Tonight's Milky Way from Florida

Eliza Rain wrote in post #16911241
awesome! where in FL? and what is the brown thing on the ground?

Out in the darker areas near Chiefland & Trenton. Unfortunately there's very little dark sky in Florida in general. The darkest area near me is the West coast, north of the Suwanee river, the Shired Island park area. But it's always full of drunken river rats, so I don't just go there when I want, I have to plan around the weather and when I know they're all in school or at work, since there's literally always someone there. I'll try it sometime on a Tuesday morning around 3~5am or so, since there shouldn't be anyone there awake then. We will see. Watching the weather for now.

Very best,

MalVeauX wrote in post #16914552
Out in the darker areas near Chiefland & Trenton. Unfortunately there's very little dark sky in Florida in general. The darkest area near me is the West coast, north of the Suwanee river, the Shired Island park area. But it's always full of drunken river rats, so I don't just go there when I want, I have to plan around the weather and when I know they're all in school or at work, since there's literally always someone there. I'll try it sometime on a Tuesday morning around 3~5am or so, since there shouldn't be anyone there awake then. We will see. Watching the weather for now.

Very best,

Do you have a preferred location around Trenton, Chiefland where you go to shoot stars ? I sometimes go to Gainesville for work and can head to those locations. I've tried from Cedar keys with moderate luck

Ahazra wrote in post #16923781
Do you have a preferred location around Trenton, Chiefland where you go to shoot stars ? I sometimes go to Gainesville for work and can head to those locations. I've tried from Cedar keys with moderate luck

Heya,

Not really, I literally just drive to any field that is not fenced in that has good skies in the direction I need (ie, low tree line, or large field, and no power lines in the view). You have to look for locations of towns to avoid the big parking lots of Walmarts and crap, they will brighten the sky from 100 miles away it seems.

Very best,

Nicely done!

MalVeaux, in 5 days I'm off to Kruger Nat.Park and because of your influence my SkyTracker is packed. It will be the 'darkest' skies I'll ever encounter and with a little luck maybe I too can get something even close to your great captures.
I'm used to peering for Polaris but Sigma Octans might be more elusive, but again thanks to you I understand the concept of super wide lens and a 'close' approximation to north (or will it be south when I'm in the s.hemisphere?) and long long long exposures with low low low ISOs.
Needless to say your captures are wonderful.

Good luck sir! I look forward to your images. This thing really is bullet proof. Point it North, set the latitude, focus to infinity and shoot. You'll get some images!

Very best,