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Orion: Two Panel Mosaic


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Orion dazzles in the winter sky and crosses the meridian before mid-evening.

This is a two panel mosaic with an unmodified Pentax K-01. Each exposure used the 50mm 1.7 SMC Pentax A @ F/4.5 and three minute @ ISO 800. The two RAW frames were joined in Photoshop and processed in the same. No stacking or noise reduction was used.

The camera rode atop my SCT piggyback fashion.

I'm pretty happy with the camera and it seems to make a good astrocamera.

8463886132_233e5b4b95_o.jpg

Orion Feb 10 2013 by Nightfly Photography, on Flickr

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Thanks for posting Nightfly a staggering widefield image - and some amazing dark clear sky you have over in Maine. Most of us this side of the pond haven't seen Orion for some weeks now, so very nice to get the refresher ;)

In UK we've got a Sky Quality survey going on this week ( ) - I think the results are going to be somewhat skewed to the negative, But if you could just count all those stars for us......

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Thank you all. I have enjoyed success in the film and now digital realm. The dark skies are a tremendous asset and make images like this (without filters) possible. The permanent pier and observatory allow instant access to astrophotography so I do get allot of sky time.

Jake, the star count in Orion would be well beyond the 40 that tops the chart. I enjoy typical mag 6 + near the celestial equator and 7+ at the zenith on most clear moonless nights. 7.85 is my all time record (2008). My eyes are 45 years old. The past few years have been less dark, perhaps due to the increase in solar activity. SQM meter readings are typically 21.4 - 21.6 mags/sq-arc sec. My best readings a few years ago were in the 21.75 range in the early morning hours in late April. I am fortunate to enjoy such skies, but I do live outside of what most people call civilization.

Thank you all again for the kind response to the image. I hope weather clears soon for my UK / Europe friends!

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Nince nice and nice. So have you moved onto Digital?

Tom

Thanks Tom. Lets just say I am beginning to move in that direction. My plan is to take advantage of both mediums as each has their own strengths in long exposure work, such as wide-field astrophotography and landscape nightscapes. There is an aesthetic that film offers that can't be duplicated with digital IMHO. For fine art black and white work, I'll still take film over digital. There is no noise in film and longer exposure actually improves signal-to-noise. That being said, digital can capture in brief exposures stellar landscapes film could only dream of capturing, is instantly accessible and easier to work with in post production. Workflow is wonderful. I believe in time digital will eventually overcome all its disadvantages and at present is very close to doing so. Working with analog materials is a craft and should remain so as one can still appreciate painting, sketching, watercolors, and other forms of art. These are not replaceable forms of ones expression, but different avenues to the creative spirit.

I feel so lucky to have them both.

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Real nice Jim, a real good showing of Barnards Loop for what is in reality a single exposure. I have just aquired a Astrotrac and if the clouds ever clear a widefield Orion will undoubtedley be my first target, its so beautifull. I will be chuffed should i manage to deliver equally good results.

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