Lunar Eclipse Winter Milky Way Pano Extravaganza
When the opportunity for a total lunar eclipse arises, it's a chance to capture something truly special. For this year's event, I decided to go a little off the beaten path, making a last-minute decision with a friend to chase a break in the clouds across the country.
A Gamble on Death Valley Skies
Weather forecasts were grim across the board, but Death Valley, California, showed a glimmer of hope. Leading up to the partial phases, the skies were stubbornly cloudy. However, just minutes after the partial eclipse began, the clouds miraculously parted, giving us the window we desperately needed.
Juxtaposing Night Skies
I had envisioned a shot like this for a while. With the moon positioned high in the sky, a wider focal length was necessary, which naturally made the moon appear smaller. My goal was to contrast the dramatic darkening of the sky during the eclipse with the familiar beauty of our winter night skies. The resulting image juxtaposes the iconic blood moon with the breathtaking sweep of the Milky Way.
Unexpected Airglow
What I hadn't anticipated, but was incredibly thrilled to discover, was the presence of significant airglow during totality. This subtle, natural luminescence added another layer of ethereal beauty to the scene, something I wasn't even aware would be visible until that very moment. I hope you enjoy this panorama as much as I do!
Technical Details
- Camera: Nikon Z6a
- Lens: Z 24 1.8 S
- Composition: 28 images combined
- Sky Panels: 14 tracked panels at 2 minutes, f/2.2, ISO 800
- Foreground Panels: 14 untracked panels taken during partial eclipse phases at 30", f/8, ISO 800
- Field of View: 360º
