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88 sec. f/4.5 14.0 mm ISO 1600

NIKON CORPORATION NIKON D600

14.0 mm f/2.8

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Stars
Milky way
Octans


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Southern Alignment points Octans

Southern Alignment points Octans
The northern Hemisphere has it easy one star " Polaris". In the Southern Hemisphere it is 4 faint stars. this is a crop and edit darker of the shot from Fiiday night next door 88 sec on the tracker to make the shot look like a night sky that our eyes see. remember the camera see more stars than we can by eye and the case out in the black of night.

Top lines start from Becrux from Southern Cross To globular cluster 47 Tuc

Middle line is the star Birdun just on the other side of milky way to the front of the SMC

Bottom line Top pointer star Hadar to the front of the SMC

From left to right X OctanIs, Polaris Australis, CG Octanis and T Octanis. the southern pole is left and to the top more of the Octan Pattern this will give you an idea how hard it is to see. How I find south for star trails Equilateral triangle on the LMC and the SMC.

I only was able to get this after down loading Sky Safari to my IPad this was not the first try this is the 5 th the last 4 not saved but start again. as I slowly moved across the sky to find the star patterns that matched sky Safari in the photo. This is why I believe the Green Laser Pointer will be the real answer to finding the stars. May be this will help some one else in the southern hemisphere make sense of this..

PiP one shows the 14mm shot of the sky this came from, now find the stars your eye cant see.

PIP 2 the only real way to see the southern polar point.

Anton Cruz Carro, John Goodwin, Leo W, cammino and 4 other people have particularly liked this photo


15 comments - The latest ones
 Gudrun
Gudrun club
I really admire all that work and lobe seeing your results! It sounds very technical to me, way beyond what I can comprehend;-)
5 years ago.
Steve Paxton club has replied to Gudrun club
Gudrun all this work is out of frustration as the whole thing seems to not be working as it should when I have been doing every thing I should. as you can see the part of the sky is very small I only will know once I get the laser over the point to even see if I am even in the right place in the scope. sadly what do we have for the next few day clouds and thunder storms.

I want this to work as It should so I can do 3-4min exposures to get an even greater detail than I have been getting at 30 sec. this is the main reason I bought the tracker to bring some of the visible space alive as I can without going down the line of big bucks and a computer out in the dark night.

I am always up for a challenge as you already know I do Astro photography but this has been testing alright. Here's to clear night and long stars exposures.
5 years ago.
 tiabunna
tiabunna club
Well taken astro image and your notes well illustrate the difficulty of picking true south, Steve. Long ago I was taught (for bushwalking) to take a line through the S Cross, then where it meets the perpendicular bisector of the Pointers is pretty close to the Sth Celestial Pole. I guess for astro work though, "pretty close" isn't quite what's needed.
5 years ago. Edited 5 years ago.
Steve Paxton club has replied to tiabunna club
You and I both know a few rough methods and have used a few of them myself when I plot on the stars its not at all close. closest is the equilateral method using The SMC and LMC but still not accurate. I cant test this out we have clouds thunder storms and Rain may be friday or Saturday if I am lucky. cant wait to test it out and get a good result I want 4 min not 30 sec exposure times.
5 years ago.
 Leo W
Leo W club
Very well done.
I am glad, if i can fetch some stars, but i get no idea, what I captured.
5 years ago. Edited 5 years ago.
Steve Paxton club has replied to Leo W club
Leo this is all about know what you capture this is an attempt to try and locate the stars needed and where they are in the sky. In total reality in the night we just could not see them every thing worked but they are so faint you cant see them. May be we have to go out even further from the city .

the net result the tracker did not work correctly and the stars trailed.
5 years ago.
 Herb Riddle
Herb Riddle club
I don’t know how you manage it Steve. Here in black-sky Cyprus, I can hardly find Polaris so how you find that Southern cross Is a miracle. You describe to us here the depths that one has to go to get these deep sky shots which you still capture admirably. Hopefully this does not deter people from having a real go, rather it demonstrates that these photos do not grow on trees. Another wonderful part of your growing collection my friend. Herb
5 years ago. Edited 5 years ago.
Steve Paxton club has replied to Herb Riddle club
Its easy to see the Octans on a photo but come time to see them in the night sky to align to you have no chance they are so faint. I think Its a case of never give in even though it stacked against you find another way. night photos as you yourself know they are hard fought and not easy to take but always a joy to behold. many thanks for the encouragement.
5 years ago.
 John Goodwin
John Goodwin
These shots certainly show your dedication Steve, these results are a sheer pleasure to view.
5 years ago.
Steve Paxton club has replied to John Goodwin
John I feel we get the raw deal in the Southern hemisphere trying to find some thing you just cant see. far better to own this in the northern hemisphere you can align it with Polaris much easier than 4 stars you just cant see.
5 years ago.
 Steve Paxton
Steve Paxton club
The sky I can see the 4 star pattern is not at all visible to the naked Eye not sure how it will be some 3 hours out of the city limits . there are more stars on the photo that your eye can see in the night. the night sky never bores me its always a pleasure to look at it.
5 years ago.
 Colin Ashcroft
Colin Ashcroft club
This is an education for a Northern hemisphere resident
5 years ago.
Steve Paxton club has replied to Colin Ashcroft club
This is even for me but the only way I have found get me a result I can use

Southern Polar Point - you cant see it but now you can.....

But it has been a case of never give up or give in.Still learning
5 years ago.
 Anton Cruz Carro
Anton Cruz Carro club
A photographic subject totally unexplored by me. I admire you. I don't know how to take this kind of photos. Greetings, Anton.
3 years ago.
Steve Paxton club has replied to Anton Cruz Carro club
Some night I have cursed that I started when it all does not go right but finally understanding it and having things to make that easier helps a lot. I have always enjoyed night photography

www.ipernity.com/group/2279870

but have only done deep space for one year
.
www.ipernity.com/doc/1073393/album/1218546

this new year is looking a whole lot better for what I already have done. its not at all hard if you follow a few simple principles

photographylife.com/landscapes/photographing-milky-way-bow

if you wish to know more or want help you know I am many thanks for stopping by.
3 years ago.

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