The Crazy Things We Do for Landscape Astrophotography

Last Sunday morning, the aurora alerts were buzzing! A G4 geomagnetic storm was predicted, and while the early reports downgraded it to G0-G1 by the evening, that didn't deter my friend and I. We decided to embark on a 2.5-hour journey to escape the clouds at home, hoping for a glimpse of the northern lights.

While the aurora displays weren't as spectacular as we'd hoped, the trip was far from a failure. The adventure led us to discover new and exciting shooting locations, offering pristine dark skies. We spent a solid two hours under a canopy of stars, a rare and cherished opportunity for any astrophotographer. Beyond the quest for the perfect shot, it was also a fantastic chance to reconnect and catch up with a good friend – a truly enjoyable night out!

Here are some of the shots from our excursion:

Picture 1: 15s, ISO 1600, 16mm, f/2.0 Picture 2: 15s, ISO 3200, 10mm, f/2.8 Picture 3: Shot by Samer Hobeika, edited by me in Photoshop. 15s, ISO 3200, 14mm, f/2.8

It's experiences like these that highlight the passion behind landscape astrophotography. The dedication, the planning, and sometimes, the unexpected discoveries, all contribute to the magic of capturing the cosmos.