# Milky Way shot from last night **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [July 6, 2019, 2:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/milky-way-shot-from-last-night/836624 "2019-07-06T14:56:20Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![beowulff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beowulff/32/542_2.png) [@beowulff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beowulff)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2019, 2:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/milky-way-shot-from-last-night/836624/1 "2019-07-06T14:56:20Z")
My wife and I went to our place in Williams, AZ for the 4th, to get out of the Phoenix heat (it was 66°F during the fireworks!). I didn’t bring a lot of camera gear, but I did bring my tripod, so I decided to try a night shot. There is a small watering hole very close to our place, and I set up and waited for the sky to get dark. My wife wasn’t feeling well, so she wanted me back by 9:15. The sky still wasn’t fully dark at that time, and the crescent moon was up, but conditions were pretty good. I also didn’t have my good wide-angle, fast, prime lenses, just my 16-300mm Superzoom. [But, it’s a good “proof of concept” - I’ll have to come back with the good gear later.](https://cl.ly/6a8032d46a5c) [Bonus fireworks+moon shot](https://cl.ly/efd31740a87b). ---
**Author:** ![Two\_Many\_Cats](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8dc957/32.png) [@Two\_Many\_Cats](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Two_Many_Cats)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2019, 3:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/milky-way-shot-from-last-night/836624/2 "2019-07-06T15:01:57Z")
Wow. That’s amazing. I’d say something clever, but I’m at a loss for words. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2019, 4:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/milky-way-shot-from-last-night/836624/3 "2019-07-06T16:59:04Z")
> [@beowulff](#): > > [But, it’s a good “proof of concept” - I’ll have to come back with the good gear later.](https://cl.ly/6a8032d46a5c) I’m getting a “Website blocked because of Trojan” message from Malwarebytes. ---
**Author:** ![beowulff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beowulff/32/542_2.png) [@beowulff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beowulff)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2019, 5:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/milky-way-shot-from-last-night/836624/4 "2019-07-06T17:10:47Z")
> [@Chefguy](#): > > I’m getting a “Website blocked because of Trojan” message from Malwarebytes. I don’t know why CloudApp gets that warning sometimes. Try this: [![Imgur](https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/48214030782_22d184f0f6_b.jpg "DSC\_5480") ](https://www.flickr.com/photos/11822576@N08/48214030782/in/dateposted-public/) ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2019, 5:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/milky-way-shot-from-last-night/836624/5 "2019-07-06T17:18:56Z")
> [@beowulff](#): > > I don’t know why CloudApp gets that warning sometimes. > Try this: > [DSC\_5480 | beowulff | Flickr](https://www.flickr.com/photos/11822576@N08/48214030782/in/dateposted-public/) That came out pretty well. Did you have it set to auto? ---
**Author:** ![beowulff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beowulff/32/542_2.png) [@beowulff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beowulff)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2019, 5:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/milky-way-shot-from-last-night/836624/6 "2019-07-06T17:19:56Z")
> [@Chefguy](#): > > That came out pretty well. Did you have it set to auto? No, manual - 8 seconds at ƒ/3.5 ISO 1600 Nikon D7200 w/Tamron 16mm-300mm @16mm ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2019, 5:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/milky-way-shot-from-last-night/836624/7 "2019-07-06T17:26:39Z")
> [@beowulff](#): > > No, manual - 8 seconds at ƒ/3.5 ISO 1600 > Nikon D7200 w/Tamron 16mm-300mm @16mm I have the same camera. I may have to give it a try. ---
**Author:** ![Spiderman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spiderman/32/230_2.png) [@Spiderman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spiderman)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2019, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/milky-way-shot-from-last-night/836624/8 "2019-07-06T17:29:42Z")
what’s the body of water, lake or river, because there’s blur in the water. Is there movement/current in the water? Sky looks good! ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2019, 5:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/milky-way-shot-from-last-night/836624/9 "2019-07-06T17:49:28Z")
Okay, now that I’ve seen the proof-of-concept, I’m ready to see your final product. The fireworks look great; too bad the moon couldn’t cooperate more for the composition. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2019, 8:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/milky-way-shot-from-last-night/836624/10 "2019-07-06T20:30:00Z")
> [@beowulff](#): > > No, manual - 8 seconds at ƒ/3.5 ISO 1600 > Nikon D7200 w/Tamron 16mm-300mm @16mm I looked at some of your other photos on Flickr. Some nice shots in there, especially in the desert and Monument Valley. ---
**Author:** ![beowulff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beowulff/32/542_2.png) [@beowulff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beowulff)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2019, 11:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/milky-way-shot-from-last-night/836624/11 "2019-07-06T23:08:08Z")
> [@Spiderman](#): > > what’s the body of water, lake or river, because there’s blur in the water. Is there movement/current in the water? > > Sky looks good! It’s a little man-made watering hole [here](https://www.google.com/maps/place/Williams,+AZ+86046/@35.2702202,-112.0522387,1519m/data=!3m1!1e3!4m5!3m4!1s0x87329ee95301a555:0x1da5e7c7cdc05386!8m2!3d35.2494566!4d-112.1910031). There was a stiff breeze (there’s always a breeze up there), so the water had ripples on it. ---
**Author:** ![beowulff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beowulff/32/542_2.png) [@beowulff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beowulff)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2019, 11:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/milky-way-shot-from-last-night/836624/12 "2019-07-06T23:12:17Z")
> [@Snowboarder\_Bo](#): > > Okay, now that I’ve seen the proof-of-concept, I’m ready to see your final product. > > The fireworks look great; too bad the moon couldn’t cooperate more for the composition. I’m already planning when I can go back - looks like the weekend of 8/3 might be good - no moon, and Milky way nearly vertical around 10pm. ---
**Author:** ![DorkVader](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/73ab20/32.png) [@DorkVader](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DorkVader)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2019, 11:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/milky-way-shot-from-last-night/836624/13 "2019-07-07T11:21:14Z")
“Nice shootin there Arizona” It’s sometimes amazing the photos that can be gotten out of what you might think is inadequate equipment. You have skill, and maybe a bit of luck. ---
**Author:** ![mandala](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mandala/32/95_2.png) [@mandala](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mandala)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2019, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/milky-way-shot-from-last-night/836624/14 "2019-07-07T20:38:01Z")
Beautiful. In the first photo, what’s that thing shining like a bulb in top center? Is it Venus? ---
**Author:** ![beowulff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beowulff/32/542_2.png) [@beowulff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beowulff)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2019, 8:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/milky-way-shot-from-last-night/836624/15 "2019-07-07T20:51:10Z")
> [@mandala](#): > > Beautiful. In the first photo, what’s that thing shining like a bulb in top center? Is it Venus? It’s Vega. So bright that I could see it’s reflection even before the sky was dark. ---
**Author:** ![D18](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c57346/32.png) [@D18](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/D18)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2019, 2:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/milky-way-shot-from-last-night/836624/16 "2019-07-10T14:00:28Z")
Sorry to be late on replying - love both photos! However, in the second one with the fireworks and the moon, you answered a question I’ve had for some time: according to Katy Perry, fireworks are even brighter than the moon, moon, moon, and I wondered if she was correct. Looks like, yes, they can be (in the “galactic centre” bit, if you will), but otherwise, not! ---
**Author:** ![beowulff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beowulff/32/542_2.png) [@beowulff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beowulff)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2019, 3:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/milky-way-shot-from-last-night/836624/17 "2019-09-08T03:26:35Z")
OK, [here’s](https://www.flickr.com/photos/11822576@N08/48696391013/in/dateposted-public/) my second version. I didn’t get a chance to go back until the end of August, and the core of our galaxy is starting to get low in the sky. I’m going to try from a different location in two weeks, and that will be it until next spring. This version was taken with my Nikon D800E and Nikon 20mm f/1.8 lens, which is a far superior combination than the first one (mostly due to the lens - the D7200 is capable of excellent night shots (but the D800E is better)). This image is a composite of 25 sequential frames, stacked with “Starry Landscape Stacker,” which results in an almost noise-free image. BTW, I also posted this in the “Dark Sky Location” thread. ---
**Author:** ![saucywench](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/85e7bf/32.png) [@saucywench](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/saucywench)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2019, 4:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/milky-way-shot-from-last-night/836624/18 "2019-09-08T04:02:08Z")
That is a fantastic picture! ---
**Author:** ![wolfpup](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolfpup/32/10618_2.png) [@wolfpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfpup)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2019, 3:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/milky-way-shot-from-last-night/836624/19 "2019-09-08T15:55:17Z")
Yes, that is a fantastic picture, but I was also browsing through your collection and you really have some impressive shots there. [This](https://www.flickr.com/photos/11822576@N08/36531305930/in/dateposted-public/), for instance, is a work of art! ---
**Author:** ![beowulff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beowulff/32/542_2.png) [@beowulff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beowulff)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2019, 5:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/milky-way-shot-from-last-night/836624/20 "2019-09-08T17:20:49Z")
Thanks for the nice comments.