The Moon - 19th March

[JJM]

Spotted this on Yahoo's homepage this morning...

http://uk.news.yahoo.com/38/20110309/tsc-world-to-...

So providing the sky is clear on the 19th, it should be a good oppertunity to get some lunar shots as the moon will be the closest it has been to the Earth since 1992...

"The full moon could appear up to 14% bigger and 30% brighter in the sky, especially when it rises on the eastern horizon at sunset or is provided with the right atmospheric conditions".

[sgrimshaw]

Sounds like a great opportunity to try my hand at getting some good moon shots.

Any tips, settings etc from the experts in capturing the moon at it's best?

[dibbly dobbler]

sgrimshaw said:

Sounds like a great opportunity to try my hand at getting some good moon shots.

Any tips, settings etc from the experts in capturing the moon at it's best?

What will you be shooting with ? Hand held or tripod ?

[sharpfocus]

On an astrological theme:



http://www.telegraph.co.uk/science/space/8356656/A...

[daveake]

Wow. With the speed those 2 raced across the sky I'm amazed he managed to track them.

Here's all I managed ...

[Mr E Driver]

Sods law it will be cloudy....

[sgrimshaw]

dibbly dobbler said:

What will you be shooting with ? Hand held or tripod ?

I was planning to use a tripod or a monopod at least.

[dibbly dobbler]

sgrimshaw said:

dibbly dobbler said:

What will you be shooting with ? Hand held or tripod ?

I was planning to use a tripod or a monopod at least.

Ok - well then I would recommend something like F10, 1/100 and ISO 100 - if hand held then you'd probably want to bump up the ISO and go for a faster shutter (say 1/200 and ISO 200). Just a rule of thumb obviously but a sensible starting point - if the moon's too bright, up the shutter speed a bit if too dull up the ISO... you get the idea

[JJM]

dibbly dobbler said:

Ok - well then I would recommend something like F10, 1/100 and ISO 100 - if hand held then you'd probably want to bump up the ISO and go for a faster shutter (say 1/200 and ISO 200). Just a rule of thumb obviously but a sensible starting point - if the moon's too bright, up the shutter speed a bit if too dull up the ISO... you get the idea

A mate on my photography course suggested that when taking pics of the moon to use the same settings as you would on a bright sunny day (i.e. the settings as suggested by DD), the reasoning for this is that effectively the moon is in direct sunlight, albeit in the night sky.

[AndWhyNot]

dibbly dobbler said:

Ok - well then I would recommend something like F10, 1/100 and ISO 100 - if hand held then you'd probably want to bump up the ISO and go for a faster shutter (say 1/200 and ISO 200). Just a rule of thumb obviously but a sensible starting point - if the moon's too bright, up the shutter speed a bit if too dull up the ISO... you get the idea

You'll need a higher shutter speed than 1/100. Start at 1/250 (or faster where possible), remembering to allow for focal length and the moon's own movement through the sky. If you're shooting when the moon's low a higher ISO is the best option as it can be a few stops dimmer before its fully risen.

[longun]

sharpfocus said:

On an astrological theme:



http://www.telegraph.co.uk/science/space/8356656/A...

Taken half a mile from my house. Manual telescope too. Very impressive

[dibbly dobbler]

AndWhyNot said:

You'll need a higher shutter speed than 1/100.

No - you don't

Ok this wont win any awards but looks ok and was shot handheld at 1/50th


Moon by dibbly dobbler, on Flickr

[Davi]

have access to a fairly powerful Meade telescope, just trying to track down an adaptor to stick on the camera!

[nevgroom]

Again not brilliant focus but I spent ages waiting for one of the many trails in the night sky to do this

[dibbly dobbler]

Couple of nights to go and it already seems big and bright


Moon by dibbly dobbler, on Flickr

[Dogsey]

longun said:

Taken half a mile from my house. Manual telescope too. Very impressive

And only a handful from my new house.

[DIW35]

Personally I don't see why everyone is getting so excited. Shots of the full moon often lack interest due to there being no shadows that bring out the details of the mountains and craters. And as for it being 14% bigger, big deal. I can make it 100% bigger by using a lens with twice the focal length of what I would normally use.

[Gad-Westy]

nevgroom said:

Again not brilliant focus but I spent ages waiting for one of the many trails in the night sky to do this

Lovely shot. Bet that took a while!

[Killwilly]

I bought my Sigma 150-500 two weeks ago, but sadly haven't had a siting of the Moon since.

[Elderly]

nevgroom said:

Again not brilliant focus but I spent ages waiting for one of the many trails in the night sky to do this

I like that; to me it's what photography should be about - capturing a brief moment that
people won't see again.