Quick! How Do I Get Shots of the Meteors Tonight?

[George Costanza]

Meteor shower tongiht (August 12). I have this great, digital camera (Canon, EOS 30D). I know it's capable of shooting metors or anything else. Problem is, I'm not.

Anyone have any tips on how to get this one done? I have a very good tripod as well.

Hit me!

 

[Mr Natural]

Does it have the equivalent of what was once referred to as a "bulb" setting where you could leave the digital equivalent to the shutter open for as long as you want?

 

[Foxfyre]

Best suggestion, come into the Coffee Shop and ask your question there. We've recently acquired a couple of amateur astronomers who specialize in photography of heavenly objects. They'll probably have some good ideas for you.

 

[The Infidel]

Post them up if you get some good ones

 

[George Costanza]

Does it have the equivalent of what was once referred to as a "bulb" setting where you could leave the digital equivalent to the shutter open for as long as you want?

This camera could perform brain surgery if you wanted it to. Answer: Yup.

 

[Mr Natural]

Does it have the equivalent of what was once referred to as a "bulb" setting where you could leave the digital equivalent to the shutter open for as long as you want?

This camera could perform brain surgery if you wanted it to. Answer: Yup.

You got me curious so I got out my National Georgraphic Photographer's Field Guide. There's nothing in there about meteor showers but to does address star trails which are probably pretty close. Something like this (paraphrased):

Star trail need fast film (high ASA setting). Aim the camera in the direction of the sky where you know the meteors will be. Use a wide open f-stop and expose from 15 minutes to four hours. You'll get best results on a moonless sky away from city lights.

Don't forget a rock-solid tripod.


Good luck!

 

[CrusaderFrank]

Meteor shower tongiht (August 12). I have this great, digital camera (Canon, EOS 30D). I know it's capable of shooting metors or anything else. Problem is, I'm not.

Anyone have any tips on how to get this one done? I have a very good tripod as well.

Hit me!

Pray for clear skies

 

[Foxfyre]

Okay if our resident astronomer doesn't check in soon enough on the Coffee Shop thread, I did find this which might be helpful:

How-to: Photographing the Perseid Meteor Shower
Head for the country and point your camera toward the sky.
By Posted August 12, 2010

Every August, the night sky gets bombarded by the Perseid meteors, which are perfect for photographing (here's a NASA video explaining the phenomenon). But, before you point your camera upward, here are a few simple tips to make sure you get the most out of your night of shooting.

Find the darkest spot available
If you dwell in a big, bright city with a lot of lights, your chances of catching a worthwhile meteor image are going to be slim. You're going to be dealing with long-exposures and wide-open apertures, which means any environmental light will creep into the frame and overpower the image. If possible, get out into the country where streetlights and neon signs are few and far between. Just be sure to pack a flashlight for navigating your gear in the dark.

Stock up on coffee (or just sneak in a nap)
The best viewing time starts around midnight, but things will start getting more exciting as the night goes on. Shooters who can stay out until the early morning hours before sunrise will be rewarded with a more active show.

Bring a cable release
Everybody knows that a tripod is an absolute must for long exposures, but the value of a good cable release is often underestimated. Keeping your finger off of the camera's shutter button will help prevent blurred images, especially if your tripod's head isn't the sturdiest one around. If you don't want to buy a cable release, you can also use your camera's self-timer to keep your shutter finger from blurring your image.

Consider putting something in the foreground
If you fill the viewfinder with only sky, you're going to end up with a bunch of light streaks on the frame and not much else. Experiment with putting other things in the frame, even if they're dark (like mountains) and only create silhouettes. It will up the difficulty level, but will also probably result in more satisfying overall images. RAW capture will also help since it allows you to tweak your white balance later.

And it goes on into Page 2 to give some technical advice for settings, etc.
How-to: Photographing the Perseid Meteor Shower | Photography - PopPhoto.com Offers Camera Reviews and Exclusive Photo Tips

 

[saveliberty]

Grumpy bears, kangaroos relaxing, and cats are popular. Personally, I'd recruit one of Manifold's friends. It is going to be a long night.

Remember: Despite your best efforts. Meteors are going to be streaks of light on your pic. Unless one starts getting alot bigger in your frame. In that case, duck!

 

[goldcatt]

They call them the Perseids because they will appear to come from the around the constellation Perseus. Look up a star chart ahead of time if you don't know it already - there are a bunch online that can be adjusted to your location and desired time. That way you'll know where to point it.

Make sure you have a perfectly steady tripod and mount and leave the shutter open. The cable release is a great idea if you don't have the open shutter as a camera setting. If you can adjust the field you'll want the widest possible view.

Make sure any flashlight you take out with you is shielded, a piece of red cellophane held on with a rubber band works well enough for me. You don't want the glare either on your pic or in your eyes after they adjust.

I envy you guys, it's clouds and rain tonight here. The one solid day of rain in a drought and it had to be today of all days. If you get good pics, post some!

 

[CrusaderFrank]

Pray for clear sky and a blackout

 

[Foxfyre]

Okay I'm on my second cup of coffee and impatiently waiting for pics.

Surely somebody got a shot or two worth posting?

 

[Procrustes Stretched]

Meteor shower tongiht (August 12). I have this great, digital camera (Canon, EOS 30D). I know it's capable of shooting metors or anything else. Problem is, I'm not.

Anyone have any tips on how to get this one done? I have a very good tripod as well.

Hit me!

please post picts.

or send them to me and Photoshop/Fireworks CS5 will thank you.

 

[Foxfyre]

To tide us over as we wait impatiently, Madeline posted this over on the Coffee Shop thread

 

[syrenn]

Drive as far away from city lights as possible.
Get a camera stand
leave the lenses open.

 

[George Costanza]

Meteor shower tongiht (August 12). I have this great, digital camera (Canon, EOS 30D). I know it's capable of shooting metors or anything else. Problem is, I'm not.

Anyone have any tips on how to get this one done? I have a very good tripod as well.

Hit me!

please post picts.

or send them to me and Photoshop/Fireworks CS5 will thank you.

Ah, most sad to say, I failed miserably. Something else came up, I had to get up early, yadda, yadda, yadda . . .

So sorry! I really wanted to take a shot at it too. Maybe someone else got some?

 

[Ringel05]

Quick! How Do I Get Shots of the Meteors Tonight?

Have you considered a 12 gage?
(Not that I think it would work. I have my Patriots standing by).