Post your star trails here

Scott Murray

Senior Member
Well I thought considering I got an alright photo of startrails I would start this thread, I look forward to seeing everyones photos and also answering any questions that anyone may have regarding these photos.

Comet Stars-3.jpg
 

MartinCornwall

Senior Member
Nice Star Trail Scott, you have the Southern pole and the south/north divide in the frame. Not a bad number of stars showing considering the moon is also in the frame. There are 3 gaps near the beginning of the trails though, was this down to checking out settings or possibly missing out frames with planes etc in them for the stacking process?
 

wornish

Senior Member
Very nice trail.
Here in Cheshire,UK we get a lot of planes passing overhead at high altitude going to USA from Europe so the trails usually have lines in them.
 
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patrick in memphis

Senior Member
very cool scott. what was your shutter duration (ss) as well as interval and number of shots.did you use a fisheye then flatten it to be able to get that much sky?
 

blackstar

Senior Member
Star trails photo

Hi,

I couldn't find a thread of "post your star trails photo". So I post this new thread. If wrong place, please transfer my post. Here is my first attempt of star trails photo with multi-exposures (75x25"):

StarStaX_2020-07-19 20-2020-07-19 21_gap_filling+comet-s.jpg
 

blackstar

Senior Member
Re: Star trails photo

One question: I know that when taking a shot (shuttle button pressed), a sound can be heard and a light at back right bottom will go on (same as when shuttle closed). I was (painfully) using manual pressing on the shuttle button to conduct multi-exposures (there is no interval time mode or any remote control for d3500). During the process, sometimes I just forgot to wait between shots. And I noticed that if I did not wait or wait too short, the light wouldn't go on, but the sound was still heard and the light went on when shuttle closed as normal (after 25"). I figured out that it needs about 3" (count about 6) waiting to make the light go on. I think the waiting time (or the time period between shots) is mainly for the camera to write the image into the disk. So I wonder if the waiting time is not sufficient, something must happen in the camera, probably the image data is not completely recorded, or it affects the next shot... But I didn't see any shot images missing or with incomplete data. I do see some trails in the blended image show some "gapping" fault. Is that caused by this issue (wait too short)? As I can recall, I did no wait for more than 3". Any idea? Thanks
 

Needa

Senior Member
Challenge Team
Re: Star trails photo

One question: I know that when taking a shot (shuttle button pressed), a sound can be heard and a light at back right bottom will go on (same as when shuttle closed). I was (painfully) using manual pressing on the shuttle button to conduct multi-exposures (there is no interval time mode or any remote control for d3500). During the process, sometimes I just forgot to wait between shots. And I noticed that if I did not wait or wait too short, the light wouldn't go on, but the sound was still heard and the light went on when shuttle closed as normal (after 25"). I figured out that it needs about 3" (count about 6) waiting to make the light go on. I think the waiting time (or the time period between shots) is mainly for the camera to write the image into the disk. So I wonder if the waiting time is not sufficient, something must happen in the camera, probably the image data is not completely recorded, or it affects the next shot... But I didn't see any shot images missing or with incomplete data. I do see some trails in the blended image show some "gapping" fault. Is that caused by this issue (wait too short)? As I can recall, I did no wait for more than 3". Any idea? Thanks

I don't shoot star trail but some thoughts. Use a card that the write speed exceed at least matches or exceeds the camera capability(most card are advertised by read speed). Because you must use manual release variations in the shutter timing is likely to create gaps. Another thing to consider is camera movement caused by the necessity of touching the shutter release.

Another option or something similar?
https://www.reddit.com/r/Nikon/comments/cfmh22/heres_how_to_get_a_remote_shutter_release_for_the/
 
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STM

Senior Member
"Alright"?? Are you freakin' kidding me? It is outstanding! Did you use StarStax? This one makes mine look really lame!

This one was a combination of about (100) 30 second images stitched together with StarStax.

startrails 10-29-14 1000.jpg
 

blackstar

Senior Member
Thanks, Needa. I am very sure I use disks far exceeding the camera's speed requirement. And it's way too hassled to set up the remote release control with small iPhone (5s) or old ipad2. May consider when upgrading my camera, iPhone, and iPad :)
 
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