Virginia Astrophotography

All these photos are from my trim to Virginia. And as usual trip was too short and only one night weather was good. All photos were done by Canon 60Da with Ultra Wide Angle Canon Lens EF 16 35mm f2.8L II U.

Virginia Astrophotography Natuaral Bridge

Virginia Astrophotography

Virginia Night Sky Astrophotography

Virginia Starry Night Orion

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

Bioluminescent Astrophotography Puerto Rico

Bioluminescent Astrophotography - Puerto Rico Bio Bay Laguna Grande

Cassiopeia and Andromeda galaxy over Bioluminescent Bio Bay Laguna Grande,Puerto Rico.

Canon 60Da, EF16-35mm f/2.8L II USM lens, Panorama of 2 images.

Night sky over plankton’s glow!

There are other photos from Bio Bay

Bioluminescence - Bio Bay Laguna Grande

 Canon 60Da, EF 16-35mm f/2.8L II USM, 4sec, ISO-12800, F2.8

Bioluminescence  - Night Photography Puerto Rico

 Canon 60Da, EF 16-35mm f/2.8L II USM, 4sec, ISO-12800, F2.8

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. 

Puerto Rico Radio-Telescope Arecibo Observatory

There are photos from my trip to Puerto Rico. Arecibo Observatory is one of the famous radio observatories in the world. I still remember photos of the radio telescope in astronomical books which I saw when I was young.

Arecibo Radio Telescope - Puerto Rico

The Receiver of  the Arecibo Radio Telescope

Flowers and Arecibo Radio Telescope

Anatomy of the Arecibo Radio Telescope

Arecibo Observatory Logo

Galaxy Shop

Arecibo Observatory visitor center

Angel Ramos Foundation Visitor Center inside

Observatory Visitor Center inside

Star planetarium

Milky Way Model

Poster

Observatory Flags

Arecibo observatory and Angel Ramos Foundation Visitor Center

Telescope

Arecibo Telescope

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