Milky Way Majesty Over Mount San Jacinto
A breathtaking vista unfolds as the Milky Way stretches its luminous arm across the night sky, framed by the rugged silhouette of Mount San Jacinto. This captivating image is a testament to the power of dedicated astrophotography.
Capturing the Cosmos
This incredible shot was brought to life using a Sony a7iii camera. The photographer employed specific settings to gather as much light as possible: an ISO of 3200, an aperture of f4, and a total exposure time derived from stacking 8 individual shots at 25 seconds each. This meticulous approach allows for the capture of fainter details within the galactic core and the surrounding nebulae.
The Art of Processing
Achieving such a stunning result involves a rigorous post-processing workflow. The journey began with RAW adjustments in Adobe Lightroom to optimize exposure, contrast, and color balance. For the panoramic stitching, PTGui was employed to seamlessly blend the multiple exposures into a cohesive whole. To further refine the image and eliminate distracting stars, Starnet++ was used for star removal. The final touches were applied in Adobe Photoshop, followed by a last round of adjustments and sharpening back in Lightroom, ensuring every detail of the celestial masterpiece is preserved.
It's truly a beautiful picture that invites us to contemplate our place in the vast universe.
