Help please with identification of objects.

[garyscott]

Hi all, i was testing out different shooting modes on my DSLR. All equipment is clean and dust free. I tried (safely) shooting the sun at different settings, and settled on, for test purposes only in late afternoon daylight, 1/4000th sec, f36, ISO 100. On reviewing the images after, of the best image, i noticed lots of points of light around the sun, and extending a good distance from it. Could these be stars?? Bear in mind that this was broad daylight (16:20local), shooting AT the sun, using settings that are at the complete opposite end of the scale that i normally use for imaging the stars at night. The first image is the whole image, second zoomed in somewhat. Is this normal? Has anyone had something similar when shooting the sun? Sony A-230 DSLR, SIGMA 70-300 lens, ND filter, Lens hood.

[abumuhannadh]

i don't think at those settings, you can get to shoot stars in the night, let alone in the day AND towards the sun.

[lukebl]

I'm sure there are experts elsewhere on this forum, but my first thought is DON'T DO IT!!

Pointing your camera at the sun could, at best, permanently damage your camera, or at worst, permanently damage your eyes! What density of ND filter where you using?

By the way, no they're not stars. Couldn't be, with an exposure of 1/4000th sec at f36.

[garyscott]

Wasnt a major filter, Hoya 4x.

Im just intrigued as to what they are, there is deffinately no dust spots on my equipment, so i can rule that out. Some sort of atmospheric phenomenon? There was no debris visible in the air, i am at a loss as to how to explain this, really strange.

[lukebl]

Wasnt a major filter, Hoya 4x

I repeat. DON'T DO IT!

[garyscott]

I wont , lesson learned. However, on the other images, where clouds have moved over etc, the points of light remain in their relative positions to the sun, which leads me to believe they are deffinately out of the atmoshere. ?

[garyscott]

Carefully crossing the zoomed pic with stellarium for the time and location, i can identify by location in the pic, exactly, HIP31323 & HIP 31316 at upper left (fuzzy blob), then coming toward the sun, slightly lower, HIP 31000, and slightly higher, HIP 30958.

???

[themos]

They are, in all probability, light scatter from tiny dust spots in your optics. To try out this theory, shoot a lightbulb from a tripod and let the camera overexpose until you see spots. Then move the lightbulb and see if the spots move with it.

[garyscott]

They are, in all probability, light scatter from tiny dust spots in your optics. To try out this theory, shoot a lightbulb from a tripod and let the camera overexpose until you see spots. Then move the lightbulb and see if the spots move with it.

Ill give that a go, will report back!!