Some (very) wide field images taken whilst at Kielder Star Camp...

[James]

I had a few days at the spring Kielder Star Camp and we were lucky enough to get some clear skies on all three nights I was there It wasn't ideal for long exposure CCD imaging but that wasn't a problem as I'd taken a DSLR and was playing with timelapses.... but here's three shots (all single 30 second exposures with minimal processing) using a Canon 6D and/or 7D with a Samyang 14mm lens - the Orion pic was using a 6D with a 50mm f/1.8 Canon lens (stopped down to f/2.8 I think...)

Shot taken at about 4:30am - the light pollution visible to the lower right is from 'the North East' - Newcastle/Tyneside etc. It is visible with the eye but only just, the image does 'enhance' the NE glow Cygnus is visible in the centre of the shot with Vega just above, Altair is also visible to the lower right of these just above the trees.

A quick 20 second exposure grabbed before Orion vanished from my vantage point. I can't wait to see what a modded camera could do with this patch of sky but was still surprised to see just how obvious the Flame nebula near Alnitak on Orion belt is... There was a bit of cloud drifting through, invisible to the eye but noticeable on the images coming off the camera.

I did a time-lapse aimed to the west/north west - this is a shot from this. Orion is obvious as are the Pleiades... I quite like that M31/Andromeda Galaxy is visible off to the lower right and M33 nearby

I'm not sure what the forum software is going to do to the pics so apologies in advance if they are a little blurred, they were sharp when they came out the camera!!

I did get a chance to play at doing some timelapses - if you'd like a look they can be seen here:  www.vimeo.com/jamesmackay

Be gentle, not only are DSLR's new to me, so are timelapses...

James

[pipnina]

I think you nailed it!

Your white balance looks good, it's not over/under exposed at all, you've used the rule of thirds somewhat in images 1 and 3.

Although, I remember 30 second exposures leaving trails... Oh well.

[pipnina]

Also, in image 2 I beleive you caught the flame nebula AND perhaps a little little bit of the horse head!

[bish]

Nice one James. I couldn't make it this Spring and am jealous looking at your pics! it's surprising what you can get with single exposures.

[bish]

Is that the Rosette too?

[Psychobilly]

Very nice "intro" into DSLR imaging James - The 6D is a cracking camera for this sort of thing... 

It's doesn't fit into my "dual" use model with the focus being on daytime and Wildlife with a bit of Astro which is why I have the 5DIII and 7DII and fairly soon I'm having the 7D full spectrum modified by Andy Ellis at Astronomiser... I have the filters needed to take care of UV/IR cut or IR Pass  as needed...

Just wait till you try it with a modded camera and the Ha starts "popping"  out at you  

Peter...

[RikM]

Beautiful shots James

My next camera body should be a 6D but I need some better glass first.

[James]

Hmmm... glass... that the next obstacle. Peter's been very helpful but I do need some more of my own.

The three images are all single subs pulled out from my time-lapses, next time its clear I might work a little harder at getting some standalone images

James

[Psychobilly]

For Astro use you wont go far wrong with the Samyang lenses.

They are good old fashioned fully manual focus and aperture lenses which optically perform well above their ticket price...

L's get addictive... Especially the fast ones....

Peter...