Astronomy Photographs

[StuartDH]

Following Wildone's request early this week, I've just added an astronomy category to the gallery

http://www.wildaboutbritain.co.uk/ga...mages.php?c=33

Don't forget to ask Santa for a telescope this Christmas

[pheonix]

does anyone have any tips for photographing the moon? i just seen to get very bright blobs when i try

[henrya]

Don't forget that the moon is lit by pure sunlight (no atmosphere to attenuate it) and it's a very small object in a big area of dark sky. Most cameras will overexpose greatly, so reduce the exposure considerably - use what you would normally use on a bright sunny day as a starting point and you may get closer to the correct exposure to show detail in the moon.

henrya

[pheonix]

thanks i'll give it a try

[BartonFlyer]

Originally Posted by pheonix

does anyone have any tips for photographing the moon? i just seen to get very bright blobs when i try

You must be able to spot meter on the moon, if the camera only gives you a general metering over the whole subject area it will always just come out as an underexposed blob - also you have to remember that your brain tricks you into seeing the moon much larger than it really is because a full moon on a clear sky is so much the focus - the camera actually tells it like it is. The one I posted from last month's full moon full moon was taken with a 600mm lens (actually a 200mm plus 2x convertor with a 1.5 crop factor because of the digital camera), on a tripod shot at f 5.0 1/250 seconds.
Good Luck
Ian