Early Astro Attempt

Jim_Tod

Jim_Tod

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Jim
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Went out looking to photograph the Kp6/7 level aurora which was forecast last night- didn't get it- believe it may have lit up a very little about an hour after I'd headed home. I'd gone to a beach in East Lothian and was lucky enough to have clear skies and some interset with the Bass rock and cliffs with the lights of Kircaldy adn Edinburgh providing a backlight. Tracker was in car so I took 50 6" images at 20mm 2.8 ISO 3200. I had the Z7 and D850 with me so sensor wise the same and there was a bit of trailing on the stars at more than 6" exposure. I stacked them in Sequator. Little bit of levels, contrast and brightness and got this.

I'm keen to get more into Astro landscapes but the weather isn't often kind to us here in Scotland

I'd be keen on any advice on either pushing the imaging ot post processing for next time.

EDIT- I mean I had left the tracker in the car or these would have been 30"+ images

Seacliff 2.jpg
 
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Just started myself, I'm almost looking forward to the dark winter nights !
 
Looks lovely and clean and the processing is great. I like a bit of astro but no expert. Has the short shutter speed stolen a few stars from the view or is it the light pollution. I was up at Dingwall and am kicking myself I never took the chance. I looked at the forecast but it was green when I looked and foolishly I didn't look for later. Some good shots from Belhaven Bay last night around midnight so you must have been unlucky.
 
BADGER.BRAD said:
Just started myself, I'm almost looking forward to the dark winter nights !
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Me too, looking for cold and clear friday, sat nights when i dont have to get up for work and have been surreptitiously planning family hols in dark sky new moon areas/ times- family not cottoned on yet.
 
wookie6262 said:
Looks lovely and clean and the processing is great. I like a bit of astro but no expert. Has the short shutter speed stolen a few stars from the view or is it the light pollution. I was up at Dingwall and am kicking myself I never took the chance. I looked at the forecast but it was green when I looked and foolishly I didn't look for later. Some good shots from Belhaven Bay last night around midnight so you must have been unlucky.
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Went down to seacliff. Left about 11.15, had been forecast as Kp6 earlier lifting to Kp7 after 9 but it was a fizzle and i was tired. The reduction in size to 1400px wide has stolen a lot from the full image. Short shutter speed a bit. I had the tracker which would have helped but it was in the car and i didnt fancy the dance with both camera bag, tracker kit and tripod with the incoming tide in the dark at Seacliff.

I cant get over the range of colours in the stars.
 
Next time be bothered to take the tracker ;) And also separate foreground shots too ;)

Ohh & I've been planning our summer Dorset Coast holiday around new moon for years ;)
 
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