Dusk to Dawn Star Trails

[Andy Nowlen]

2024 Star Trails 1
During the April new moon my granddaughter and I camped at Summer Lake Oregon which is part of the southeastern Oregon Dark Sky Sanctuary. The Oregon Outback, as it is known, is the recently declared home to the largest “dark sky sanctuary” in the world. The area spans 2.5 million acres of Lake County. It was certified this month by DarkSky International, a U.S.-based nonprofit that aims to reduce light pollution.

She was intrigued by the idea of star trails. I helped her set up the Canon 7Dii and a Rokinon 14mm manual lens. This image is unique in my collection.

Look closely at the left side and then the right side. Here we have a "Dusk to Dawn" star trail image. Sunset tones in the lower left and sunrise tones in the lower right. The image is about 8 hours of integration.

We love the old barn and its owl habitat!! My granddaughter was thrilled with both the sky, and the owl pellets!

Canon 7Dii
With powered dummy battery
Rokinon 14mm manual lens
340x90 seconds - 8.5 hours
Intervelometer

 

[JimFox]

That's so cool Andy! Star trails can be so fun! And that's awesome you took your granddaughter with you. It's so awesome when kids want to spend time with us.

I have done a few all night star trails, it's been a few years, but when I did them it seemed like there was no sky left in the image, it was all star trails. Maybe I am not remembering them correctly, but I like how yours turned out.

As a suggestion, that old ranch house or barn looks like its a cool choice for a ground layer. It's coming off a bit gray and flat. How about brightening the ground layer up some and then adding contrast as you do it? You don't want it looking like daylight, and you don't want it to distract from the star trails, but I think it should have a little more life to it so both the ground and the sky can compliment each other.

 

[Andy Nowlen]

Great input as always. Many thanks! I will check on the layers and see what may be possible.

 

[Douglas Sherman]

2024 Star Trails 1
During the April new moon my granddaughter and I camped at Summer Lake Oregon which is part of the southeastern Oregon Dark Sky Sanctuary. The Oregon Outback, as it is known, is the recently declared home to the largest “dark sky sanctuary” in the world. The area spans 2.5 million acres of Lake County. It was certified this month by DarkSky International, a U.S.-based nonprofit that aims to reduce light pollution.

She was intrigued by the idea of star trails. I helped her set up the Canon 7Dii and a Rokinon 14mm manual lens. This image is unique in my collection.

Look closely at the left side and then the right side. Here we have a "Dusk to Dawn" star trail image. Sunset tones in the lower left and sunrise tones in the lower right. The image is about 8 hours of integration.

We love the old barn and its owl habitat!! My granddaughter was thrilled with both the sky, and the owl pellets!

Canon 7Dii
With powered dummy battery
Rokinon 14mm manual lens
340x90 seconds - 8.5 hours
Intervelometer


View attachment 71777
I love this image, Andy.