[gifthorse]

This forum seems to be the catchall for nigtht/astrophotography so I'm going to toss out this idea here and ask for input. There will be a minor meteor shower on the night of October 7th/morning of October 8th. There is also a lunar eclipse. How cool would it be to capture the eclipsed Moon and (with luck) a meteor or two? Here's a list of my gear....

Pentax 1st DL
Pentax K-r
Pentax K5ii

Rokinon 8mm f3.5
Pentax A 28mm f2.8
Pentax A 50mm f2
Pentax M 50mm f2
Sears Auto 55mm f1.4
Takumar 135mm (Bayonet) f2.5
Super Tak 200mm f4
Vivitar 200mm f3.5

OGPS-1
Velo Shutterboss intervalometer.

So, do I go wide and risk making the Moon too small or go long and decrease the odds of getting a meteor in the frame? What combination would you choose?

If you join me in this attempt I expect to see any successes posted here. Good luck!

[percy]

200mm doesn't seem long for a moon shot - I suspect anything shorter will make the moon too small to be a worthwhile shot.

You could always cheat - try one shot for the moon with a long lens and another for a meteor shower using a wider angle, and then merge them

[JimmyDranox]

I would go with a 135mm on K-r, and a wide on K-5II, because the second is more sensitive, and more appropriate for meteor.

But don't forget to enjoy the show with your eyes. I have spend a night some years ago on a Moon eclipse making picture, with only one camera, and I lose a part of the fascination.

[jimr-pdx]

Modern cameras are getting pretty good at extracting a frame from video (but I've never tried it), so sometimes that's a possibility. That also allows you to step away from the camera and enjoy the moment as JimmyD states. My brother came with me to the '79 solar eclipse, and stood fascinated almost the entire time with camera in hand; I clicked away and never saw the big-picture view of the area in the bizarre shade. One should be sure to capture it all in real time, and hopefully get a memorable image or two.