I'll use tonight's as a test for the ISO 100 shot at 60 seconds ----- Original Message ----- From: "Rick Tejera" <saguaroastro@xxxxxxx> To: <az-observing@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> Sent: Saturday, July 14, 2007 18:03 Subject: [AZ-Observing] Re: Latest photos: planets, Iridium flares, ISS/shuttle pass, etc. How about this one: 14 Jul 20:49:42 -5 56=B0 83=B0 (E ) 9.0 km (W) -8 Iridium 12 Or this one on Monday: 16 Jul 22:12:45 -7 25=B0 62=B0 (ENE) 0.6 km (W) -7 Iridium 42 Clear Skies Rick Tejera President, Editor SACnews Saguaro Astronomy Club Phoenix, Arizona www.saguaroastro.org saguaroastro@xxxxxxx=20 -----Original Message----- From: az-observing-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:az-observing-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Jimmy Ray Sent: Saturday, July 14, 2007 17:15 To: az-observing@xxxxxxxxxxxxx Subject: [AZ-Observing] Re: Latest photos: planets, Iridium flares, ISS/shuttle pass, etc. Hi Joe, A lot of great information contained here. Should help improve my = images.=20 Now just need to wait for just the right flare. Thank you for the = pointers Jimmy Ray ----- Original Message -----=20 From: "Joe Orman" <joe.orman@xxxxxxxxxxx> To: <az-observing@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> Sent: Saturday, July 14, 2007 16:24 Subject: [AZ-Observing] Re: Latest photos: planets, Iridium flares,=20 ISS/shuttle pass, etc. Yes, Provia 100F is ISO 100. This is fairly slow film; when shooting=20 Iridium flares from the city you don't want to overexpose the = light-polluted sky or the foreground (as the captions to my photos stated, the houses = were=20 illuminated by a street light). But you need to keep the shutter open = long=20 enough to capture the entire flare. So based on previous experience = with=20 night photos in my neighborhood, I came up with a baseline exposure of = f/4,=20 60 seconds (ISO 100 film). The time given on heavens-above is for the=20 MIDPOINT of the flare; you have to open the shutter 20 to 30 seconds = before=20 that (I keep my digital watch set within a second of the correct time).=20 Another fun challenge is planning the composition in advance using the=20 predicted altitude and azimuth of the flare -- aligning the camera, an=20 appropriately-facing house and the flare location (remember, I'm opening = the shutter BEFORE the flare becomes visible). I typically use a 40mm lens = -- =20 wide enough to keep everything in focus, minimize trailing, and give enough margin of error = so=20 the flare will actually be in the frame! Here are examples of Iridium flares photographed in very dark skies: http://joeorman.shutterace.com/Meteors/Meteors_070315_32.html http://joeorman.shutterace.com/Meteors/Meteors_010624_10.html Under these conditions, you don't have to worry about overexposure, = and=20 you can use much faster film, but you need to keep the shutter open = longer=20 (~ 2 minutes) since the faint "tails" of the flare will show up (notice = the=20 star trailing in the untracked image). I hope these tips are helpful -- if anyone takes any good flare = images,=20 I'd enjoy seeing them. --Joe Jimmy Ray wrote: Hi Joe, (oh,oh here comes the nubie with his camera again) Love the way those = flares turned out. Couple of questions. Am I to assume the 100F slide film = means ISO100? Is there a street light or other close illumination in front of = your house? I've done a couple of "flares" but no where as neat as yours. I = went for a very small section of sky and 30 seconds. Trailing and focus being = the detriment of those images. At 60 seconds yours look spectacular. Jimmy Ray -- See message header for info on list archives or unsubscribing, and = please send personal replies to the author, not the list. --=20 No virus found in this incoming message. Checked by AVG Free Edition. Version: 7.5.476 / Virus Database: 269.10.5/899 - Release Date: = 7/13/2007=20 3:41 PM -- See message header for info on list archives or unsubscribing, and = please=20 send personal replies to the author, not the list. -- See message header for info on list archives or unsubscribing, and please send personal replies to the author, not the list. -- No virus found in this incoming message. Checked by AVG Free Edition. Version: 7.5.476 / Virus Database: 269.10.5/899 - Release Date: 7/13/2007 3:41 PM -- See message header for info on list archives or unsubscribing, and please send personal replies to the author, not the list.