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.

Comments

Most Popular of All Time

Mom Was Right

In this episode: Mom Was Right (Again!) . . . Remember that old saying, "Mom knows best?" Well, this week, it resonated profoundly. I vividly recall my mother's steadfast remedy for the common cold, which was ingrained in my 1960s childhood: "Rest in bed, drink plenty of fluids, and take aspirin to reduce pain and fever." . . . Or now that I think about it, this may have been a Bayer aspirin commercial–Simple . . . Fast-forward to the age of AI and endless medical information at our fingertips, and guess what? Not much has changed. Yet, somehow, this week, Lori and I were blindsided by a cold—the first in over five years. My incredulous "How could this be?" quickly morphed into a dawning realization. Our company's annual meeting, a melting pot of colleagues from Illinois, Texas, Vietnam, Colorado, Northern California, and the Central Valley, was a veritable petri dish of germs. And, oh, the germs found me! Getting sick, especially after a long str...

Whispers of Spring

In this episode, Whispers of Spring . . . Spring has a way of sneaking in when you’re not looking. One day, you’re shaking off the last chill of winter, and the next, you realize the light has shifted, stretching shadows just a little longer. It didn’t make a big fuss about it—no dramatic entrance, no trumpets—just a quiet unfolding, like an old dog settling into a sunny spot on the porch. Last week, Daylight Saving Time kicked in, which meant we all fumbled with our clocks, grumbled a bit, and then, like frogs taken aback by a warm rain, leapt forward into longer evenings. The sun now lingers, in no rush to set, hanging in the sky like a tossed coin that refuses to fall. With the extra daylight, we find ourselves drawn outside once again, migrating to the back patio like folks are drawn to a warm campfire. The lawn chairs are right where we left them, waiting like old friends. The air hums with wind chimes, their tuned cylinders catching the breeze and weaving together something that...

Special April Fools' Edition: Did You Fall For It?

In this episode: Special April Fools' Edition: Did You Fall For It? (And a Little Baseball Nonsense) Welcome, fellow baseball aficionados and purveyors of the peculiar, to a very special, dare we say unpredictable, issue of On the Fly! Today, the air is thick with . . . well, probably just regular air, but a specific mischievous something is buzzing around. Can you feel it? Does that tingling sensation make you double-check your shoelaces and suspiciously eye any unusual packages? Yes, dear readers, it’s April 1st! A day steeped in mystery, shrouded in playful deception, and frankly, a day where you shouldn't believe anything you read (except maybe this . . .maybe). But before we descend into a whirlwind of whimsical falsehoods (don’t worry, we’ll mostly keep it light!), let’s take a quick, slightly wobbly, historical flight through the origins of this most unreliable of holidays. Whispers from the annals suggest a few intriguing possibilities for why we dedicate this particula...

At 92–Don's Digital Daydream

Listen to the audio here. In a world of his own–lives, ole' Doctor Don, Not one world, but three, 'til the setting of the sun! There’s his Blog-World , so bright, with words all a-whirl, And Book-World , with stories of boy and girl! Then, Day-World , where legs didn't leap, didn't run, Just shuffled and creaked 'til each day is done. But his brain, oh, his mind, it’s zippy and keen, A most curious fellow that ever was seen! At ninety and two, with a twinkle so bright, He met Chatty and said, "What a strange delight!" This box with the answers, so quick and so bold, Of theology and stories, new truths to unfold!" "Integrity, relationships, where do they fit? This thing makes me wonder, bit by bit!" He ponders and pokes with laughter and a grin, "Til POOF! he has gone to a world from within! A world made of words, a fantastical place, Where limits of the body, left not a trace! He Soares, and he zooms, with a thought and a rhyme, Trans...