AstroLandscapes #68 - MidSummer Milky Way

[FenlandPaul]

Nearly a couple of weeks before the Summer Solstice, I headed out to the Norfolk coast to Happisburgh, home of one of Britain's most beautiful lighthouses.  I'd shot the lighthouse a couple of years ago so this time I was headed to the beach, where I hoped dilapidated wooden sea defences and a curious sculpture known as the Time and Tide Bell would make interesting foregrounds.  With such little darkness at this time of year, I was able to arrive early, get a good look around and simply enjoy the evening, although the temperature had dipped to around 6C by the time I packed up and went home.

I'd planned the night around tide times, so the tide was starting to go out as I arrived and that hopefully, by around 1am, each of my foreground targets would be well positioned and accessible.  I hadn't quite banked on the shifting shingle creating a lagoon around the Tide Bell, however, so to get the composition I wanted ultimately required a paddle - nothing like the bracing North Sea to wake you up before the two hour drive home!  I'd hoped to catch some noctilucent clouds over the evening but sadly nothing showed up, although I was visited by a nice tight chain of Starlink satellites at one point, which cruised down the Milky Way nicely.

What was particularly lovely about the night - and a first for me - was as I returned to the car I bumped into another photographer who watched by YouTube channel and had been out having a go at shooting the Milky Way over the lighthouse - so encouraging to see his results and it was awesome to hear about someone giving it all a go. Although I rather suspect as I was no longer wearing trousers at that point, he may have subsequently unsubscribed!

As usual, I made a film about the night, which you can find linked at the bottom - one to sit with a coffee and enjoy.

Grateful for any observations, comments and tips as ever.  Thanks, Paul.  😊

 

✨TIDAL WAY✨

📷 Canon 6D (astro-modded) with Sigma Art 24mm f/1.4 lens and SkyWatcher StarAdventurer tracker
🔧 Foreground: 1x 2.5s exposure at f/5.6 and ISO800 in blue hour. Sky: 11x 120s tracked exposures at f/3.5 and ISO800.
🎞️ Sky stacked in Sequator. Edited and blended in PhotoShop and Starnet++

 

✨TIDE BELL ON A SUMMER NIGHT✨

📷 Canon 6D (astro-modified) with Sigma Art 24mm f/1.4 lens and Skywatcher StarAdventurer tracker
🔧 Sky: 10x 80s tracked exposures at f/4 and ISO 800.  Foreground: 1x30s exposure at ISO6400 and f/5.6
🎞️ Stacked in Sequator. Edited and blended in Photoshop

✨BEACH VIEW✨

📷Canon 6D (astro-modified) with Sigma Art 24mm f/1.4 lens

🔧 14x 13s exposures at f/4 and ISO6400

🎞️ Stacked in Sequator. Edited in Photoshop

 

✨TIDE BELL VERTORAMA✨

📷 Canon 6D with Samyang 14mm f/2.8

🔧 Sky: 30x 20s exposures at f/4 and ISO3200.  Foreground: 1x 30s exposure at f/4 and ISO2500

🎞️ Stacked in Sequator.  Edited and blended in Photoshop.

 

✨THE DEFENCE RESTS✨

📷 Canon 6D (astro-modified) with Sigma Art 24mm f/1.4 lens and Skywatcher StarAdventurer tracker
🔧 Sky: 10x 80s tracked exposures at f/4 and ISO 800.  Foreground: 2x15s exposure at ISO1250 and f/10 (lightpainted)
🎞️ Stacked in Sequator. Edited and blended in Photoshop

 

 

[clarkpm4242]

It's interesting to see how the different ratios/image crops work so well!

Really enjoyed the virtual trip out @FenlandPaul Covid finally found me after 4 years, has been a torrid week.

Thank you,  Paul.

[FenlandPaul]

50 minutes ago, clarkpm4242 said:

It's interesting to see how the different ratios/image crops work so well!

Really enjoyed the virtual trip out @FenlandPaul Covid finally found me after 4 years, has been a torrid week.

Thank you,  Paul.

Thanks, Paul - had a bit of a play with different crops (although I've decided the Portrait-XL doesn't really work on a landscape monitor - more for the iphone generation!).

Hope you're on the mend and sorry it's been a rough week.

[AstroNebulee]

Thus was one of your best journals Paul just for the comedy element 😂. 

There is something so special about hearing the sea and waves at night, so much peace and grounding. 

I continue to learn so much from you, lots I try to put into practice if I can or if I remember at the time. 

Just so many amazing images created on this night. Thank you, a real sense of joy I have watching your journals. 

I've just received my new manfrotto 190go alloy tripod from mpb.com for a good price, not the carbon fibre (maybe in the future) and a star adventurer photo pack as I've always regretted selling my star adventurer a few years ago. 

I look forward to your next adventure and lessons in Widefield astrophotography. 

Clear skies 

 

Lee 

[AstroNebulee]

4 hours ago, clarkpm4242 said:

It's interesting to see how the different ratios/image crops work so well!

Really enjoyed the virtual trip out @FenlandPaul Covid finally found me after 4 years, has been a torrid week.

Thank you,  Paul.

I hope you feel better soon Paul 🙏

Clear skies 

Lee 

[FenlandPaul]

39 minutes ago, AstroNebulee said:

Thus was one of your best journals Paul just for the comedy element 😂. 

There is something so special about hearing the sea and waves at night, so much peace and grounding. 

I continue to learn so much from you, lots I try to put into practice if I can or if I remember at the time. 

Just so many amazing images created on this night. Thank you, a real sense of joy I have watching your journals. 

I've just received my new manfrotto 190go alloy tripod from mpb.com for a good price, not the carbon fibre (maybe in the future) and a star adventurer photo pack as I've always regretted selling my star adventurer a few years ago. 

I look forward to your next adventure and lessons in Widefield astrophotography. 

Clear skies 

 

Lee 

Thanks so much, Lee - I really appreciate that.  Glad you enjoyed it.  Completely agree about the sound of the waves and the stars above your head - can't beat it.

The Manfrotto and StarAdventurer combo should be excellent - hope you enjoy using it.  The only downside of the SA in my opinion is its considerable weight - I could do with losing a few kg from my pack (and myself, to be honest! 🤣) but on a windy night in the field, nothing beats it.

[AstroNebulee]

3 minutes ago, FenlandPaul said:

Thanks so much, Lee - I really appreciate that.  Glad you enjoyed it.  Completely agree about the sound of the waves and the stars above your head - can't beat it.

The Manfrotto and StarAdventurer combo should be excellent - hope you enjoy using it.  The only downside of the SA in my opinion is its considerable weight - I could do with losing a few kg from my pack (and myself, to be honest! 🤣) but on a windy night in the field, nothing beats it.

I know what you mean about losing some weight in the backpack, though not necessarily ourselves (if I lose anymore the windy nights will blow me about haha) I'm busily sorting my main backpack out with the minimal kit I can go with, though still a fair bit in it, especially as I have the WO wedge. I will have to weigh it and see how much.

Clear skies 

Lee