#Startrail southern hemisphere full
#Startrail southern hemisphere portable
#Startrail southern hemisphere trial
#Startrail southern hemisphere iso
#Startrail southern hemisphere series

That’s because the Earth is rotating at about 1,000 miles per hour. After about 25 seconds the stars will begin to visibly trail in your image. You can point your camera anywhere in the night sky and take a long exposure image. Here are some of our top tips to get you started… A dark sky location will give you a more impressive image, but you can easily create a perfectly good-looking startrail from home. Layer those photos on top of each other and you’ll see a spectacular star trail! Light pollution and moonlight have a major effect on the brightness of the stars and therefore of the star trails in your image, but it’s not a dealbreaker.

#Startrail southern hemisphere series

Take a series of identical photos and in every one the stars will be in a slightly different position. Earth spins on an axis and at either pole it points into space.

That's all there is to it.Our planet is always moving – and it’s possible to prove it in an image. Once you get close to the right exposure time, use your judgement and previous results to decide whether to increase or decrease the exposure time. Start with an exposure time of 5 minutes and keep doubling it until you get a good result.

#Startrail southern hemisphere full

The stars complete one full rotation in 24 hours, or 15 degrees every hour, but my advice is to concentrate on getting a good exposure, and not worry too much about the length of your star trails.Īdjust your exposure time to capture different length trails. It is worth bearing in mind that a longer exposure will produce longer star trails, but will also usually dim the brightness of the trails.

#Startrail southern hemisphere trial

Exposure TimeĮxposure time is really a matter of trial and error - it can be anything from a few minutes to several hours depending on the conditions. If you do use foreground objects, the ambient light will often illuminate them nicely, but if not consider using them as silhouettes instead. be sure not to place them too close though or they will be out of focus thanks to the wide aperture. Long exposure star trails on their own make stunning photos, but you may also want to include some foreground objects. Locate the North or South Star and plan your composition accordingly. Your star trails will form a circle around this point, so position it appropriately in your scene. If you want to position this centre point exactly you'll need to locate the North Star, Polaris (northern hemisphere) or the South Star, Sigma Octantis (southern hemisphere). The Earth rotates around the north and south poles, so all star trails are centred above them. Optionally, take a star chart or planisphere along to help you identify the North or South star (see below).įinally, you may want to take a warm coat, a flask of coffee and a good book to while away the time! Composing Your Photo An ideal, cheap solution is to wrap socks around it and hold them in place with elastic bands. Wrap insulation around your lens to prevent it fogging (particularly bad on very long exposures on cold nights). Use a wide aperture to ensure you capture plenty of light.

#Startrail southern hemisphere iso

Use a sturdy tripod and low ISO setting to keep your star trails sharp. The sturdier the better, particularly on a windy night. ISO 100) on your camera to reduce the amount of noise in your final photo.Ī tripod is absolutely essential. Use the lowest ISO setting available (e.g. An SLR or digital SLR with Bulb Mode is perfect. You'll need a camera that can take very long exposure photos. Remember to choose a clear night or you won't actually be able to see any stars! Setting Up Your Equipment

#Startrail southern hemisphere portable

If possible, shoot near a power supply so that you can hook up your camera using an extension lead, or alternative take a portable power source (e.g. Long exposure star trails will drain your camera's battery in no time, and the effect is even worse if you are using in-camera noise reduction. Image by Taro Yamamoto.Īvoid shooting star trails during a full moon - the light will overpower the starlight in a matter of minutes. Get out of the city, away from light pollution, for the best results. Where To ShootĬhoose a spot as far away from any cities as possible, or at least point the camera away from that area to reduce light pollution. However, they are certainly worth the effort as they can make for some truly breathtaking photos. They are certainly one of the most challenging subjects to shoot, as they require meticulous planning and require you to stay up for hours on end while everyone else is tucked up in bed. They produce some fascinating patterns, and can give a landscape a truly abstract, almost surreal edge. Star trails are one of the most beautiful subjects you can photograph. I love the fascinating colours, textures, and shapes that are revealed under limited lighting conditions, and you can experiment with long exposures to add even more interest to your shots. Night photography has long been a favourite of mine.