A 360° panorama of the OzSky Star Safari 2014, at the Warrumbungles Mountain Motel near Coonabarabran, NSW, Australia, taken April 1 2014. The centre of the Galaxy area in Scorpius and Sagittarius is rising just left of centre (east); the Southern Cross and Carina Nebula area is at the peak of the arch of the Milky Way, at their highest for the night (south); Canis Major is setting at right (west). The Magellanic Clouds are above the trees at centre. At upper left is Mars, a week away from opposition. The Gegenschein is visible as a diffuse glow just left of Mars, the brightest part of the Zodiacal Band which runs from the Milky Way and Antares up tp Mars then off the frame at upper left. The Dark Emu figure made of dark clouds in the Milky Way is almost all above the horizon with his head in the Coal Sack at top centre, and his neck and bodt running down the Milky Way to the left toward the horizon. This is a 6-section panorama with the Canon 60Da at ISO 3200 and 60 second exposures, untracked, with the 8mm fish-eye lens at f/3.5. Lighting and movement between segments produces some blending issues. But PTGui spliced the frames together very well and effortlessly. Taken after it had clouded over for a time then cleared, so some scopes had been covered up.
The Milky Way arching over the scenic bend of the Red Deer River, Alberta, from the Orkney Viewpoint overlooking the Badlands and river valley, in a 300° panorama. To the north at left, a weak aurora shines along the horizon. Bands of airglow also colour the sky to the east at centre. To the south at right of centre, the Milky Way becomes lost amid the light pollution from Drumheller, Alberta, made more obvious by some clouds drifting through. One of my cameras is at right, shooting a time-lapse sequence. A bright Iridium satellite flare is at right, caught one of the panorama frames. Jupiter is at far right. And of course, I like the way the curve of the Milky Way is mirrored in the curve of the river, which is why I picked this spot and this night in spring, when the Milky Way is still arching across the east and not overhead as it is later in summer. This is a stitch of 6 segments with the Rokinon 12mm lens, in landscape mode, and Nikon D750. Each 45 seconds at f/2.8 and ISO 3200. Stitched with PTGui. Taken on a mild and moonless night, May 20, 2017.
A 360° horizon panorama of the grounds at the OzSky Star Party, April 2017, showing Orion setting at right of centre while Scorpius rises at left of centre, disproving the story that the two mortal enemies of mythology are never seen together in the sky at the same time. But from the southern hemisphere in austral autumn they are. Jupiter and the glow of Gegenschein are at far left. The Dark Emu is rising at left. The Large Magellanic Cloud is at centre. This is a stitch of 8 segments, with the Rokinon 14mm lens at f/2.5 for 25 seconds, in landscape orientation (so the view does not go up to the zenith) and Canon 6D at ISO 6400. Stitched with PTGui.
