Astrophotography from Brooklyn, New York City. I capture the Moon, planets, Sun, Milky Way, and night sky from NYC and during travel. Passionate about astronomy, nightscape, and starscape photography. Using Celestron NexStar 4SE, Coronado SolarMax II 60, Canon EOS Ra, 60Da, 40D, NexImage, and Canon EF lenses to reveal the beauty of the universe.
Location: New York City (JFK Airport area) Date: November 3, 2013
While waiting for the highly anticipated appearance of Comet ISON in late 2013, I took the opportunity to document a partial solar eclipse visible from New York City. Capturing a solar eclipse from an urban environment like NYC is always challenging due to weather, haze, and city infrastructure—but even a partial eclipse at sunrise offers a unique and atmospheric view.
These images were taken during sunrise near JFK Airport, where the low Sun and eclipse geometry created dramatic silhouettes and warm tones. In one of the related photo sets, flocks of birds (mostly seagulls) are visible flying across the partially eclipsed Sun—an unexpected and fascinating detail that adds life and scale to the scene.
NYC Solar Eclipse November 3 2013
NYC Solar Eclipse JFK Airport Sunrise November 3 2013
NYC Solar Eclipse
In these additional images, numerous birds—mostly seagulls—can be seen crossing the Sun during the partial eclipse. This rare combination of urban wildlife and celestial mechanics makes the NYC solar eclipse especially memorable.
Solar eclipses are relatively rare events for New York City, and even more unusual
when they occur at sunrise.
On the morning of November 3, 2013, a partial solar eclipse was visible just as the Sun
rose above the horizon, creating a unique blend of astronomy, atmosphere, and city life.
These photographs were taken near JFK Airport and the Cross Bay Bridge
in Ramblersville, Queens.
The low altitude of the Sun softened the light and allowed the eclipse to be observed naturally
through atmospheric haze, without extreme contrast.
Sunrise eclipses are especially interesting because they combine celestial geometry with
Earth’s atmosphere — clouds, haze, birds, and aircraft all become part of the scene.
This event unfolded quietly over the city as the day began.
Solar Eclipse in New York City and Seagull, Astrophotography
Camera & Settings:
Canon EOS 40D · 135mm · ƒ/8 · 1/250 sec · ISO 100
The phrase “I was born to fly to solar eclipses” came to mind while reviewing this image —
a seagull crossing directly toward the partially eclipsed Sun.
The moment felt symbolic, as if the bird were instinctively drawn toward the rare alignment
unfolding in the morning sky.
Below is a video of the partial solar eclipse as seen from New York City.
Despite the changing light, daily life continued uninterrupted — airplanes departed and landed,
and seagulls remained active throughout the eclipse.
During the eclipse, seagull activity appeared noticeably higher than during a typical sunrise.
Birds continued flying through the scene, occasionally crossing the eclipsed Sun,
adding an unexpected dynamic element to the photographs.
While some studies suggest that certain animals may respond to changes in light or environmental
conditions during eclipses, this observation remains anecdotal.
Whether the increased activity was related to the eclipse itself or simply part of normal
sunrise behavior is difficult to determine.
When this image was first shared online, one viewer jokingly suggested that the seagull
had been intentionally “invited” into the frame — a reminder that even carefully planned
astronomical photography can include moments of pure chance.
Solar Eclipse Seagull New York City
At the beginning of the eclipse, striking wave clouds —
often associated with Kelvin–Helmholtz instability —
appeared in the sky.
These cloud formations resemble ocean waves and are caused by wind shear between atmospheric layers.
Their presence felt like a natural salute to the eclipse as it began over New York City,
with the bridge visible beneath the clouds.
Beginning of the sunrise Solar eclipse in NYC on November 3 2013
Canon EOS 40D, ƒ/5.6, 56.0 mm, 1/60 sec, ISO 160
The images below show the very beginning of the sunrise during the eclipse,
including wide-field views and the moments just before first contact.
These frames capture how gradually the event unfolded as daylight increased.
Beginning NYC Solar Eclipse November 3 2013 - Wide Field
Sunrise JFK Airport - couple minutes before Solar Eclipse 11/3/2013
Canon EOS 40D, 135.0 mm, 1/20 sec; f/5.6; ISO 800
Solar eclipses in New York City are infrequent, and sunrise events like this one are especially rare.
This November 3, 2013 eclipse remains a memorable example of how astronomy can quietly intersect
with everyday urban life.
Related Astrophotography & Solar Eclipse Galleries
If you’re interested in solar eclipse photography, you may also enjoy these related galleries,
documenting eclipse events observed from New York City and across the United States over the years.
This morning I photographed the solar eclipse from New York City near JFK Airport during sunrise.
Here are some of my first photos from this session.
Solar eclipse - New York City near JFK Airport - November 3, 2013
Canon 40D Brooklyn astronomy and astrophotography
Cross Bay, Sunrise
NYC Solar Eclipse
Solar eclipse New York November 3, 2013, Astrophotography
The conditions were challenging, with clouds partially covering the Sun, but they also created unusual and beautiful effects that made the eclipse even more interesting to observe and photograph.
Solar eclipse 11/3/2013 New York, Astrophotography
The sunrise added a strong red color to the sky and clouds, making the eclipse scene even more dramatic.
Solar Eclipse Nov.3 2013 and Seagull, NYC Astrophotography
In the first three images you can see a seagull flying across the eclipse.
It is the same seagull, captured in different moments as it moved from right to left through the frame.
New York Solar eclipse 11/3/2013
Airplane, clouds and Solar eclipse, New York Solar Eclipse
One of the most interesting images from this session shows a small airplane near the eclipsed Sun.
The airplane is tiny, but still visible, and because these photos were taken near JFK Airport, it adds a very distinctive New York feeling to the scene.
The clouds created another unusual effect.
With the upper part of the Sun hidden by clouds, you can still see two bright spots below the cloud layer.
These bright areas are produced by the partially eclipsed Sun shining through and around the clouds.
Partial Solar Eclipse New York City Astrophotography
In this photos you can see a group of about 20 seagulls flying through the area, adding even more movement to the morning sky during the eclipse.
Hybrid Solar Eclipse above North Channel Bridge from Cross Bay, New York City
In this photo the hybrid solar eclipse appears above the North Channel Bridge, seen from Cross Bay in New York City.
The bridge near the horizon gives the scene a strong local landmark and helps show the eclipse in its real urban setting.
Morning Seagull is flying to the Solar Eclipse, New York November 3 2013, Astrophotography
I have many more photos from this morning solar eclipse session and will publish them later.
The solar eclipse in New York City was an amazing event to watch and photograph.
This session was captured using a Coronado SolarMax II 60 hydrogen-alpha solar telescope paired with a NexImage 5 CCD planetary camera on a Celestron NexStar 4SE computerized mount.
Equipment:
Coronado SolarMax II 60 (H-alpha)
NexImage 5 CCD camera
Celestron NexStar 4SE mount
2× Barlow lens
Processing: RegiStax stacking + Photoshop false color
Coronado SolarMax II 60 NexImage 5
The NexImage 5 CCD camera records high-frame-rate video, allowing multiple frames to be stacked in RegiStax.
Stacking improves signal-to-noise ratio and enhances fine chromospheric detail, including filaments, plages, and active regions.
After stacking, the image was processed in Photoshop and converted to false color to emphasize structure and contrast.
Although H-alpha light is monochromatic, false coloring helps visually separate surface detail and prominence structures.
Telescope Coronado SolarMax II 60, Celestron NexStar 4SE Computerized Mount and NexImage5
This configuration combines the precision tracking of the NexStar 4SE GoTo mount with the high-frame-rate capabilities of a CCD planetary camera.
When properly processed, the final image quality depends primarily on the optical performance of the Coronado SolarMax II 60.
Solar prominences captured with the Coronado SolarMax II 60 using a Canon 40D DSLR on a Celestron NexStar 4SE computerized mount.
Equipment:
Coronado SolarMax II 60 (H-alpha solar telescope)
Celestron NexStar 4SE mount
Canon EOS 40D
2× Barlow lens Date: October 20, 2013
Exposure details:
ISO 200 · 1/6 second
Solar prominences - Coronado SolarMax II 60 Canon 40D
This image shows solar prominences only.
The inner disk of the Sun is intentionally blocked (black area) so the exposure can be optimized for the faint outer prominences extending beyond the solar limb.
Compared to my earlier images taken with a NexImage planetary camera, this session used a DSLR mainly to compare imaging approaches rather than image quality itself.
CCD planetary cameras and DSLR cameras each have their own advantages and limitations.
Planetary CCD cameras allow very fast frame rates and are less sensitive to mount stability, but require more time-consuming video stacking and post-processing.
DSLR cameras capture single high-resolution frames, which makes post-processing much simpler, but they require a more stable mount and precise tracking.
When both imaging methods are used correctly, the final image quality depends primarily on the optical performance of the Coronado SolarMax II 60, not on the camera itself.
To simplify the setup, I switched from a piggy-back configuration to a direct mounting solution by using the Coronado Dovetail Mounting Plate for PST and SolarMax (Item #MEAD414-1).
Coronado Dovetail Mounting Plate for PST and SolarMax Item# MEAD414-1 and Coronado SolarMax II 60
With this mounting plate, the Coronado SolarMax II 60 can be attached directly to the GoTo mount, greatly simplifying alignment and tracking.
Coronado SolarMax II 60 and Celestron 4SE Computerized Mount
This configuration made it possible to use even a heavier camera like the Canon 40D while maintaining accurate solar tracking.
In later posts, I show additional solar images captured with this setup and further refinements to the mounting and imaging process.
NGC7000 North America Nebula, Pelican Nebula, Elephant's Trunk nebula, Cygnus Milky Way, Deneb - Wide field astro photo with a tripod
CAMERA: Canon 40D
OPTIC: Canon 16-35mm f 2.8 L II USM
MOUNT: Tripod
EXPOSURE: 40 X 30 sec. (Total: 20 min)
PROCESSING: DeepSkyStacker, Photoshop
NGC7000 North America Nebula, Pelican Nebula, Elephant's Trunk nebula,
Cygnus Milky Way, Deneb - Wide field astrophoto with a tripod, Astrophotography
All single photos for this image were taken April 11-12 during meteor
shower. I used wide angle camera 108 degrees and tripod. I think it is
good configuration to catch meteors. Indeed, I got some meteors, but
also I have a lot of just single images without meteor. So I tried to
see what I can do to stack all this images to one. For 5 min I got wider
field, but for 20 min (40 images) with static tripod sky I my final
image had not so big size and I tried to focus only small part of sky
like North America nebula. This part of sky is very rich. So some other nebulae are visible on this image.
Notation - NGC7000 North America Nebula, Astrophotography
This is a very minimalistic astrophotography image, captured under far-from-ideal weather conditions.
Thin clouds drift across the sky, reflecting nearby light pollution rather than appearing dark.
Despite this, the stars remain clearly visible in the gaps between the clouds.
Cloudy starry night sky, Canon 16-35mm f 2.8 L II USM Ultra Wide Angle Lens, Canon 40D, ISO 1600, 30 sec, @2.8 - KOA Delaware Water Gap
Images like this remind me that astrophotography does not depend solely on perfect conditions.
Weather is always a dominant and uncontrollable factor — especially when traveling.
You can plan locations, timing, and equipment, but ultimately you can only hope the sky cooperates.
What this photo represents to me is readiness.
Sometimes the weather improves only briefly, for a few minutes or even seconds.
When that happens, you must already be prepared — camera set, composition chosen, settings dialed in.
There is no time to hesitate.
This photograph captures that short window of opportunity.
Clouds, light pollution, and stars coexist in a fragile balance.
Perhaps that is why this simple image feels meaningful to me.
Others may see something different — and that is part of its quiet appeal.
Astrophotography is not only about the sky you want — but about the sky you are given.
Minimalistic & Atmospheric Astrophotography
These images focus on simplicity, mood, and atmosphere — moments where clouds,
light pollution, motion, or minimal foregrounds become part of the story rather than limitations.
The Milky Way is nothing else but a mass of innumerable stars planted together in clusters.
- Galileo Galilei
I get hobby to make photo of Milky Way in my trips. This is photo at Delaware Water Gap Campground.
Milky Way Autumn Fall, Night Landscape, Canon 16-35mm f 2.8 L II USM Ultra Wide Angle Lens, Canon 40D, ISO 1600, 30 sec, @2.8, StarSpikes Pro 2 plugin
Milky Way Autumn Fall, Night Landscape, Canon 16-35mm f 2.8 L II USM Ultra Wide Angle Lens, Canon 40D, ISO 1600, 30 sec, @2.8 - KOA Delaware Water Gap
Milky Way Night Landscape, Cassiopeia constellation, Starry Stars, Canon 16-35mm f 2.8 L II USM Ultra Wide Angle Lens, Canon 40D, ISO 1600, 30 sec, @2.8 - KOA Delaware Water Gap, Astrophotography
Autumn Fall Milky Way Panorama, Canon 16-35mm f 2.8 L II USM Ultra Wide Angle Lens, Canon 40D, ISO 1600, 30 sec, @2.8, combine 3 photos - KOA Delaware Water Gap, Astrophotography
Autumn Milky Way, Canon 16-35mm f 2.8 L II USM Ultra Wide Angle Lens, Canon 40D, ISO 1600, 30 sec - KOA Delaware Water Gap, Astrophotography
Yosemite National Park is one of the most iconic locations in the United States for night-sky photography. With its dramatic granite cliffs, deep valleys, and high-elevation viewpoints, Yosemite offers exceptional dark skies that reveal the Milky Way in stunning detail. These photographs were taken at night during an astronomical lecture, when a brief window of clear sky allowed for perfect conditions to capture the stars above the landscape.
All images on this page were made with a Canon 40D and the Canon EF 16–35mm f/2.8L II USM ultra-wide angle lens. Exposures were ISO 1600 and 30 seconds, a balance that gathers enough light while keeping stars sharp at wide focal lengths. Despite the older camera body, the combination of dark skies and a fast f/2.8 lens delivered detailed views of the Milky Way, forest silhouettes, mountains, and even the Andromeda Galaxy in a single frame.
Milky Way Yosemite Park Canon EF 16-35mm f 2.8L II, Night Landscape, Astrophotography
Yosemite Park Milky Way Night Landscape Canon EF 16-35mm f 2.8L II, , Astrophotography
Yosemite National Park Milky Way and Andromeda Galaxy Canon 40D, Night Landscape, Astrophotography
Milky Way Yosemite Park Canon EF 16-35mm f 2.8L II Ultra Wide Angle Lens Canon 40D, Night Landscape, Astrophotography
Milky Way Yosemite Park Canon EF 16-35mm f 2.8L II Ultra Wide Angle Lens Canon 40D Panorama Night Landscape, Astrophotography
Yosemite is far from major cities, and its high-altitude viewpoints can offer remarkably clear and dark conditions. On nights like this, the Milky Way becomes fully visible—from the bright, dramatic region near the center of our galaxy to the faint dust lanes stretching across the sky. These photographs capture that rare clarity, including a straight-band Milky Way panorama and multiple compositions showing how the galaxy interacts with Yosemite’s unique landscape.
This Yosemite session shows how much can be done with a DSLR like the Canon 40D and a fast ultra-wide lens when the sky is dark and clear. The combination of dramatic landscape and a bright Milky Way makes Yosemite National Park one of my favorite places for night-sky photography.
This image captures a colorful Northern Lights night landscape near Akureyri, Iceland, photographed with the Canon EF 16-35mm f/2.8L II USM ultra wide angle lens.
In my other aurora post, the Northern Lights appear mostly green.
In this photo, however, the sky shows a richer combination of red and green aurora, together with a blue night sky, a white fjord, and a starry background.
That mix of colors creates a very distinctive atmosphere and makes this image especially interesting as a night landscape astrophotography scene.
Northern Lights Night Landscape over Akureyri, Iceland - Canon EF 16-35mm f/2.8L II USM
Camera and exposure details: Canon 40D, Canon EF 16-35mm f/2.8L II USM, 15 seconds, ISO 1600, tripod, and Canon remote shooting.
This image is also interesting to compare with my airglow astrophotography photos, where the sky also shows red and green colors.
The mechanism is different: Northern Lights are connected with charged particles and Earth’s magnetic field, while airglow comes from energy accumulated in the atmosphere during the day.
But in both cases the same atmospheric gases emit similar colors.
Related Astrophotography Posts
See also my other posts about Northern Lights and about the natural red and green colors of the night sky, including both aurora and airglow astrophotography.
This post is a curated collection of night landscape photographs captured over many years and across multiple countries, all using the Canon EOS 40D and the legendary Canon EF 16–35mm f/2.8L II USM ultra-wide angle lens.
Ultra-wide lenses are especially powerful for night photography. They allow long exposures without star trailing, emphasize foreground structures, and capture dramatic cityscapes, bridges, coastlines, and night skies in a single frame.
These images were taken in a wide variety of environments — from urban Brooklyn and Manhattan to Iceland, Israel, the Galápagos, Puerto Rico, Yellowstone, Utah, and Grand Teton National Park. Together they show how the same camera and lens can produce striking results under very different night-sky and lighting conditions.
Rather than separating these photos by location, this post intentionally brings them together as a single night landscape photography portfolio, illustrating the versatility of ultra-wide lenses for nocturnal scenes.
Night Landscape, Brooklyn, Canon 40D
Manhattan night landscape, Brooklyn Bridge, Canon 40D, Ultra Wide Angle Canon Lens EF 16 35mm f2.8L II U
Verrazano Bridge, Night landscape, Canon 40D, Ultra Wide Angle Canon Lens EF 16 35mm f2.8L II U
Night landscape, Dyker Heights Brooklyn Christmas Lights, Canon 40D, Ultra Wide Angle Canon Lens EF 16 35mm f2.8L II U
Snow night landscape, Canon 40D, Ultra Wide Angle Canon Lens EF 16 35mm f2.8L II U
San Francisco Oakland Bay Bridge at night: Canon 40D, Canon EF 16-35mm f/2.8L II USM Ultra Wide Angle Lens
Akureyri IceLand - Night Landscape - Canon 40D, Canon EF 16-35mm f/2.8L II USM Ultra Wide Angle Lens
Jerusalem Night Sky and WindMill, Canon EF 16-35mm f/2.8L II USM Ultra Wide Angle Lens, Night Landscape
Tel Aviv Night Landscape Canon EF 16-35mm f2.8L II USM Ultra Wide Angle Lens
Mystic Seaport Connecticut Night Landscape, Canon EF 16-35mm f/2.8L II USM Ultra Wide Angle Lens, Canon 40D
Niagara Falls Night landscape view from Canada Canon 60Da Wide filed
Night Sky Yellowstone
Salt Lake City at Night
Milky Way Galaxy Replaces Street-Lamp in Grand Teton Night Sky Astrophotography
Galapagos Islands at night Canon EF 16-35mm f2.8L II USM Ultra Wide Angle Lens
All photographs in this collection were captured using long exposures and available light, without artificial sky replacement. They represent real night environments — from light-polluted cities to remote dark-sky locations — and document how night photography evolves across geography, weather, and time.
