Tonights sky...

Amp34

Amp34

Messages
2,859
Edit My Images
Yes
I went out to have a bit of a practice for tomorrow nights meteor high. I forgot my remote though so I had to limit myself to 30 second exposures which is a little annoying.:(

Anyway any comments on how to improve on these for tomorrows jaunt would be apprecated. Thanks:)

main.php


Unfortunately a plane decided to come along as I was shooting this. I suppose that's what you get when you live under the Luton Airport flight path.:(
main.php


main.php


main.php


I think I got the focusing right in most of my pictures (using the kit lens with no infinity setting) but any suggestions as to how to focus properly. It was sort of trial and error tonight, hopefully not so much tomorrow.

The other question is, is it worth creating my own custom white balance to remove a lot of the tint? These are all RAW shots that have had WB changed in PS.
 
They look good to me(y)
I've never tried these sort of shots so i can't offer any advice, sorry. Do you mind sharing what iso/f/ss you used?:)
 
I'd also be interested to know. Presuming a 30 sec shutter?. And how did you get focus with no infinity on the kit lens?.
 
Have been wondering the same about setting infinity on auto focus lenses, the only lens I have with an infinity setting is my 135 prime. I want to use the kit lens or 50mm.
 
These are great - the Plough looks so well defined in #1 as does Cassiopieia and Perseus in the the last 3.

Very impressive - looking forward to the meteors!
 
Think you have it sorted. A longer exposure will capture movement in the stars (OK the earth does the moving) as well.

I too look forward to any shots you get!
(y)
 
There doesn't seem to be a lot wrong with those at all Amp ... (y) ... if anything ... :cautious:



Go for it tonght ... ;) ... we are all waiting with bated breath (well those of us who can't be bothered to get up early and do it ourselves ... :D) ... (y)



:p
 
I am very looking forward to tonight as lastnight the wife and I saw a few but tonight is the night, I know my camera won't be any good so will look forward to all your masterpieces.

Pat
 
It always amazes me how different photos look when I see them in the morning. They all look a little dark to me now.:thinking::LOL:

Thanks for all the comments:), and to answer a few of your questions:

As mikeleslie said they were all taken at around f/3.5, ISO800 and with a 30 second exposure. I got a few pictures with ISO400 as well but they didn't come out too well. Tonight I want to try and get a few 5-10 minute exposures so I can get a bit of movement in the stars and hopefully increase my chances of getting a meteor.

All the meteors came from the part of sky shown in the last 3 images, centering just to the left of the W at the top (NE ish direction)

As for focusing using the kit lens I first tried to focus on a distant street lamp which almost got the focus right, then I did some trial and error and manually focused around that point, taking a shot and re-focusing until I got something I was happy with.

In the end with the kit lens the infinity setting was only about a couple of mm to the right when the focus is right in if that makes any sense. There is probably an easier way but that is the way I did it.:LOL:

Am I right in thinking the longe exposure noise compensation takes the same length of time as the shutter speed? I.e. a 10 minute open shutter will then be followed by a 10 minute LENC. I assume it is a good idea to use it?
 
Great shots Amp (y) Did you see the trail of a meteor in the second one? :shrug: Not the plane trail.. it's further up.

I too can not wait until tonight! Though it's cloudy here today, so I'm a bit nervous.
 
Yeah there is something there, I wasn't too sure if it was one or not so didn't say anything. :D

Weather wise it looks a bit touch and go in north herts at the moment. I looked at the weather forecast and it shows cloud at 50% at midnight going down to 2% at 3am then back up to about 50% at 6am.:shrug:
 


This was mine from last night I am going to try again but with some thing to sihlloet and so it doesnt go over exposed and orange like it did last night (i corrected this as I shot raw).
 
The local forecast is for clear skies from about 9pm tonight, Its gonna have to sort its life out though its quite heavy cloud cover at the moment and keeps looking as tough its gonna pee down :shrug:
 
Cobra said:
The local forecast is for clear skies from about 9pm tonight, Its gonna have to sort its life out though its quite heavy cloud cover at the moment and keeps looking as tough its gonna pee down :shrug:
Click to expand...

It's pretty much the same in herts at the moment, quite a lot of cloud but supposeldy going from 30% (midnight) to 1%(3am) so it looks like it should be a goer tonight (just).:)

unknowndomain that is what I was going to try last night, but I couldn't unfortunately. I am determined to have a go tonight though. So What aperture are you thinking of using tonight? I assume the ambient light is the only thing that will affect exposure, not the stars as they move, so the settings you used for that (ISO200 f/3.5) are a good starting point? Oh and did you use long exposure noise reduction on that (just wondering whether to use it as it will add another 20 minutes onto the shot and I get distracted easily). :LOL:
 
Well the sky is crystal clear now but nothing happening just yet gotta go work in the morning but I will give it a go for awhile
 
Er I just opened it right up set the iso low to reduce noise, and wacked it open til me and my dad were bored, I might try f5.6 or f8 there is bugger all in terms of shooting stars tonight. Took 20 minutes to expose in the end and it was over exposed and rubish however I fixed this in iPhoto 08 as I shot raw
 
Apparently it will be at its peak tonight from about 3am until dawn! :clap:

Source = post #4

I usually follow the predictions of the Royal Astronomical Scoiety of Canada, and if they are right with the prediction of 5 hours UT on the 13th, the radiant will be quite high overhead for observers in the UK just before dawn. So the meteors will be well placed for you, if at an inconvenient time. Some place clear and dark from maybe 3 a.m. to 5 a.m. should work well if the weather cooperates. Good observing!
Click to expand...

I'll be up on the marshes for 2:30am, wish me luck! Oh and wish me safety, there's beasts and things up there :eek:
 
Ok tonights shots, I only ended up taking 8 shots but they took over 2 hours all together and I was getting cold and bored.:LOL:

main.php


I think there is a meteor in this shot, although I am not 100% sure it is actually one and not a plane or maybe a satellite.:shrug:
main.php


My first go at long exposure star shots. Both shot at f/4.5 ISO400 and about 20mins exposure.
main.php


I'm not sure if this one is a little over exposed, unfortunatey it was facing towards a town so the light pollution is pretty prominent at the bottom.
main.php
 
Maybe just me but I find most sky shots like this do nothing for me I'm afraid.

But the last one actually looks like an interesting shot. The silhouetted foreground and the light in the sky give something to the shot, almost a sense of size and space, scale, rather than a black background to some bright spots.
IYSWIM.
:coat:
 
Ratty said:
Maybe just me but I find most sky shots like this do nothing for me I'm afraid.

But the last one actually looks like an interesting shot. The silhouetted foreground and the light in the sky give something to the shot, almost a sense of size and space, scale, rather than a black background to some bright spots.
IYSWIM.
:coat:
Click to expand...

Yeah tbh they are a little boring composition wise, which is why I tried the last shot.:LOL: And on that note does anyone see a slight rainbowy haze across the last shot?:shrug:
 
I am in the North of England (Leeds area) and sat up for about 3 hours watching and saw some nice ones
I had my camera set up with my 50mm prime lens and shot a bunch of pics - and I know I got the Space Station screaming across the sky
also go what I am sure is a plane of some sort
and I am sure that I actually managed to get one in the frame
in total I saw about a dozen with 2 of them being really bright (really good ones) unfortunatly I did not bag one of those
any way these are what 3 hours of sky gazing managed on the camera

this is def the ISS as the place and times check out
183493308-L.jpg


This is some kind of plane??
183491397-L.jpg


and this is what am sure is the only meteor I captured
183492554-L.jpg


Chris
 
Amp, I really like the last shot, as mentioned, the light from the town has given it a nice look. Well done.

Chris good pics, I tried in vain to capture anything last night, star or meteor wise, I ended up taking a few pics of the streetlighting from my attic bedroom. I was lucky enough to see 3 meteors and all being very similar to the one in your last shot. I would deffo say it was a meteor.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top