by Mike Carroll
The beauty of our universe is certainly something I look forward to, especially the Milky Way. In this article, I'm going to discuss my planning and techniques for the night sky.
Planning Your Adventure
The sound of nature, shooting stars, comets and the feeling of losing oneself beneath the night sky are priceless. Before heading out, the first task on my list is to check the Bortle scale for the area I plan to visit. There are numerous resources online to assess light pollution. Next, I check the weather, as it plays a crucial role in my upcoming adventure under the stars.
Weather
The weather is one of the most important factors for photographing the night sky. Keep your weather notifications enabled, as those alerts can prevent you from making a long drive.
Here are some key points that I consider for my next adventure.
- Very low cloud coverage
- Calm wind conditions
- High humidity can put a damper on your images
- Fog (keep an eye on the dew point and temperature. If they're close together, there can be some potential fog!)
- Smoke (wildfires)
Capturing the Milky Way
For optimal results, it is advisable to use a full-frame camera, such as a mirrorless or DSLR model. Select a lens with a fast aperture of f/1.4 or f/2.8. My preferred lenses for photographing the night sky is the Sigma 28-45mm f/1.8 DG DN Art or a fast prime lens with an aperture of f/1.2 or f/1.4. Additionally, a wide-angle zoom lens with a constant f/2.8 aperture such as the Sigma 14-24mm f/2.8 DG DN Art can provide more options for compositions and a more suitable focal length. Regarding settings, I typically shoot at an aperture of around f/1.8 and keep the shutter speed between 5 to 10 seconds to prevent star trailing, while increasing the ISO to compensate for my exposure.
Shooting Locations/Apps
It is advisable to scout your vantage point during the day to see exactly what will be included in your image. Planit Pro is a great application for planning rare celestial events such as aligning comets in the night sky.
You can utilize the Night AR feature in PhotoPills to assist you with your desired Milky Way alignment.
Light Pollution
As I mentioned earlier, the light pollution is something to consider when you're planning your next shot. In this image below, I had to battle with the light pollution in the area but the good news here is that the image still worked out!
Foreground Options
I always look for something in the foreground when setting up my composition. It can be anything from a bench, branches, or flowers. Look for something appealing and take a test shot by illuminating the foreground to see how it appears. I recommend not staying in one spot for too long, as you might miss other opportunities for different compositions. Please remember that your alignment will change as the Galactic Core moves.
