Antelope Canyon at Night - Astrophotography Arizona

One more night photo from my Arizona trip.

Antelope Canyon at Night - Astrophotography Arizona

Canon EOS 60Da, EF16-35mm f/2.8L II USM, 30.0 sec; f/2.8; ISO 6400

And photo near Antelope Canyon - Horseshoe Bend SunSet

Horseshoe Bend SunSet

Pelican Nebula Astrophotography (IC5070 and IC5067)

“A wonderful bird is the Pelican.

His beak can hold more than his belly can.

He can hold in his beak

Enough food for a week!

But I'll be darned if I know how the hellican?”

― Dixon Lanier Merritt

Pelican Nebula Astrophotography without telescope taken Canon 60Da, iOptron skytracker, EF200mm f/2.8L II USM, f/4.0; ISO 6400, Deep Sky Stacker 144 images x 20 sec

Pelican Nebula Astrophotography IC5070 and IC5067

Pelican Nebula (IC5070 and IC5067) - really looks like a pelican!  Compare it with photo of an real pelican! 

Pelican

For comparison I show also smaller set of image  Canon 60Da, EF200mm f/2.8L II USM, f/4.0; ISO 6400, Deep Sky Stacker 29 images x 20 sec

Pelican Nebula Canon60Da iOptron SkyTracker EF200mm f2.8 L II USM_Astrophotography

Pelican Nebula is an active star-forming region, located in Cygnus constellation near North American Nebula.

Northern America nebula and Pelican Nebula and Deneb Star

Sky location of Pelican Nebula see on my collage 

Pelican Nebula, Sky Location Milky Way and real Pelican Collage

Aruba Astrophotography - Canon 60Da

I am continuing my travel astrophotography. There some astrophotos from my trip to Aruba - Canon 60Da

Aruba Astrophotography Moonlight and Moonpath

 

Aruba Astrophotography Cactus and Stars (Orion)

Aruba Astrophotography Night Landscape Moonlight and Moonpath

Green Sky Utah Airglow Astrophotography Canon 60Da

The sky is green, the night is dark - as simple as possible. This photo was done at Bryce Canyon, Utah. Canon 60Da, EF16-35mm f/2.8L II USM, 30.0 sec; f/3.5; ISO 6400

Green Sky Utah Airglow Astrophotography Canon 60Da

The natural moonless night sky is dark but not black; it is not even blue (no scattering light from sun and moon). Earth atmosphere  emits green, red, orange, yellow light- Airglow!

About 60% of the natural brightness of the night sky at zenith is made up of Airglow. Maximum brightest usually appears at about 10-15 degrees above the horizon, because of the greater the depth of atmosphere at this angle. Airglow is not always uniform. Gravity waves may create considerable variation of Airglow brightness.

You can see Airglow only in real dark sky, but naked eye could not recognize colors. Photos with long exposure able get the colors of Airglow.

The usually dominant color of airglow is green originated from molecular oxygen at 90 to 100 km high. Orange and reddish hue caused by atomic oxygen in 150-300 km above the ground, Yellow light comes from sodium atoms in a layer at about 90 km.

White Lake, New York - Astrophotography

All these photos were done in New York Upstate Catskill Mountains near White Lake London Cottages Resort.  Canon 60Da with Ultra Wide Angle Canon Lens EF 16 35mm f2.8L II U.

Night Reflection - White Lake, Catskill, New York

London Cottages at night - White Lake Catskill New York Upstate

Cloudy Night Sky at Catskill Mountains NY Upstate

Trees and Starry Night - Canon 60Da

Catskill  Bungalows White Lake NY Upstate Night Sky Astrophotography

New York Milky Way

Night Road and Starry Sky

Natural Bridge Virginia Astrophotography

These photos of the Natural Bridge were done during my trip to Virginia. The Virginia Natural Bridge is historical landmark forming a natural arch 215 ft high with a span of 90 ft. These photos were done during the light show called the Drama of Creation. Every day has own colors. Also the show started after sunset so you can see different brightness of the sky.

Natural Bridge Virginia Astrophotography

 Canon 60Da, Wide Angle EF 16-35mm f/2.8L II USM, ISO 4000, f3.5, 2 sec

Natural Bridge Light Show Nightscape AstrophotographyYellow Canon 60Da

  Canon 60Da, Wide Angle EF 16-35mm f/2.8L II USM, ISO 4000, f3.5, 2 sec

Virginia Night Sky Natural Bridge

 Canon 60Da, Wide Angle EF 16-35mm f/2.8L II USM, ISO 4000, f3.5, 2 sec

Natural Bridge Night Landscape Virginia

Lighthouse Astrophotography Puerto Rico

There are night photos of Cabo San Juan (Fajardo) Lighthouse.

Cabo San Juan (Fajardo) Lighthouse Astrophotography

Canon 60Da,  Wide Angle EF 16-35mm f/2.8L II USM, ISO 3200, f3.5, 30 sec

Light House and Galactic Andromeda - Puerto Rico Astrophotography

Canon 60Da,  Wide Angle EF 16-35mm f/2.8L II USM, ISO 6400, f4, 20 sec

LightHouse Night Sky Astrophotography Puerto Rico

Canon 60Da,  Wide Angle EF 16-35mm f/2.8L II USM, ISO 6400, f4, 30 sec

Orion Constellation over Lighthouse Puerto Rico Astrophotography Canon 60Da

Canon 60Da,  Wide Angle EF 16-35mm f/2.8L II USM, ISO 3200, f5, 30 sec

Puerto Rico Astrophotography

You might be an amateur astronomer if

you center your vacation time around the New Moon.

--Amateur Astronomer Jokes

These are photos from my trip to Puerto Rico.

Puerto Rico Astrophotography - Big Dipper constellation, Canon 60Da

 This is the panorama of 4 images. Location - Wyndham Grand Rio Mar Beach Resort, Puerto Rico. Canon EOS 60Da, EF16-35mm f/2.8L II USM lens, ISO -3200, F6.3.

This photo can be used for a question "What is the latitude of the observer?" Palm trees in the image  give the clue to this question.

It is interesting how well known constellations (like Big Dipper) look from different places of the world – Puerto Rico, Yellowstone, Grand Teton.

Puerto Rico Night Sky Palm Tree and Jupiter

Canon EOS 60Da, EF16-35mm f/2.8L II USM lens, 20 sec, ISO-3200, F4.5

Palm Trees and Orion and Canis Major constellations Puerto Rico Astrophotography

 Canon EOS 60Da, EF16-35mm f/2.8L II USM lens, 20 sec, ISO-3200, F4.5

Yacht Astrophotography Culebra Island  Puerto Rico

 Long exposure and waves gave such interesting yacht effect
Canon 60Da, EF16-35mm f/2.8L II USM lens, 30 sec, ISO-3200, F4

Near Equator Big and Little Dippers Puerto Rico Nightscape Astrophotography

Canon 60Da, Wide Angle EF16-35mm f/2.8L II USM lens, 10 sec, ISO-6400, F2.8

Northern Pole  Star - Polaris - Laser Pointer Puerto Rico Golf Course Astrophotography

 Canon 60Da, EF16-35mm f/2.8L II USM lens, 14 sec, ISO-3200, F6.3

Culebra Puerto Rico Night Sky

  Canon 60Da, EF16-35mm f/2.8L II USM lens, 30 sec, ISO-3200, F4

Orion, Canis Major and Milky Way - iOptron SkyTracker  Astrophotography Puerto Rico

Canon 60Da, Wide Angle EF 16-35mm f/2.8L II USM, f/4.0, ISO 3200, Duration 120sec iOptron SkyTracker, Culebra Puerto Rico

Constellations: Orion, Canis Major, Canis Minor, Monoceros. Part of Constellations: Lepus, Eridanus, Taurus, Gemini.

For such duration Barnard’s Loop in Orion is pretty much visible. 

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:

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 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

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

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

iOptron SkyTracker Astrophotography Equipment

Equipped with his five senses,
man explores the universe around him
and calls the adventure Science.
--Edwin Hubble

My dreams happen in reality and I got iOptron SkyTracker! Still using piggy pack of the Celestron 4SE I can track sky by camera at home but it too heavy to get the telescope to the long trip. The SkyTracker is pretty compact and not so heavy and can do the same – follow the rotation of the sky. So fly by air plane to places with dark sky I can get more stars, the Milky Way during one shot, increasing camera exposure.   iOptron SkyTracker pretty much can handle Canon 60Da with Wide Angle EF 16-35mm f/2.8L II USM or Telephoto EF 200mm f/2.8 L II USM lens.

Astrophotography Equipment iOptron Sky Tracker Canon 40D Canon EF 16 35mm f2.8L II USM

iOptron SkyTracker Astrophotography Equipment dslr

iOptron SkyTracker Canon 60Da and EF 200mm f2.8 L II USM Telephoto Lens

SkyTracker for Astrophotography

Astrophotography Equipment Sky Tracker iOptron

iOptron Sky Tracker.

Sky Tracker Astrophotography Gear

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

This photo I did in Yellowstone Lake Hotel. Just tested new Lens Canon EF 200mm f/2.8 L II USM for astrophotography. It was new Moon. All street-lamps in the hotel are open and have spider web.  Therefore I got my first Halloween Astrophoto.

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

 Canon 60Da, Canon  EF 200mm f/2.8 L II USM Telephoto Lens, Exposure 1/400 sec; f/2.8; ISO 3200- Yellowstone Nightscape Astrophotograpgy

Yellowstone Night Landscape Geyser eruption Canon 60Da

One more photo from Yellowstone National Park trip - Eruption of Old Faithful Geyser. Eruption was so strong that take most space on photo with wide angle lens. Dew was so big after eruption that it took some time to heat the lens to start photography again after that photo.

Yellowstone Night Landscape Geyser eruption Canon 60Da

Camera Canon 60Da; Wide Angle Lens EF16-35mm f/2.8L II USM; Exposure 30.0 sec; f/2.8; ISO 4000

Yellowstone Geyser eruption and the Milky Way

 Camera Canon 60Da; Wide Angle Lens EF16-35mm f/2.8L II USM; Exposure 30.0 sec; f/2.8; ISO 4000

Yellowstone night sky Geyser astrophotography Canon 60Da

  Camera Canon 60Da; Wide Angle Lens EF16-35mm f/2.8L II USM; Exposure 15.0 sec; f/2.8; ISO 3200

Yellowstone night  photography - black and white - Old Faithful Geyser

   Camera Canon 60Da; Wide Angle Lens EF16-35mm f/2.8L II USM; Exposure 30.0 sec; f/2.8; ISO 4000

Milky Way Galaxy Over Yellowstone National Park Starry night Sky Astrophotography Canon 60Da

   Camera Canon 60Da; Wide Angle Lens EF16-35mm f/2.8L II USM; Exposure 30.0 sec; f/2.8; ISO 4000

Yellowstone Park Milky Way Galaxy Geyser Airglow Night Sky Landscape Astrophotography

 Camera Canon 60Da; Wide Angle Lens EF16-35mm f/2.8L II USM; Exposure 30.0 sec; f/2.8; ISO 3200

Yellowstone eruptions and Pleiades seven sisters M45 Astrophotography

 Camera Canon 60Da; Wide Angle Lens EF16-35mm f/2.8L II USM; Exposure 15.0 sec; f/2.8; ISO 3200

Pleiades and geyser Yellowstone night starry sky landscape Canon 60da

Yellowstone starry night astrophotography Canon 60Da