Beaver Tails
Northern Six-Hour Exposure
To find truly dark skies, go north. My friend John Walsh, an avid backpacker, headed to the northernmost part of our state for a fall weekend adventure. I convinced him to take my camera and film, explained how to attach chemical handwarmers to the lens to keep it from fogging over, and asked him to open the shutter for six hours when he got there. Among his other nice photos of aurora and bright stars, is this beautiful picture across a gently flowing stream, reflecting the night sky and the northern lights.
Boundary Waters Canoe Area, MN
23 Oct 1998
24mm Olympus lens at f/8
6 hour exposure on Fuji 800 Superia
Photo by John Walsh
Boundary Waters Canoe Area, MN
23 Oct 1998
24mm Olympus lens at f/8
6 hour exposure on Fuji 800 Superia
Photo by John Walsh
Four-Hour Lodgepoles
While camping trips make great venues for photographing the sky, sometimes it is difficult to get a full view of it. But here is an opening in the canopy, the lodgepole pines framing the pole star. The camera was aimed at Polaris, and the shutter opened for an hour. The flickering campfires and lamps illuminated the boughs of the trees.
A startrail picture like this is a powerful illustration of the Earth's motion. The pole star shows almost no motion. The others show longer arcs the further away, but all of them make an equal arc: a one-hour exposure cuts 1/24th of a full circle.
Tunnel Mountain Campground, Banff Park, Alberta Canada
17 Aug 1998
20mm f/4 Nikon lens
1 hour exposure on E200 Ektachrome processed +2 stops (ISO 800)
A startrail picture like this is a powerful illustration of the Earth's motion. The pole star shows almost no motion. The others show longer arcs the further away, but all of them make an equal arc: a one-hour exposure cuts 1/24th of a full circle.
Tunnel Mountain Campground, Banff Park, Alberta Canada
17 Aug 1998
20mm f/4 Nikon lens
1 hour exposure on E200 Ektachrome processed +2 stops (ISO 800)
Banff Poles
While camping trips make great venues for photographing the sky, sometimes it is difficult to get a full view of it. But here is an opening in the canopy, the lodgepole pines framing the pole star. The camera was aimed at Polaris, and the shutter opened for an hour. The flickering campfires and lamps illuminated the boughs of the trees.
A startrail picture like this is a powerful illustration of the Earth's motion. The pole star shows almost no motion. The others show longer arcs the further away, but all of them make an equal arc: a one-hour exposure cuts 1/24th of a full circle.
Tunnel Mountain Campground, Banff Park, Alberta Canada
17 Aug 1998
20mm f/4 Nikon lens
1 hour exposure on E200 Ektachrome processed +2 stops (ISO 800)
A startrail picture like this is a powerful illustration of the Earth's motion. The pole star shows almost no motion. The others show longer arcs the further away, but all of them make an equal arc: a one-hour exposure cuts 1/24th of a full circle.
Tunnel Mountain Campground, Banff Park, Alberta Canada
17 Aug 1998
20mm f/4 Nikon lens
1 hour exposure on E200 Ektachrome processed +2 stops (ISO 800)
Orion Rising
I made an expedition to northern Arizona in November of 1998. It was partly to find out what is involved in transporting photo and telescope guiding equipment to other parts of the world. Although cumbersome (I shipped a 90 lb crate ahead to be available when I arrived), it worked.
On the first night I found a remote site in the high desert. The map showed what looked like paved roads to a fishing lake. Evidently the map notations are different in Arizona; at least there were ruts where earlier vehicles had found their way.
The lake was remarkably calm and I marvelled at the darkness of the sky as I watched Orion rise in the east. I could hear wildlife including coyotes, owls, and yes, ducks. But they were far away and the water remained like a mirror. The sky glow here is not from aurora, but instead from distant Flagstaff, a city with an ordinance to use sodium vapor street lighting. The color is strongly yellow, but easily filtered and removed by the astronomical observatories that are hosted by the town. My film however captures all of it.
Although Orion is spread out into an unrecognizable form, he can be identified by the bright orange star, Betelgeuse on the left, and bright blue star Rigel on the right. The triad of belt stars makes a catscratch-like trail, and you may notice a distinctly red star that is even more obviously red in its reflection. This is the famous Orion nebula, a glowing region of gas and dust where new stars are being born.
Kinnikinnik Lake, AZ
14 Nov 1998
24mm Olympus lens at f/2.8
1 hour exposure on Fuji 800 Superia
On the first night I found a remote site in the high desert. The map showed what looked like paved roads to a fishing lake. Evidently the map notations are different in Arizona; at least there were ruts where earlier vehicles had found their way.
The lake was remarkably calm and I marvelled at the darkness of the sky as I watched Orion rise in the east. I could hear wildlife including coyotes, owls, and yes, ducks. But they were far away and the water remained like a mirror. The sky glow here is not from aurora, but instead from distant Flagstaff, a city with an ordinance to use sodium vapor street lighting. The color is strongly yellow, but easily filtered and removed by the astronomical observatories that are hosted by the town. My film however captures all of it.
Although Orion is spread out into an unrecognizable form, he can be identified by the bright orange star, Betelgeuse on the left, and bright blue star Rigel on the right. The triad of belt stars makes a catscratch-like trail, and you may notice a distinctly red star that is even more obviously red in its reflection. This is the famous Orion nebula, a glowing region of gas and dust where new stars are being born.
Kinnikinnik Lake, AZ
14 Nov 1998
24mm Olympus lens at f/2.8
1 hour exposure on Fuji 800 Superia
Kinnikinnik
I pondered how to capture that feeling I once shared with a friend seeing the stars from zenith to horizon, then continuing beneath us as we looked out over their reflections in an alpine lake. This became the inspiration for my quest of the ultimate startrail picture: a full semicircle of startrails reflected in the calm waters of a lake. I have not achieved this goal, but the pictures in this series are some of the rewards along the way.
Kinnikinnik is the closest I came to making my target image! The conditions were perfect: a clear dark sky, no aurora, a calm lake with no creatures disturbing it, but my timing is off. This is my first and only time at this site and I arrived late after a day of traveling. I was unprepared to last the night, and after a few one and two hour trial exposures, I succumbed to the cold and returned to my distant hotel room to recharge. I never made it back.
Although not successful that year, I am looking forward to more adventures in future years. In a way, I hope I never quite find full success in this project!
Kinnikinnik Lake near Flagstaff AZ
14 Nov 1998
24mm Olympus lens at f/4
2 hours on Fuji 800 Superia
Kinnikinnik is the closest I came to making my target image! The conditions were perfect: a clear dark sky, no aurora, a calm lake with no creatures disturbing it, but my timing is off. This is my first and only time at this site and I arrived late after a day of traveling. I was unprepared to last the night, and after a few one and two hour trial exposures, I succumbed to the cold and returned to my distant hotel room to recharge. I never made it back.
Although not successful that year, I am looking forward to more adventures in future years. In a way, I hope I never quite find full success in this project!
Kinnikinnik Lake near Flagstaff AZ
14 Nov 1998
24mm Olympus lens at f/4
2 hours on Fuji 800 Superia
Ranier by Moonlight
I am told it is unusual to see the top of Mount Ranier. The generally overcast skies of the region and the immensity of the mountain usually guarantee that clouds will somewhere get in the way of the view. On this day however, the sky had been clear. It stayed clear while the sun set, and as the glow of twilight was replaced by the feeble illumination of a young moon, I worked my way up the mountain’s shoulder to this site, aptly named Reflection Lake.
My daytime explorations had found this lake, but the surface had been broken everywhere by wind ripples. Now the air stilled and the water became stable enough even for a time exposure of the mountain’s reflection. I wanted to include some startrail features in this picture, but it is an awkward choice: if the shutter is open too long, the moon would wash out the sky and the trails would be lost. Too short, and the stars do not make sufficiently long marks. This was my guess, 30 minutes, a balance between starlight and skylight.
This picture also answers the question, “what color is the sky at night?” Maybe nocturnal creatures can see in color at night, but we don’t. The moon lights up the world, including the sky, with reflected sunlight. The same physics applies, just at lower levels of illumination, and so the sky is blue!
A few cirrus clouds stream past in the distance, but they’re not enough to keep the brightest stars from showing. Four of them above and to the left of the mountain peak are the bowl of the Big Dipper, each bluish except for the brightest star in the constellation, Dubhe, a distinct orange color.
The moon set shortly after exposing this picture. Its low angle is apparent from the long shadows on the distant snowfields. My time in Ranier Park would end the next day, but this was a remarkable evening to finish my visit.
Mount Ranier National Park
19 August 1999
Nikomat with 20mm lens at f/5.6
30 minute exposure on E200 push-processed +2 stops
My daytime explorations had found this lake, but the surface had been broken everywhere by wind ripples. Now the air stilled and the water became stable enough even for a time exposure of the mountain’s reflection. I wanted to include some startrail features in this picture, but it is an awkward choice: if the shutter is open too long, the moon would wash out the sky and the trails would be lost. Too short, and the stars do not make sufficiently long marks. This was my guess, 30 minutes, a balance between starlight and skylight.
This picture also answers the question, “what color is the sky at night?” Maybe nocturnal creatures can see in color at night, but we don’t. The moon lights up the world, including the sky, with reflected sunlight. The same physics applies, just at lower levels of illumination, and so the sky is blue!
A few cirrus clouds stream past in the distance, but they’re not enough to keep the brightest stars from showing. Four of them above and to the left of the mountain peak are the bowl of the Big Dipper, each bluish except for the brightest star in the constellation, Dubhe, a distinct orange color.
The moon set shortly after exposing this picture. Its low angle is apparent from the long shadows on the distant snowfields. My time in Ranier Park would end the next day, but this was a remarkable evening to finish my visit.
Mount Ranier National Park
19 August 1999
Nikomat with 20mm lens at f/5.6
30 minute exposure on E200 push-processed +2 stops
Cactus Fireball
Taking advantage of the weekend before the annual color imaging conference in Scottsdale, I had shipped 70 pounds of telescopes and tripods to my company’s office in Arizona. I picked it up, bought some film and groceries, and hauled it to Saguaro National Park outside of Tucson, where the skies looked promising for a night of astrophotography.
I had “help” from other interested campers but eventually got my equipment aligned and camera shutters open. One of them was aimed at a pair of saguaro, recording the movement of the stars, and also capturing the landing trajectories of planes as they arrived at the nearby Tucson airport.
And in this exposure, a bolide! A meteor fireball that exploded in the atmosphere exactly in my view between the two cacti. I recall the event: it was as if a cosmic flashbulb had gone off, illuminating the desert for a millisecond. I continued the exposure for the full 60 minutes so that the image would contain a full mixture of light sources.
Saguaro National Park
9 Nov 2002, 9:15-10:15pm MST
Nikomat with 20mm f/4 El Nikkor
60 minutes at f/4 on Kodak LE400
I had “help” from other interested campers but eventually got my equipment aligned and camera shutters open. One of them was aimed at a pair of saguaro, recording the movement of the stars, and also capturing the landing trajectories of planes as they arrived at the nearby Tucson airport.
And in this exposure, a bolide! A meteor fireball that exploded in the atmosphere exactly in my view between the two cacti. I recall the event: it was as if a cosmic flashbulb had gone off, illuminating the desert for a millisecond. I continued the exposure for the full 60 minutes so that the image would contain a full mixture of light sources.
Saguaro National Park
9 Nov 2002, 9:15-10:15pm MST
Nikomat with 20mm f/4 El Nikkor
60 minutes at f/4 on Kodak LE400
Climber Trails
The skies held clear, the temperature dropped, and the moon set by midnight, allowing me to compose a view of Polaris directly above the summit of this ancient volcano.
There are a number of interesting light sources in this picture. The startrail arcs are made by a one-hour sweep of the Earth beneath the North Star. The green glow of distant Seattle shows to the northwest, the amber of closer but much smaller towns are northeast, and the sky itself illuminates the snowfields on the mountain. An additional light source can also be found within the snowfields.
As I started this exposure, I could sense a faint glow that seemed to come from the slope of the mountain itself. Training a telescope on the area, I found what might be unseen hikers bearing flashlights searching through the snow. I was impressed that a flashlight could be seen at these distances. Camp Muir, where climbers rest on their way to the summit, was four miles away!
I learned the next day that what I had seen was not just a couple of hikers resetting their tent stakes. They had started their ascent to the summit! In order to reach the top and get back down before the snow gets dangerously soft, they must strike out at about 1:00 A.M. This photo captures their first hour of progress on a beautifully clear and starlit night.
Mount Ranier National Park
19 August 1999
Nikomat with 20mm lens at f/5.6
One-hour exposure on E200 push-processed +2 stops
There are a number of interesting light sources in this picture. The startrail arcs are made by a one-hour sweep of the Earth beneath the North Star. The green glow of distant Seattle shows to the northwest, the amber of closer but much smaller towns are northeast, and the sky itself illuminates the snowfields on the mountain. An additional light source can also be found within the snowfields.
As I started this exposure, I could sense a faint glow that seemed to come from the slope of the mountain itself. Training a telescope on the area, I found what might be unseen hikers bearing flashlights searching through the snow. I was impressed that a flashlight could be seen at these distances. Camp Muir, where climbers rest on their way to the summit, was four miles away!
I learned the next day that what I had seen was not just a couple of hikers resetting their tent stakes. They had started their ascent to the summit! In order to reach the top and get back down before the snow gets dangerously soft, they must strike out at about 1:00 A.M. This photo captures their first hour of progress on a beautifully clear and starlit night.
Mount Ranier National Park
19 August 1999
Nikomat with 20mm lens at f/5.6
One-hour exposure on E200 push-processed +2 stops
Altamont Pass
I had tried once before to get a nighttime picture of these modern-day generators, to complement my shot of a more traditional windmill. The proximity to the large population near San Francisco Bay fills the sky with light, and my previous pictures had been washed out. This time I was armed with a light pollution rejection filter and enough time to find this interesting composition. I rediscovered a characteristic of these filters- they are very angle-of-view sensitive.
Altamont Pass, Livermore CA
1 Feb 2003
Nikomat with 50mm lens at f/8
60 minute exposure on Provia 400
Altamont Pass, Livermore CA
1 Feb 2003
Nikomat with 50mm lens at f/8
60 minute exposure on Provia 400
Split Rock Lighthouse
Spring comes late to this region. Snow was an obstacle to bringing equipment to this site, but once there, I could enjoy a solitude that amplified the sounds of the great lake. The beating of waves against the shore diminished through the evening as the temperature dropped and the water in this back bay was held captive and quiet beneath a thin ice glaze. Occasional cracks and “tinks” were heard as daytime puddles froze in their rock bowls.
This time exposure captures the stars traversing their east-west passage over the recently thawed waters of Lake Superior. Park security lamps are now the only light on the famous cliff, illuminating the distinctive shape of this former, but now dark, guardian beacon.
Two Harbors, MN
21 March 2004
Nikomat with 150mm lens at f/5.6
60 minute exposure on Provia 100 +2 stops
This time exposure captures the stars traversing their east-west passage over the recently thawed waters of Lake Superior. Park security lamps are now the only light on the famous cliff, illuminating the distinctive shape of this former, but now dark, guardian beacon.
Two Harbors, MN
21 March 2004
Nikomat with 150mm lens at f/5.6
60 minute exposure on Provia 100 +2 stops
Split Rock-2
Spring comes late to this region. Snow was an obstacle to bringing equipment to this site, but once there, I could enjoy a solitude that amplified the sounds of the great lake. The beating of waves against the shore diminished through the evening as the temperature dropped and the water in this back bay was held captive and quiet beneath a thin ice glaze. Occasional cracks and “tinks” were heard as daytime puddles froze in their rock bowls.
This time exposure captures the stars traversing their east-west passage over the recently thawed waters of Lake Superior. Park security lamps are now the only light on the famous cliff, illuminating the distinctive shape of this former, but now dark, guardian beacon.
Two Harbors, MN
21 March 2004
Pentax 6x7 with 55 lens at f/4
60 minute exposure on Provia 100 +2 stops
This time exposure captures the stars traversing their east-west passage over the recently thawed waters of Lake Superior. Park security lamps are now the only light on the famous cliff, illuminating the distinctive shape of this former, but now dark, guardian beacon.
Two Harbors, MN
21 March 2004
Pentax 6x7 with 55 lens at f/4
60 minute exposure on Provia 100 +2 stops
Pikes Peak
Pikes Peak dominates the city of Colorado Springs and can be seen for hundreds of miles around. I did not attempt to climb or drive it, but found a view from across the valley above Woodland Park. There is considerable light cast on the sky from these growing urban centers and the fresh snow dusting Pikes Peak reflects it. The clear mountain air shows the southern stars of the Milky Way traversing the space above.
This is a combined exposure (from film) of 3-1/2 hours. Even though this is a remote forest road, in that time there is certain to be traffic, and headlights can be seen traveling the road in the meadow below the great mountain.
1 Nov 2007
Pentax 6x7, 55mm at f/5.6
120 min + 90 min on Provia 400
This is a combined exposure (from film) of 3-1/2 hours. Even though this is a remote forest road, in that time there is certain to be traffic, and headlights can be seen traveling the road in the meadow below the great mountain.
1 Nov 2007
Pentax 6x7, 55mm at f/5.6
120 min + 90 min on Provia 400
A startrail picture like this is a powerful illustration of the Earth's motion. The pole star shows almost no motion. The others show longer arcs the further away, but all of them make an equal arc: a one-hour exposure cuts 1/24th of a full circle.
Tunnel Mountain Campground, Banff Park, Alberta Canada
17 Aug 1998
20mm f/4 Nikon lens
1 hour exposure on E200 Ektachrome processed +2 stops (ISO 800)