Under the Milky Way Tonight:
Astrophotography For Beginners
March 12, 2019
With a trip to Western Texas’ s deep, dark sky in April, I am determined to have success in my first official attempt at photographing… through the night with the light from above. That means immersion and practice now.
Immersion. 🌌
Besides taking a series of classes that will culminate in a evening “light pollution” photoshoot in Central Park, I have been hunting down information for beginners of astrophotography on this here interweb. It is a bit difficult as the field is very technical. Jargon-laced articles on a huge range of equipment that do all sorts of verbs I’ve yet to understand are a bit daunting. Then there is post-processing technique, software, etc. Not to mention… astronomy. I’ve found these links and comment strands below to be the most helpful for those starting at the bottom like me.
Equipment. 🌌
So of course I’d have to upgrade my lens to have a better chance of success in capturing the stars. I was pleased to learn that there was a very well-reviewed lens that was totally affordable. Astrophotography is a tremendously expensive hobby. The ultra wide angle Rokinon 14mm lens would be a reasonable first investment. And though I initially thought I would rent a much more sophisticated lens upon arrival in Texas, I would much rather have the equipment and know how the heck to use it. Leading me to…
Practice.🌌
Like any teacher knows, hands-on learning is very effective. Reading stuff as a means of learning has its flaws. I needed to have an authentic trial run before Texas. Though it is less pressure than my quest to photograph the total eclipse in 2017, I definitely learned the importance of being comfortable with the equipment… and having an expert close by. It could make all the difference.
In nailing down dates on my calendar as a very busy Spring emerges, I was so excited to learn that there was a Nightscapes Photography Workshop specifically for beginners, specifically for those with DSLR cameras without Equatorial Mounts (which tracks the stars and compensates for the rotation of the Earth, read: very expensive and for much more learned astrophotographers.) just several hours away at Cherry Springs State Park, a certified International Dark Sky Park (IDSP) from the International Dark-Sky Association. A perfect opportunity in many ways!
I first learned of the park last summer and I have really wanted to go ever since [gross understatement]. Also, and aligned in the 🌠🌠: when I realized how few days I had remaining to get my skills going, I marked my calendar to go to the park on the only date that would work for me… before learning that the Nightscapes Photography Workshop was the very same evening! Kismet. Not only would I have conditions that would allow for an authentic dark sky practice run, but I’d get expert help from the professional astrophotographer.
Conditions. 🌌
What I can’t control, no matter how much I practice, are the conditions in the sky. But I have collected several real great resources for gaging how well conditions are for astrophotography (or other specialized fields and interests) on a scale of 0-10. It’s called GetOutCast. Very easy interface.
The gracious photographer who is running the Nightscapes class shared this resource, which displays data on astronomical observing. It considers cloud cover, transparency of the air, “seeing,” darkness, wind, humidity, and temperature.
Then you want to think about what light you are introducing to the dark. At the Nightscapes class, red cellophane will be distributed for flashlights. And though the pesky cellphone light can disrupt the dark sky, this article describes how to apply a red light filter through the iPhone’s settings. Though perhaps not taking out the phone at all makes more sense. And this computer you’re looking at! Turn it off! You’re messing up the dark!