Digital Photographer - UK (2019-12)

The Milky Way is a

popular subject

Know

your

galaxy

Is there a more classic nightscape

photograph than one of our own Milky Way

streaming down to the horizon? Although

easily the most sought-after shot, actually

finding the Milky Way at its best and

brightest requires good timing. Although

technically speaking the Milky Way is

always visible, it’s often lost in the horizon’s

haze. It is visible in late spring through

to late summer, first as an early morning

object, and only from July onwards as an

easy post-sunset evening object. Images

won’t look great on your camera’s LCD

screen, but you can tease out incredible

colours and brightness in Photoshop.

Although you can capture it as it rises during spring, the easiest

method is to venture out in July, August or September when the moon

is down (the week before a new moon is perfect) if you want to get

the Milky Way streaming down to the western horizon. The technique

is no different to any other night-sky shot; maximise light without

surrounding stars trailing. On crop-sensor cameras, be careful not to

go much beyond ISO 800 (the risk of noise is high), and on full-frame

cameras resist passing ISO 6400 (it’s easy to overexpose).

How to image the Milky Way

Capturing the light of hundreds of billions of stars is easy

Below

Galactic selfie

Use a ten-second

shutter delay and

you can be in your

own images of the

Milky Way

Above

On location

By heading

to a dark-sky

area, you’ll

be less likely

to encounter

light pollution

25

secs

15

secs

©Gettyimages

© Jamie Carter

TheMilkyWayis a

popularsubject

Know

your

galaxy

Istherea moreclassicnightscape

photographthanoneofourownMilkyWay

streamingdowntothehorizon?Although

easilythemostsought-aftershot,actually

findingtheMilkyWayatitsbestand

brightestrequiresgoodtiming.Although

technicallyspeakingtheMilkyWayis

alwaysvisible,it’softenlostinthehorizon’s

haze.It isvisibleinlatespringthrough

tolatesummer,firstasanearlymorning

object,andonlyfromJulyonwardsasan

easypost-sunseteveningobject.Images

won’tlookgreatonyourcamera’sLCD

screen,butyoucanteaseoutincredible

coloursandbrightnessinPhotoshop.

Althoughyoucancaptureit asit risesduringspring,theeasiest
methodistoventureoutinJuly,AugustorSeptemberwhenthemoon
isdown(theweekbeforea newmoonisperfect)if youwanttoget
theMilkyWaystreamingdowntothewesternhorizon.Thetechnique
isnodifferenttoanyothernight-skyshot;maximiselightwithout
surroundingstarstrailing.Oncrop-sensorcameras,becarefulnotto
gomuchbeyondISO 800 (theriskofnoiseishigh),andonfull-frame
camerasresistpassingISO 6400 (it’seasytooverexpose).

How toimagethe MilkyWay

Capturingthelightofhundredsofbillionsofstarsis easy

Below

Galacticselfie

Usea ten-second

shutterdelayand

youcanbein your

ownimagesofthe

MilkyWay

Above

Onlocation

Byheading

toa dark-sky

area,you’ll

belesslikely

toencounter

lightpollution

25

secs

15

secs

©Gettyimages

© Jamie Carter