Where is the best place to photograph the milky way?

10 years 6 months ago #300507 by Joe Photo Daddy
Ideally, where would be the best place to photograph the Milky Way?


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10 years 6 months ago #300515 by KCook
Rule 1 (most important): Get far away from any big city. 200 miles is a good start.

Rule 2: Near the Earth's equator. This allows you to view most of the extent of the Milky Way.

Rule 3: Away from airline routes. Airplane light trails do not help matters.

Rule 4: Higher altitude is better. Low altitude air is denser, carries more crude, resulting in less transparency.

Rule 5: Desert is better. Similar to Rule 4, only this time trying for less moisture content.

Rule 6: Whatever nice foreground you can find. Milky Way shots showing the horizon are generally prettier than those with only the sky and Milky Way.

Kelly Cook

Canon 50D, Olympus PL2
kellycook.zenfolio.com/

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10 years 6 months ago #300647 by StephanieW
I saw a really cool special on the Weather Channel about a photographer who went to an observatory in Hawaii to take Milky Way shots. They were breathtaking. Now I'm not saying go to Hawaii, but observatories generally have good locations for, well, observing the sky. He just stood outside away from the lights of the parking lot, set up his gear, and took his shots. It was super far removed from the city and the lights around the building were dim already so that they didn't interfere with the telescope. Absolutely amazing.

If there is no observatory nearby, the above comment is perfect. :)


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10 years 6 months ago #300657 by effron
Kelly is correct. I may add, the best TIME is in summer. The northern hemisphere points away from the Milky Way center in winter.... :(

Why so serious?
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10 years 6 months ago #300691 by Ian Stone
Beautiful Time-Lapse of the Milky Way over Hawaii


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10 years 6 months ago #300695 by Ian Stone
More:

"Explanation: Have you ever seen the band of our Milky Way Galaxy? In a clear sky from a dark location at the right time, a faint band of light becomes visible across the sky. Soon after your eyes become dark adapted, you might spot the band for the first time. It may then become obvious. Then spectacular. One reason for a growing astonishment might be the realization that this fuzzy swath contains billions of stars and is the disk of our very own spiral galaxy. Since we are inside this disk, the band appears to encircle the Earth. Visible in the above image, high above in the night sky, the band of the Milky Way Galaxy arcs. The bright spot just below the band is the planet Jupiter. In the foreground lies the moonlit caldera of the volcano Haleakala, located on the island of Maui in Hawaii, USA. A close look near the horizon will reveal light clouds and the dark but enormous Mauna Kea volcano on the Big Island of Hawaii. If you have never seen the Milky Way band or recognized the planet Jupiter, this year may be your chance. Because 2009 is the International Year of Astronomy, an opportunity to look through a window that peers deep into the universe may be coming to a location near you."


apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap090127.html


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10 years 6 months ago #300699 by Ian Stone

inspiringnews.wordpress.com/tag/mauna-kea-milky-way/


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10 years 6 months ago #300803 by EOS_Fan

Ian Stone wrote: More:

"Explanation: Have you ever seen the band of our Milky Way Galaxy? In a clear sky from a dark location at the right time, a faint band of light becomes visible across the sky. Soon after your eyes become dark adapted, you might spot the band for the first time. It may then become obvious. Then spectacular. One reason for a growing astonishment might be the realization that this fuzzy swath contains billions of stars and is the disk of our very own spiral galaxy. Since we are inside this disk, the band appears to encircle the Earth. Visible in the above image, high above in the night sky, the band of the Milky Way Galaxy arcs. The bright spot just below the band is the planet Jupiter. In the foreground lies the moonlit caldera of the volcano Haleakala, located on the island of Maui in Hawaii, USA. A close look near the horizon will reveal light clouds and the dark but enormous Mauna Kea volcano on the Big Island of Hawaii. If you have never seen the Milky Way band or recognized the planet Jupiter, this year may be your chance. Because 2009 is the International Year of Astronomy, an opportunity to look through a window that peers deep into the universe may be coming to a location near you."


apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap090127.html



I feel so small! :judge:


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10 years 6 months ago #301147 by Roblane

EOS_Fan wrote:

Ian Stone wrote: More:

"Explanation: Have you ever seen the band of our Milky Way Galaxy? In a clear sky from a dark location at the right time, a faint band of light becomes visible across the sky. Soon after your eyes become dark adapted, you might spot the band for the first time. It may then become obvious. Then spectacular. One reason for a growing astonishment might be the realization that this fuzzy swath contains billions of stars and is the disk of our very own spiral galaxy. Since we are inside this disk, the band appears to encircle the Earth. Visible in the above image, high above in the night sky, the band of the Milky Way Galaxy arcs. The bright spot just below the band is the planet Jupiter. In the foreground lies the moonlit caldera of the volcano Haleakala, located on the island of Maui in Hawaii, USA. A close look near the horizon will reveal light clouds and the dark but enormous Mauna Kea volcano on the Big Island of Hawaii. If you have never seen the Milky Way band or recognized the planet Jupiter, this year may be your chance. Because 2009 is the International Year of Astronomy, an opportunity to look through a window that peers deep into the universe may be coming to a location near you."


apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap090127.html



I feel so small! :judge:



I was going to say the same thing! These photos are so breathtaking


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10 years 6 months ago #301529 by Jeanne Merlo

Ian Stone wrote: More:

"Explanation: Have you ever seen the band of our Milky Way Galaxy? In a clear sky from a dark location at the right time, a faint band of light becomes visible across the sky. Soon after your eyes become dark adapted, you might spot the band for the first time. It may then become obvious. Then spectacular. One reason for a growing astonishment might be the realization that this fuzzy swath contains billions of stars and is the disk of our very own spiral galaxy. Since we are inside this disk, the band appears to encircle the Earth. Visible in the above image, high above in the night sky, the band of the Milky Way Galaxy arcs. The bright spot just below the band is the planet Jupiter. In the foreground lies the moonlit caldera of the volcano Haleakala, located on the island of Maui in Hawaii, USA. A close look near the horizon will reveal light clouds and the dark but enormous Mauna Kea volcano on the Big Island of Hawaii. If you have never seen the Milky Way band or recognized the planet Jupiter, this year may be your chance. Because 2009 is the International Year of Astronomy, an opportunity to look through a window that peers deep into the universe may be coming to a location near you."


apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap090127.html



What gear was used to take that photo?


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10 years 6 months ago #301623 by Rudy Sosa
Imagine having that shot in your back yard :thumbsup:


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10 years 6 months ago #301701 by KCook

Rudy Sosa wrote: Imagine having that shot in your back yard :thumbsup:


It's not impossible. There are plenty of areas in the American west that are far from any big cities and have dark skies. Of course job prospects in those area are . . .

Canon 50D, Olympus PL2
kellycook.zenfolio.com/

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10 years 6 months ago #301775 by Joves

Rudy Sosa wrote: Imagine having that shot in your back yard :thumbsup:


I did when I was living in northern Arizona. That is another thing about the eastern half of the US that makes it suck, and that is light pollution.


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10 years 6 months ago #301785 by MajorMagee


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10 years 6 months ago #302203 by Sawyer

MajorMagee wrote: Dark Sky Map



How accurate is this?

Canon 5D Mark II | Canon 70-200mm f/2.8L IS USM | Canon 35L | Sigma 85 1.4 | Helios 44M-6 58mm(M42) | Zeiss 50mm 1.4 (C/Y) | Canon 135L | (2) 430EX II
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