AstroLandscapes #53 - the Cave, the Cats and the Core

[FenlandPaul]

We have often had family holidays around the town of Javea, overlooking the Spanish Mediterranean on the Costa Blanca.  Light, buff-coloured cliffs tower over tiny coves, nestled between wide expanses of sandy beach. Logistics and bizarre local access restrictions have usually meant we’ve been limited to a few locations but in during our visit this month I was determined to find a few interesting locations for Milky Way shots.

This part of Spain is very heavily light-polluted, with almost no coastal viewpoint undeveloped. But the coastline runs north-east to south-west, so it’s possible to capture the Milky Way directly over the sea for the first few hours of darkness. Finding obliging foregrounds is more of a challenge. I spent hours scouring Google Earth for interesting locations that were reasonably accessible, within a couple of hours’ drive from Javea. Despite the large search area, I ended up finding somewhere just 5 minutes from the villa in which we were staying!

Cova del Llop Mari is a small rock platform perched above the sea beneath impressive cliffs. During the day, it’s a haven for daytrippers aboard motor boats and paddle boarders, who dive off the platform into the turquoise waters and explore the gaping sea cave beneath the rock platform. There’s also a path - albeit quite a terrifying one - down from the road, which is partially stepped but at times seems to disappear. Practically this was the only way I was able to access the rock platform, and a daytime scouting exercise allowed me to familiarise myself with the more exposed and sketchier sections. The way back up in the baking sun wasn’t, however, something to be recommended!

I arrived shortly after sunset while there was still some light in the sky. Gentle waves lapped at the rocks, occasionally interspersed with a larger break that would splash water over the platform. Shining my head torch around the cliffs, several pairs of eyes stared back at me; I couldn’t quite make out their form, but I suspect they were wild or stray cats. They kept an eye on me all night - I think I was on their turf.

I had a couple of compositions in mind.  The first was a simple view of the rock platform and cliffs dropping into the water with the Milky Way core above; it was early enough in the evening that the orientation of the Milky Way mirrored that of the cliffs. The composition allowed for a selfie as well.

However the composition I was most excited about was from within a small cave, which framed the Milky Way core perfectly. It was more than a little unnerving going into this cave at night, not least because it was intensely hot and filled with mosquitoes. But the prospect of a framed Milky Way shot was too much to resist, so the temporary discomfort was very much worth the end result, although I type this whilst scratching vigorously at the dozens of bites picked up on my arms and legs that evening!

There’s something quite special about shooting the night sky next to the sea.  Both remind me of the vastness of this universe we call home. The combination of starlit sky, inky black waters and the sounds of the waves really help you to reset.

I also produced a video Nightscape Journal to go along with this outing, the link for which you can find at the bottom of this post - hope you enjoy it!

✨Contemplation✨

Canon 6D (astro-modified) with Samyang 14mm f/2.8 len lens
Sky: 23x20s exposures at ISO3200 at f/2.8 Foreground: Blend of 1x120s exposure at f/4 and ISO1600 and 1x10s exposure at f/4 and ISO 6400
Sky stacked in Sequator. Edited and blended in PhotoShop.

✨Through the Keyhole✨

📷 Canon 6D (astro-modified) with Samyang 14mm f/2.8 lens for foreground and Samyang 24mm f/1.4 lens with Skywatcher StarAdventurer tracker for sky.
🔧 Foreground: lightpainted focus stack of 2 images of 8s at f/4 and ISO1600. Sky: 12x2 min tracked exposures at ISO800 and f/4 (scaled to 14mm equivalent)
🎞️ Sky stacked in Sequator. Edited and assembled in PhotoShop.

✨Cliffs and Core✨

📷 Canon 6D (astro-modified) with Samyang 24mm f/1.8 lens and Skywatcher StarAdventurer tracker for sky.
🔧 Foreground: focus stack of 2x30s exposures at ISO3200 and f/4. Sky: 12x2min tracked exposures at ISO800 and f/4
🎞️ Sky stacked in Sequator. Edited and assembled in PhotoShop.

✨Shelter✨

📷 Canon 6D (astro-modified) with Samyang 24mm f/1.4 lens and Skywatcher StarAdventurer tracker for sky.
🔧 Foreground: lightpainted focus stack of 3 images of 8s at f/4 and ISO1600. Sky: 12x2 min tracked exposures at ISO800 and f/4 
🎞️ Sky stacked in Sequator. Edited and assembled in PhotoShop.

Nightscape Journal vlog link:

 

[AstroNebulee]

Wow just wow Paul! 🤯 Absolutely stunning captures. I really love all of them and exceptional but the Through the keyhole and Shelter images are stand out brilliant, how imaginative the idea for using the cave opening to frame the milky way. 

I enjoyed hearing your scouting mission and the description, it made for an engrossed read. 

I hope your bites heal soon and you had a lovely holiday. 

 

Lee 

 

Edited August 25, 2023 by AstroNebulee

[FenlandPaul]

14 minutes ago, AstroNebulee said:

Wow just wow Paul! 🤯 Absolutely stunning captures. I really love all of them and exceptional but the Through the keyhole image is stand out brilliant, how imaginative the idea for using the cave opening to frame the milky way. 

 

Thank you, Lee - appreciated. I actually got the idea for the cave shot from an image I took at Porthgwarra, in (kind of) your neck of the woods!

 

🦟 still scratching!

[AstroNebulee]

6 minutes ago, FenlandPaul said:

Thank you, Lee - appreciated. I actually got the idea for the cave shot from an image I took at Porthgwarra, in (kind of) your neck of the woods!

 

🦟 still scratching!

Your very welcome Paul. Both stunning cave images and at leave you for out alive from the cats cave, save your bites. Plenty of calamine. 

I shall enjoy watching your video later when I'm home from work 😊

Lee 

Edited August 25, 2023 by AstroNebulee

[davew]

Wow. You've an eye for the shot I must say. I also enjoy your lyrical prose  

I'll be watching your video later on this evening so thanks in advance,

Dave.

[FenlandPaul]

6 minutes ago, davew said:

Wow. You've an eye for the shot I must say. I also enjoy your lyrical prose  

I'll be watching your video later on this evening so thanks in advance,

Dave.

Thank you Dave - that’s very kind.  Hope you enjoy the video as much as I enjoy making them. 😊

[clarkpm4242]

A great set of images!  Definitely not the Fens...

...cheers, Paul.

 

[FenlandPaul]

4 minutes ago, clarkpm4242 said:

A great set of images!  Definitely not the Fens...

...cheers, Paul.

 

Thanks Paul - definitely a break from the Fens!

[Daniel-K]

NICE WORK!!!!

[davew]

On 25/08/2023 at 16:14, FenlandPaul said:

Hope you enjoy the video as much as I enjoy making them. 😊

I knew I would even before switching it on ! Very nice and thanks.

Dave.

[FenlandPaul]

35 minutes ago, davew said:

I knew I would even before switching it on ! Very nice and thanks.

Dave.

Thanks for the kind words, Dave. Hopefully another one next weekend (editing time permitting!).

[The Admiral]

Fantastic shots once again Paul. The cliff looks horrendously treacherous even during the daytime, one slip and there's a long way to fall!

I hesitate to comment to a master of his art, but I find the light painted foregrounds too bright and compete with the wonderfully captured MW. In the second shot I feel a crop off the sides to give a squarer format would be better too. Probably just me, each to his own. Please don't feel offended.

Ian

Edited August 27, 2023 by The Admiral

[FenlandPaul]

17 minutes ago, The Admiral said:

Fantastic shots once again Paul. The cliff looks horrendously treacherous even during the daytime, one slip and there's a long way to fall!

I hesitate to comment to a master of his art, but I find the light painted foregrounds too bright and compete with the wonderfully captured MW. In the second shot I feel a crop off the sides to give a squarer format would be better too. Probably just me, each to his own. Please don't feel offended.

Ian

Thanks Ian. The square crop is an excellent idea - a lot of the stuff inter edges of that shot are a bit “dead”.

Appreciate the feedback - I think you’ve got a very valid point and you’re not the only one to have made it. I may work on some second edits that calm the foregrounds down a bit. Always welcome the feedback - still very much on the learning curve in this!! 😊