shot by 28-year-old amateur astrophotographer Nick Risinger using six astronomical cameras. It’s not just the view of the sky from one location, but is instead a 360-panoramic view of the sky taken by trekking 60,000 miles across the western United States and South Africa starting in March 2010. The final image is composed of 37,000 separate photographs.

That's where I'd have stuck it

It's mostly just me that won't shut up about it, but since we're no allowed to stick stuff like that in B&B any more I'll start a new topic



To kick off, here's the largest true-colour photograph of the night sky ever created

Does this fit into here?

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2011/04/26 ... suspended/

Basically, SETI are stopping their S

That's where I'd have stuck it

Yon red bits are nebulae & iirc it's ionized hydrogen that makes them glow red

I'm pretty sure I can see the Milky Way when I go out for a night time walk (usually taking dog out) and get down to the end of the road where the streetlights are much further apart. It's very faint, and and first I wasn't sure if it was wispy clouds - but it's always in the same place and the more I look the less it seems like cloud. I must try and get a long-ish exposure picture one night.

The stars out here are wonderful, being away from the big city. I'd love to go somewhere truly isolated and just watch the sky.

If you point the camera towards Sagittarius you'll get the Great Rift in your picture which looks acebest. Also, shortish stacked exposures with something like deepskystacker are much more betterer than long exposures unless you want star trails (you don't if you're trying to get the Milky Way to look good).

As for checking what you're looking at Stellarium is brilliant & free, but even with a netbook it's a pain in the hoop to carry around especially since the screen will kill your night vision & it'll get all damp with dew & that. The better option is a planisphere like this one but for upsidedownland.

Amateur ? What are the professionals being paid to do if not this?!

billion-pixel camera

Jesus, don't show Decca.

I has a Gorillapod. That might have to do for Experimentation V1.0, and I know it won't be ideal from a stability point of view. And I'll probably use the timer rather than buy a remote shutter release, although the remote cable for my GF1 was about £3 so maybe not.

I has a Gorillapod. That might have to do for Experimentation V1.0, and I know it won't be ideal from a stability point of view. And I'll probably use the timer rather than buy a remote shutter release, although the remote cable for my GF1 was about £3 so maybe not.

So, with my mid-level-consumer DSLR and an 18-55 lens, is there any meaningful night sky photography I can do?

No idea how it is where you are but from my back garden the orange glow from the streetlights is just horrendous.

since we discovered it on Tuesday

I have no idea how to use editing software for even the simplest of tasks, or how to 'stack' pictures. Does anyone know of a really idiot proof guide?

@Kalmar, bloody Scottish summers, eh? Are you controlling your camera from a pc or have you hacked together a remote?