PHOTOGRAPH THE NIGHT SKY LIKE A PRO

A nebula is nothing more than an “excited gas cloud” in space, according to MHCC’s Planetarium director, Pat Hanrahan.  

The most exciting thing about nebula, though, is how beautifully they photograph in the night sky. On Tuesday, Nov. 5, Hanrahan hosted “Amateur Astronomers Photograph the Night Sky with Amazing Result” at the Planetarium, which showcased photos by many local astronomers, as well as some from around the globe.

Much of the work was by the Rose City Astronomers group, based in Portland.   

Many of those amateur astronomers had higher-end telescopes and cameras, but it was clear that anyone with a telescope is capable of photographing space.

The most common technique is to use a hollow tube attachment on the back of the telescope and attach the eye of a camera to the end. There are even attachments available that allow someone to set their phone up to the telescope. Some of the photos displayed in the show were taken on an iPhone. The moon, specifically, can be photographed well with an iPhone, Hanrahan said.   

Both photos were taken at a lodge in Namibia. This photo was taken at a 30 second exposure and shows a clear image of the stars. Photos contributed by Pat Hanrahan.

Many astronomers like to take video of the moon and other features in the sky, he added. This can cause issues with clarity of the photos because while photographers can get better images when they allow for the movement, they also capture all the turbulence in the atmosphere and beyond.

Some photographers can work around the blurriness by using free websites such as RegiStax to toss out images that are too blurry. Then, they take the photos that are deemed clear enough and layer them on software such as Adobe Photoshop.  

The method Hanrahan personally prefers is to take photos of the night sky with wide angles, set at different exposures. Short exposure times show very clear images with no movement, while longer exposure times show a lot of movement.  

Both photos were taken at a lodge in Namibia. This photo was taken at a 20 minute exposure and shows the star trails. Photos contributed by Pat Hanrahan.

If any of this information sounds fascinating, or if you just like to see cool photos of space, Hanrahan suggests following “Astronomy Picture of The Day” on social media.

There are repeat showings of Hanrahan’s tribute to amateurs at the Mt. Hood Planetarium tonight (Nov. 8), set for 6 and 7:15 p.m.