyle wrote: »

The Milky Way is something I'd love to shoot, but never have had the chance.

In a way all your photos are of the milky way.

brokenarms

This guy lives in Derry and shoots skys in the Northwest. So so good.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/criodesign/

5uspect

Came across this on FlipBoard.
http://www.petapixel.com/2012/11/26/starry-planet-time-lapse-of-the-night-sky-captured-with-an-8mm-fisheye-lens/

fran426ft

Came across this tutorial earlier in the week and this guys website. Some amazing night sky photos there.

http://vimeo.com/16833554

http://www.thestartrail.com

brokenarms

Iancar29 wrote: »

High Folks , with the dry clear nights ( ICY THOUGH! ) ahead theres gonna be more of a chance to capture the milky way .

I have to say i have yet to see a distant view of the milky way from Ireland , i remember i seen it once down in Killarney when i was small , was amazing. BUt living here in dublin without a car restricts me from the amazing sight being hidden from us .

Anyhow , if one was to get to a clear spot in the sky i would recommend the following settings .

WIde angle lens ( gives longer exposure time without stair trails )

F3.5 or below ..

ISO 3200 . The higher the Iso the more detail you will pick up , but this is horrible idea for any light polluted areas of any form as you'll just get more of a orange glow .

20 seconds exposure.

RAW

White balance- kelvin ... turn temp down a notch .. this will help keep the bluey colour of the sky .

Once going id set up the remote shutter and fire away on continuous Low as if doing a timelapse .

AT the end of all this you should have a decent set of images.

Stacking all these images up in a programme DEEP SKY STACKER , will bring out alot more detail and reduce alot of noise also.



At the time i didnt know of deep sky stacker so didnt shoot the best way for the programme.. but the images i used for that timelapse i was able to stack up ...
here is the result..


Ian

Hi Ian. I was hoping you could advise me.
The D3100 does not have a kelvin white balance adjustment feature . What preset white balance setting would give a good result?
Sunny, shade and so on.

I am going to head out to the Sally Gap tomorrow night to try some sky shots .

5uspect

brokenarms wrote: »

Hi Ian. I was hoping you could advise me.
The D3100 does not have a kelvin white balance adjustment feature . What preset white balance setting would give a good result?
Sunny, shade and so on.

I am going to head out to the Sally Gap tomorrow night to try some sky shots .

Just shoot in RAW, if you can. Adjust the WB in post.

Iancar29

brokenarms wrote: »

Hi Ian. I was hoping you could advise me.
The D3100 does not have a kelvin white balance adjustment feature . What preset white balance setting would give a good result?
Sunny, shade and so on.

I am going to head out to the Sally Gap tomorrow night to try some sky shots .

Ye just shoot in RAW as 5uspect . Im jealous though , hopefully gettin the bro to drive up later this week to try get some shots myself. The Milky Way will be towards the SSW , be careful up there man , supposed to get down to 0ºC again tonight. SO the more layers on ya the better.

good luck!

Flier

Hi, thought people on this tread might be interested in this - popped up on my FB page today. Ye probably know all about it already!!


https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=508266705861012&set=a.456449604376056.98921.367116489976035&type=1&theater

"Luckily, we still have the Geminids left. They're generally considered to be one of the best and most reliable meteor showers of the year, so hopefully we'll get a good show.
They will appear to radiate from the constellation of Gemini, and you could spot up to 120 meteors per hour. The moon will be new meaning that visibility should be very good.
Although Dec 13th-14th is the peak, meteors will be visible for several days before and after that so don't forget to look up this week."

brokenarms

Dam cloud cover tonight is going to spoil everything.

going to sack it for tonight.

Good link to cloud cover
http://www.met.ie/forecasts/5day-atlantic.asp