The top and following four photos are the alignment of Jupiter, the moon, Venus and Mars on May 15, 2002. I didn't know there were so many clouds out that night, but it made for a wonderful shots ... along with the plane! I used Fuji Print Film 400, with a Canon AE1 and Canon 24mm, at f1.4 for 20-25 seconds. Tripod and cable release, of course. I did have to retouch all the photos because of a very small lens flare that kept cropping up. I cloned it out, but other than that, I did nothing else to them!!
Don't know what happened to this photo to make light leak on the top and bottom! It was the fifth picture on the roll and the only one exposed. Kinda makes for an interesting photo though.
Here's a picture of the Big Dipper scooping up stars!
I used a 300mm lens for this shot of the moon.
This was my very first night sky scene back in 1999. It got me hooked on wanting to take more!
My favorite photo so far. I took this picture of Saturn and Jupiter, with the Pleiades just above them, on November 27 2000. It was between 9:00-10:00 pm (CST), looking east.
Nope, this isn't a UFO (though excited techs, where I got my film processed thought it was). This surreal looking picture are lights from a jet. There were high clouds above the plane which gave the sky a purplish glow
Unfortunately, I live 50 miles west of an International Airport so there's tons of plane traffic in the sky, which means very few times have I had a night picture without some evedience of a plane--as you'll see below (though the effects make for some interesting photos).
I do love to take pictures of my windmill. This is my first "night pic" of our windmill. And yes, there's those durn planes, again!
Finally, a couple of photos without a plane in site!
Okay, no plane ... but there's a chimeny in the center of the photo!
This photo is of a plane contrail moving across the moon. I was hoping the round white image (with the blue and red "glow" around it, to the left of the moon) was a moondog, but I'm sure it's a lens flare.
NEW PHOTOS
This was taken with a 300mm lens, f-stop 4.5. Took it as the sun was going down and turning the clouds pink and orange.
As the sun was setting, Mars was rising. Though the power lines drive me nuts, they do make for an interesting composition ... I guess.
The Big Dipper turned out much better than I expected. I used a 24mm lens, F5.6 at 20 seconds (+-) using Kodak Max 800 print film. (I love this film).
The following photos are of the International Space Station as it passed overhead.
On this shot, the ISS passed just above the moon, while down toward the tree-line, (the red dot pattern) a plane passed by. Those pesky planes again! You can also see Mars at the very edge of the pic on the right.
NASA'S ISS FLYBY SCHEDULE If you want the sechedule of when the ISS or Shuttle will pass over your area, go to this site.
The Moon and Mars
Want more out-of-this-world photos, or tips and techniques on how to take night shots of the heavens? Check these web sites out!
JERRY LODRIGUSS'absolutely fabulous web site will show you everything you need to do to take photos of the night sky. From what film to use, to how to enhance your photos in Photoshop. It's ALL here. Plan to stay a while, it's a big site full of info!
STAN RICHARD'S web site of Astrophotography. Stan's awesome photos have been featured in many Astronomy Photos of the Day. And no wonder!
WALLY PACHOLKA'S web site of Astrophotography is a wonderful visual feast. You like comets? He's got 'em.
CHRIS GROHUSKO'S web site of Astrophotography has gorgeous photos of aroras in Texas. Yep, you can see aroras in Texas, Chris proves it.
Astronomy Picture of the Day Archives
The above photographs were taken with my Canon AE1, or my Canon Rebel G. I didn't use any fancy film type for the older photos, usually just the Winn Dixie generic brand of print film. Film speed was 400 ASA, shutter speeds were between 5-30 second exposures. I used a tripod and a cable shutter release. The new photos have been taken with Kodak MAX 800 print film. I love this film.
All photos © 1999 - 2002 by Shannon L. Story
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