Astrophotography Blog: Canon EF 200mm f/2.8 L II USM

Showing posts with label Canon EF 200mm f/2.8 L II USM. Show all posts

Monday, October 24, 2016

iOptron Skytracker and Deep Sky Astrophotography

“By looking far out into space

we are also looking far back into time,

back toward the horizon of the universe,

back toward the epoch of the Big Bang.”

― Carl Sagan, Cosmos

The deep sky astrophotography can be done without telescope. You just need iOptron Skytracker. There are some photos which were done using iOptron Skytracker. Some of these photos done even in New York city with very high level of light pollution.

iOptron SkyTracker Canon 60Da Deep Sky Astrophotography Orion Nebula M42 New York City

Canon 60Da, Canon EF 200mm f/2.8 L II USM Telephoto Lens; f/2.8; ISO 320; Exposure 15sec x 204 - Total 51 min, Brooklyn NY

iOptron Skytracker Deep Sky Astrophotography without Telescope - Horsehead and Flame Nebulae - New York City

Canon 60Da with Canon EF 200mm f/2.8 L II USM Telephoto Lens and iOptron SkyTracker tripod.Exposure 10sec x 148 - about 25 min total. ISO-800, f/3.2

iOptron Skytracker Deep Sky Astrophotography Pleiades M45 Seven Sisters Melotte 22 with Canon EF 200mm Telephoto Lens

Canon 60Da, iOptron skytracker, EF200mm f/2.8L II USM, f/4.0; ISO 6400, Deep Sky Stacker 30 images x 20 sec, Upstate New York

Deep Sky Astrophotography iOptron Skytracker Andromeda Galaxy Messier 31 Canon EF 200mm Telescopic Lens

Andromeda Galaxy Messier 31 Deep Sky Astrophotography iOptron Skytracker

Canon 60Da, Canon EF 200mm f/2.8 L II USM lens, iOptron SkyTracker trypod, ISO-6400, f/4, stacked in DeepSkyStacker 215 images x 19 sec, Upstate NY

iOptron Skytracker Deep Sky Astrophotography Northern America and Pelican Nebula

Canon 60Da, EF200mm f/2.8L II USM, f/4.0; ISO 6400, Deep Sky Stacker 29 images x 20 sec, New York upstate

iOptron Skytracker Deep Sky Astrophotography Milky Way and Orion at Culebra Island

Canon 60Da, Wide Angle EF 16-35mm f/2.8L II USM lens, F/4.0, ISO 3200, 2 min, Culebra Island, Puerto Rico

Sunday, February 1, 2015

M42 Orion Nebula using iOptron SkyTracker in NYC

This is my first test of iOptron SkyTracker. Orion Nebula M42 is in the list of top 10 deep sky objects for amateur astronomers. So I choose it for first test. I tried exposer 15 seconds. For fixed tripod with Canon Telephoto Lens EF 200mm f2.8 L II USM it gives star trails. With iOptron SkyTracker even without precise alignment stars looks like points. Weather was good but NYC light pollution, plus it was 3 / 4 Moon near Orion nebula. So I use small ISO (Urban astrophotography). There are results:

Orion Nebula M42 single 15s exposure from NYC using Canon 60Da and EF 200mm f/2.8 lens on iOptron SkyTracker.

M42 Orion Nebula one single file from NY City

Canon 60Da, Canon EF 200mm f/2.8 L II USM Telephoto Lens, Exposure 15 sec; f/2.8; ISO 320, New York City

Using DeepSkyStacker stacked multiple images. Every Canon Row CR2 image first updated in Canon Row 7 saved as Tiff file and later stacked in DeepSkyStacker. Post processing after that was done in Photoshop.

Orion Nebula M42 stacked from 8 exposures using Canon 60Da and 200mm lens on iOptron SkyTracker, NYC backyard.

Orion Nebula M42 from New York City Backyard - 8 photos iOptron SkyTracker Canon 60Da

Canon 60Da, Canon EF 200mm f/2.8 L II USM Telephoto Lens; f/2.8; ISO 320; Exposure 15sec x 8 - Total time 2 min, New York City

Orion Nebula M42 stacked from 36 photos, Canon 60Da and 200mm f/2.8 lens, iOptron SkyTracker, NYC urban sky.

M42 Orion Nebula NYC 36 photos iOptron SkyTracker Canon 60da Canon 200mm

Canon 60Da, Canon EF 200mm f/2.8 L II USM Telephoto Lens; f/2.8; ISO 320; Exposure 15sec x 36 - Total time 9 min, New York City, Messier 42 or NGC 1976

Deep stack of Orion Nebula M42 from NYC using 204 exposures with Canon 60Da and EF 200mm lens on iOptron SkyTracker.

iOptron SkyTracker Canon 60Da Orion Nebula M42 Astrophotography 204 photos

Canon 60Da, Canon EF 200mm f/2.8 L II USM Telephoto Lens; f/2.8; ISO 320; Exposure 15sec x 204 - Total 51 min

Final Thoughts

Capturing deep-sky objects like the Orion Nebula (M42) from Brooklyn, New York City—a location with some of the worst light pollution in the world—is normally very challenging. In NYC, even bright stars are often barely visible to the naked eye.

Yet with a tracking mount and 204 stacked exposures, it’s possible to overcome heavy urban skyglow and reveal nebula details that most people only see from dark-sky locations.

This project proves that urban astrophotography is absolutely possible, even under strong New York City light pollution, when you combine good technique, accurate tracking, careful stacking, and thoughtful post-processing. Anyone with patience and the right workflow can capture real deep-sky images—even in a city that never sleeps.

Wednesday, October 22, 2014

Halloween Astrophotography - Night, New Moon, Street-Lamp and Spider Web

This photo was not taken on Halloween, but the moment I reviewed it the scene naturally reminded me of a classic Halloween mood — a new moon behind thin clouds, a glowing street lamp, and a spider resting on its web. I captured this atmospheric moment near Yellowstone Lake Hotel while testing a new lens. The weather was not suitable for deep-sky photography, but sometimes small details create their own story.

Just after sunset, only the moon was visible in the sky while thin clouds drifted across it. The warm light of the street lamp illuminated the spider on its delicate web, giving the scene an unexpected, almost cinematic feel.

Moonlit scene at Yellowstone Lake Hotel with thin clouds, a glowing street lamp and a spider on its web creating a natural Halloween-like atmosphere.

Halloween Astrophotography - Night, New Moon, Street-Lamp and Spider Web

Camera Settings

Camera: Canon 60Da
Lens: Canon EF 200mm f/2.8 L II USM Telephoto Lens
Exposure: 1/400 sec
Aperture: f/2.8
ISO: 3200
Notes: Fast shutter to preserve natural brightness of moon and lamp

About the Lens

For this image I was testing my Canon EF 200mm f/2.8L II USM, a telephoto prime lens well known for its excellent sharpness and simple optical design. Unlike zoom lenses with many internal elements, a prime lens typically offers better contrast and fewer distortions — especially useful in astrophotography where precision matters. Since most night-sky photography does not require zoom, this lens is a great match for capturing small illuminated subjects or atmospheric details.

About This Photo

Even though this was not a Halloween night, the elements came together — moonlight, thin clouds, spider, and lamp — to create a scene with a Halloween-like character. This small moment became a unique part of my Yellowstone astrophotography series.