Milky way!

Wow.

So now I know what ETTR is: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Exposing_to_the_right

How did you shoot this, Sumitra? How long was the exposure(s)?

Thanks for the 'wow' Andy! 🙂 I also said 'wow' when I saw the photo on my live view and at home!

Also! Just as the camera was at work, FIREBALL!! And it was in the frame! Amazing! I did see a Perseid with my own eyes in the end! At least I hope it was!

Andy - thanks for posting a link to ETTR. Sorry for not giving details of ETTR yesterday - I was just struggling to stay awake! I am a tad knackered right now, and having my second jug of coffee as I need to get some work done!

How I did: 30sec exposure, ISO 12800, f/4 (complete exif on Flickr).

ISO 12,800??? Oh, heck, I can see the limitations of my 7-year-old Canon with a top ISO of 1,600. I'd have to push to 4 minutes @ f/4...

I was wondering what that streak was. Wow again.

hahaha 🙂 That's my new baby since December! Reward to myself (with the help of my parents) for finishing that pesky PhD!

But you do not need to do like this - I just wanted to try ETTR. You can do with ISO 1600. Not at 4min though!!!! You'll get trails! Unless you mean 4min worth of stacked photos?

I have taken a dozenish of 30 sec @ ISO1600 I took for stacking. As soon as I get a chance (maybe today), I will try. You could have a go that way.

So for this streak - I am not sure this is a Perseid. This is not the one I saw (but it might be!!). The one I saw is in one of the frames I have for Stacking. I will post it later 🙂

We're on the same page on that one. I was meaning that to do an old-fashioned, one-shot, no-stacking photograph I'd have to do 4 minutes - which obviously, as you say, will leave trails. Fine if you want star trails but I wonder what the Milky Way looks like, trailed. A smudgy mess, I'm sure!

🙂 Yes, agree would be a mess!!

Good luck, Look forward to see your photo when you do it 🙂

Another wow reaction from me.  Milky Way, meteorite captured in a light polluted Brighton pier?!?  Great framing and setting....again, an inspiring composition.  And congratulations on finishing your phd Dr Sumitra 🙂

Thanks Andy for the ETTR explanation.  I think it will be a little while before I get to that stage of experimentation...right now, I am sticking with trying to master the basics first (and I've a long way to go in stage too!) and in the mean time marvel and be inspired by Sumitra's images.

I'm signed up for this - though neither of you need it, I'd say!
Digital Astrophotography for Beginners

Can't seem to quote the usual way... ??!?

Anyway

I’m signed up for this – though neither of you need it, I’d say!
Digital Astrophotography for Beginners

Enjoy the course! Mike M and I did it a couple of years ago! 🙂 Looking forward to more photos from you!

Another wow reaction from me. Milky Way, meteorite captured in a light polluted Brighton pier?!? Great framing and setting….again, an inspiring composition. And congratulations on finishing your phd Dr Sumitra 🙂

Thank you, thank you 🙂 I am glad you like it! More to come later...

And thanks re PhD. Will be a year since I printed and submitted, whoohoo! Last summer wasn't the most pleasant one! I'm catching up with this one 🙂

What's your PhD in? And where?

Not in Astronomy, I'm afraid! 🙂 However, if that my research involves developing a framework and tool which is called STAR, of all abbreviations :p!

My PhD is in Operational Research from the LSE (or Management Science... or one of the many other names our field seems to switch to instead of OR... our field seems to have an identity crisis at the moment). In short, OR is a field that uses various mathematical methods to make better decisions. It originated in the military, for the war, but is now applied in many (perhaps all!) industries.

I specialise in using these techniques for messy issues (e.g. with incomplete and/or inaccurate data, with mainly intangible characteristics, and that evolve in deep uncertainty). In other words, using mathematical techniques for issues which are particularly tricky to describe in numbers, and how best to 'translate' these numbers to decision makers in a meaningful way (behavioural decision science etc.)

My PhD was applied to research in counter-terrorism and risk analysis. Now, I work in Public Health and doing research on how to best Allocate Resources for healthcare interventions taking into account the Social and Technical aspect of the issues (Socio-Technical Allocation of Resources, STAR!) in different public and global health contexts (NHS England, Global Fund).

I hope that was not too long an answer! 🙂

Here's another Milky Way, from Rottingdean beside the Windmill.

IMG_7481.jpg by Sumitra_S, on Flickr

What a beautiful photograph. It actually looks like a painting. Lovely.

Yes, I think you're right. We should have a big screen up somewhere at Flamsteed meetings to show off - I mean, 'showcase' - members' photographs.

Andy, I did that astrophotography course last year, its good fun and of course you will learn a lot from it.  It was lectured by Daniel Baskille but I see this year, its now being taught by Tom Kerss.   Daniel emphasised in dlsr photography and framing your shots with an interesting foreground...as most of you do.  Planning was also something he stressed, as Sumitra impeccably demonstrates.

I expect Tom Kers will give a different structure, and perhaps teach precise polar alignment.  I am tempted to sign on again...heck ok, I'll sign on 🙂  Edit: on second thoughts, it seems it will be the same structure so will give a miss.   Enjoy the course, Andy!