Star Time Lapse
Home| I
have looked at time lapse photographs taken by people
on the Internet and marveled at the beauty of what they have captured.
Trying to take similar pictures on my modest digital camera produced
poor results. So how do they do it? Further research on the Internet showed that what is needed is not your ordinary digital camera but a Digital Single Lens Reflex (DSLR) type of camera. These modern digital cameras have a much wider range of options and adjustments, not found in the ordinary digital camera. In particular is higher ISO sensitivity, which is the "film sensitivity ratting" and much longer shutter open times. This allows the faint stars to be photographed in great beauty. My first attempts are below and I hope to greatly improve on these. The camera is a Canon 60D |
This photograph shows slight camera movement during pushing the camera take photograph button.
It is only evident on brighter stars, as the less bright stars do not have enough light to show up for this brief time.
A remote shutter release or using the timer function fixes this, or put your hand over the lens when you push the button, then remove hand.
Looking East over computer gaming room with Quad Band amateur radio antenna. Note the meteor trail or satellite left side of antenna.
ISO 2000 F3.5 time exposure 10 seconds
Wider photograph taken with similar camera settings.
This sequence of 4 photographs, taken 12 seconds apart, with 8 second exposure, show a satellite. In the last it had moved into the Earth's shadow.
Looking West at 10pm, with quarter moon and the glow of Perth 20 kilometres away.
Also looking West at 10pm over our house in Gooseberry Hill Western Australia.
Our front road looking West. The bright object is a quarter Moon.
High voltage power lines ouside our house.
Looking South East outside our house...Street light at bottom of photograph.
Just to left of our house in Gooseberry Hill is State forest, with the Helena valley at the bottom.