Chris S. Offline Upload & Sell: Off
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p.1 #11 · p.1 #11 · Is this shot possible at sea level without a tracking rig? | |
Let's remember that the shot shown at the beginning of this post could not be made with a tracking rig, since it includes a stationary tent and landscape. Tracking rigs are for images of the spinning sky alone. (Of course, it could be done by compositing two images—but yuck.)
Like the others, I’ll repeat that you might as well not bother shooting unless you can see the Milky Way clearly with your eyes (though if coming out of a bright area, you might need to give your eyes a few minutes to dark-adapt). Ideally, you want a dark location, the moon in a dark phase, no clouds or just a few, and very clear air—not much moisture or dust in it. A night or two after a cold front (high pressure system) passes is often good for air quality. You also need to be there at a time when the Milky Way is above the horizon—a free program called Stellarium is my second favorite way to know when things will rise and set (my favorite way is to spend lots of time outside at night, which eventually teaches us to anticipate this without help).
New Jersey’s Great Swamp, about an hour from Manhattan, might work—I once shot a comet there without difficulty. And Ringwood, NJ—also about an hour from Manhattan—has some dark skies. If you don’t mind some additional driving, a bit under 5 hours away from you is Cherry Springs State Park in Pennsylvania. This area is about 2,000 feet higher than sea level, and is known for very dark skies. The park personnel and local residents are friendly people who actively welcome photographers and other observers of the night sky. The park hosts star parties monthly during the warm months. See here: http://www.dcnr.state.pa.us/stateparks/findapark/cherrysprings/cherrysprings-darkskies/
Some years before Cherry Springs became known for dark skies, I was driving through there just after a cold front had passed, and saw the Milky Way very vividly even with my eyes adapted to driving with my car’s bright beams. I pulled off the road, shut off my lights, and gave my eyes a few minutes to dark-adapt. What I saw wows me to this day. It looked as if one could walk across the Milky Way like a bridge—it was that solid and bright. I didn’t have a camera that evening, and have since photographed the Milky Way many times—usually from much higher elevations. And while I’ve found conditions for perfectly acceptable Milky Way images, I’ve never seen it nearly so clearly at that night in Pennsylvania. So you may have to drive a half-day from home—perhaps not so terribly far?--to make a Milky Way picture that matches your vision.
Your gear may limit you a bit—I shoot night skies with the D700 and 14-24mm f/2.8. At 14mm, 20-second shutter-open time, f/2.8, ISO 3200, I find the sweet spot. The D700 produces better results in low light than the D300s, and the 14mm wide angle on full frame shows a bigger chunk of sky than your 17-55mm f/2.8—while reducing the impression of star trails. You already have good gear—but this is one scenario where a bigger sensor and wider-angle lens could be make or break.
Good luck!
--Chris
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