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Astronomy Images and Video

Beautiful and interesting images and video of the night sky including stars, planets, the Milky Way, and deep-sky objects taken through a camera lens or through a telescope.

The Winter Milky Way Over Cathedral Rock

February 24, 2018 by Brian Ventrudo Filed Under: Astronomy Images and Video

The northern winter constellations over Cathedral Rock near Sedona, Arizona. Captured with a Nikon D750 DSLR camera set at ISO 3200 with a 15 second exposure using a Tamron 15-30 mm zoom lens at 15mm, f/2.8. Image credit: Brian Ventrudo.

If only capturing all nightscape images was this easy! In the international dark-sky community of Sedona, Arizona, where artificial lighting is strictly controlled, you can simply pull over by the side of the road on the outskirts of town on a clear night, set up your camera on a tripod, and release the shutter. Chances are you’ll capture something good.

This image of the winter stars over the red sandstone formation known as Cathedral Rock, taken in mid-February, required only slightly more planning. After a day hike up to a saddle point in this conglomeration of red sandstone, I noted the orientation of this famous landmark relative to the sky as seen from trailhead, waited for a clear night, and snapped away. Here you see the stream of the winter Milky Way at the upper left, and the winter constellations from Canis Major at lower left, through Monoceros and Orion at center, to Taurus at the upper right [Read more…] about The Winter Milky Way Over Cathedral Rock

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Filed Under: Astronomy Images and Video milky way, nightscape, orion, sedona

Snapshot of the Sword of Orion

December 21, 2017 by Brian Ventrudo Filed Under: Astronomy Images and Video

The Sword of Orion and the Orion Nebula (M42) through a DSLR camera at 200mm, f/4, 2 seconds, ISO6400.

Never let a clear sky go to waste! After a quick look with binoculars at the Orion Nebula and the other features in and around the Sword of Orion, I tried to capture the same view with a quick snapshot through a DSLR. This view shows the Sword region framed against tree limbs over Washington, D.C.

Taken with an unmodified Nikon D750 with Nikkor 70-200 mm f/4 lens at 200 mm, 2 seconds, ISO6400.

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Filed Under: Astronomy Images and Video nebula, nightscape, orion

Video – Star Chasers, Episode 1

November 14, 2016 by Brian Ventrudo Filed Under: Astronomy Images and Video

This is the first in a series of short documentary videos about amateur astronomers, star parties, and the lure of the night sky. It was created by Jon Baker at Stab You Productions and supported by the folks at Explore Scientific. Been a while since you’ve brought your telescope out? Then play this video for a little inspiration…

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Filed Under: Astronomy Images and Video amateur astronomy, video

Mini-Documentary Shows Incredible View of the Night Sky

September 17, 2016 by Brian Ventrudo Filed Under: Astronomy Images and Video

Infinity ² from Uncage the Soul Productions on Vimeo.

Here’s an incredible video that’s as close as it comes to the actual feeling of being under a clear dark sky. Created by Ben Canales and John Waller of Uncage the Soul Productions, this short work features 20 high-school students at a summer astronomy camp in Oregon. The producers simply ask, “What do you feel?” The film also visits the Oregon Star Party where 600 astronomers camp out with their scopes.

This isn’t a timelapse. It’s a video of the night sky in real time. It shows what’s possible with current camera technology, in this case a Canon MH20f-SH set at ISO400,000, along with a fast 20 mm Sigma Art lens.

In this video, along with wide-field views of the late-summer sky, you can see stars reflected in the primary mirror of a big Dob as it turns, a live view of the star Capella through an eyepiece, and a view of the Perseid meteor shower. Just amazing.

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Filed Under: Astronomy Images and Video astrophotography, milky way, video

Real-Time Video of Aurorae Borealis

March 17, 2016 by Brian Ventrudo Filed Under: Astronomy Images and Video

The Aurora…As It Actually Appeared from Alan Dyer on Vimeo.

If you live in a subtropical or temperate part of the globe, or if you live in a light-polluted northern or southern metropolis, you may have gone a long time without seeing a live show of the aurorae borealis or australis. So for your viewing pleasure, I present to you in the above video a real-time view of a recent auroral display that shows a very close approximation what of this famous and mesmerizing upper-atmospheric phenomenon looks like when you see it with your own eye [Read more…] about Real-Time Video of Aurorae Borealis

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Filed Under: Astronomy Images and Video aurora, night sky, video

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