1. Scott Butner http://www.scottbutner.com/
Photographing the Night Sky Richland Public Library Lecture November 15, 2012
Scott Butner

2. What I’ll Cover Introduction What you’ll need to take night sky photos
Some camera basics
Shoot the moon!
Shooting the stars and the milky way
Catch a falling star
The northern lights? In Washington?!
Useful resources

3. Introduction

9. What you’ll need

10. Essential equipment A camera with the following: Manual control
A [wide angle] lens of f/2.8 or faster
Usable ISO of 1600 or higher
Remote release or self timer
Tripod
Flashlight
Backup flashlight
Appropriate clothing

11. Scouting locations Scouting locations ahead of time is VERY important
Finding safe parking/ingress/egress and noting hazards
Finding good terrestrial objects
Noting power lines, road signs, other easy to miss visual impediments
Take notes! Note mileposts, landmarks, etc.

12. Finding dark skies
Dark skies are increasingly hard to find in our region
Typically need miles from medium sized metro area to find reasonably dark skies
Clouds, dust, haze will exacerbate this
Localized light sources can often be incorporated or obscured

14. A few words about safety
Think ahead for safety!
Park well off the road
Scout ahead if possible
Wear “safe shoes”
Always have a backup light
Be aware of your surroundings

15. Some camera basics

16. The Bucket of Light
ISO
Shutter speed
f/stop

17. ISO – How big is the bucket?
ISO is a measure of how sensitive the camera is to light
The higher the number, the less light is needed
But high ISO ratings also generate more noise (grain)
ISO 3200
ISO 400
ISO 200

18. f/stop – How big is the hose?
f/stop is a ratio between the lens opening and focal length
The smaller the number, the more light it allows in
For most night photography, wide f/stops (f/1.4-f/2.8) are essential
Typical f/stops: f/2.0 f/2.8 f/4 f/5.6 f/8 f/11 f/16 f/22

19. Shutter speed – How long does the water flow?
Shutter speeds tell us how long the camera allows light to hit the film/sensor
MOST night photography requires long exposures (> 1 second)
Photographing the moon is a big exception

20. Putting them together
Different combinations of ISO, f/stop and shutter speed produce the same amount of light – but not necessarily the same results
3200 f/4, 30 sec
3200 f/1.4, 4 sec
1600 f/2.8, 30 sec

21. Some “typical” exposures
Milky way, rich star field
1600 ISO, 30 f/2
Bright stars, planets
1600 ISO, 15 f/2-2.8
Moon
Full: 200 ISO, 1/500 f/8
Half ISO, 1/125 f/8
Crescent (highly variable!)
Lightning
400 ISO, f/5.6-8, timed for flash*

22. Shooting the moon

23. Tips for shooting the moon
The moon is both the easiest and the toughest of night sky objects to shoot
Highly variable (but predictable) brightness
Very narrow range of opportunities to capture “optimal” shots
Dramatic “big moon” photos require big lenses

29. Shooting the stars and milky way

30. General night sky tips
In general, find the darkest, “cleanest” skies you can – not easy these days!
Be aware of moon phases. Too much moonlight hurts
Clouds can be good picture elements but amplify any light issues
Try to include some foreground elements for scale, dramatic relief

32. Tips for photographing stars
Modern cameras can disclose detail you’d never see with naked eye
Find the sweet spot for getting point-like stars
Very wide or fisheye lenses – 30 sec
Moderate wide angle – 20 sec
“normal” lens – 10 sec or less
Apparent motion greater as you move away from celestial pole

36. Making star trails

37. Making star trails
Star trails can provide a dramatic way of showing the earth’s motion
But long exposures demand a very dark sky!
7-10 minutes is about the shortest exposure that makes sense
Effect varies with focal length and distance from celestial pole
StarTrails software can greatly simplify the job!

39. Photographing meteors

40. Tips for shooting meteors
Frequency of meteors is less important than brightness/duration
Lyrids, Taurids both known for producing bright fireballs
Use the highest ISO, widest f/stop you can muster
Be sure field of view extends degrees beyond the radiant
Best strategy is to use lots of moderately long exposures and hope for the best

41. Key meteor showers Orionids – THIS WEEKEND!
Geminids – December 13-14, 2012
Quadrantids – January 3-4, 2013
Lyrids – April 21-22, 2013 *
Perseids – August 12-13, 2013 *
Orionids – October 20-24, 2013
Taurids -- Nov 4-6, 2013
Leonids – November 17-18, 2013 *

44. Northern Lights

45. Tips for northern lights (aurora)
Northern lights are not common in our area, but do occur several times/year
Usually prefaced by hours of warning
Require a very dark northern horizon
Exposures comparable to that for milky way (e.g., sec, f/2.8, ISO 3200)
Can disclose detail not seen by naked eye

48. Next year’s comet Comet ISON due to be visible in late 2013
Projected to be brighter than full moon, visible during daylight hours
Potential for a once in a lifetime sight!
Photo of Comet Lovejoy by Luis Argerich Used under Creative Commons

49. Some handy resources Handy apps Web sites
TPE (The Photographer’s Emphemaris)
Moon Phase calendar
StarTrails.exe
Web sites

51. Scott Butner’s Flickr Site
For more pictures….
Scott Butner’s Flickr Site