Milky Way & The Tufa: An Astrophotography Adventure at Trona Pinnacles
When a work trip offers the chance to visit a truly special location, you seize it! My recent visit to the Trona Pinnacles was an unforgettable experience, combining the raw beauty of an alien landscape with the breathtaking spectacle of the Milky Way.
Imagine this: dark skies, total silence, and the iconic arch of our galaxy stretching across the heavens, framed by the surreal, otherworldly formations of the Trona Pinnacles. It was a moment of profound awe, a chance to simply soak it all in.
Of course, in such profound stillness, even the slightest disruption can be startling. Let's just say I wasn't alone in enjoying the night, and a pair of glowing eyes in the darkness was my signal to wrap things up! 😅
Capturing the Magic: The Gear and the Process
To bring this vision to life, I relied on a specific set of tools and techniques:
Equipment:
- Camera: Sony A7iii (Astro modified)
- Lens: Sony 24mm f/1.4 GM
- Mount: Sky Watcher Star Adventurer
Image: The Milky Way gracefully arches over the unique formations of the Trona Pinnacles.
Sky Exposure:
- Total Exposures: 6 x 60 seconds (stacked/tracked)
- Aperture: f/1.8
- ISO: 640
Foreground Exposure:
- Total Exposures: 5 x 60 seconds
- Aperture: f/1.8
- ISO: 640
Ha Continuum Exposure:
- Total Exposures: 4 x 60 seconds
- Aperture: f/1.4
- ISO: 3200
Post-Processing:
- Software: Pixinsight, Photoshop
Pixinsight Process:
- Stacked with WBPP
- BlurX
- StarX
- NoiseX
- Continuum Subtraction
Photoshop Process:
- Camera Raw Filter on foreground & sky
- Color balance
- Blend Ha
- Stretch & Screen Stars
- Sky Replacement Tool for blending foreground
This image is a testament to the incredible beauty that awaits when you venture out into the darkness with the right gear and a bit of patience. The Trona Pinnacles provided a truly unique canvas for the Milky Way, and I'm thrilled to share this moment with you.
For more astrophotography adventures, be sure to check out my Instagram:
