APOD - Three Galaxies over New Zealand

Saw it on APOD when it was published, didn't know it was a POTN-er! Congrats!
I've been restarting my astrophotography again here in NZ (sold all my astro-specific gear when I moved from Colorado to London). The night sky is amazing here.

FuzzSummit wrote in post #16974256
Saw it on APOD when it was published, didn't know it was a POTN-er! Congrats!
I've been restarting my astrophotography again here in NZ (sold all my astro-specific gear when I moved from Colorado to London). The night sky is amazing here.

Thanks! Yes we have awesome skies here, we are hoping to do a trip around the south island in Sept/Oct, can't wait!

Question: are these on tracking mounts, or just 20-sec on static tripod and then stitched? I haven't done much wide-field astrophotography, but looking to do some here. Planning to head out to the beach sometime this weekend hopefully for some shots.

Fantastic!

FuzzSummit wrote in post #16975591
Question: are these on tracking mounts, or just 20-sec on static tripod and then stitched? I haven't done much wide-field astrophotography, but looking to do some here. Planning to head out to the beach sometime this weekend hopefully for some shots.

No tracking mount, it's on the list of things to buy but the results I'm getting so far it's probably unnecessary good luck! I'm hoping for clear skies this weekend as well.

joeblack2022 wrote in post #16975609
Fantastic!

Thank you!

NCHANT wrote in post #16975674
No tracking mount, it's on the list of things to buy but the results I'm getting so far it's probably unnecessary

I'll say!
Btw, do you know anyone who sells AstroTrac or the iOption Skytracker in NZ? I've been interested in those for a quick and easy setup (instead of a full equatorial mount), but haven't found anyone in NZ who carries them.

FuzzSummit wrote in post #16975711
I'll say!
Btw, do you know anyone who sells AstroTrac or the iOption Skytracker in NZ? I've been interested in those for a quick and easy setup (instead of a full equatorial mount), but haven't found anyone in NZ who carries them.

get in touch with Jonathan Green: https://www.facebook.c​om ….johnson.921025​64?fref=ts

I think he knows of someone bringing in the iOptron Skytracker –*that's the one I want to get as well.

NCHANT wrote in post #16975733
get in touch with Jonathan Green: https://www.facebook.c​om ….johnson.921025​64?fref=ts

I think he knows of someone bringing in the iOptron Skytracker –*that's the one I want to get as well.

Thanks a lot! I've sent him a message.

Stunning image. Love to know more regarding composition of the 40 images. I have tried unsuccessfully to do something similar last year when in Big Bend National Park. Thanks.

floydbutz4 wrote in post #16989414
Stunning image. Love to know more regarding composition of the 40 images. I have tried unsuccessfully to do something similar last year when in Big Bend National Park. Thanks.

Yes me too - how do you stitch all the photos together, and correct for distortion (assuming the 24mm has some)?

Fantastic photo, incredibly beautiful.

NCHANT wrote in post #16964503
Canon 6D
Samyang 24mm ƒ1.4 lens
20 seconds
ƒ3.4
ISO 10,000

This is around 40 photos stitched together

Awesome!!!

I have never attempted astro-photography because I don't have the right lens(es), and I don't understand much of the cryptic language used by astro-photogs

So if I get this right, you took ~40 shots with the Samyang at 20 seconds each? Why F3.4, if the lens soft(er) at F1.4?

Is there any 'stacking' or each of those shots is an individual part (with certain overlap of course) of the ~40 image pano?

6D's nice with the high ISO; it looks like the noise is quite manageable, is it? Do you use in camera, or do it in post?

Freddy ..

floydbutz4 wrote in post #16989414
Stunning image. Love to know more regarding composition of the 40 images. I have tried unsuccessfully to do something similar last year when in Big Bend National Park. Thanks.

jroovs wrote in post #16991274
Yes me too - how do you stitch all the photos together, and correct for distortion (assuming the 24mm has some)?

Fantastic photo, incredibly beautiful.

Thanks guys, I have attached a screenshot of all the files. I general allow for a fair amount of overlap to get as much data as possible

The distortion on the 24mm isn;t very much, I use a lens profile to correct that for easier stitching in Hugin, which does a damn good job of it.

alphamalex wrote in post #16991674
Awesome!!!

I have never attempted astro-photography because I don't have the right lens(es), and I don't understand much of the cryptic language used by astro-photogs

So if I get this right, you took ~40 shots with the Samyang at 20 seconds each? Why F3.4, if the lens soft(er) at F1.4?

Is there any 'stacking' or each of those shots is an individual part (with certain overlap of course) of the ~40 image pano?

6D's nice with the high ISO; it looks like the noise is quite manageable, is it? Do you use in camera, or do it in post?

Freddy ..

ƒ3.4 (or 3.2 I can't remember) renders the stars very sharp and also adds a diffraction spikes to the brighter points you can see a comparison here:

IMAGE LINK: https://flic.kr/p/nkDf​2Y

HOSTED PHOTO
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I'm surprised that you shoot at f3.4, I would thought the more wide open the better, never thought to use my 14mm at anything but 2.8, but makes sense given the 6Ds capabilities at high ISO as you pointed out.

I just want to make sure I understand your workflow as you have described it. You

- use RAW to correct for noise (I'm guessing luminance and color mostly) and make any other adjustments in addition to lens profile correction (curves, saturation etc.)
- then import and stitch together in Hugin.

I'm not familiar with Hugin, I've only used Photoshop Photomerge, does it work basically the same?

Anyhow, thanks for sharing the details of your shooting and post and for providing the screen captures, helps a great deal!

NCHANT, yer a scholar and a gentleman!! The schooling is much appreciated

congrats man!! that's mind blowingly incredible!!