Random thread of Astrophotography

[Turn2]

Like Angie's thread on general photography, I'm creating this thread for the folks who like to shoot skyward between dusk and dawn, or even beyond that if you're into solar or lunar photography. I am in no way anywhere close to Trevor Jones or Alyn Wallace, but I suspect more than a few folks would like to be. Here I hope folks will share:

-Beautiful examples of their work
-Locations with dark skies to safely shoot after dark, in Iowa or elsewhere
-Technique, in the field to post-processing
-Gear info

The Geminid meteor shower is less than a week away, and December is the darkest month of the year, so let's kick this off. Here's an hour of stacked data of Orion that I shot from Shelby County during the last new moon. I used an astro-modified Canon 6D and a Tamron 85mm f/1.8 lens riding on an iOptron Skytracker Pro. This was somewhat experimental, but worked out pretty well. Two or three times more exposure would bring out an impressive amount of nebulosity, I'm sure.

 

[Turn2]

Arguably the best meteor shower of the year is coming this week. The Geminids look to be a worthwhile event this year with no competing moonlight and mostly clear skies forecast for Wednesday night into Thursday AM in Central Iowa. Check the details here:

| EarthSky

earthsky.org

If you can't tough out the cold, aiming a camera to the sky in a dark location with a lens heater attached and an intervalometer engaged may get you some keepers over the course of a few hours. Use the "500 rule" to be sure to keep your shutter open long enough to up your odds of catching a screamer.

 

[Cyclones_R_GR8]

One of these days I want to go to the Nebraska Star Party. It's held every summer in central Nebraska which has some of the darkest skies in the lower 48.

Here's a photo I took of the comet that passed by about 3 years ago

 

[CascadeClone]

Arguably the best meteor shower of the year is coming this week. The Geminids look to be a worthwhile event this year with no competing moonlight and mostly clear skies forecast for Wednesday night into Thursday AM in Central Iowa. Check the details here:

| EarthSky

earthsky.org

If you can't tough out the cold, aiming a camera to the sky in a dark location with a lens heater attached and an intervalometer engaged may get you some keepers over the course of a few hours. Use the "500 rule" to be sure to keep your shutter open long enough to up your odds of catching a screamer.

View attachment 120670

Love the Big Dipper hiding in plain sight there.

 

[Cyclones_R_GR8]

Forecast is for overcast skies the next few days so I doubt I would get any opportunities

 

[Cyientist]

Not in the same league as Turn, but I caught this pic of the moon with my iPhone through the eyepiece of my 10 yr olds telescope while sipping some gin and tonics this summer.

 

[4theCYcle]

Nice work turn! I'll have to post some of my utah work and some Iowa work. Loved shooting in Utah when I was out there a few years ago as the skies are just amazing. I just haven't been in the game much lately the last couple years due to slowing down in photography with a kid now. I haven't had my ioptron out in a long time which is crazy to me.

 

[Cytasticlone]

Not in the same league as Turn, but I caught this pic of the moon with my iPhone through the eyepiece of my 10 yr olds telescope while sipping some gin and tonics this summer.

View attachment 120700

 

[Kinch]

Interested in purchasing a Celestron, about $450. Any suggestions for good ones for photography?

 

[Kinch]

There is a county park north of Walcott that has its own observatory, run by a local college. It’s must see. They open it up for public viewing several times a year.

 

[Turn2]

Almost a once-in-a-lifetime event for Iowa last night. Got 'em? Post 'em.