Perseid meteor

[forestgnome]

I caught this Perseid fireball streaking through the Big Bear (Big Dipper) on August 11th...




Happy Trails

[Steve M]

Thats cool! Thanks for sharing.

[Brad]

I went out on the dock to watch and there were too many low clouds to see much. Thanks for sharing. Any others?

[Mike D]

I'm not a photographer, but I understand it takes a lot of knowledge and high end equipment to capture the night sky like that. What equipment do you use?

[Bill O]

Did you enhance the stars in the big dipper or are they really that much brighter?

[forestgnome]

Thanks for comments!

Mike D., no end equipment needed for such a shot. I used a cheap tripod(lightwieght for hiking), Canon Digital Rebel 300D, and a Sigma lens at 24mm. This can be done with any camera capable of taking a 20" exposure.

Mount camera on tripod, set aperature to wide setting, focus on infinity. Brachet exposures, because the meter is not reliable under these conditions. Those are the basics.

Tips: Learn how to focus at infinity in daylight with a distant peak, etc., because you cannot do it at night. Focus at infinity and make a mark on the lens barrel for reference at night. Also, try setting up in your home at night without lights for practice. A red led headlamp is extremely useful.



Bill O, no filters or anything. The Dipper stars are that much brighter than surrounding stars.

Happy Trails

[Charlie]

that is cool nice shot ,thanks for sharing

[Charlie]

you should summit this for the Photo Journal

[Bill O]

Any hot pixels after 20 seconds?

[forestgnome]

Any hot pixels after 20 seconds?

Yes. If you look closely you'll see some small, bright red "stars". Those are actually hot pixels. I will put the image back in Photoshop and zap those.