Skip to main content

Starry, Starry Night

In this episode, Starry, Starry Night . . .


Welcome back to On the Fly! This week, we're exploring the basics of astrophotography. Have you ever looked up at the night sky and wondered what's really out there? I’ve discovered a way to explore distant galaxies–without a telescope–or leaving my backyard.


Consider this: each night, when the skies are clear, a breathtaking display unfolds above us—a cosmic dance of light and color. When you step outside, you notice the moon and perhaps a few stars. However, you can open a gateway to the universe with a camera, some adjustments, and a tripod.


Suddenly, faint whispers of light transform into vibrant galaxies, swirling nebulae, and star clusters that shimmer like diamonds scattered across black velvet. That fuzzy patch you thought was just a smudge becomes the Andromeda Galaxy, our closest galactic neighbor, an astonishing 2.5 million light-years away. You're capturing light that has traveled millions of years to reach your camera sensor. How amazing is that?


The best part? You don't need expensive equipment to get started. Even a basic DSLR camera (or your Smartphone) and a tripod can reveal wonders you'd never see with the naked eye.


Let me be honest—I have a secret advantage here in Southern California. While others bundle up in layers of winter gear to catch a glimpse of the stars, I'm in my backyard with a light jacket, enjoying the crisp, clear nights with temperatures in the high 40s. That's practically balmy weather for winter stargazing!


Ok, I get it–you can’t avoid light pollution; this poses a challenge, especially if you live in a city. Find a darker spot a bit further from town, or use a dark sky app to discover the best viewing areas near you. For me, it’s as simple as going out when my neighbors are tucked in for the night. I turn off all the lights in the house and enjoy a dark sky window from my backyard.


One word of caution, though. When you're ready to take your astrophotography to the next level, you'll discover some incredible tutorials online. Start by watching instructional videos created by astrophotography experts. Be prepared to be amazed–and possibly a little intimidated. The images they proudly showcase are often the result of years of experience and advanced equipment—telescopes and specialized cameras—and usually involve intricate post-processing using multiple software applications.


Don't be discouraged!


Now, let’s start by switching your camera to manual mode. Make these adjustments indoors; fumbling around in the dark can be frustrating. A wide-angle lens is ideal as it captures more of the sky–focus on infinity. Set the ISO between 800 and 1600; this will make your camera more sensitive to light, and use an aperture of f/4 (f/2.8 if possible). Limit exposures to no more than 10 to 15 seconds for the best results. Your camera can capture more than you ever imagined. Exceeding 15 seconds may produce star tracers, which could be your intention. Don’t hesitate to experiment!



I'm excited to share the photos in this blog post, which are my first attempts with my DSLM camera! After processing them in iPhoto, I felt an incredible rush of excitement. When Lori saw the pictures, she exclaimed, “It looks like that in our backyard?”


Start simple, experiment, and enjoy the journey of discovery. Tonight, before the moon gets too bright, grab your camera, put it on a tripod, and try a 10-second exposure pointed at the brightest star you can see. You might be surprised!


Imagine capturing the Big Dipper, the Orion Nebula—a stellar nursery where new stars are born—or the Pleiades, a cluster of sparkling young stars that looks like a dipper. Scan the sky with your phone's app, SkyView, free from the app store. You may be able to capture planets within the same frame. If lucky, you might catch a meteor (a falling star) streaking across the sky–fleeting moments of cosmic magic.


Astrophotography is a journey of discovery that lets you explore the universe. It is a humbling and awe-inspiring experience, allowing you to witness the breathtaking beauty of the night sky and—dare I say—add a touch of magic to your life.


I’m Patrick Ball, reminding you to stay curious, ask questions, and explore on this starry night.

Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Most Popular of All Time

A Mother’s Day Reflection

With Mother’s Day here and the world bustling with cards, brunches, and busy schedules, I find myself reflecting on something a bit simpler: taking a moment to remember the person who helped shape my earliest sense of home. Mauricette Elaine (Bontemps) Ball. My Mom. We arrived in Cuba after leaving La Rochelle, France, in 1959—a transition whose enormity I only fully appreciate now. My mother, barely in her mid-twenties, stepped into Midwestern life with remarkable courage. Her smile could warm the coldest Illinois morning, and her hugs lingered long after she let go—quiet reminders that you were deeply loved. Born February 16, 1934, the third of four children, she grew up in Nazi-occupied La Rochelle. As kids, we listened wide-eyed to stories of soldiers patrolling her streets and fear shadowing everyday life. Yet she carried none of that darkness forward. What endured was resilience and an unwavering devotion to family—qualities she carried across the Atlantic and planted firmly in C...
1 comment
Read more

Time Travel, Roving Mics, and Muscle Memory

In this episode, the 2026 Sinkankas Symposium. Let’s get one thing straight: I didn’t arrive in a DeLorean. No flux capacitor, no dramatic lightning strike—just a Saturday parking pass and a name badge. And yet, somewhere between the rotunda doors and the first handshake, it happened anyway. This past Saturday, April 25th, I was transported—effortlessly and completely—back in time at the 20th Annual Sinkankas Symposium on the GIA campus in Carlsbad. Walking into that magnificent main campus rotunda early with my colleagues, Paul Mattlin and Glenn Wargo, felt like wrapping myself in a familiar, gem-encrusted blanket. It was less a building, more a family living room where nobody ever really forgets your name. The halls were quiet (a rare and beautiful thing), and the soft echo of our footsteps on the polished floors sounded exactly as I remembered it. For a moment, it wasn’t 2026—it was April 1997, my first time walking onto the beautiful, brand-new GIA campus as Director of Alumni. Som...
Post a Comment
Read more

Freedom 7 - 65th Anniversary

Podcast - Freedom 7; 65th Anniversary . "Man must rise above the Earth - to the top of the atmosphere and beyond - for only thus will he fully understand the world in which he lives." - Socrates, 500 B.C. May 5, 2026, marks the 65th anniversary of Freedom 7's launch. Commander Alan B. Shepard, Jr. became the first American in space. A 15-minute sub-orbital flight, a day for the history books; the entire world was watching. NASA and the world had witnessed many trial runs explode violently on the launch pad. The space program was in its infancy. Unlike today, there were far too many unknowns. This prompted me to pull out one of my favorite books from my office library,  Light This Candle , by Neal Thompson, copyright 2004. Light This Candle is a biography of Alan Shepard, Jr., you won't be able to put down. It's - "Story-telling at its best . . . every page is alive," says David Hartman, U.S Naval Institute. In the opening pages, you read endorsements fr...
Post a Comment
Read more

That Fateful Four-Letter Word

In this episode, A Masterclass in Efficiency. For nearly four months, the western border of our property has stood as a living monument to determination, dubious planning, and forensic-level lumber acquisition. Since February, our neighbor Steve has been conducting what can only be described as a masterclass in deliberate calculation. This was never going to be one of those slick home-improvement shows where a cheerful pair of men installs a fence between commercial breaks, sipping lemonade. No. This was real life in retirement. We scaled the vertical wilderness of our hillside. We mixed concrete with the precision of medieval alchemists. We bled, we sweated, and we fought hand-to-hand with a buried tree stump that had the structural integrity of a Cold War bunker. By this week—May 16th, for those keeping score—the glorious end was finally within reach. The fence stood proudly, the line was straight, and victory practically hummed in the air. Only one major task remained: installing t...
Post a Comment
Read more