astro photography question

hadi · 07-29-2016, 07:46 AM

i know there is a specific thread for astrophotography in this forum that i cant seem to find...as such, if mods can blend this into that forum, that would be appreciated.

my question is to finding the milyway.
i know how to discover the north star, thats easy. my difficulty is finding the milkway. where am i pointing my camera to get the milkway in the picture?

and to make it more relevant, this was the first attempt i made at astrophotography and/or star trail. not the greatest pic in terms of compostion, but i was curious as to what my 24-70 2.8 lens can do on my k1

freddyisaac · 07-29-2016, 08:21 AM

if you can find cygnus it points directly along the milky way (aka Northern Cross)

Germanic Astronomy

this page has a graphic

**eonb** · 07-29-2016, 08:22 AM

It is visible with the naked eye PROVIDING there are dark enough skies and you have little light pollution. Looking at the telergraph pole, I think there might be a bit too much light pollution, plus if you've just taken the image, the sky isn't dark enough at the moment.

CarlJF · 07-29-2016, 09:15 AM

You can also use an app on your phone or tablet. Skyview works fine for this and will show you exactly where the milky way is.

**Pete_XL** · 07-29-2016, 11:06 AM

...for questions/threads on astrophotography you could visit or join the ASTROPHOTOGRAPHY group within PentaxForums 😏
Astrophotography - PentaxForums.com

Nickrs · 07-29-2016, 12:19 PM

Download a copy of Stellarium and all will be revealed.

Stellarium

Nick

SKYGZR · 08-02-2016, 03:54 PM

The center of the galaxy is to the South, and from there, stretch's in an arc pretty much overhead (zenith) around 00:00 hrs this time of year (in the North). So if you stand facing East, your right arm out (to the south), and arc that arm up and over your head, it will pretty much point all along this arc. You will be looking "out" / away from the core.

Nickrs · 08-02-2016, 04:21 PM

This is what the Milky Way looked like last weekend from Mid Wales.

Sagitta · 08-02-2016, 05:03 PM

The Milky Way is pretty much "The Eastern Sky" where I am. It rides from Capricorn in an arc across to Cassiopeia, with the northern cross as a good 'midway' point.

I shot this back on the first of June, and the road runs almost due south from where I was shooting from in front of the house here.

mikeSF · 08-02-2016, 05:22 PM

Originally posted by hadi

i know there is a specific thread for astrophotography in this forum that i cant seem to find...as such, if mods can blend this into that forum, that would be appreciated.

my question is to finding the milyway.
i know how to discover the north star, thats easy. my difficulty is finding the milkway. where am i pointing my camera to get the milkway in the picture?

and to make it more relevant, this was the first attempt i made at astrophotography and/or star trail. not the greatest pic in terms of compostion, but i was curious as to what my 24-70 2.8 lens can do on my k1

from this pic, look behind your right shoulder.

77me · 08-03-2016, 09:53 AM

I also use an app. For my recent vacation I used TPE, The Photographer's Ephemeris, to plan my night months in advance. I checked moon rise, galactic center rise, etc, everything but weather and picked a night. Once there the milky way was visible but I could have used this app, or others, to help locate it. Since I don't shoot the milky way very often, and this was my first night out with the K-1, I was mostly concentrating on the process but I am pretty happy with the results.

Nickrs · 08-03-2016, 10:33 AM - **1 Like**

Originally posted by 77me

I also use an app. For my recent vacation I used TPE, The Photographer's Ephemeris, to plan my night months in advance. I checked moon rise, galactic center rise, etc, everything but weather and picked a night. Once there the milky way was visible but I could have used this app, or others, to help locate it. Since I don't shoot the milky way very often, and this was my first night out with the K-1, I was mostly concentrating on the process but I am pretty happy with the results.

I can't plan my astronomy more than an hour ahead let alone months in advance, but that is all part of the fun of living on an island in the North Atlantic under the circumpolar jet stream, it is supposed to be high summer and we currently have high winds, light rain, 100% low cloud but at least it is quite warm at 17C. Someone once described living in the UK as like living in a Tupperware box, every time you look up all you see is grey.

07-29-2016, 07:46 AM	#1
hadi Veteran Member Join Date: May 2011 Location: Mississauga, Ontario Posts: 563	astro photography question i know there is a specific thread for astrophotography in this forum that i cant seem to find...as such, if mods can blend this into that forum, that would be appreciated. my question is to finding the milyway. i know how to discover the north star, thats easy. my difficulty is finding the milkway. where am i pointing my camera to get the milkway in the picture? and to make it more relevant, this was the first attempt i made at astrophotography and/or star trail. not the greatest pic in terms of compostion, but i was curious as to what my 24-70 2.8 lens can do on my k1

07-29-2016, 08:21 AM	#2
freddyisaac Forum Member Join Date: Dec 2015 Posts: 81	if you can find cygnus it points directly along the milky way (aka Northern Cross) Germanic Astronomy this page has a graphic Last edited by freddyisaac; 07-29-2016 at 08:22 AM. Reason: typo

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07-29-2016, 08:22 AM	#3
eonb Site Supporter Join Date: Oct 2012 Location: North-East England Posts: 73	It is visible with the naked eye PROVIDING there are dark enough skies and you have little light pollution. Looking at the telergraph pole, I think there might be a bit too much light pollution, plus if you've just taken the image, the sky isn't dark enough at the moment.

07-29-2016, 09:15 AM	#4
CarlJF Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2014 Location: Quebec City Posts: 1,185	You can also use an app on your phone or tablet. Skyview works fine for this and will show you exactly where the milky way is.

07-29-2016, 11:06 AM	#5
Pete_XL Site Supporter Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Germany Photos: Gallery Posts: 335	...for questions/threads on astrophotography you could visit or join the ASTROPHOTOGRAPHY group within PentaxForums 😏 Astrophotography - PentaxForums.com

07-29-2016, 12:19 PM	#6
Nickrs Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2013 Location: "The Green Desert" Photos: Albums Posts: 175	Download a copy of Stellarium and all will be revealed. Stellarium Nick

08-02-2016, 03:54 PM	#7
SKYGZR Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2014 Location: Milky Way Galaxy, Planet Earth, Speeding towards the Virgo Supercluster Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 156	The center of the galaxy is to the South, and from there, stretch's in an arc pretty much overhead (zenith) around 00:00 hrs this time of year (in the North). So if you stand facing East, your right arm out (to the south), and arc that arm up and over your head, it will pretty much point all along this arc. You will be looking "out" / away from the core.

08-02-2016, 04:21 PM	#8
Nickrs Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2013 Location: "The Green Desert" Photos: Albums Posts: 175	This is what the Milky Way looked like last weekend from Mid Wales.

08-02-2016, 05:03 PM	#9
Sagitta Veteran Member Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: Maine Photos: Gallery Posts: 3,081	The Milky Way is pretty much "The Eastern Sky" where I am. It rides from Capricorn in an arc across to Cassiopeia, with the northern cross as a good 'midway' point. I shot this back on the first of June, and the road runs almost due south from where I was shooting from in front of the house here.

08-02-2016, 05:22 PM	#10
mikeSF Pentaxian Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: East Bay Area, CA Photos: Gallery Posts: 6,620	Originally posted by hadi i know there is a specific thread for astrophotography in this forum that i cant seem to find...as such, if mods can blend this into that forum, that would be appreciated. my question is to finding the milyway. i know how to discover the north star, thats easy. my difficulty is finding the milkway. where am i pointing my camera to get the milkway in the picture? and to make it more relevant, this was the first attempt i made at astrophotography and/or star trail. not the greatest pic in terms of compostion, but i was curious as to what my 24-70 2.8 lens can do on my k1 from this pic, look behind your right shoulder.

08-03-2016, 09:53 AM	#11
77me Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2015 Photos: Albums Posts: 150	I also use an app. For my recent vacation I used TPE, The Photographer's Ephemeris, to plan my night months in advance. I checked moon rise, galactic center rise, etc, everything but weather and picked a night. Once there the milky way was visible but I could have used this app, or others, to help locate it. Since I don't shoot the milky way very often, and this was my first night out with the K-1, I was mostly concentrating on the process but I am pretty happy with the results.

08-03-2016, 10:33 AM - 1 Like	#12
Nickrs Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2013 Location: "The Green Desert" Photos: Albums Posts: 175	Originally posted by 77me I also use an app. For my recent vacation I used TPE, The Photographer's Ephemeris, to plan my night months in advance. I checked moon rise, galactic center rise, etc, everything but weather and picked a night. Once there the milky way was visible but I could have used this app, or others, to help locate it. Since I don't shoot the milky way very often, and this was my first night out with the K-1, I was mostly concentrating on the process but I am pretty happy with the results. I can't plan my astronomy more than an hour ahead let alone months in advance, but that is all part of the fun of living on an island in the North Atlantic under the circumpolar jet stream, it is supposed to be high summer and we currently have high winds, light rain, 100% low cloud but at least it is quite warm at 17C. Someone once described living in the UK as like living in a Tupperware box, every time you look up all you see is grey.