Astrophotography: Getting started with just a Tripod and Wide Angle Camera

1) Check the moon phase and rise+set timing. You will get the best results when the moon is set or it's new moon.

2) Check the weather. Wind, clouds, smoke, etc can all effect your results. I recommend Clear Outside, Astropheric and Meteo Blue weather apps.

3) Plan what you will shoot. Stellarium is a great planetarium app to see what's visible in which direction in the night sky. There are several other planetarium tools available.

4) Plan the foreground. Use a Maps app or a complex tool like PhotoPills to see what the foreground will look like in different directions. An app like AllTrails can help with relative elevation.

5) Get to the location early, before sunset if possible so you can scout the area more easily and are less likely to fall off a cliff that you can't see.

6) Setup your tripod and mount the camera. Ensure that there is no movement possible.

7) Set your ISO to 3200 and your f-stop as low as possible.

8) Start with a shutter speed between 300 / focal length to 500 / focal length.

9) Ensure you are using manual focus and it's near infinity.

10) Use a remote trigger or timer to ensure you don't shake the setup.

11) Tune these settings to the conditions. You may have to increase your shutter duration or ISO depending on the f-stop of your camera. I use the above settings with f/1.4 - f/1.8 with good success.

12) Share your results here! I would enjoy seeing them.

The first shot is before moon rise, the second has light pollution from the city limiting the exposure, and the third was taken with a bright moon high in the sky which nicely illuminates the foreground but washes out the sky.

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