Learning to take milky way landscapes

 Occasionally I post about my other passion - astrophotography.  I will in the near future be setting up a new blog about my astrophotography but for now, I do occasional posts here on Arwen's blog. 

During the summer months I turn my attention from deep sky objects (DSO's) such as galaxies and nebulae to milky way landscape shots.  A completely new skill set, as I am not a daytime landscape photographer either!

I invested in a new lens - it came highly recommended on youtube and various astrophotography forums on facebook.  A samyang 14mm F/.8 manual focus wide angle prime lens. It is a beast of a lens - such great light capture at night.  And, its taking some time to master its use as well! 

Here are some of my first efforts. As always, I will say, again, that the data collection bit is easy - the post editing bit is a dark, dark art!  Oh! And so is learning how to compose a good landscape shot in the dark! 

Most of these shots have involved using the following equipment and software programmes. It is very early days!

Equipment:

• canon 800D
• canon 22mm F/2.8 pancake lens
• samyang 14mm F/2.8 wide angle lens
• intervalometer
• skywatcher star adventurer tracker 2i 
• william optics wedge
• benbo carbon fibre tracker
• joby gorilla heads
• two power banks
• dew band lens heater 

Software programs:

• sequator
• affinity photo 2
• photoscape X

The night sky and milky way core over Bigbury beach and island area on the south devon coast 

a tracked, stacked and blended composite photo: bigbury island  

On the roseland peninsula just above the beach

Down at wembury beach with the great mewstone island on the horizon

our milky way core - we are in an outer spiral of it; when we look at the core - think 'looking at a dinner plate sideways on' 

the old mill at wembury - national trust 

never did I ever think I'd capture a photo with meteors, milky way and faint aurora pillars in a single shot! Hope it happens again in a darker location next time! 

Lots of new learning - very much the beginner here! That's the fun though - life long learning