Roger,
I followed this from the weather page I use (it's clear tonight).
This seems simple enough that perhaps even I can use it...
http://www.wunderground.com/sky/ShowSky.asp?CurDir=West&TheLat=39.85894394&T
heLon=-91.88990021&TimeZoneCode=1&TimeZone=6&ShowPlanets=checked&ShowConst=c
hecked&ShowConstNames=checked&ShowConstBorders=checked&ShowStarNames=checked
&ShowGrid=checked&ShowSkyLine=checked&ShowInfo=checked&direction=Up&Month=1&
Day=21&Year=2002&Min=0&Hour=18
Jon
----- Original Message -----
From: "Roger Wesson" <roger@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: <olympus@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Monday, January 21, 2002 3:44 PM
Subject: Re: [OM] How to photograph starry night skys?
> The wonderful thing about astrophotography is that it's amazingly easy
> to get very good results without too much effort. If you've got dark
> skies then you're laughing already! The only things you need are a
> tripod and a cable release. Here's my advice for star trails and some
> other ideas for night-time photography:
>
> Star trails
> ===========
>
> The easiest way to begin astrophotography and often very impressive.
> First of all you need a moonless night. Load your camera with slow film
> - no faster than 200 speed. Use either your 28mm or 50mm lens. Set the
> camera up on the tripod and point it roughly north and about halfway
> between horizon and directly overhead. Set the aperture to something
> around f/1.8 - f/2.8. Open the shutter, and leave it for at least half
> an hour. My best star trail photos have resulted from roughly three
> hour exposures onto Fuji Sensia 100 film, with a 28/2.8 lens - here's a
> couple of examples:
>
> http://www.worldtraveller.f9.co.uk/travel/ohp/2001/photos/trails1.jpg
> http://www.worldtraveller.f9.co.uk/travel/ohp/2001/photos/trails2.jpg
>
> Avoid zoom lenses unless you want to risk ending up with something like
> this:
>
> http://www.worldtraveller.f9.co.uk/astro/photos/pictures/plughole.jpg
>
> ...!
>
> Fixed stars
> ===========
>
> If you want untrailed stars, then you want fast film and a fast lens.
> The Zuiko 50/1.4 would be ideal. Again, a moonless night is needed. If
> you can see the milky way, point the camera at it. Otherwise, try the
> Big Dipper (or the Plough, as I know it), or Orion (the nebula will
> easily show up as a reddish-purple blob). Open the lens to its widest
> aperture. With a 50mm lens you can do roughly a 25-second exposure
> before the stars start trailing. An example of a fixed-star shot of
> mine, taken with a Zuiko 50/1.8 lens on Fuji Super HG 1600 film with a
> 25s exposure is here:
>
> http://www.worldtraveller.f9.co.uk/photo/photos/milkyway/jpg
>
> Moonlit nights
> ==============
>
> Trails and stars are best attempted when the moon is not around, because
> otherwise over a long exposure the sky washes out. But you can turn
> this to your advantage - moonlit landscapes can be very interesting.
> The rule here is that 4 minutes at f/4 on 100 speed film is a good place
> to start with exposure times. Here's an example of mine, which followed
> that rule to the letter:
>
> http://www.worldtraveller.f9.co.uk/astro/photos/pictures/INTdome.jpg
>
> Other things
> ============
>
> Keep a look-out for northern (or southern) lights - the sun is active at
> the moment and it's quite easy to capture aurorae on film if and when
> they occur. 400-800 speed film is best, with exposure times around
> about a minute or two. The 28mm might well be best for this.
> www.spaceweather.com has all the latest info on auroral activity.
>
> Meteors - best seen on January 4th or August 12th, but there are other
> meteor showers throughout the year. Try a similar approach to northern
> lights photography.
>
> Satellites - mostly they're too faint to photograph, but the
> International Space Station is easy to capture on film. Check out when
> it will be visible at www.heavens-above.com . 400 speed or faster film
> is best, and you'll get a great shot if you just open the shutter when
> you spot the Station and close it when it's gone.
>
>
> Hope that's helpful, and I wish you the clearest of skies! I once had
> an unrepeatable chance to take a photograph of Mir and the International
> Space Station, passing across Orion at the same time, with a foreground
> of telescope domes...of course cloud obscured the event.
>
> Roger
>
>
> > Jon Wichman wrote:
> >
> > I would like to try some photos of the night sky.
> > I live in the middle of nowhere so, I can set up to try to get some
> > good photos without any light pollution.
> >
> > I've see articles about this a long time ago but, don't recall the
> > details.
> >
> > You got a swirling circular star pattern depending on where you
> > pointed the camera and how long the exposure was (which, along
> > with the overall exposure, would be the only crucial parts I don't
> > remember :)
> >
> > I have available a 28mm Tamron, 28-80 Soligor, 50mm f1.4 Zukio, 80-210
> > f 3.8 Vivitar, and a Tokina 500mm mirror, a 2x and 3x converter (don't
> > recall the brands), an Om-2 and two Om-2n's.
> > Anyways, I should be able to come up with about any given focal length
> > between 28mm and 1500mm.
> >
> > Anybody got some starting ideas on this?
> >
> > Recall, this is on my property so, I can experiment and, excluding
> > inclement weather,
> > try it about anytime (probably at night _would_ be best -:)
> >
> > If I had two more good tripods, I could try three different things at
> > once.
> > Well, I could haul out a board and, just lay the cameras on their
> > backs there.
> > Or, I have a couple of little pocket tripods - I guess the extra 5
> > foot height
> > closer to the subject wouldn't make much different in the outcome...
> > ;)
> >
> > I might be able to find the big and little dipper but, other than
> > that, my astronavigation is a little rusty...
> >
> > Gee. I might as well save this and turn it into an introduction when
> > I have a little more time...
> >
> > Jon Wichman
> > jwichman@xxxxxxxxx
> >
> > P.S. Have "shot the moon" with the mirror lens and, recalled the
> > daylight rule for that.
> > Those came out well.
>
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