![]() Switch the lens to infinity, and to live view if you are using a DSLR. It’s best to focus digitally, using the brightest star you can find. Charles sets his ISO between 320 for most of his night work. Whilst this might sound like rocket scientist-speak, PhotoPills can calculate your shutter speed for you. Your aperture should be wide open, and your shutter speed will be determined by the earth’s rotation and the focal length. You generally want to keep the exposure the same as you would for standard astrophotography, with the goal being to let in as much light as possible. Here are some tips on the best settings for your crisp astral shot: Exposure, shutter speed and ISO The bigger your image, the longer it’ll take, so for a 360° panorama, you’ll probably want a wider lens to reduce the capture time and keep that Milky Way nice and sharp. While old school astrophotography may have required specialised, fast and wide lenses, panoramas allow you to get the same final effect with a standard lens. You might want a torch, too, if you’re scrambling over rocks or paddocks by starlight. These will make your set-up quicker, easier and more repeatable, and allow you to play with some more advanced options. In this case, Charles uses two Genie Mini IIs and a Pan Tilt bracket. That being said, some clever rigging that automates the process can make things run a whole lot smoother. Charles uses the Panasonic Lumix S1, which provides insane detail even at really high ISO. A camera, a lens and a sturdy tripod will get you far - the rest can be done in the editing suite. One of the best things about using panorama to capture the astral planes, aside from the epic places it takes you to, is that you don’t need a whole lot of elaborate gear to get an incredible shot. To track the weather, Charles uses, looking for green or orange conditions and cloud cover of less than 30%. For him, the best scenario is having the arch of the Milky Way pointing away from any city lights, and then configuring his image so the stars are over top of an interesting feature, be that a waterfall, mountain range or beach.įortunately for keen astro photographers, the season when the Milky Way is actually visible is long, though it’s different for the Northern and Southern Hemispheres. Usually, the week before and after a new moon is the best, which is shown on Darksite when the grey line of the moon matches the sun.Ĭharles also uses the app PhotoPills to find out exactly where the Milky Way is going to be for the time of year he’s shooting. The way we see it, heading for blue or black is always a good excuse to get out of town. Here are the sites and apps you’ll need to plan your shot:Ĭharles uses a website called Darksite finder, finding areas of blue to black for the least light pollution, though you can get away with green if you’re shooting away from city lights. For excellent astro photography, you need to know what the stars, the weather and the light pollution are doing. Luckily, there are enough astrophotography enthusiasts out there making clever tools to track the conditions, so you have the best chance of getting a beautiful photo. ![]() Planning is everythingĪ goal without a plan is just a wish. ![]() No detail is spared, so settle in, buckle up and get your head torch ready. He’ll basically teach you how to glitter stardust over your astro shots. His knowledge is the kind that comes with years of experience and many a cold solo night mission.Ĭharles gives a step-by-step guide to planning for, capturing and editing a truly phenomenal astro panoramic image. He runs Opus Expeditions, taking photographers to some of the sweetest, least light-polluted spots in New Zealand and teaching them to capture insane skyscapes. So, when it comes to astro panoramas, we went straight to the master for tips.Ĭharles Brooks is the king of the night sky panorama. A well-shot astral pano is breathtaking, even wanderlust-inducing - it can put the naked eye to shame.Īt Syrp Lab, we’ve long been on the hunt for fresh and adventurous ways to capture the stars, and for ways to design the right gear for the job. To capture the entirety of the night sky, astro panoramas are a great option. What’s not to like? Astrophotography is an endeavour in science, tech, creativity, and there’s always guaranteed to be a mission involved. We love shooting the stars, and we’re not the only ones - capturing the majesty of the night sky is an obsession for many photographers and filmmakers.
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