star trace photos, any tips?

I have a 30D, I have a good tripod and ballhead. I want to try taking some pictures of the night sky, especially the really long exposure type that shows star traces.

Can anyone get me started in the right direction?

ISO? Aperture? Can I do this with the POTN type corded remote or should I have the more expensive programmable timer?

Thanks for your help.

Well, I'm not into that but here are a few sites where you can read up on it.. Hope it helps you..

http://www.mammana.com …ips/skyphoto_ni​ghtsky.htm
http://www.best-family-photography-tips.com …ime-photography-tips.html
http://www.picturecorr​ect.com …t_landscape_pho​tography_l
http://skychasers.net/​tips.htmessons.htm
http://www.hp.com …er_photos/tips/​night.html
http://photos.bahneman​.com …p?story=2005100​7213707361

Watch Out for cables!!!!

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If you go wide angle (like 18-50mm), you have to expose for much longer than if you go with a long lens like a 200-300. Find the darkest place you can, if you're in your yard, turn out porch lights, etc....

ISO 100, f8-or more. If you shoot towards the north (if you are north of the equator) then you can get the cool circles. You may find that the longest you can manage is in the range of 5-10 minutes. If that's the case, then you may want to take several 5 minute shots with no gap in between and then stack the images which will give you a longer overall exposure without the light pollution problems that most of us face.

Do some searches for "star trails" and/or "astrophotography" and you'll find more info.

The pic I posted above is at f22, 37minutes, iso 400 (i think)! On the Isle of Skye with no street lighting

Here's a thread titled, "star trails do's and don'ts"
https://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthre​ad.php?t=362214

here's a good one for pics of the stars, although it's not actually of trails.
https://photography-on-the.net …843&highlight=s​tar+trails

here's a good one on star trails
https://photography-on-the.net …982&highlight=s​tar+trails

here's another good one
https://photography-on-the.net …846&highlight=s​tar+trails

and some more
https://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthre​ad.php?t=364037

There are lots of other threads here. You can even do a search on google for "star trails photograph" and get lots and lots of hits all over the web.

To replicate puf_uk's shot you'll need a site where the northern sky is not light polluted. With exposures between 45 and 60 minutes plus you'll quickly end up with a very overexposed image otherwise.

The star at the center of puf_uk's shot is Polaris. Polaris is just a few degrees east of magnetic north which you can locate easily with a compass. I would set camera to 200 tp 400 ISO. You will need a cable release(digital not necessary) in order to end the exposure without shaking the camera. Just make sure you have a fully charged battery and go for it. One other thing to be aware of is dew or frost. Pointing a lens skyward will allow dew to form quite quickly on damp nights.

Good luck and post your images, would like to see them.

NH

Thanks everyone for the information, I have some reading to do and the I'll head out to the desert.