Leonids peak around 4 AM EST on Tuesday

Nikon AF-S DX Zoom-Nikkor 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 ED

11/16/2009 10:22:10 AM · #1

The site says 1 AM PST, 4 AM EST is the peak... and that if you're in Europe, between 1 AM and dawn should do it. Anyone going out?

Also, any tips for us novices? My D40's kit lens (AF-S Zoom-Nikkor 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G ED II) doesn't have a hard focus stop at infinity, has a lot of focus creep, and it definitely won't see the stars well enough to focus on them... should I just manually focus through the viewfinder, switch to auto, AF-L, and fire? Or is there a better way?

ETA: Link to Space.com's page

Message edited by author 2009-11-16 10:23:22.

Apple iPhone 5

11/16/2009 11:01:53 AM · #2

The issue is the frequency of the meteorites, and the fact they can appear anywhere in the sky.

You'll only see about one a minute, which means a long exposure is required to have any chance of catching it. Also, the wider the lens the better to take in as much sky as possible.

I'd say go with at least one minute exposures, wide angle as possible, focussed as closely to infinity as you can (you won't be able to see stars through the viewfinder to focus on) - As the shutter speed is long, you can afford to close up the aperture, and hopefully avoid the focus issues this way.

Trial and error!

11/16/2009 11:30:35 AM · #3

Well, since it's pouring outside here in Portugal, fat chance that I will find anything...

George, I had a D40 with the same kit lens, and although it is a bit limited, you can still do good things with it.

Focusing
Try and find a reference point far enough to autofocus the lens. It will be easier than to focus manually on a dark night (been there :)
Shooting
For shooting these things, I tend to shoot several 30s pictures and then use startrails software to put them together. It's easier to get a clear photo like this (except if the meteorite passes between two shots:P)
If you have a remote trigger this would be perfect, since you can lock it in shoot mode.
PS - turn off any long exposure noise reduction, as it will drastically delay the time between photos.

Good luck, and please post some pictures if you can.

Cheers,
Joao

Nikon AF-S DX Zoom-Nikkor 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 ED

11/16/2009 01:14:54 PM · #4

Originally posted by sarampo:

Well, since it's pouring outside here in Portugal, fat chance that I will find anything...

George, I had a D40 with the same [...] please post some pictures if you can.

Cheers,
Joao

Thanks for the tips. I took about 100 shots of the Perseids last year and got only one meteor... in a blurry shot. I turned off noise reduction a long time ago, both because I like to be my original as... original as possible, and because it took forever to process. Don't have a remote trigger, but I do have "DIYPhotobits.com Camera Control 4.1," so I can take my laptop along and fire remotely using the USB cable... and I can do Bulb mode on that, too. Would a small aperture/low-ISO shot still capture meteors with something like a 5 min exposure?

Spork99

Canon EOS M6 Mk II

Canon EF-M 22mm STM Lens

11/16/2009 02:11:01 PM · #5

I haven't had clear weather for a meteor shower in ages. It's always cloudy here.

Apple iPhone 5

11/16/2009 02:39:07 PM · #6

Originally posted by george917:

Originally posted by sarampo:
Well, since it's pouring outside here in Portugal, fat chance that I will find anything...

George, I had a D40 with the same [...] please post some pictures if you can.

Cheers,
Joao

Thanks for the tips. I took about 100 shots of the Perseids last year and got only one meteor... in a blurry shot. I turned off noise reduction a long time ago, both because I like to be my original as... original as possible, and because it took forever to process. Don't have a remote trigger, but I do have "DIYPhotobits.com Camera Control 4.1," so I can take my laptop along and fire remotely using the USB cable... and I can do Bulb mode on that, too. Would a small aperture/low-ISO shot still capture meteors with something like a 5 min exposure?

I doubt you'd be able to go to 5 minutes without seeing light pollution creeping in. The best approach is trial and error. Setup a few test shots first, play with the shutter speed, ISO and aperture. If you can get good clear star trails with your test settings then you should also be able to capture the meteorite streaks as they're about the same brightness.

Canon 12x IS USM (S3 IS built-in Lens) -- 36-432mm (35mm EQ)

11/16/2009 05:37:33 PM · #7

Hi George,

Since you can go tethered with a PC, then you're a step ahead.
You can go for 5m, but it's true that you will have much light from everywere.
The remote softwares have always a function of time lapse. Just set the shutter speed for 30s and the time lapse function to 31s intervals (to allow for the buffer).
Also, shooting in RAW in startrails doesn't seem to me very helpful, because RAW files can have more lost highlights than shadows, but if storage is not a problem, then go for it.

Settings for me that have worked, is ISO 200 (on a D40 is as low as it gets) and f/11ish.
Just take a 30s photo and ajust by that. If you go for 5 or 10m, maybe go up to f/14.

Best of luck
Joao

GeneralE

Canon PowerShot S3 IS

11/16/2009 06:11:26 PM · #8

FWIW the show is supposed to be a lot better in Asia than in North America or Europe.

NASA article

Canon EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 USM

11/16/2009 06:13:35 PM · #9

Originally posted by george917:

Would a small aperture/low-ISO shot still capture meteors with something like a 5 min exposure?

This picture was taken with 30s exposures, but trails are not the same as meteors, but just to get a notion. ISO 100, f/8.

Cheers,
Joao

amandak

Canon EOS-350D Rebel XT

11/16/2009 10:30:55 PM · #10

@sarampo - 203 exposures???? Am I reading the description correctly??

Nikon AF-S DX Zoom-Nikkor 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 ED

11/17/2009 03:48:28 AM · #11

Originally posted by amandak:

@sarampo - 203 exposures???? Am I reading the description correctly??

Hi Amanda. Yes, you've read correctly :)
It was actually quite easy, as I have a remote wired trigger, and it has a B-lock (you can lock the trigger), so it does the same function as you being with your finger pressing on the button without letting go. So I just set for 30s, and then let it do the exposures.

And 203 x 30 seconds equals 101 minutes, little over a hour and a half.
I was at the time with

insomniac and I've done several exposures, whilst he did just one, and his as too washed away, because it's so difficult to balance aperture and exposure. And after one and a half hours works, it's difficult to make many attempts :P

Also, the software to put the images together is so simple and quick, it took about 3m to compose the final shot.

Joao

Apple iPhone 5

11/17/2009 06:43:38 AM · #12

I saw some lovely meteorites last night. The best was one that looked like it was dropping straight down, very bright - it looked like there was a hint of green in the colour! - I could even see a smoke trail.

Canon EF-S 15-85mm IS USM

11/17/2009 07:18:28 AM · #13

Well, they SAID it'd clear up to about 10-20% cloud cover by midnight, and it was still cloudy around 4 AM so I just went to bed (this is in Romania). According to Space.com, there is also a thousand year old cloud that should be visible from Europe tonight, but then again... it's a thousand years old (weak), so I might have to be out in the middle of nowhere to see/capture anything, even if it does clear up completely. Maybe I'll take the slow train to one of the villages east of here if it's clear...

Message edited by author 2009-11-17 07:20:04.

HighNooner

Canon EOS-60D

11/17/2009 08:09:21 AM · #14

It is expected that another enhanced return of the Leonid meteor shower will be observed tonight (17-18)/11/2009 around 2200 UT which is around midnight Jordan time and 5 pm EST. I was hoping of getting some tips of camera settings and lenses to take some effective sky photos.
Many Thanks
Tareq

HighNooner

Canon EOS-60D

Canon EF-S 15-85mm IS USM

11/17/2009 08:13:23 AM · #15

So I use the 10 mm on my 10-22 canon lens, with an aperture of 8 and ISO of 100, but it is so dark where I am going I can leave the lens open all night!