Zodiacal Light

[Gerr]

This time of year the Zodiacal Light should be quite visible after sunset in the West (apparently) and if you have dark skies that way!

I've yet to see this phenomenon here on Anglesey where I live!!

However, I did go to La Palma (Isla Bonita) in the Canary Islands in January this year and took quite a few memorable images of the night sky there. It is a magical island for Astro photographers!

Whilst there, for the first time, I saw the Zodiacal light. I could not believe my eyes at first and didn't fully comprehend what I was seeing! 

This glow with the Jacobus Kapteyn Observatory at the base of it seemed to trigger understanding and then I knew I needed to get my camera out and shoot the scene.

I managed a panoramic composite image which included the Orion Nebula as well as the Zodiacal light  taken on top of the Roque De Los Muchachos.

The Sky shots were tracked with my Canon6D and 24mm Samyang 24mm lens at ISO1600 60secs f4.  I took 12 in portrait orientation and 5 for the landscape (ISO3200 30secs at f2).

These were stitched in PTGui and processed in Photoshop Lightroom and CS. Some hydrogen alpha was also blended in for the nebula.

Hope you like?

CC's welcome.

The Zodiacal Light:

 

 

[AstroNebulee]

Fantastic Gerr. I've not seen the zodiacal light yet. All the more lovely with the H alpha of Orion. 

Lee 

[ollypenrice]

Lovely shot.

I had the pleasure of being host here, for a week, to Dr René Dumont whose doctoral thesis was on the zodiacal light and whose article on the subject is the very last in Moran's Astronomy and Astrophysics Encyclopedia. It was a delight to be enlightened on the subject by a professional astronomer and world authority, especially since he was such a truly nice man. (He and his wife were particularly attached to our affectionate dog and asked after her on subsequent Christmas cards. ) 

Olly

Edited April 6 by ollypenrice

[Gerr]

1 hour ago, ollypenrice said:

Lovely shot.

I had the pleasure of being host here, for a week, to Dr René Dumont whose doctoral thesis was on the zodiacal light and whose article on the subject is the very last in Moran's Astronomy and Astrophysics Encyclopedia. It was a delight to be enlightened on the subject by a professional astronomer and world authority, especially since he was such a truly nice man. The sky played kindly as well...

Olly

Wow, that must of been a privilege. My head on astrophysics is not that great but if I can get a pretty picture of it’s visible characteristics than that is enough for me.

😀Geraint.

[ollypenrice]

9 hours ago, Gerr said:

Wow, that must of been a privilege. My head on astrophysics is not that great but if I can get a pretty picture of it’s visible characteristics than that is enough for me.

😀Geraint.

Nothing wrong with that. René was here, he said, to see it and photograph it, perhaps for the last time. He was in his eighties and had too much LP to see it from his home on the other side of the country.

Olly