Chasing the Spring Milky Way Arch Over Trona Pinnacles

This shot represents one of the most ambitious astrophotography projects I've undertaken: a complete Milky Way panorama captured over the otherworldly landscape of the Trona Pinnacles.

Spring Milky Way Arch Over Trona Pinnacles

The Perfect Alignment: Timing is Everything

The magic of capturing the entire Milky Way arching low across the horizon is a fleeting opportunity, exclusively available at the dawn of spring. This precise timing was crucial for this particular composition.

Meticulous Planning and Execution

Success in astrophotography, especially for complex panoramas, hinges on meticulous planning. Every step was carefully considered:

Field of View (FOV): Understanding my camera's FOV was paramount to ensure consistent framing and adequate overlap between panels.
Anticipating Overlaps: Strategically planning the overlaps ensured a seamless stitch in post-processing.
Leveling: Ensuring every panel was perfectly aligned horizontally was a challenge, especially when using a star tracker.

The Star Tracker Conundrum

Using a star tracker, while essential for long exposures, introduced an additional layer of complexity. The slight movement of the tracker's base had to be carefully accounted for to maintain the level across all captured panels. It's a dance between tracking the stars and keeping the terrestrial foreground stable!

The Post-Processing Gauntlet

Stitching together a 6-panel panorama is a challenge in itself, but combining the RGB and Hydrogen-alpha (Ha) data and refining it requires patience and skill. The workflow involved:

Pixinsight Process:

Stacked with WBPP
BlurX
StarX
NoiseX
Continuum Subtraction

Photoshop Process:

Camera Raw Filter
Color balance
Blend Ha
Stretch & Screen Stars
Blend Foreground

A Rewarding Endeavor

Despite the significant effort involved in planning, acquisition, and processing, the final result was incredibly rewarding. Witnessing the entire Milky Way gracefully arching over the stark beauty of the Trona Pinnacles is a sight that makes all the hard work worthwhile.

Equipment Used:

Camera: Sony A7iii (astro-modified)
Lens: Sony 24mm f/1.4 GM
Mount: Sky-Watcher Star Adventurer

Acquisition Details:

RGB: 6-Panel Panorama, 2 x 30s exposures per panel (tracked, stacked), f/2.0, ISO 640
Ha: 6-Panel Panorama, 2 x 30s exposures per panel (tracked, stacked), f/1.4, ISO 3200

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