Milky Way from an aircraft

[JonBowles]

I have been experimenting for a while with taking shots of the Milky Way from the aircraft. It's not easy, due to the inch of laminated glass I am shooting through, and the movement of the aircraft.

This is my best effort so far, taken on the A7rii and Vivitar 28mm f2.0, from 37000 feet. It is two exposures blended in Photoshop (after noise reduction and some processing in DXO Optics Pro 10). Further editing in Photoshop. The Milky Way was shot using a 10 second exposure, ISO 2500, f2.8. Some slight movement (I don't get many keepers shooting long exposures from a moving plane) was removed using Focus Magic. The lights of Thessaloniki are shot at ISO 3200, f2.8, 1/5 sec, which as as slow as I can shoot without blurring the lights. The camera was mounted on a Gorillapod. Considering I'm shooting through an inch of glass from a moving aircraft, I'm quite pleased with this image. Everything in the image is in the correct place. Jupiter can also be seen upper left.

I am actually getting comparable results from the A7s and A7rii. The only reasons I can think for this is that the A7s shoots compressed RAW, and the files are less resilient to processing than the A7rii, plus the A7rii is also ISO invariant, whereas the A7s isn't, so I get less noise pushing the A7rii files a few stops in processing. When the A7rii shots are downsized to around 16mp after processing, they look as good as good or better than similar shots from the A7s. I might have to get the A7siii when it comes out.



Milky Way and Jupiter over Thessaloniki (from 37000 feet) by Jon, on Flickr

 

[Mick616]

Thats stunning Jon.

 

[Manxmaid]

It really is stunning, and especially from a moving plane

 

[Son_of_Thor]

Wow!!

 

[lindsay]

Most excellent image, what a great office you have!

 

[Deleted member 52414]

from a plane, Wow terrific

 

[JonBowles]

Thats stunning Jon.

It really is stunning, and especially from a moving plane

Wow!!

Most excellent image, what a great office you have!

Thanks for the comments! I'm hoping to get more as the days get shorter, though it's less busy ie less flights in the winter. I also need moonless nights to get these shots. It's going to be interesting seeing how the A7siii pans out.

 

[JonBowles]

from a plane, Wow terrific

Thanks! It's taken me a long time to work out how to get these shots.

 

[bass_junkie83]

That is amazing, I would happily have that on my wall!. You are not going to better that without a trip up to the ISS.

 

[Nod]

Just wondering how feasible stacking multiple sub 1s shots would be for MW images (without a foreground!)

 

[jamiewednesday]

Great stuff. I’m assuming you’re at the pointy end of the plane?

 

[Cheffievrs]

Very impressive

 

[sparker]

WOW....how do you do that?

Yeah...OK, just re-read the post, I was mesmerised by the image

 

[Norkie]

Excellent, well done indeed

 

[Petrochemist]

As always Jon a most impressive shot.

 

[keef32]

Speechless. Amazing shot

 

[holty]

just brilliant

 

[jondc]

Sounds like a big workflow but worth the effort

 

[viv1969]

Mind blown.
Amazing image.

 

[Kieran_89]

This may be one of the best pictures I have ever seen.

 

[derbydude]

Great shot well impressed

 

[JonBowles]

Thats stunning Jon.

Cheers Mick

It really is stunning, and especially from a moving plane

Wow!!

Most excellent image, what a great office you have!

from a plane, Wow terrific

Thanks, yes, it's a great office!

That is amazing, I would happily have that on my wall!. You are not going to better that without a trip up to the ISS.

Would love a trip to ISS

Just wondering how feasible stacking multiple sub 1s shots would be for MW images (without a foreground!)

It's a thought, might try it.

Great stuff. I’m assuming you’re at the pointy end of the plane?

Thanks, yes, the pinty end!

Very impressive

WOW....how do you do that?

Yeah...OK, just re-read the post, I was mesmerised by the image

Excellent, well done indeed

As always Jon a most impressive shot.

Speechless. Amazing shot

just brilliant

Thanks everyone!

Sounds like a big workflow but worth the effort

Yes, it takes some work, it's pushing the limits of the camera a bit, but great when an image works out.

Mind blown.
Amazing image.

Cheers

This may be one of the best pictures I have ever seen.

First time I have had that sort of complimemt! Thanks

Great shot well impressed

Cheers dude.

I still have a few more images to work on, life has been a bit busy lately, but I will post some more when I have finished PP'ing them.

 

[Major Eazy]

Please can you come and pick me up, take me for a ride in the plane? Oh! That is a damn good photo you did!

It's not easy, due to the inch of laminated glass

As John McClane (See Die Hard 1988) would say: "Glass? Who gives a $--- about glass?"

I see no glass, I see only the stars and the Milky Way.

You mind if I forward a copy to my best friend? Like me, she also loves starts and space stuff.

Cool amazing brilliant fantastic wonderful photo.

 

[swanseamale47]

I'm well impressed. That from something moving, even more impressive!!! It's a cracker mate.

 

[lindsay]

What are you flying, Boeing or Airbus? Just curious, you don't get that perspective from circa FL85, the highest I've been. Although I can remember some great vistas over Texas at night when I was training.

 

[Davy Baxter]

Exceĺlent work

 

[JonBowles]

Please can you come and pick me up, take me for a ride in the plane? Oh! That is a damn good photo you did!



As John McClane (See Die Hard 1988) would say: "Glass? Who gives a $--- about glass?"

I see no glass, I see only the stars and the Milky Way.

You mind if I forward a copy to my best friend? Like me, she also loves starts and space stuff.

Cool amazing brilliant fantastic wonderful photo.

Thanks! Feel free to forward it to your friend, as long as there's no commercial usage involved and the watermark is not removed.

I'm well impressed. That from something moving, even more impressive!!! It's a cracker mate.

Cheers!

What are you flying, Boeing or Airbus? Just curious, you don't get that perspective from circa FL85, the highest I've been. Although I can remember some great vistas over Texas at night when I was training.

I'm currently flying a B757

Exceĺlent work

Thanks Davy

 

[Dashing]

Can’t pass this thread and not tell you how fascinated I am by that picture.