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8 Tips for Perfect Moon Photography Settings

29 Apr

The post 8 Tips for Perfect Moon Photography Settings appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Simon Ringsmuth.

Many people have attempted to capture a picture of the bright ball of light that governs the night sky, but getting your moon photography settings just right can be quite tricky. It’s easy to get frustrated when taking photos of the moon, especially when so many moon shots online look crisp and clear.

Fortunately, capturing great moon shots isn’t too difficult once you wrap your head around a few basic elements. With a little patience and practice, you’ll be taking excellent photos of the moon in no time at all!

Moon photography settings: the basics

The first thing to know about shooting the moon is that it’s deceptively bright. You might not think of this giant ball of rock as particularly luminous when compared to the sun, but it puts out way more light than you might think. This makes it tricky to calculate exposure and get your other moon photography settings just right.

The other important item to keep in mind is that the moon is not a slow celestial body. In Greek mythology, Selene, the goddess of the moon, speeds across the night sky in a glowing chariot. Our ancient ancestors knew what they were talking about! If you take a picture of the moon, you have to keep its constant movement in mind; otherwise, you’ll never get a great shot.

Moon Photography Settings Moon Behind Trees — Nikon D7100 | Nikon 70-200mm f/2.8G ED VR II | 200mm | f/8 | 1/180s | ISO 640

The final part of the equation to remember is that the moon, while relatively close in a galactic sense, is pretty far away when you look at it from the perspective of a photographer. If you want a good picture of the moon, you need at least a 200mm lens – and even then, it’s best to use a crop-sensor camera for a bit more reach. So a focal length of 300mm or greater is recommended, and photographing the moon is one time when megapixels really do matter. Unless you have a very long zoom lens, you’ll be cropping your images quite a bit.

If you want a simple answer to the question of what moon photography settings to use, here’s my advice:

Shoot with a fast shutter speed of at least 1/180s.
Use a small aperture like f/8.
Keep your ISO low – so that when you crop, your picture will remain clean and not noisy.
Use a telephoto lens.
Always shoot in RAW; that way, you have plenty of room to edit the colors, sharpness, and other elements of your photo afterward.

Moon Photography Settings Clouds and Foreground Trees — Nikon D500 | Nikon 70-200mm f/2.8G ED VR II | 200mm | f/4.8 | 1/200s | ISO 640

While the above advice is a good starting point, you will need to experiment and figure out which settings are right for you. It’s a good idea to dive a little deeper into aperture, shutter speed, and ISO to find out what effect they have on your moon photos so you can get the shots you’re aiming for.

Now let’s take a closer look at the best moon photography settings:

1. Use Manual mode

This might be intimidating if you’re used to letting your camera make exposure decisions for you, but moon photography is a great way to learn Manual mode.

Your camera knows what to do in most well-lit situations, but shooting the moon isn’t one of them. You have to take control, and Manual mode lets you choose the aperture, shutter speed, and ISO – all of which are critical to getting good pictures of the moon. You must be very specific about your exposure settings, and Manual mode lets you dial in the precise values you need.

Crescent Moon with Trees in Foreground — Dim morning light meant I had a bit more freedom to adjust my exposure settings, which was very easy to do in Manual mode.

Nikon D500 | Nikon 70-200mm f/2.8G ED VR II | 200mm | f/4 | 1/180s | ISO 200

2. Shoot in RAW

You have enough to worry about when taking pictures of the moon: exposure settings, weather concerns, cloud cover, foreground obstructions…and that’s just the beginning.

Setting the right white balance and making sure your highlights and shadows are perfectly captured is almost impossible to do in the moment. Thankfully, RAW can save the day.

Crescent moon Unprocessed RAW — This is the unprocessed RAW file straight out of my camera.

Nikon D500 | Nikon 70-200mm f/2.8G ED VR II | 200mm | f/4 | 1/180s | ISO 200

Shooting in RAW gives you ultimate flexibility when editing your moon photos in a program such as Lightroom. You can adjust the exposure, tweak the sharpening, bring out details you might have missed, and of course, adjust the white balance to your heart’s content.

The JPEG format is fine for many photographic situations, but not moon photography. For best results, use RAW.

Crescent moon processed RAW — The exact same image as above, but after the RAW file was processed in Lightroom. Adjustments include white balance, boosted exposure, and tweaks to the highlights/shadows.

3. Use a fast shutter speed

Shutter speed is a good place to start when thinking about moon photography settings because of how fast the moon moves across the sky. Similar to sports photography, you’ll need a fast shutter speed to freeze the motion.

1/180s is a good starting point, but if you can go higher without increasing your ISO, I recommend doing so. 1/250s is good and so is 1/300s (go beyond that, and you start to get diminishing returns).

full moon — My 1/10s shutter speed was much too slow, and the picture is blurry as a result. 1/10s lets in a lot of light, but the moon moves too much to get a crisp, sharp picture at that shutter speed. Compare this to the image at the end of the article, and you will notice a huge difference!

Nikon D200 | Sigma 120-300mm f/2.8 | 300mm | f/11 | 1/10s | ISO 200

4. Keep your ISO low

Cameras have come a long way, and what used to be considered a crazy high ISO – like 3200 or 6400 – is now easily achieved without a huge loss in image quality. Things are a bit different when taking photos of the moon, though. Lower ISOs are always preferable, and that holds doubly true for photos of our nearest celestial neighbor.

ISO 100 or 200 is best, but that might not be realistic given the lens you’re using. Generally speaking, you should be fine with ISO 800 or lower, partly because you will get a cleaner image, but also because you will have more leeway when editing your RAW files afterward.

5. Use a small aperture, but not too small

Most lenses have what’s known as a sweet spot, where the image isn’t too soft and chromatic aberration is well-controlled. This sweet spot isn’t usually at the widest or smallest aperture, but somewhere in the middle.

For that reason, I like to take pictures of the full moon at an aperture between f/4 and f/8. However, the optimal aperture will depend on your particular lens and the type of photos you’re taking.

Moon Photography Settings Crescent and Venus — A crescent moon is very dim! Normally, I recommend a smaller aperture, but for this shot, I needed all the light I could get. I used a large aperture of f/2.8 and an unusually slow shutter speed to capture this celestial dance between the moon and Venus.

Nikon D7100 | Nikon 70-200mm f/2.8G ED VR II | 180mm | f/2.8 | 1/90s | ISO 100

Honestly, of all the moon photography settings to worry about, I would put aperture at the bottom of my list. Before you consider the aperture, make sure you have a fast shutter speed and the lowest possible ISO. Finally, adjust your aperture until you get a picture you like.

Even if your photos are not tack-sharp because you had to shoot wide open, it’s a trade-off I recommend making. I would rather have a slightly blurry result than a higher ISO setting that will result in noise, especially in the deep blacks of the night sky.

6. Underexpose slightly

It might seem counterintuitive, but when taking pictures of the moon, you don’t want your images to be as bright as possible. I get my best results when underexposing by one stop or more, depending on the situation.

The easiest way to do this is to set your aperture, shutter speed, and ISO so your light meter indicates a properly exposed picture. Then drop the exposure by one or two stops. The result is a picture without any blown highlights and plenty of room for editing (as long as you make sure to shoot in RAW).

Full Moon with Power Lines in Foreground — My light meter told me this photo was properly exposed – but in the end, the moon was too bright. I should have dropped the exposure to darken the image.

Nikon D500 | Nikon 70-200mm f/2.8G ED VR II | 200mm | f/4 | 1/200s | ISO 360

I also recommend using spot or center-weighted metering when doing moon photography. The moon is extraordinarily bright compared to the dark sky around it, which causes all sorts of confusion for your camera’s light meter. Telling your camera to meter based on one small portion of the scene (i.e. the moon) will help you get a better initial exposure value, one that you can then fine-tune.

7. Get creative

Taking pictures of the moon is enthralling, especially if you have never done it before. But after a few shots of that big bright ball of light in the sky, start thinking of a new approach. Try putting trees, buildings, or other objects between you and the moon. Experiment with taking pictures during the waxing or waning crescent phase.

Moon Photography Settings Lunar Eclipse — Instead of taking one single picture of the moon during a lunar eclipse, I took 20 and combined them in Photoshop. The end result was much more visually interesting than a single shot would’ve been.

Also, try getting shots at dawn or dusk when you can catch the sky in a rich blue or purple. These are simple, fun ways of taking pictures of the moon that can produce some unexpected results.

8. Manually focus to infinity

Your camera’s autofocus might struggle when it comes to getting pictures of the moon, but you can take care of this by adjusting your lens’s focus point manually.

Make sure your lens is focused as far out as it will go (this is often indicated by an infinity symbol on the lens barrel).

Moon photography settings: conclusion

Moon Photography Settings Full Moon — Nikon D200 | Sigma 120-300mm f/2.8 | 300mm | f/2.8 | 1/250s | ISO 200

There’s no magic or secret sauce when it comes to getting great shots of the moon. The only real trick is to get the right moon photography settings and to keep practicing until you’re happy with the results.

Try some of these tips as a starting point, and then branch out and see what you can come up with. You might be surprised at the pictures you’re able to take!

Moon photography settings FAQ

Can I take a picture of the moon with my phone?

It’s possible, but this is an area where a DSLR or mirrorless camera with full manual controls really has the edge. A mobile phone can’t zoom in very far, and even those that do have optical zoom lack the light-gathering ability required for good moon shots. That’s not to say it can’t be done, but you’ll likely get significantly better results with a dedicated camera.

Do I need an expensive zoom lens to get a picture of the moon?

A zoom lens helps, but it doesn’t have to be expensive. Even a basic 55-250mm kit lens, like the one that might have come with your camera when you bought it, is fine. Just make sure to follow some of the tips in this article, and you can get some good moon pictures.

What white balance setting should I use to get a picture of the moon?

That really depends, and there’s not always a good answer. Some people like to use the Daylight setting because the moon is reflecting the sunlight and has no actual light of its own. Just make sure you shoot in RAW so you can adjust your white balance after you take the picture.

How do I keep both the moon and the foreground in focus?

First, make sure you are using a small aperture like f/8 or f/11, which will give a much wider depth of field. In addition, you need to put a lot of space between you and your foreground objects. If you’re shooting through tree branches in your own backyard, they will always end up far too blurry. Position yourself so the trees, buildings, or other foreground objects are farther away; this will help make sure they are more in focus.

How do I get the moon to look so big? My moon pictures never look like the professional shots I see online.

Many people have asked me this, and it all comes down to your lens. A longer focal length will make the moon appear larger. If you don’t have a long lens, you can rent one for the few days that a bright full moon is visible. Many professional moon pictures are also cropped, and if you use a very high megapixel camera, you have a great deal of freedom to crop without a huge drop in quality.

The post 8 Tips for Perfect Moon Photography Settings appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Simon Ringsmuth.

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20 Dos and Don’ts for Shooting the Moon

14 Feb

The post 20 Dos and Don’ts for Shooting the Moon appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Bruce Wunderlich.

If you’ve ever tried shooting the moon, you’ve probably discovered that it’s actually a pretty tricky subject!

But don’t worry; there are some tips and techniques you can use to quickly improve your moon photography.

In this article, let’s look at some dos and don’ts to take your moon images from snapshots to stunning art.

city with rising moon — The April moon, called the “Pink Moon,” rising over Marietta, Ohio. The setting sun lit the city with a warm glow.

1. Do use a tripod

One of the most important pieces of equipment for shooting the moon is a good tripod.

Since the moon is so small, it is very important to have a sturdy foundation, because even the most minute movement of the camera will cause your image to blur.

You might think that, if you use a fast-enough shutter speed, you can handhold the camera. But since your subject is so small in the frame, even small movements will be exaggerated.

2. Don’t use a slow shutter speed

While it’s a good idea to use a tripod, you must avoid using a slow shutter speed.

Why?

Because the moon is actually moving very quickly around the earth. The moon is so distant, it doesn’t appear to be traveling very fast. But if you let your shutter speed relax too much, you’ll end up with all sorts of unwanted motion blur.

A good rule of thumb for tack-sharp moon photography is to shoot at 1/125s or faster.

3. Do use a telephoto lens

To successfully capture any kind of detail on the moon, you need at least a 300mm telephoto lens.

If you want the moon to take up the entire frame, you will need around an 800mm lens.

4. Don’t use any filters on your lens

To prevent any chance of a blurry image, don’t use any filters.

Yes, even remove the UV filter. This may sound scary if you never remove the UV filter from your lens, but in this case, it’s best to set it aside.

Some may suggest using a neutral density (ND) filter for moon photography to cut back on the bright light of the moon. But all this will do is require a slower shutter speed, and you want to use the fastest shutter speed possible to get that crisp, tack-sharp image.

5. Do try the Looney 11 Rule

The Looney 11 Rule is similar to the Sunny 16 Rule. It’s designed to help you exposure properly when shooting the moon, while also ensuring you get a fast-enough shutter speed for sharp shots.

Here’s how it works:

Set your f-stop to f/11.

Then match the shutter speed to your ISO.

For example, if your ISO is set at 200, set your shutter speed to 1/200s.

(This is not an exact science, but it should give you a good starting point.)

6. Don’t use the shutter button to start your exposure

Do not manually press the shutter button or even touch your tripod when initiating your moon shot.

Remember that even the slightest touch could add enough vibration to blur the image.

Instead, use a cable release or remote trigger to start your exposure. If you don’t have either of these gadgets, use the self-timer feature on your camera.

7. Do use mirror lock-up

If you’re working with a DSLR and it has the option, lock up your mirror. This can greatly increase your chances of getting a tack-sharp moon image.

You see, even the slightest shake of your camera’s mirror can be enough to blur the shot. So if your camera has this option, use it!

Lock the mirror up and wait a few seconds to allow any vibrations to settle before beginning your exposure.

(If your camera doesn’t have a mirror lock-up option, you can always shoot in Live View, which will have the same effect!)

8. Don’t use image stabilization

Your lens’s (and camera’s) image stabilization technology must be turned off as soon as you put your camera on a tripod.

Turning on an image stabilization feature with your camera mounted on a tripod will actually create blur in your image!

9. Do know the cycles of the moon

shooting the moon over a barn — Use The Photographer’s Ephemeris app to predict the location of the moonrise.

There are 29.5 days between full moons.

And by learning when the full moon will come, you can ensure you get the best-looking moon in your shots!

There are many online and smartphone applications that can help you track the phases of the moon. One must-have app is The Photographer’s Ephemeris, which will give you the phases of the moon, and also show you when and where the moon will appear in the sky.

This is especially useful when planning your moon shoots. The full moon is very popular and photogenic, but it’s also the brightest and the most difficult to expose correctly.

The side lighting of a gibbous moon produces some interesting shadows which may allow you to capture craters and mountains. The crescent moon is, of course, the darkest stage, but one that may offer some interesting effects when added to a nighttime landscape.

10. Don’t always place the moon in the center of the frame

Putting the moon in the center of the frame – especially if there’s nothing else in the shot – is boring.

It’s been done a million times before. So try to put the moon off-center.

Oh, and make sure to include other interesting objects in the frame!

That’s how you’ll end up with a truly impressive moon photo.

moon photography with a foreground object — Don’t just place the moon in an empty sky. Including a foreground object will create a more dramatic image.

11. Do switch to manual focus

There are a couple of different methods you can use to focus on the moon.

First, try using your camera’s autofocus to make the moon tack sharp. Then, once you have a desirable point of focus, turn off the autofocus and switch to manual focus.

Alternatively, you can start by setting your lens to manual focus. With your camera’s Live View feature turned on, zoom in on the moon and turn the manual focus ring until the moon becomes sharp. Then do not touch the ring again.

12. Don’t just shoot the moon at night

The best time to photograph the moon is just after it rises or just before it sets, when it’s low in the sky.

Why is this important?

For one, when the moon is near the horizon, it will appear larger in your images (due to a trick of the eye).

Also, as the full moon rises, the sun will be setting, and as the full moon sets, the sun will be rising. This can give you great lighting to accentuate foreground objects.

Note that shooting the moon in the daytime (e.g., in the late afternoon) will give you the opportunity to include foreground objects, and you may also be able to capture some craters on the moon’s surface.

moon photography with a tree in the foreground — The June full moon, called the “Honey Moon,” captured as it sets at sunrise.

13. Do use exposure bracketing

Once you have found an exposure that you’re happy with, it’s best to bracket around that setting.

You see, the view of your images in the dark, on the back of your camera, can often be deceiving. In the dark, images always appear brighter on the camera LCD than they are when opened on your computer.

So after you’re satisfied with the exposure you have dialed in, bracket two stops under and two stops over, just to ensure that you get a result you’ll be happy with later.

14. Don’t use Auto White Balance

Using Auto White Balance will give you very inconsistent results.

Instead, I recommend you try the daylight white balance preset. And if you’re looking for a different effect, try the tungsten or cloudy presets.

Don’t be afraid to experiment.

And remember:

If you are shooting in RAW, you can change the white balance in post-production.

15. Don’t depend on your meter

In general, your camera’s light meter will be fooled by the amount of light reflecting off the moon.

So make sure you constantly check your LCD and histogram to ensure you’ve nailed the exposure.

Also, it is important to note that, as the moon rises, the exposure will change. The moon gets brighter as it rises, so you’ll need to keep adjusting your shutter speed to compensate.

16. Do shoot the moon in RAW

Shooting in RAW will allow you to capture more details of the moon’s surface, and also give you more latitude for adjustments in Lightroom and Photoshop.

So, unless you are not at all comfortable with using camera RAW software, always shoot the moon in RAW.

17. Don’t be afraid to crop your images

Unless you are shooting with a very large telephoto lens, you will want to crop your image to display the moon at a decent size.

But remember:

The more you crop, the more you reduce your ability to print at a high resolution.

18. Do tweak and sharpen

Most moon photography is going to require some post-processing in Photoshop or other photo editing software. Adding clarity and contrast will help bring out details, and this will enhance the craters and mountains of the moon.

As mentioned above, the white balance and exposure may also be adjusted to achieve a nice result, as both are somewhat difficult to perfect in-camera.

19. Don’t be afraid to get creative

Here’s the truth:

Most great moon photography has been manipulated in post-production, because of the difficulty of capturing a great moon shot in one image.

So don’t be afraid to get creative.

For instance, you might create a composite, as I did for this image:

the moon and a flying seagull — Be creative! I combined two images to make this composite.

A popular method used by many photographers is to combine two exposures: one set to bring out the best of the foreground landscape, and a second exposed for the moon.

When combining these two images, try enlarging the moon slightly to achieve a more dramatic effect, but don’t overdo it to the point that it looks fake. The moon needs to look believable, unless you are going for a science fiction effect (which isn’t always a bad idea, creatively speaking!).

shooting the moon above a bridge at night — Two exposures were combined to make this final image. One image was exposed for the landscape and the other for the moon. The moon was enlarged slightly for dramatic effect.

20. Do practice, practice, practice

You now know everything you need to get started with moon photography.

So get out there and shoot the moon!

Remember that moon photography is not as easy as it looks, so if your first results are not as dramatic as you expected, then keep trying!

Now I’d like to see some of your moon images! Please share any moon shots in the comments below.

The post 20 Dos and Don’ts for Shooting the Moon appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Bruce Wunderlich.

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Video: Orbit around the moon for 4 hours in this real-time video

04 Feb

Seán Doran uses still images from organizations like NASA and JAXA to create stunning videos. His latest work is ‘MOON in Real Time I,’ which is the first video seen below. Doran denoised, graded, repaired and retimed footage from the JAXA/NHK Kaguya Orbiter archive.

The Kaguya spacecraft, officially known as SELENE, was first launched in September 2007 from the Tanegashima Space Center (TNSC). The Kaguya mission’s primary objective is to collect data to help scientists better understand the moon’s origin and evolutionary history. Kaguya comprises a primary orbiting satellite, which orbits at an altitude of just over 60 mi (100 km), and a pair of smaller satellites, the Relay Satellite and the VRAD Satellite. The smaller satellites are in polar orbit. The orbiters carry various instruments to investigate the moon, including spectrometers, imagers, altimeters and more.

Doran’s retooled and recompiled footage can be seen below. The video is four hours long and is almost hypnotic.

Doran has created a lot of space videos for his YouTube channel. He has hundreds of videos featuring Earth, the Moon, the Sun, Mars, Jupiter and more. I’ve selected a few to highlight, but if you’re interested in space, you must visit his YouTube channel.

The 8K video below features music by Phaeleh and follows the International Space Station from Central Africa to Japan in real-time. For this video, Doran converted still images into real-time video.

Sticking with Earth, using the ESRSU image archive, Seán Doran created the ‘Orbit’ trilogy. The first part is seen below. You can view the other parts at the following links: Part 2 and Part 3. Like the previous video, ‘Orbit’ is a journey around Earth using ISS time-lapse photography. Likewise, the video is backed by music from Phaeleh. The 4K video below is simply stunning.

‘Lúnasa^171– One Month of Sun’ is an 8K video that Doran built by repairing and processing 78,846 frames captured by NASA/SDO/AIA/EVE/HMI in August 2014. The video is accompanied by the song ‘Spirit of Fire’ by Jesse Gallagher.

The video below, ‘Mars in Color – Crater in Tyrrhena Terra,’ is compiled using media from NASA/JPL/University of Arizona. The data came from HiRISE, which we wrote about last month.

To view more from Seán Doran, be sure to visit his YouTube channel.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

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NASA uses infrared imaging to discover water on sunlit surface of the Moon

27 Oct

NASA’s Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy (SOFIA) has used its onboard Faint Object infrared Camera for the SOFIA Telescope (FORCAST) to discover water molecules on the sunlit surface of the Moon. For the first time, there are indications that water may be distributed across the Moon’s surface, and not limited to just cold, dark areas of the lunar surface.

SOFIA’s infrared camera, used in conjunction with a 106-inch diameter telescope, picked up ‘the specific wavelength unique to water molecules, at 6.1 microns, and discovered a relatively surprising concentration in sunny Clavius Crater.’ This crater is one of the largest craters visible from Earth and is in the Moon’s southern hemisphere.

Casey Honniball is the lead author who published the results as part of her graduate thesis work at the University of Hawaii at M?noa. She is now a postdoctoral fellow at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Maryland. Of the discovery, Honniball says, ‘Prior to the SOFIA observations, we knew there was some kind of hydration. But we didn’t know how much, if any, was actually water molecules – like we drink every day – or something more like drain cleaner. Without a thick atmosphere, water on the sunlit lunar surface should just be lost to space. Yet, somehow we’re seeing it. Something is generating the water, and something must be trapping it there.’ If you’d like to read the full paper, it has been published in Nature Astronomy.

Data gathered using SOFIA’s onboard camera shows water in Clavius Crater in concentrations of 100 to 412 parts per million, ‘roughly equivalent to a 12-ounce bottle of water trapped in a cubic meter of soil spread across the lunar surface.’ Paul Hertz, director of the Astrophysics Division in the Science Mission Directorate at NASA Headquarters says, ‘We had indications that H2O – the familiar water we know – might be present on the sunlit side of the Moon. Now we know it is there. This discovery challenges our understanding of the lunar surface and raises intriguing questions about resources relevant for deep space exploration.’

It’s not a lot of water, about 1% of the water found in the Sahara desert, but it’s a significant discovery. The work of the SOFIA team has uncovered new questions about how water is created and how it persists on the airless Moon. Further, water is a critical resource in deep space exploration. NASA’s Artemis program is keen to learn more about the presence of water on the Moon, and ideally, discover a way to access water in its pursuit of establishing a sustainable human presence on the Moon by 2030.

‘Water is a valuable resource, for both scientific purposes and for use by our explorers,’ said Jacob Bleacher, chief exploration scientist for NASA’s Human Exploration and Operations Mission Directorate.’ Bleacher continues, ‘If we can use the resources at the Moon, then we can carry less water and more equipment to help enable new scientific discoveries.’

As to how the water molecules ended up on the surface remains an unanswered question. One theory is that ‘Micrometeorites raining down on the lunar surface, carrying small amounts of water, could deposit the water on the lunar surface upon impact.’ Another theory involves a two-step process ‘whereby the Sun’s solar wind delivers hydrogen to the lunar surface and causes a chemical reaction with oxygen-baring minerals in the soil to create hydroxyl’ which is then transformed into water by radiation from micrometeorites.

‘This illustration highlights the Moon’s Clavius Crater with an illustration depicting water trapped in the lunar soil there, along with an image of NASA’s Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy (SOFIA) that found sunlit lunar water.’ Image and caption credits: NASA/Daniel Rutter

SOFIA, which is a modified Boeing 747SP jetliner, typically focuses on very distant objects, such as black holes, galaxies and star clusters. In fact, the newly-published results are from SOFIA’s very first mission looking at the Moon. The team was essentially testing the tracking capabilities of its equipment, and this test produced a significant discovery. Additional flights will take a further look at the lunar surface.

SOFIA’s standard observations take place during a 10-hour overnight flight and captures images at mid- and far-infrared wavelengths. You can view some of the images it has captured by clicking here.

This is far from the first time NASA’s camera technology has produced meaningful, significant scientific discovery. Looking to the future, NASA’s Perseverance is currently about halfway to Mars, carrying a rover outfitted with a record-breaking 19 cameras. These cameras will capture incredibly detailed images of the Martian landscape.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

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Lightroom Moon Editing Tips for Awesome Moon Photos

14 Jun

The post Lightroom Moon Editing Tips for Awesome Moon Photos appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Simon Ringsmuth.

One of the most fascinating photos you can take is a crystal-clear shot of the full moon. Pictures like this don’t require a lot of fancy gear, but you do have to be in the right place at the right time. To make matters even more tricky, you only have a handful of opportunities each year to even attempt a moon shot. Getting a picture is just the beginning, though. If you want to make your shot stand out, it helps to follow these simple Lightroom moon editing tips.

moon editing tips — Nikon D500, Nikon 70-200mm f2.8, 200mm, 1/200 second, f/4.8, ISO 640.

Shoot in RAW

The benefits of RAW over lossy formats like JPG are well documented. While there are certainly times where JPG is useful, RAW is essential when taking shots of the moon. You need all the editing leeway you can get to adjust colors, exposure, and other parameters.

For example, the photo below might not look like much, but it’s fairly typical of the types of moon shots most people would get with some basic camera gear. I shot this with a crop-sensor camera, which is much more common than expensive full-frame models. I also only zoomed to 200mm, and a lot of kit zoom lenses can easily reach this far.

At first glance, it probably looks like there’s not much that I can do here. The moon is overexposed and a little blurry. It’s way too small, and the power lines cut right through the frame. Also, the sky has a weird blue tint to it that’s a bit unnatural.

However, hope is not lost! Thanks to the power of RAW files, and a little bit of editing prowess in Lightroom, this photo can be turned into a frame-worthy image.

Crop

Back in the early days of digital photography, people often debated the importance of megapixels. A common, though incorrect perception was that more megapixels equal better photos. While that is not necessarily true, having a higher megapixel count does allow you to have significant room for cropping, which is great when your subject is far away – 239,000 miles, to be exact.

Most cameras today have upwards of 20 megapixels, which gives you a huge amount of freedom to crop your photos. If you don’t have a huge telephoto zoom lens to zoom into individual moon craters, use Lightroom instead. Crop your image until it’s nice and tight with the moon right in the center.

moon editing tips lightroom crop — Go ahead and crop your photo. If you have a modern camera you have plenty of leeway.

In this example, I cropped the image tight enough to get rid of everything but the moon and the sky. Gone are the power lines and trees, and what’s left is just the moon in all its glory. Even cropped in this much, the resulting image is 4.3 megapixels – more than enough to get an 8×10″ print made.

White Balance

At this point the picture is better, but still has a long way to go.

The next step is to adjust the white balance. The reason I recommend doing this after you crop your moon photo is that it helps you focus on just the important part of the image. If you adjust the white balance before cropping, you might be focusing your edits on parts of the image that you discard after cropping.

There’s no right or wrong way to adjust the white balance on a moon photo. It all depends on how you want the final image to look and what you want your viewers to feel when they see it. If you want a starting point, here are two options I recommend.

Use the Daylight preset
Use the Eyedropper and click on the moon.

Both of these produce vastly different results. You can also play around with the sliders until you get a look that you like. One thing to remember is that the moon itself produces no light. It’s just a ball of rock falling through the sky. The light you see is sunlight reflecting off the surface, which is why some people prefer to use a white balance suited for sunlight. The choice is yours, though, and you can set the white balance however you want.

Another option is to combine the best of both worlds. Click the eyedropper tool on the moon, but then use the Brush tool to change the white balance of the moon. This will give you rich, deep blues for the sky but a yellow tint for the moon. However, this can be a little tricky. If not done right, you will see a weird color halo around the moon. So just make sure to use the Brush tool as precisely as possible.

Exposure adjustments

Nailing the exposure when shooting the moon is tricky. It’s a giant bright ball against a dark sky, which means a lot of the conventional rules don’t apply. I usually prefer to under-expose the moon and then adjust it in Lightroom. That way you preserve your highlights, but even if your picture is a little overexposed you can still salvage it if you shoot in RAW.

In this example, my shot is overexposed by about one stop. To fix it, I entered a -0.75 value in the Exposure slider in the Basic panel. This darkens everything: the moon and the sky. If you want the sky to stay the same level of brightness but just adjust the moon, use the Highlights slider. Drag it left to lower the exposure of the brightest portions of your image – in this case, the moon.

Adjusting the exposure isn’t one of the most mind-blowing moon editing tips, but it’s an essential step in the process of getting your final shot to look good.

Texture and Sharpening

When you take a picture of the moon, you have to contend with all sorts of variables that can lead to a soft or fuzzy appearance. From earth, we see the moon through miles of atmosphere, which often contains dust and other particles. Your lens might not be tack-sharp either, especially if you got your zoom lens as part of a camera kit. Lightroom can help fix these issues with a few simple sliders.

Normally, I would recommend starting with the Sharpening slider, but not when shooting the moon. In this case, you want to bring out the moon’s texture and surface details, so the texture slider is a great place to start. You can find it at the bottom of the Basic panel. Alternatively, you can use the Brush tool to adjust the texture if you want a little more precision in your editing.

The Sharpening slider is great for fine-tuning your image after adjusting the texture. However, I do not recommend using the Clarity slider. That will result in a false, unnatural look with moon shots and can show some unwanted noise in the sky as well.

Final touches

At this point, you have several options to polish your image. While you can use any number of editing tools, some that I recommend trying are:

Adding a vignette
Use the Brush tool to reduce noise in the sky
Adjust the tone curve to have a very slight S-shape
Raise and lower the blue saturation
Convert your picture to Black and White. Click “Black and White” in the top-right corner of the Basic panel

When it comes to moon editing tips, the sky is quite literally the limit. These should be enough to get you started, but I recommend spending time just experimenting with some of the sliders in Lightroom to see what you can do.

What about you? DO you have any other moon editing tips you’d like to share? Do you have any favorite shots of the moon? Share your favorites in the comments below!

The post Lightroom Moon Editing Tips for Awesome Moon Photos appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Simon Ringsmuth.

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Equipment and Camera Settings You’ll Need for Better Moon Photography

23 Aug

The post Equipment and Camera Settings You’ll Need for Better Moon Photography appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Jeremy Flint.

Super Moon, Oxford, England

As the brightest object in the night sky, the Moon has captivated people around the world for centuries. The Moon is simply fascinating, particularly with the recent 50th anniversary of the first humans landing on the Moon. It is also one of the most incredible subjects to learn to photograph. Everyone loves to observe the Moon, but have you ever looked up to the sky at night and thought, “how can I capture this magnificent phenomenon?” Well, as photographing the Moon can be a challenging undertaking, I have highlighted some information about the Moon and recommendations regarding equipment and camera settings you’ll need to consider to achieve better moon photography.

It is initially worth considering what the Moon actually is. Well, in general, the term “moon” denotes an object that orbits something other than the star in a solar system. Earth’s Moon is an astronomical body that orbits the planet and acts as its only permanent natural satellite, orbiting the Earth every 27.3 days. It is the fifth-largest Moon in the Solar System and is an average of 384403 kilometers (238857 miles) from Earth.

When you look up at the night sky to view the peaceful and tranquil Moon, you might notice that the Moon looks a little different each night. This is due to our Moon’s many phases and types.

Phases of the moon

Partial lunar eclipse, England

The amount of sunlight that reflects on the Moon’s surface that we can see from our point of view on Earth varies every day, and this is what we refer to as a Moon phase.

Moon phases change during the lunar month from a New Moon (which occurs the moment the Sun and Moon are aligned, with the Sun and Earth on opposite sides of the Moon) to a Waxing Crescent moon (when a thin sliver of the Moon becomes visible after a New Moon), First Quarter Moon (the moment the Moon has reached the first quarter of its orbit around Earth), Waxing Gibbous Moon, Full Moon, Waning Gibbous Moon, Third Quarter Moon and Waning Crescent Moon.

Different types of full moons

Super Blue Blood Moon, Oxford

A full moon occurs when the side of the Moon facing Earth is fully lit up by the Sun. There are several types of unusual full moons that look different in color and size due to its position to the Sun and Earth. These include blood moons (that appears reddish and occur during a total lunar eclipse, when Earth lines up between the Moon and the Sun); Supermoons (a moon that appears larger because it is closer to Earth), Blue Moons (the “extra” Moon in a season with four Full Moons or the second Full Moon in a calendar month) and Harvest Moons (the full, bright Moon that occurs closest to the start of Autumn), for example.

The equipment

When photographing the full moon or different phases of the moon, you will need some essential pieces of equipment. I recommend you use a tripod for stability. Whilst you may get away with hand-holding your camera, you will get better results by mounting your camera on a tripod and avoiding camera shake. In addition, a remote shutter release cable is a useful bit of kit to help prevent camera shake. It is not essential as you can use your cameras self-timer function.

Which lens to use

Moon over the landscape, Dartmoor, England

The type of lens you use largely depends on whether you would like to capture the moon in the landscape, or as a detailed close-up. Wide-angle lenses are great to photograph the moon as it moves over an interesting landscape. Alternatively, a telephoto lens is a great choice for getting closer to the moon to reveal its surface details. Consider using a long focal length lens with a range of 300-400mm.

Which camera settings to use

Moonrise, England

Once you have chosen a lens and set your camera on a tripod, you will need to select your settings. Firstly, I would recommend setting your ISO to 100 to prevent noise and grain in your images. Next, select an aperture in the region of f/8 – f/16 to achieve clearer and cleaner shots. In terms of shutter speed, 1/60th to 1/125th should be a great starting point.

Focus on the moon

Moon and sky, England

When you have applied the settings, all you now need to do is set the focus of your camera. I like to use my cameras manual focus to focus on the Moon. Once the focusing distance to the Moon looks sharp using manual focus, you are ready to shoot the Moon.

In my experience, manual focus works better than autofocus as the Moon’s surface is sometimes too dark to be recognized by the camera’s autofocus and I find manual focus to be more reliable in obtaining sharper shots in low light. By using manual focus, if you’re camera settings aren’t spot-on for any reason, you will still have reasonably sharp photos that you can recover in your editing software.

If you apply all of these tips, you’ll achieve better Moon photography and be equipped to photograph the Moon at the best time.

Conclusion

In summary, photographing the Moon is one of the most enjoyable subjects any photographer can learn. To achieve better photos of the different phases and types of the Moon, be sure to use a tripod. Also, consider a remote cable release, choose a wide-angle or telephoto lens, get your settings right, and focus your camera on the Moon manually.

Do you have any other tips for better Moon photography? Alternatively, share your pictures of the Earth’s natural satellite or the Moon shining brightly over your chosen scene with us below.

The post Equipment and Camera Settings You’ll Need for Better Moon Photography appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Jeremy Flint.

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Hasselblad re-issues 1969 press release on moon landing cameras

03 Jul

As part of the celebrations of the 50th anniversary of the Moon landings Hasselblad has re-issued the press release it sent out about the cameras used to take the first pictures from the moon’s surface. The release shows original black and white images from the trip of astronaut Buzz Aldrin taken by Neil Armstrong using the mission’s Hasselblad 500EL Data Camera with a Zeiss Biogon 60mm F5.6 lens.

A second 500EL was kept onboard to photograph events from the Eagle, and was mounted with a Zeiss Planar 80mm F2.8 lens. This camera was used by Michael Collins, who Hasselblad points out lost a SWC body in space in 1966 – he obviously was still not forgiven three years later!

NASA

All the cameras used were also fitted with a Reseau Plate close to the film plane that left reference marks on each frame to help scientists determine the distance between objects in the frame. Custom film backs were used to hold 70mm film that could handle 150-200 exposures per roll, and the camera that was used to shoot from the Moon’s surface was attached to Armstrong’s space suit.

The press release says that Hasselblad had been working with NASA on cameras for space missions since 1962 and the collaboration had seen many pictures from above the Earth before the 1969 landing. Victor Hasselblad, the company’s founder, flew to the USA to see the Apollo 11 launch in July that year and remained there until the mission returned – when he collected four rolls of color film and took them back to the Swedish factory. The release says ‘The pictures were so good that even we who had previously seen 9,000 Hasselblad images from space gasped for breath.’

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Sadly, to lighten the Eagle so it could take off again two of the mission’s Hasselblad bodies and lenses were left on the Moon along with about $ 1 million worth of other equipment. In all twelve Hasselblad cameras have been left on the Moon since 1969. It might be worth starting another mission to go and collect them all!

For more information see the Hasselblad In Space pages of the company’s website, or read the original press release online.

Press release:

HASSELBLAD CELEBRATES 50 YEARS ON THE MOON AS THE CAMERA THAT DOCUMENTED THE HISTORIC MOON LANDING

Shortly after the Lunar Module Eagle touched down at Tranquility Base, astronauts Aldrin and Armstrong aboard the Apollo 11 mission would don their bulky space suits and step carefully down onto the dusty ground, becoming the first visit by humankind to the lunar surface. Naturally, the tools chosen to record and document this momentous occasion represented the best technologies of the time – including the still camera of choice, a Hasselblad. That selection was the result of years of close collaboration between the Swedish camera manufacturer and the American space agency to ensure that its professional medium format cameras could stand the rigors of intense temperatures, vibration, and decreased gravity in space. Not only have these photographs provided scientific insight but have proven to be legendary marvels recognized the world over representing the human existence. Fifty years later, on 20 July 2019, Hasselblad proudly celebrates its role in being the cameras that were chosen by NASA for space photography, and even more so, the cameras that documented the historical moment of the first men on the Moon.

Hasselblad and NASA’s journey together began seven years previous to the Apollo 11 mission – in 1962 during the Mercury program. As a photography enthusiast, Naval Captain and Mission Pilot Walter “Wally” Schirra owned a Hasselblad 500C already. Knowing the high quality of the Hasselblad camera, Schirra suggested to NASA that they use a Hasselblad to document space since the previous camera model utilised delivered disappointing results. After buying a few 500Cs, a weight-loss program followed including removal of its leather covering, auxiliary shutter, reflex mirror, and viewfinder. A new film magazine was constructed in order to allow for 70 exposures instead of the usual 12. Finally, a matte black outer paint job minimized reflections in the window of the orbiter.

The streamlined Hasselblad would find itself in the payload for Mercury 8 (MA-8) in October 1962. The successful, high quality images that Schirra captured across his six orbits of the Earth would spark a new chapter in the history of Hasselblad and a long, close and mutually beneficial cooperation between the American space agency and the Swedish camera manufacturer.

Considered one of the most iconic moments is that of Apollo 11’s descent and exploration of the lunar sur- face. Taken down to the surface was a Hasselblad Data Camera (HDC) fitted with a Zeiss Biogon 60mm ƒ/5,6 lens and 70mm film magazine containing specially formulated thin-base Kodak film, allowing for 200 images per magazine. A second Hasselblad Electric Camera (HEC) with a Zeiss Planar 80mm ƒ/2,8 lens was used to shoot from inside the Eagle lunar module. Installed in the HDC was a Réseau plate, which optically imprinted fixed cross-marks allowing for photogrammetric measurements to be made from the resulting negative. The HDC was specifically designed to cope with the rigors of the lunar surface; it was painted silver as a way to stabilize the camera when moving between temperatures ranging from -65° C (-85° F) to over 120° C (248° F).

Armstrong carried out all the photography himself on the lunar surface with this HDC attached to his chest, which had never been tested in space before, adding to the pressure of this once in a lifetime moment. Would the one Hasselblad camera capture the results everyone was hoping for?

Working perfectly under the extreme conditions of the lunar surface, the HDC produced some of history’s most iconic photographs. After the successful shooting on 21 July 1969, the Hasselblad was hoisted up to the lunar lander with a line. After securely removing the film magazines, both cameras with lenses and ancillary support accessories, along with other collection tools, components, and waste were jettisoned in order to meet narrow weight margins for successful return. The succeeding five Apollo missions to land would repeat this practice, resulting in a total of 12 Hasselblad camera bodies with lenses still left on the Moon.

The collaboration would continue well into the 21st century with continually updated Hasselblad cameras being a vital part of manned spaceflight well into the Shuttle program. With each development handled jointly between NASA engineers and Hasselblad’s precision manufacturing team, the shared results would benefit the manufacturer too.

Features such as enlarged control surfaces designed for bulky space suit gloves would result in changes made in the design of Hasselblad’s professional camera systems, while later missions would be afforded the accurate internal metering system on later camera models.

Celebrating 50 years on the Moon, Hasselblad is proud to have been part of a significant chapter in both photographic and human history.

Stay tuned in July to see how we commemorate this momentous occasion.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

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When is the Best Time to Photograph the Moon?

10 Jun

The post When is the Best Time to Photograph the Moon? appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Peter West Carey.

Moon phases are a key to understanding when you should be out taking photos. These days it’s easy to predict where and when you will see the moon for the type of photos you want to produce.

First let’s start with some tools you might want to look into, then options for different moon phase photos.

Tools

Astronomers have known the secrets of the moon’s phases and timing for eons. Ancient civilizations built monuments and shrines in regard to locations of the sun, moon and stars long before computers were invented. Our modern tools are a little easier to access.

Newspapers and Websites

Not into learning full astronomy? My first suggestion is to Google the phase you’re looking for. It’s that simple. One of the top sites that will appear in the results is Time & Date. You can find all the phases of the moon, based on the location of your Internet connection, right here. If the location isn’t correct, simply search for your city and the site will give you all you need to get started.

Another great option (that also has an app, but it is so much better on a large computer screen) is The Photographer’s Ephemeris (TPE). I wrote about using TPE here on DPS and they have a Web App available for those who don’t use phones and their apps.

The US Navy has a simple site that allows you to print out a year’s worth of times for any location on the planet.

Don’t have an Internet connection while you travel? Newspapers still print the information for the moon and sun phases (as well as setting and rising times).

Apps

Everyone loves a good app, and there are three that I keep loaded on my phone for photography purposes. All of these apps will show you the angle of the moon at any time, its phase, and some even help you calculate the best time to photograph the moon.

Full moon over Washington’s Cascade Mountains

My choices are:

- Photo Pills (DPS astrophotography instructions)
- LightTrac
- Photographer’s Ephemeris (DPS full moon instructions)

Catching the Full Moon

The best time to photograph the full moon is the day before or after a full moon. Why’s this?

A full moon is marked at the height of its path across the heavens and this is often after midnight. Let’s say the moon reaches the height of its fullness at 12:26 am on July 2nd. This means the full moon actually rises on the day BEFORE that which is marked on the calendar. Throw in use of Daylight Saving Time and the timing can be wonky.

Full moon rising above Washington’s Cascade Mountains and Puget Sound

Going out the day before the moon is actually marked as full means you’re catching the moon rising just about at the same time as the sun is setting. So the sun is lighting the moon and often the foreground of your scene. This gives a nice, even lighting to your scene.

The same can be said for shooting the full moon setting the day it is marked on the calendar.

Late at night, you can still capture great images of the moon. However, you have to understand that the contrast difference between the moon (a giant reflector in space) and the black sky will be immense. This means you will lose detail in the moon if you attempt to hold the shutter open long enough to exposure the foreground. Some creative light painting can come in handy in this case.

Full moon and chorten with the Himalayas in the background. Mong La, Nepal

Half/Quarter Moons – Daytime wonders

Some people call them half-moons because half of the moon is illuminated. Some call them quarter because they are at the quarter phase of a full cycle. Either way, they look the same.

Half-moons will rise or set in the middle of the day. It matters on whether the moon is waxing or waning, meaning if it is getting closer to full or further away in its cycle. This is a good time to use an app or Astro calendar to plan ahead.

You’ll be best served by catching a half moon when it is rising or setting, just like with a full moon. Having it closer to the foreground subjects will help it appear larger. Let me give you an example.

Here’s the half moon rising in Canmore, Alberta, Canada just behind the Rocky Mountains.

Half moon and the Canadian Rockies

Nice and large when using a long lens and the moon is close to the ground. It is fairly high in the sky here as I am looking way up at the mountain.

Now, here are two examples with a nearly half moon over Half Dome in Yosemite National Park, and another of it over Seattle, Washington.

See the issue? It’s still a half moon, but later in its cycle, when it is far from foreground objects, it is relatively small and loses some grandeur.

Slivers or Crescents

Slivers, or crescents, are visible just before and after a new moon. Look for them a couple of days before and after the new moon and, just like full and half, try to find a time when they are low on the horizon.

Crescent moon setting over the Himalayas

You will also notice the sliver will seemingly rotate as it crosses the heavens and this may affect your composition choices. As with the half moon, you will have even more trouble giving the moon prominence in a mid-day shoot when it is high in the sky.

Lunar Eclipses

Lunar eclipses are all the fashion these days with this or that news source touting, “This will be the last blah, blah, blah for decades!” But don’t let them fool you; lunar eclipses happen often enough – about once a year. However, their location can be the biggest issue. Let’s go back to Time & Date’s site for more info on upcoming lunar eclipses for the next 10 years. You’ll need to click on the “Lunar” tab once on the page.

Not all of those eclipses will happen in your neck of the woods, so you’ll have to click through and see where they will happen. As with solar eclipses, when the sun is blotted out by the moon, people will often travel far and wide for lunar eclipse shots.

A full lunar eclipse, at its height, means the moon will be completely in the shadow of the Earth. Because of the distance between the Earth and moon, some light still slips past the Earth, which causes it to have all colors except red stripped away. This is why lunar eclipses are sometimes called blood moons.

Again, having a foreground subject helps because the eclipse often happens high in the sky. The whole sequence of the moon moving into and then fully out of the Earth’s shadow can take a little over an hour, and you should plan accordingly. The colorful and best ‘action’ of the eclipse will span maybe 5-10 minutes.

More tips on capturing lunar (and solar) eclipses are found in this DPS article.

New Moon or No Moon – Photograph the Stars

When the moon’s not out, it’s a great time to photograph the stars. And my, oh, my, do we have a batch of great articles to help you with that!

How To Plan Astrophotography With The Photopills App
Astrophotography Made Simple
How to Choose a Lens for Night Sky Photography
Reducing Digital Noise in Astrophotography Using Exposure Stacking
How to Add More Interest to Your Astrophotography With Light Painting

Conclusion

Moon photography is a fun and challenging subject because the moon is constantly changing phases and its location in the sky. Thankfully, we have plenty of tools at our disposal to track and plan for great moon photos. While full moons are alluring, try your hand at the other phases, too.

Feel free to share your photos of the moon with the dPS community in the comments below.

The post When is the Best Time to Photograph the Moon? appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Peter West Carey.

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Full Moon and Eclipse Photography: Your Guide to Where They Are in 2019 and How to Capture Them Effectively

26 Feb

The post Full Moon and Eclipse Photography: Your Guide to Where They Are in 2019 and How to Capture Them Effectively appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Caz Nowaczyk.

Jongsun Lee

Full moons and eclipses are a unique time to capture some interesting photographs.

Full Moons

Full moons usually happen once a month, with the occasional second full moon falling in the same month. This second full moon is called a Blue Moon.

Solar and Lunar Eclipses

A solar eclipse happens when the new moon passes between the earth and the sun, casting a shadow over the sun.

A lunar eclipse occurs when the earth passes between the full moon and the sun, causing the moon to fall into earth’s shadow. Lunar Eclipses occur only at the full moon.

To give you the opportunity to shoot the moon, below is a calendar of Full Moons and Eclipses for 2019, followed by some articles that will help you to capture the moon or eclipse effectively.

Full Moon and Eclipse Calendar

Full Moons

New York, N.Y (US/Eastern)

Date	Time
Jan 21	00:17
Feb 19	10:53
Mar 20	21:43
Apr 19	07:12
May 18	17:11
Jun 17	04:31
July 16	17:39
Aug 15	08:31
Sep 14	00:35
Oct 13	17:10
Nov 12	08:37
Dec 12	00:14

Eclipses

Date	Type
July 2	Total Solar Eclipse
July 16	Partial Lunar Eclipse
Nov 11	Mercury Transit
Dec 26	Annular Solar Eclipse

Full Moons

Sydney, Australia (AEST)

Date	Time
Jan 21	00:17
Feb 20	02:53
Mar 21	12:42
Apr 19	21:12
May 19	07:11
Jun 17	07:38
July 17	17:38
Aug 15	22:29
Sep 14	14:32
Oct 14	08:07
Nov 13	00:34
Dec 12	16:12

Eclipses

Date	Type
July 17	Partial Lunar Eclipse

Full Moons

London, England, UK

Date	Time
Jan 21	05:16
Feb 19	15:53
Mar 21	01:42
Apr 19	12:12
May 18	22:11
Jun 17	09:30
July 16	22:38
Aug 15	13:29
Sep 14	05:32
Oct 13	22:07
Nov 12	13:34
Dec 12	05:12

Eclipses

Date	Type
July 16-17	Partial Lunar Eclipse
Nov 11	Mercury Transit

How to Achieve Better Full Moon and Eclipse Photography

20 Dos and Don’ts for Shooting the Moon

Beyond Full Moon Photography

Moon Photography: 6 Tips for Better Moon Photos

How to Photograph a Solar Eclipse

Tips for Photographing a Lunar Eclipse

How to Photograph a Lunar Eclipse

The post Full Moon and Eclipse Photography: Your Guide to Where They Are in 2019 and How to Capture Them Effectively appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Caz Nowaczyk.

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Resources for shooting this weekend’s Super Blood Wolf Moon

19 Jan

Photo captured and provided by NASA

Astrophotography fans will be treated to the sight of a rare ‘super blood wolf Moon’ this weekend, and lots of helpful people are offering advice on how best to photograph it. The event will bring together the drama of the year’s first full moon at the same time as a total lunar eclipse – and the Moon passing very close to the earth. Mix all three factors and we get a very large-looking full Moon that appears a deep copper color in the sky.

Depending on where you live the blood Moon will be visible on the evening of Sunday 20th or the early morning of Monday 21st, but only those in the Americas, northern and western Europe, the eastern Pacific and the north-eastern tip of Russia will be able to see the full eclipse. Some in western Africa may get a partial eclipse.

The event will occur as the Moon passes into the earth’s shadow. As this happens sunlight is refracted by the earth’s atmosphere, bending around the earth to faintly illuminate the Moon in a warm red light – hence the ‘blood Moon’ name. As the moon will appear relatively dim in the sky it’s a great chance to get a manageable exposure to include the Moon and stars in a single shot. ‘Wolf’ in the name is present because it will be the first full moon of the year.

Resources:

PhotoPills has produced a video explaining how to use its app to determine where the Moon will appear and its size, so you can plan your foreground and composition.

Mr Eclipse is a constant source of information on different ways to capture the spectacle, with tips and techniques for a wide range of shots.
Fred Espenak from Mr Eclipse has also written a piece for the Nikon USA website on the subject, and shows some pretty stunning pictures.
Newsweek has a piece by physics professor Walter Freeman explaining a little more how and why this phenomenon occurs.
The Royal Astronomical Society also has information and advice for observers in the UK, where the full eclipse will occur at 05.12GMT. The official guidelines state that to enjoy the sight ‘all you have to do is dress warmly and go outside.’ Sensible advice.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

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