I read that the Quadrantids meteor shower early Wednesday morning averaged 2 per minute – I didn’t capture nearly that many, maybe because I was looking out over Charlottesville. Anyway, I got my share! Notice in the last frame, there are TWO! (click into the images to make them full-screen…) The circular star-trail image was assembled from all the frames taken between 2:20 and 5:30AM. Since the Quadrantids radiate from a point in the Northern sky, all my frames included the star Polaris, around which all the stars visible in the Northern Hemisphere seem to rotate.
Archive for the Long exposures Category
The Quadrantids (Every January 4th)
Posted in 5DMII, Long exposures, sky on January 6, 2012 by budbranchOrion Sets For The Last Time In 2011
Posted in 5DMII, Available Light, Long exposures, sky on January 1, 2012 by budbranchThis was composited from 244 30-second exposures, f/4 ISO1600 taken between 10PM and midnight. Occasional traffic painted the trees with interesting light. At the center of the frame you can see the three, equally spaced bright stars that form Orion’s belt, and the light smear below made by his sword, (I’ve included a visual aid below…) Composite images like this are only possible because of Startrails software by Achim Schaller – THANKS Achim!
Let There Be Light
Posted in 5DMII, Long exposures on December 10, 2011 by budbranchMore pics here…
Night Approach to DCA
Posted in 5DMII, Long exposures on November 20, 2011 by budbranchIt took a few tries to get the timing and exposure just right – Julie was very patient…
General Assembly: Occupy Charlottesville
Posted in Available Light, Canon S95, Long exposures, Point-and-shoot, sky on November 10, 2011 by budbranchI and my banjo attended the proceedings at Lee Park yesterday. I didn’t bring my grand-dog Mya. She was probably disappointed not to represent the “99 paw-cent”! (thanks Jeremy!)
International Space Station
Posted in 5DMII, Long exposures, sky on November 6, 2011 by budbranchThere is an Android app that keeps track of when the ISS and other notable satellites will be visible in the night sky. Saturday night the International Space Station’s orbit carried it 240 miles over central VA as the sun was setting – it took about 3 minutes to cross from horizon to horizon. I made 15 or so 15 second exposures and composited 6 to make this image (the moon was an unexpected bonus). There is a crew of 3 up there, and 3 more are headed there this month. The ISS has been occupied continuously for more than TEN YEARS! Cool.
Orion, 11-1-11
Posted in 5DMII, Available Light, Long exposures, sky on November 1, 2011 by budbranchA clear morning: 30 seconds, ISO 1600, f/4 17mm. I used a flashlight to paint the trees.
Orionids
Posted in 5DMII, Long exposures, sky on October 22, 2011 by budbranchMy daughter Elise reminded me Friday morning that the Orionids were going to peak early Saturday morning. After checking the weather and noting that skies were forecast to be mostly clear, I decided to capture some meteor images. I set my camera up around 9PM and left it shooting 30 second exposures continuously – the battery died around 1AM – I got 440 images. This first composite merged 50 or so images, and includes more aircraft trails than meteors…
Friday Night: Prime-Time Salsa
Posted in 5DMII, Flash, Long exposures on August 21, 2011 by budbranch
Long exposures, second-curtain flash – sometimes you get lucky!
The Secret Life of the Barracks Road Fountain
Posted in 5DMII, Available Light, Long exposures, Stop the action on August 7, 2011 by budbranchDo these images cool you off?
The long exposure (which captures the dreamy water) requires VERY low ISO, Very tiny aperture (F/22), AND a 4x neutral density filter. Absent any one of these elements, and the shot would be way over-exposed. The frozen droplet stuff uses the very fastest shutter speed and very high ISO, else things would be UNDER exposed.
It was HOT out there…
Bud Branch 