Astrophotographers in Cork/Kerry?

Hi folks -
I'm a professional landscape photographer ( www.petercox.ie ), and I'd like to get into astrophotography. Initially my main subject matter would be wide-field photographs incorporating a nocturnal landscape (similar to, but better than www.petercox.ie/gallery/241 ), but eventually I'd like to be able to do some deep-sky stuff as well (once I build up the equipment necessary).

As a starting point, however, I'd like to meet up with someone in the Cork/Kerry area to see first-hand how it's done properly. I live in Ballingeary, West Cork.

Cheers,
Peter

Hi Peter, welcome aboard it's great to see a professional landscape photographer take an interest in astronomy! I've been browsing your website and you have a large selection of quality shots, I've seen you mentioned more than once over at the photography ireland boards

As for astrophotography, widefield is certainly the best way to go starting off, the main challenge being the dreaded orange light pollution and that your subject matter - the background of stars actually move and don't wait around for anybody! It's realatively easy to get a 20-30 second exposure using a widefield lens and tripod. As for getting in closer, that's where the real challenge begins.

You would have to get a good quality mount along which is very important to accuratly track the stars, scope, powerpacks, maybe a ccd? and down the line an 'autoguider'. You can learn many of these things as you go along.

There are many people here who would only be too happy to share their wealth of experience here, i'm at it some time now and am still learning, I started opposite to you, starting with widefield astrophotography which I love (not too much this year with the weather though:( ) and am now starting out as a wedding photographer : blink: that will open you eyes!! Hey, any advice there would be most welcome.

I'm in Cavan, but there are members here from the southwest, there's also both cork and kerry astronomy societies here.

Keith.

Hi Peter,

Welcome to the boards and like Keith, I've seen your work through the Photography Ireland forum.

I'm in Dublin myself but the Cork and Kerry clubs will be more than happy help out (contact details for them are available through the IFAS Clubs and Maps page on the left-hand side of the main page of this site.)

Another thing I'll add to the mix is that good sky shots are often planned around some celestial event such as a lunar eclipse, a close grouping of the planets and the Moon, or, if lucky, a bright comet or aurora display.

A number of sites will let you plan ahead such as www.spaceweather.com which carries details of sky phenomena daily (as well as superb images from photographers worldwide.) A monthly sky chart can be downloaded from www.skymaps.com which lists planetary groupings or, in the next couple of weeks, I'll have the annual Sky Guide for 2010 available for free download as a pdf (it's geared for amateur astronomers in Ireland.) It's always worth being aware of daytime sky phenomena as well. Two superb sites are www.atoptics.co.uk/ and www.kaleidoscopesky.net/

Finally, some excellent ideas of landscape/sky shots are on The World At Night's web site at www.twanight.org/newTWAN/index.asp

All the best,

john

Peter - not sure if you keep an eye on the site on a regular basis, but this might appeal...

www.irishastronomy.org/forum?func=view&c...11&id=81852&limit=15

Thanks for the information, all!

I hadn't seen the astrophotography workshop, that would certainly appeal, but I'm teaching one of my own workshops on that date, so wouldn't be able to attend. Bear me in mind for any future offerings.

Cheers,
Peter