Stargazing and Camera Settings
Photographing the night sky is a challenging yet rewarding thing to accomplish and requires a lot of knowledge. There are so many factors that play a role to get the perfect shot such as choosing the right location, monitoring the weather, and of course camera settings.
Before you go out in the middle of the night, you want to check where the darkest skies are near you to avoid light pollution. Check out this map to find the best spots. You also want to check the weather forecast for clear skies. The last thing you want happening is driving out to the perfect spot but not being able to see anything because of clouds rolling in. Some of the best stargazing spots are in the desert because of such few clouds.
What is the best camera to use for astrophotography?
A full frame DSLR or mirrorless camera are typically the best to photograph the night sky for clear and sharp images.
What should my camera settings be?
Before anything, you want to make sure you have a tripod sturdy enough for long exposures and to prevent blurring. Once you’re ready to start photographing, you want your camera settings to be the following:
Camera set to Manual mode
Wide Aperture between F/1.4 - F/2.8
Shutter Speeds at least 10 seconds depending if you want star trails or not
High ISO 1600 or above (adjust as needed depending on shutter speed and aperture)
Auto-focus OFF
Shoot in RAW format
Use a remote shutter release, timer, or phone app
Photographing the Milky Way
Generally speaking, the MIlky Way is most visible between the months of March and September in the Northern Hemisphere and varies when it peaks depending on time and your location.
Editing Photos in Lightroom
After taking the photos, you want to enhance the images by editing them for the best quality. Check out this link for step by step on how to enhance your night sky photos and to learn more about how to photograph the night sky.
Let us know if you’re interested in a astrophotography trip with Assyrian Adventures by filling out our contact form!