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    #1

    Star trails - first attempt

    Hi!

    Whilst in Kos, I noticed there were far more stars visible (much less light pollution), so I thought I'd attempt some star trail shots!

    This is the best of the bunch, but I've had to work on it quite a bit to get the sky darker. It was a little misty, and I think the 20 minute exposure picked up light pollution some what.

    Any hints or tips (technical or composition) on how I can improve, or what setting I should have used would be much appreciated!

    550D, 15-85 IS USM @15mm, on gorilla pod, F3.5, ISO200, focus at infinity, IS off.
    I just guessed 20 minutes would give me some start trails - no scientific approach used!


    Star trails by mikep_eos, on Flickr

    Cheers guys.

    Mike
    flickr
    5D4 : 7D2 : 16-35 f4 L : 24-105 II L : 70-200 f2.8 L : 100-400 II L : Macro 100 f2.8 L : Manfrotto CX055 Pro3
    Tags: None
    #2
    Re: Star trails - first attempt

    Can't help with that Mike but from what you have posted for a fist attempt I would say you have done pretty darn well.

    Comment

      #3
      Re: Star trails - first attempt

      I rekon you done darned well for a first attempt

      Comment

        #4
        Re: Star trails - first attempt

        Originally posted by hhcanon View Post
        I rekon you done darned well for a first attempt
        I would agree

        Comment

          #5
          Re: Star trails - first attempt

          You just needed a LED torch to add light to the tree ;-)

          But well done ... you know your stars. I assume the 'UFO' was just a 'plane?

          I assume this was before you decided to see if the EOS could fly or if it observed Newton's Law ;-)

          Comment

            #6
            Re: Star trails - first attempt

            Di ~ Trying to take "the" photograph.
            Di's Flickr

            Comment

              #7
              Re: Star trails - first attempt

              Thanks all - I really appreciate your comments.

              @MX5 - I found the North Star OK, then positioned that in the frame to enhance the rotation around a fixed point. You're right in that the streak is a plane, and ideally I'd remove it - might try that later. And yes, this was a few days before the flying lesson with the camera!

              Cheers, Mike.
              flickr
              5D4 : 7D2 : 16-35 f4 L : 24-105 II L : 70-200 f2.8 L : 100-400 II L : Macro 100 f2.8 L : Manfrotto CX055 Pro3

              Comment

                #8
                Re: Star trails - first attempt

                For "just Guessing" that's a pretty accurate exposure.

                Apart from the aircraft and car headlamps coming towards you, I have just noticed the light pollution on the horizon. The stars are far more brilliant towards the top of the shot.

                Colin
                Colin

                Comment

                  #9
                  Re: Star trails - first attempt

                  Nice first attempt Mike, you have done well.
                  Canon EOS R6 Mark II, Canon RF 100-500mm f4.5-7.1L, Canon RF 24-105mm f4L
                  Please note: I do not have or use Photoshop

                  flickr

                  Comment

                    #10
                    . Re: Star trails - first attempt

                    A good effort Mike, and you did well to locate Polaris (the Pole Star), around which the stars revolve in the Northern Hemisphere

                    Not so easily done in the Southern Hemisphere, as they don't have a Pole Star to aim at.

                    There's nothing that you can do about light pollution intruding.

                    Dave
                    Dave

                    Website:- https://davesimaging.wixsite.com/mysite

                    Comment

                      #11
                      Re: Star trails - first attempt

                      Thanks Colin, Stephen and Dave for your comments.

                      @Colin - I was also quite surprised to see the difference in colour from some of the stars. There are white, blue and orange! When I say I just guessed the exposure time, I did do a 10 minute shot first which didn't have the star movement I wanted, so I just doubled it! Just goes to show, with digital, just shoot, check, correct, shoot again! Simple!
                      @Dave - Polaris - the Pole Star - I stand corrected!

                      Cheers, Mike.
                      flickr
                      5D4 : 7D2 : 16-35 f4 L : 24-105 II L : 70-200 f2.8 L : 100-400 II L : Macro 100 f2.8 L : Manfrotto CX055 Pro3

                      Comment

                        #12
                        Re: Star trails - first attempt

                        I like the different colours of the stars.
                        Richard Anderson Photography at www.raphoto.me

                        Comment

                          #13
                          Re: Star trails - first attempt

                          Thanks for looking and your comments rcarca.

                          all the best, Mike.
                          flickr
                          5D4 : 7D2 : 16-35 f4 L : 24-105 II L : 70-200 f2.8 L : 100-400 II L : Macro 100 f2.8 L : Manfrotto CX055 Pro3

                          Comment

                            #14
                            Re: Star trails - first attempt

                            Hi Mike,great first attempt.
                            Have you not thought of using star trail software www.startrails.de/html/software.html (its free)
                            Instead of one long exposure you take lots of individual ones and then the software blends them all together.
                            Also if you have a nice foreground subject use a torchlight to make it brighter.
                            example -- #1 , 1 hour shot using 120 images,on the last few images i used a torch on the foreground tree. and same on the second image just shone torch on the side of my house on the last few images.

                            #1


                            #2


                            Paul
                            EOS 1Dx, - EF 24-105L f4,- Sigma 135 f1.8 Art - EF 400L IS f2.8, - Speedlite 430EXII.
                            Freelance Sports Photographer for local Press - https://twitter.com/P_linton99

                            Comment

                              #15
                              Re: Star trails - first attempt

                              Mike - if you are ever in the southern hemisphere then the 'South Star' is called σ-Octantis (but it's quite faint).

                              Colour of star = temperature of star (and to some extent it's size). The normal taxonomy (from hotest to coolest) is:

                              O blue
                              B blue white
                              A white to blue white
                              F white
                              G yellowish white
                              K yellow orange
                              M orange red

                              Our sun is Class G. Orion is a splendid object to photograph – with Betelgeuse (Red, M) to Rigel (Blue, B) and the fuzzy patch is the nebula. This was my first attempt back in 1960'ish and I still recall back then to be able to clearly see the Milky Way [the edge of our own galaxy] as light pollution wasn't as pervasive as it is now. We do still have some dark sky areas in this country as I visited one earlier this year.

                              Hope you get out to take more.

                              Comment

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