Summertime Milkyway

Oct.03 2010

I took these milkyway photos this past July 4th, 2010. I mounted my DSLR and standard lens on top of my telescope, so that I could benefit from the mount’s tracking (and leave the shutter open longer to capture the milkway.) Each of these photos is a single 3 minute exposure @ ISO 800. I live in the suburbs, of the suburbs so it seems dark, but it is still considered an orange light pollution zone (just 2 notches down from the city). Surprisingly you can see the milkway quite well with your naked eye on a moonless summer night.

Milkyway Surrounding Deneb - July 4th, 2010 1:52 AM

Milkyway and Altair - July 4th, 2010 1:31 AM

Milkyway on Southern Horizon - July 4th, 2010 1:40 AM

:Milkyway

2 Comments for this entry

Mark
October 4th, 2010 on 1:49 am
This is one of the coolest pictures of the Milky Way I’ve ever seen. There’s just enough skylight to remind us that we’re still on planet earth, and yet we’re looking out into space at the rim of our home galaxy. The smoky contrast of the interstellar dust clouds helps give it a 3-D effect, so the whole thing works to remind us that we really are on the edge of this giant pinwheel reeling through the void.
Mike Hankey
October 4th, 2010 on 10:10 am
Thanks Mark!