In early 2024, skywatchers were excited about the prospect of a bright comet, C/2023 A3 (Tsuchinshan-ATLAS), gracing our night skies. This comet offered a fascinating celestial spectacle, especially for astrophotographers. I had the opportunity to photograph Comet ATLAS in October 2024 from Thessaloniki, Greece.

The Challenge of Urban Astrophotography

Thessaloniki, with its bustling city lights, presents a significant challenge for astrophotography. Light pollution can significantly diminish the visibility of celestial objects, including comets. Despite these obstacles, I managed to capture a few stunning images of Comet ATLAS setting behind the mountains, viewed from Nea Paralia in Thessaloniki shortly after sunset.

Planning the Shoot with Stellarium

Meticulous planning is crucial for successful astrophotography. I utilized Stellarium, a free planetarium software, as an essential tool in my preparation. By visiting Stellarium’s web interface, I was able to pinpoint the comet’s exact position in the night sky at my chosen time and location. While in the field, I relied on Stellarium’s augmented reality feature to locate the comet. This real-time guidance was invaluable, especially since the comet was barely visible to the naked eye.

Conclusion

Photographing comet C/2023 A3 from Thessaloniki was a challenging but rewarding experience. By understanding the limitations of urban astrophotography and employing the right techniques, it’s possible to capture stunning images of celestial objects even from light-polluted areas. So, the next time a bright comet graces our skies, don’t hesitate to grab your camera and start shooting!

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This image is a high dynamic range (HDR) composition in which I have blended exposures to showcase both the illuminated and non-illuminated sides of the moon in a single picture. The first exposure captures the brilliance of the sunlit side of the moon, revealing intricate details, various craters and lunar maria. The second exposure captures the dark side of the moon which you can normally not see. This stunning lunar landscape is juxtaposed against a majestic star-filled sky creating a mesmerizing celestial view.

These photos were captured in a first quarter moon phase, where half the moon is brightly illuminated, casting a soft, silver glow over the dark background. What I really like about this blending technique is that it gives a 3D look to the moon. Moreover, it creates an image that you cannot witness with your bare eyes!

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The month of August 2023 was a special one for skywatchers and photographers alike, as it featured not one, but two full moons. This rare occurrence, known as a Blue Moon, happens when there are two full moons in a single calendar month. In this blog post, we’ll delve into the breathtaking experience of photographing these celestial events in the picturesque setting of Halkidiki, Greece, specifically at a rocky beach.

I had the opportunity to capture both full moons in all their glory from the rocky beaches of Halkidiki, Greece. The stunning scenery of the rocky beach provided the perfect backdrop for the celestial spectacle.

Essential Equipment for Moon Photography

•  A sturdy tripod: This will help you achieve sharp and steady images, especially when using longer exposure times.
•  A telephoto lens: Opt for a lens with a focal length of at least 200mm to capture the moon’s intricate details and have it appear big in your frame.
• A remote shutter release: This will minimize camera shake when pressing the shutter button.

Planning the Shoot

   Familiarize yourself with the moonrise and moonset times for the specific dates. Use smartphone apps like PhotoPills or online tools like Stellarium to determine the best time to photograph the moon rising or setting against the landscape. Consider incorporating other elements into your composition, such as silhouettes of rocks, waves, or nearby structures, to add depth and interest. The moon’s position in the sky changes quickly, so it’s important to be prepared and ready to capture the shot when the moment arises.

Camera Settings and Techniques

• Use manual mode to have full control over your camera settings.
• Set a low ISO (e.g., 100-400) to minimize noise and ensure sharp details.
• Start with an aperture around f/8 to f/11 for optimal sharpness.
• Experiment with different shutter speeds, but a starting point could be around 1/125th of a second for a well-exposed and sharp moon.
• Bracket your shots by adjusting the exposure to capture both the moon’s details and the surrounding landscape.

Conclusion

Photographing the two full moons of August 2023 was a rare opportunity. By planning ahead, using the right equipment and considering the composition I was able to capture some photos that I really liked. Plus it’s always great spending a warm summer night at the beach! Here is a selection of my personal favorite full moon photos in case you want to have a look!

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The night sky is a beautiful and awe-inspiring sight, and it is even more special when you can see it in a place with little light pollution. The three stars in the center of the photo are Orion’s belt, a well-known asterism in the constellation Orion. This photo captures the beauty of the night sky over Mount Ossa, a mountain in the Larissa regional unit of Thessaly, Greece.

Orion

Orion is one of the most recognizable constellations in the sky. It is named after the hunter Orion in Greek mythology. The constellation is easily visible in the winter sky in the Northern Hemisphere. The three stars in Orion’s belt are the brightest stars in the constellation. They are Alnitak, Alnilam, and Mintaka. Orion also contains the Orion Nebula, a vast cloud of gas and dust where stars are born.

Here are some more facts about the constellation of Orion:

• Orion is one of the largest constellations in the sky, covering an area of 594 square degrees.
• It is visible in both the Northern and Southern Hemispheres, but it is best seen in the winter months in the Northern Hemisphere.
• The three stars in Orion’s belt are Alnitak, Alnilam, and Mintaka. They are all hot, bright stars that are located about 1,500 light-years from Earth.
• The brightest star in Orion is Rigel, a blue supergiant star that is about 800 light-years from Earth.
• The second brightest star in Orion is Betelgeuse, a red supergiant star that is about 640 light-years from Earth.
• Orion contains the Orion Nebula, a vast cloud of gas and dust where stars are born. The Orion Nebula is one of the most popular targets for amateur astronomers.
• Orion is also home to the Orionids, a meteor shower that peaks in October.

Myths and Legends

Here are some of the myths and legends associated with Orion:

• In Greek mythology, Orion was a giant hunter who was killed by Artemis, the goddess of the hunt.
• In Egyptian mythology, Orion was associated with Osiris, the god of the underworld.
• In Native American mythology, Orion was associated with the hunter god Nanabozho.

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Usually when you see a thunderstorm coming you try to find shelter. That was not the case for me last summer. Three nights in a row when night was falling severe thunderstorms were hitting my area. So, I went out trying to get some photos before the thunderstorm was too close. In this photo you see many thunders breaking the clouds and hitting the ground creating a pretty dramatic scene. The location is Loutra Agias Paraskevis in Chalkidiki. The big building you see in the foreground is Thermal Spa of Agia Paraskevi. I have never visited it though because of the sulfur smell. They say it is pretty regenerating and good for your health though! Nevertheless I took some photos before it started raining cats and dogs. I quickly packed my things, jumped into my car and headed back home. Here is another photo I took the day before of a thunder hitting the ground.

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I have always been intrigued by the night sky. A thing that I loved while spending my summers away from the city was that I could see the stars and the milky way. Till now, whenever I have the opportunity, I enjoy going out at night to view the milky way. By bringing my camera together I can also photograph the stars and see the milky way in a way I couldn’t image. Here I am at a little village in Chalkidiki, called Loutra Agias Paraskevis. The milky way and its galactic core shine above Pelion.

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Although a thunderstorm ruined my initial plan to photograph the Perseids meteor shower I didn’t give up. I packed up my things but didn’t return home. Instead I headed towards the opposite direction where the sky was clear in order to try and photograph the Perseids. I managed to get one more shooting star along with the milky way core in one of my favorite locations in Chalkidiki. I was planning to shoot the milky way here for a long time now but there is a bar there whose lights never allowed me to do so. Well this summer was a bit different. All the night bars were closing early so I finally got the shot I wanted with a shooting star as a bonus! Oh, the two bright stars are Jupiter and Saturn heading towards their great conjunction. The 2020 ‘Great Conjunction’ of Saturn and Jupiter is the closest these planets will appear in the sky since 1623!

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That night I had no plans to go out and take photos. However when I saw the sky getting illuminated by lightnings I couldn’t resist. I grabbed my camera, jumped into my car and headed towards the thunderstorm. There was a severe electrical storm pretty far away. Here you can see the area of Pelion as seen from Kassandra in Chalkidiki. The lights of Zagora, Choreuto and Agioi Saranta can be seen. The storm covered a long distance pretty quickly. Nevertheless I managed to get some shots and leave before getting wet! In this photograph you can see a cloud to ground thunder.

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The initial plan of the night was to enjoy and photograph the Perseids meteor shower. Beforehand I had calculated the radiant so I knew exactly where I had to point my camera. But the weather had an amazing surprise. After a while a thunderstorm broke out over the city of Marmaras at Sithonia. I was lucky it didn’t come towards me but clouds started filling the sky. I managed to shoot a pretty big Perseid meteor and some smaller ones before the clouds filled my frame. In fact I think this was a much better result!

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Spending some hours watching the sunset and the starry sky on a warm summer night is always relaxing. Last summer while I was watching the sun setting behind the trees I thought to set up my camera and let it roll for a couple of hours besides me to photograph the rising stars. A few hundred photos later here are the star trails!

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